Dealer Pricing - Negotiable?

I am considering to buy this PHV. I already have a Leaf.

I bought the Leaf at 5% off MSRP. A group of buyers got together and negotiated the price with the dealership. Basically everyone in the group got the 5% off. I suspect the same could apply to this PHV. The key is to negotiate with the dealership as a group.

 

Theoretically that's what this thread was supposed to do. Not sure what ever happened to it...

http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-...ified-dealer-program-looking-suggestions.html

 

On the 2010 Special Order on line program, we got a GREAT Price from Toyota.
I suspect the price from the dealer will not be as good. Too Bad.

 

Last year, another person from the MyNissanLeaf forum and myself started a google group. People who were interested were added to the group. I believe we had about 20 people in the group. We then talked to the different dealerships in the area. We located two dealerships who were willing to offer 5% off MSRP.

People in the group are not bound to the deal. But I believe many did end up buying from either of the two dealerships.

It helps that we were in the SF bay area and there were many dealerships to compete and many buyers.

 

Does anyone know if the Plug-in will be offered through one of the warehouse club auto programs?

I got my 06 Prius through Costco and it was more than enough of a savings off MSRP to justify a membership fee, and the transaction itself was the easiest car purchase I've ever had.

 

The warehouse clubs or dealerships around here are a joke. I tried with last 2 purchases 2010 and 2011 . No prius program supply problems earthquake which i fully understand and found a better deal on my own for 2010.

 

by the way, does anyone know if toyota taken many more reservations than they can fulfill initially? i've heard that they are making 15,000 cars at first. does this mean they took 15,000 reservations? or 15,000 + some percentage, under the expectation that some people will not pull the trigger?

 

Last I saw, the number of people who signed up with Toyota for the Plug-In was over 29,000.

 

so, if there are nearly 2 buyers for every PiP, there's not going to be a whole lot of "negotiating" going on. If you don't want the car, there's at least 1 more person who does. This is why its a fallacy to think you are going to be able to be able to negotiate much of a discount on the first ever plug in prius. You'll have better luck negotiating a discount of a Nissan Leaf, as there are not nearly as many buyers lining up for them yet (assuming you have a Leaf reservation that is)

 

well alrighty then... that's rough. why would toyota do this? it's just going to create a lot of ill will.

 

With LEAF, you are talking apples and oranges. Yeesh, matter of fact, Watermelons and peas. (Yes, Gallagher would be proud, sledgehammer in hand)

You can't get 100 miles in a Leaf till you need a wall socket.
The Prius PHEV is "everyman's" car.

You don't have to plug it in if you don't want to. And, in CA, it's your ticket to the e-RIDE - the HOV lanes. With so many of us Prius drivers back into mainstream traffic, we're all suffering ... and it's the ticket out of that.

You cannot compare the two. And, the Leaf's a bunch closer to $40K with the electronics needed. Prius is $33K at the start. Again, can't compare!

 

FYI? There are no reservations.
There's an opportunity for the nimble & quick to order right out of the gate. You just have to be fast. Internet speed a problem, get to somewhere it isn't a problem.

 

There is a reservation system for the Leaf, Toyota also had a sign up for the PiP. I'm on both. Nissan was a $99 deposit on 4/20/2010

The Leaf does directly compare to the PiP, they both run on electricty, and use no gas. The Leaf is way less than you are stating. There is a $7,500 Federal Crediit on it, and a $2,500 credit on the PiP.

If you Lease the Leaf, NMC is taking the $7500 of the price of the lease, which lowers the cost, and you don't have to claim it on your Federal Taxes, its an instant discount. The top end Leaf is $409/month w/$2599 down for 36 months, the base model lease is $369/month. thats a pretty good deal to me. My commute works with both of them, and is in fact is 34 miles roundtrip, so I wouldn't even have to plug in the Leaf at work, unless I wanted to. I would have to find a way to plug in the PiP for maximum electric benefit.

Base model 2012 Leaf, $35,200 - $7,500 Federal credit (instantly deducted if you lease), Net: $27,700. That's better than the $32K base model PiP, - $2,500 Credit on it, or $29,500. PiP is more expensive by $1,800 after Federal credits are taken into consideration.

