Deposits Required for Waiting List?

Yes. I believe a 500$ "deposit" is the norm.
I too had to put it down when I booked mine in December.

 

What's the odds of getting it back if you change your mind?

 

We put down a refundable $500 deposit back on 12/3/2005 and our first choice Prius (color and package) is arriving 2/3 - 2/10. Roughly two months. MSRP.

Meanwhile, I called all over our county and had we not been particular about the package and had we wanted a silver Prius, we could have purchased an 06 Prius on numerous occasions without a deposit.

If you don't want to put a deposit down, you don't really have to. It'll take more legwork, so to speak, but you can find a Prius.

 

I placed a deposit at one dealer (gave them my credit card # to do a $500 deposit). However, they never charged my card.
I also was on a waiting list at another Toyota dealer where I've bought two previous cars from, and since I was a repeat buyer, he did not need a deposit from me. I ended up buying there since his allocation came in first.
Seems like a $500 deposit is quite the norm and they always say it's refundable - no questions asked. Good luck.

Justinc

 

$500 is the standard. you can ask to see the list. you can check back weekly/monthly to see your name move up it. this is not a sales tactic - it's just Toyota's way of making sure people on the list are commited.

I put my deposit down in August '05. They DID cash it, as I expected them to do. I was promised a complete refund If i ever decided to remove myself from the list.

I got my car 1/6/6.

The 500 went toward my down payment.

 

My Toyoto dealer did not require a deposit. Overall, judging from previous posts, a deposit seems to be the norm.

I believe I have read (on this or another forum) that, in most states, deposits are refundable by law.

Back in October, when I was looking around, the Honda dealer wanted a $5000 deposit for a Civic hybrid!!! Refundable or not, that ended my conversation with the salesman.

 

There is a topic right in this forum with leads for new 2006 Priuses in Chicagoland. Where there is a will, there is a way...

 

I would make sure that the deposit is indeed refundable.

The first dealer I talked to, told me that this 500$ deposit would not be refundable.
The other dealers I talked to told me that in case I changed my mind, they would have absolutely no problems selling the Prius alloted to me to someone else. There is no shortage of buyers. So the deposit is refundable and I am free to change my mind anytime I want.

 

As far as my research was concerned, every dealer requires a deposit. And by law, the deposit is refundable. That was what my dealer told me. I had put down a $500 deposit in Sept '05, and got delivery of my Black prius '06 last week. And since i part-financed the vehicle, the deposit amount was adjusted into the downpayment.

 

I think what you said is certainly true.
My question is...if dealers can sell any Prius at any time to a plethora of buyers...why do they need a deposit in the first place!!! Are there any marketing people out there that can explain this to me?

 

It's probably most but not quite all. Mine did not.

 

I offered to put a deposit down, and the salesman said not to bother. He would put me on the list for the car I wanted and that was about it. Car was ordered in mid November, with a request, so as to take advantage of the 2006 tax credit, that the car be delivered on my birthday, which is January 4th. Well it was delivered 2 days days late, on January 6th, instead of the 4th.

 

Technically, the deposit protects you!

Your dealer doesn't need a deposit. They can sell it to the next guy.
But what if someone were to come in to the dealer and tell them they would willingly pay $3000 extra for the next car that comes off the truck? Just so happens the next car is yours.

If you've put down a deposit, they are legally bound to give you first choice.

BTW, my dealer only asked for $100.00. ETA now mid Feb.

 

interesting thought. i hadn't thought about it that way. in a way it makes sense. i think on my order the VIN was included (need to dbl check)

 

Back in Sept '04 I had my name put down on one list in San Diego. No deposit. I was told the waiting list was over a year and a half (meaning I would get one in Feb '06). I started getting calls in Jan '05 (4 in all), but none were what I wanted.

I contacted a dealer in Nevada who wanted a $500 deposit. The day I put the check in the mail I got a call saying they could not get the model I wanted. They returned the $500.

I ended up getting one at a dealer who had it in stock so no deposit was required.

 

Dealers here charge anywhere from $500 to $1000 as a deposit. It is fully refundable if you change your mind or decide to use other means to pay for the car.

The first dealership I went to and had a bad experience with just took down my credit card # without the expiration date. I was never able to get a hold of him even after leaving several messages so I contacted another dealership, put actual money down (they've debited my account and everything) and promptly cancelled my "order" from the first place.

 

Unless the market in the chicago area is radically different than the market in Texas, you should be able to get what you want for less than MSRP. I'm going to pick up mine tomorrow, and I'm certainly paying under MSRP.

If you haven't done so already, go to Toyota.com and click on the "locate a dealer" option in the lower left corner of the page. From there, you should be able plenty of dealerships. Type in different zip codes and cities for your searches, and you can come up with a list of all the dealers close enough that you are willing to drive to. I did this and came up with a list of about 50 dealers within a 4-5 hour drive from me. Many of their websites will also allow you to search the dealer's inventory. Make use of this. Make a new folder in your web brower bookmarks linking as directly as possible to the inventories of all the dealers you can get, and check them periodically. If you do this, you should be able to find some cars that you are interested in. Also, you can talk to multiple dealers (go through their internet departments for the best deals) and make them compete against each other for your business, whether you want to get onto a waiting list or to buy one in stock. If you do that, you should be able to find a car to your liking for a good price. So I'd advise you to try and get one for cheaper, if you have the time to spend on it.

Good luck!

 

all the dealers I have talked to except on in the southern virginia area require at least a $250/deposit. Also, almost all of them have told me that the deposit is non-refundable.
thanks.

Mike

 

I had to put down $500 when I placed my order. At the time The 06 prices weren't available so I didn't get a firm price. I ordered Seaside Pearl package #3. I was told it would be @3 months. I was offered a Classic Silver package #5 after four months to the day and took it. Love the car. They charged me sticker and offered the extended warranty for $985 which I accepted.

Averaging 48.5 mpg into my fourth tank.