uh-oh, that is a terrible experience. I worked with the people at Santa Monica, and was able to get $500-1000 below MSRP (depending on the price I would pay for the extended warranty). Quote was $1000 under MSRP, $1750 for 7yr/100k and 4yr/55k. ($295 over invoice) I ended up buying from Long Beach cause I got basically the same deal, but better service... Email me to continue this discussion further. -Tim
Holy Cow! Here it is May 2005 and people in SoCal are still talking about paying over MSRP??? When I was looking in Jan/Feb, almost every dealer was at MSRP. Dealers I directly spoke with at MSRP: Corona Rancho Santa Margarita Family Symes Dealers not at MSRP (or playing games with pricing) Long Beach (I'm told they are now at MSRP) Carson (6-8 month wait, unless you want to "jump" to the head of the line) DGStan
I understand that there were an abundance of Priuses on the lots through mid-March. When April hit and the gas prices went above $2.50, the demand was/is greater than the supply. Power Toyota of Cerritos :cussing: tried to [strike:f2d3f59ef2]rape[/strike:f2d3f59ef2] sell me with a $3,000 mark-up PLUS an optional leather package ($32K+)! Norwalk sold me my Pri at $500 BELOW MSRP. My salesguy said that even at the height of the craze they never sold it for more than MSRP. UNPLUG POWER TOYOTA!
What they took off the sticker they added to the extended warranty. You could have gotten a 7yr/100,000/0 deductible platinum extended warranty here at prisuchat from Troy for $985. Same thing if you trade in your car. They'll take off sticker and then lower offer for trade in. They give you half what it's worth then sell it for twice that. They end up getting it for free.
Right. I understand how the pricing thing works... I spent a lot of time going through all the number ahead of time. Since I knew the price of the warranties here, I knew what number I needed to beat. If you pay $1k under MSRP, and pay $295 over cost (not MSRP mind you) on the 2 warranties, then you 'essentially' are paying $905 under MSRP. (because your best alternative is here at this site with Troy for $200 over cost on the 2 warranties)
Here's my summary of calling around to 9 dealerships in central and southeastern Connecticut: Colchester Toyota, 8 months maybe less, no waitlist deposit, MSRP only Stephen Toyota, Bristol, 4-6 months, $300 refundable waitlist deposit, MSRP only Lynch Toyota, Manchester, 3-6 months, $500 refundable waitlist deposit, MSRP only Middletown Toyota 3-5 months, $1,000 waitlist deposit uncertain if it's refundable, MSRP only Hartford Toyota, 4-6 weeks (so they claim, I have my doubts), $500 waitlist Lorensen Toyota, Old Saybrook "waitlist now frozen at 20 people, after that, we're charging a premium because we're getting killed on MSRP", exact length of waitlist, deposit and amount of premium over MSRP not disclosed. I said I had been in contact with 4 other Toyota dealerships and Lorensen was the FIRST one to ask a premium, and that I most certainly would not by buying one there. Girard Toyota, New London, 10-12 weeks, 5 people on waitlist, have stopped taking waitlist names, and is now charging premiums that have recently been $1,200 and $2,500, and is basically selling first to whoever will agree to pay the highest premium. Charles Toyota, Norwich, 6-8 weeks, $5,000 deposit, charges between $3,000 and $7,500 premium, typically a $4,000 premium. I bought my truck there 5 years ago. They just lost me as a customer. Toyota of Wallingford, charges premium of $2,000. Generally, the concentration of premium charging dealerships are in southeastern Connecticut, while most central Connecticut dealers, except Wallingford, are MSRP only. I'm wary of Hartford Toyota quoting especially short waitlists but insisting on a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit to lock you in.
Ouch! :crazyeyes: Did you try going through the Internet and contacting either of their fleet dealers? They get their own allotment of cars. Also, try AAA's buyers service.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(majordude\";p=\"89706)</div> I went through the internet on a number of services including Edmonds, CarsDirect, etc., and those that actlually led me somewhere to get a response all ended up at the same place: Stephens AutoMall in Bristol, CT. They claim to be a fleet dealer. I'm not sure what you mean by "either" of their fleet dealers? I started with Colchester Toyota, they seem very above board and I'm on their waitlist with no deposit, but their 8 month estimate is just way too long...I would really like it this summer and absolutely within this calendar year. I've put in a couple of refundable deposits on the 2 other decent dealer's waitlists I mentioned. I will also check with AAA as I am a member. Thanks.