If you want to see I am giving you real numbers:

Nissan Leaf Electric Car: 100% electric. Zero gas. Zero tailpipe.

for many 80-100 miles is plenty for their daily commutes and running errands, not everyone drives 200 miles a day, Diane.

No gas station ever needs to be visited, plug it into your garage at night, you have a full tank every morning. Don't worry, Toyota will eventually make their own EV, someday (I don't count the RAV4 EV to be theirs, Tesla is doing most of that work). Don't come back with the charging station is expensive, Home Depot now sells the Schnieder Electric EV2430WS online for $729.00

 

FYI ... the LEAF being electric only means you have to have a 2nd car to go 100+ miles. Period. The first time I need to take a trip, I'm renting or borrowing or needing a 2nd car. You don't have to do that in a PHEV. LEAF's fine for folks who have a 2nd car in their household, or don't mind others driving them long distances.

You don't see that as a huge problem, but I do.
If I am not free to go anywhere I want at any time without a long stop to recharge to keep going, then it's a very large waste of money for me, as compared to the versatility of the Prius, and I am positive I am not the only one who feels this way. Especially with HOW MANY hand rasiers on PHEV vs how many LEAFS with a list of waiting buyers sold?

Given the right circumstances, there's going to be someone out there convincing someone else that a Escalade hybrid is the perfect car too. I'm sure it's perfect for some. Not for me.

My driving isn't very unique. Lots of folks in Southern CA commute 60-80 miles total a day and run their errands weekends.

Tax credit? A benefit but not a deal breaker.

This car gets me back into the HOV lanes and will also get me hundreds if not thousands of miles w/o needing anything but a pit stop for gas. That works for me!

 

Yes, I am well aware of the benefits of a PHEV over an EV, not going to argue that with you.

The reality of the situation is, if you are a 1 car family, the Leaf is not for you, that's a given. But most households have more than 1 vehicle these days.

The Leaf is the best commuter car there has ever been, for commutes that it works for. You use zero gasoline, and you just can't beat that.

If you feel you "need" to be able to jump in your car and suddenly drive 150 miles, great, I don't often find in my ACTUAL day to day life, I need that capability.
Most people think they drive much further and at much higher speeds than what the reality is, that's why its so tough to convince people that, yeah, and EV will probably work for you most of the time.

If the PiP had a more realistic EV range, of 30-40 miles, like the Volt has, this wouldn't even be a question for me and many others, the puny EV range is just not worth the money that's being asked, IMHO, when a full EV is availble for a similar price.

As Ed Begley Jr has said, and continues to say, "EV's won't work for everyone, only %95 of the population"

BTW, the Leaf also gets you in the HOV lane as well, in case you where not aware of that.

I have been driving Priu since 2001, I have owned all 3 generations, I was hoping to stay with Toyota, but they've let me down, and I don't feel selling my 2010 Model 5 or trading it in for even the PiP advanced model is worthwhile, my package 5 actually has more features than the PiP. The next step for me is a full EV, the Prius will be a backup car, and will most likely be sold within 6 months to a year, once I see how the EV works for me, and overcome my "perceived" range anxiety (which is not real, neither is yours most likely)

Anyway, we are well off topic, so I end this side discussion saying, each person will make the choice that works for them, and that they are comfortable with, but don't argue on price as the 2 vehicles are in the same ballpark (within $1,800 of each other), and you will never buy another gallon of gas with the Leaf, or have to stop to "fill it up", get an oil change, etc, there is something to be said about that as well.

 

I believe we are all aware that the LEAF gets a "electric vehicle" white sticker and can use the HOV lanes.

That said, there's still 40,000+ people in the USA who are waiting for a more versatile car. One that will take them not to work and back or point A to B... one that will take them anywhere with alternatives to gas ... as well as alternatives to plugging in.

If you don't go anywhere and don't pkan to. Leaf's the way to go perhaps. You said :you can't beat not using gas: but let me tell you, if you need to go somewhere further than 100 miles, you ARE using gas. You are just using someone else's. It's either plane fuel, bus fuel, train fuel, or hitching a ride with someone else's mode of transport which will do what your plug-in Leaf will not: permit you to MOVE beyond 100+ miles w/o stopping for a socket-stop for hours.

 

No need to discredit the Leaf just because Toyota does not sell one in the same category (yet). I own the Leaf and also plan to get the PIP. I think each has its advantages and disadvantages.