Have you considered going down to Virginia? I got same day delivery at a good discount from MSRP dealing with Louis Pierce at Haley Toyota in Roanoke. My brother was specific on the color he wanted and they had it for him in 10 days. Other posters have reported similar good results from dealers in northern Virginia. Just a thought.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(popoff\";p=\"89724)</div> I haven't considered going out of state just yet, but thanks for the specifics. I thought I was starting plenty early enough considering that I definitely want to take delivery by the end of the calendar year. In fact, I'd prefer not to get it before July as I will be out of the country for a few weeks in June. How good is a good discount? I have to imagine that any savings out of state would be negated by the cost and hassles of taking delivery so far away. If it gets toward the end of summer and I'm not seeing anything happen, I might consider it though. Thanks.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(majordude\";p=\"89706)</div> I did AAA's purchase service, and it worked out well for me so far. It led me to a fleet dealer at Toyota Palo Alto that I like pretty well, and his deal for AAA members is almost $400 under MSRP. I just ordered mine from him this morning, and he threw in some accessories for free too.
Toyota of Thousand Oaks (California) is marking up their Prii $2995 over MSRP. Only good thing about going over there was that I got to test drive the car. Very impressive. But I definitely won't be buying from them, which is a shame since they're my local dealer.
Not only does the future owner of that Prius get hosed by the dealer but he gets a car that everyone else has test driven (because it's the only one in town not sold due to the mark up)! :crazyeyes:
Through April and May, Daytona Toyota has been charging $4995 over MSRP. After tacking on leather, Toyoguard, etc, most Prii I have seen end up around $35000.
Hey Innov8v: Was that a silver #6 you test drove??? heh heh heh.... Guess the haven't changed their ways. Oh well.
Actually it was a Tideland #3. They said they had three Prii on the lot, but I didn't see the other two. Anyone who follows this board knows three grand over MSRP is insane and unnecessary. I guess that dealership assumes they'll get a sucker to walk in every once in a while and take the bait. When I questioned the sales person about it, he said, "It's you guys who are doing it. You're making it too popular." Yeah, right. I know all about supply and demand, let the buyer beware, etc., but it still boils down to greed and selfishness being used to sell a machine that represents, among other things, the antithesis of those traits. Oh, almost forgot to mention. Part of their sales pitch to me was that I'd be able to drive in the diamond lane because cops USUALLY "look the other way" when there's a hybrid there. Usually? I'll mention that to the judge when I'm protesting my $271 ticket for illegally being in that lane. Sorry about the rant. I'm normally a big fan of irony, but this sorry group of losers obviously kind of got to me. ukeright:
Hudson Toyota in NJ They wanted to charge $3500 over MSRP Not willing to refund the $1000 fully refundable deposit. I will first call Toyota to complain, then will call my credit card company to cancel that. Scott
I bought my 2005 Package 5 from Lakeland Toyota (FL). Picked it up after about a 3-week wait. They then wanted $2000 over the already-inflated sticker (ToyoGuard, etc.), which hadn't been mentioned at the time I gave them a $500 non-refundable deposit. Bottom line is that after some discussion and negotiation of my trade-in value, we struck a deal that we were both happy with, although I'm sure they were happier than I was. A few weeks later, I was starting to have buyer's remorse, in that I wished I had waited for a Package 6 -- the non-nav display gets pretty boring. On the same day that NPR's Morning Edition carried a piece saying used Prii were bringing over $3K above MSRP, this dealer wanted my car plus $8K for a Package 6. Garmin's StreetPilot is looking like a better deal.
Texas Scam Artists #1 Toyota of Plano $5,000 over MSRP #2 Toyota of Lewisville, $3,000 over MSRP after much haggling. Called me a week later and offered a used 2004 P5 for $24,000, ridiculous! Ended up getting 2005 Prius with P3 for MSRP from Toyota of Richardson. Lewisville, and Plano, you've lost my business for life.
