New 08 Prius owner...NOT!

I'm not saying you did anything wrong I'm just saying that if someone were 100% sold on a purchase (which I said over and over again I didn't think you were)and the deal still made sense after a $500 increase in cost (which given what you were told by the other dealers in your area, it did) its still worth doing. You're not giving into intimidation, you're making a business decision independent of any emotion which is what you should do.

You have to remember your goals. You goal was to purchase a package 2 Prius at a fair price and get as much money for your trade as you could. Buying it from this dealer would have achieved that goal, $500 or not. Your other option is to buy it from someone else and thats going to cost you more.

Its not just the purchase price, you have a trade which complicates things. I have absolutely no idea what is fair for a Prius drive off in your marketplace but the other quotes you provided all show a departure in total cost to you. Using the data you posted their deal was still $2300 better than the deal the other dealers were offering you when you factor in the trade even after the $500.

Stop putting words in my mouth. I said that the way the dealer treated you was reprehensible several times. However, if its a dollars and cents business decision then they've still got the best deal. I would have taken their deal, $500 included to the other dealer to see if they could match it but if they couldn't I would have bought it from the jerks if I were 100% committed to buying. I'd just never go back.

Shame on me? I'm encouraging people to make good business decisions. Jerks like that only affect you if you let them. You let them affect you and it cost you what appears to be the cheapest deal in your area right now. The dealer may have lost your business, but you lost the best deal you could swing.

I don't understand why you became angry with me, I was certainly never angry with you. In fact I said several times that I wasn't commenting whether or not you personally should have made the purchase, I don't know anything about you. All I said was that in that situation oftentimes people let their "principles" keep them from achieving the goals they want to achieve and it winds up costing them money.

Thats not a business mindset. Principles are great. I treat everyone with the utmost professionalism and integrity. I do realize however that not everyone is that way, but I'm not going to let those people stand in the way of a business transaction that makes sense for me.

If they wouldn't waive the $400 would you have bought it? You say you'd have felt cheated but if you couldn't replicate the deal elsewhere including the $400 you didn't get cheated.

 

http://sirymarketing.blogspot.com/search/label/Book%20Review

Scroll down and read the posts:
"Selling Cars"
"Selling Cars pt. 2"

What happened here has some manuals written about manipulating car buyers.

 

I think that yrfuneralmytrial did the right thing. The salesman promised an out-the-door price and then renegged. A dealership that would give their word and then reneg on it will probably continue to treat the customer badly after the sale. Had it been a great price, that might have created a temptation to let it slide and take the car. But dishonesty is always a good reason to walk away.

So that's where your screen name comes from!

I think in some states it may be illegal to drive barefooted. I'm not sure of this. That might have created the dealer's bad attitude. But if that was their reason they should have said so.

 

I spend a good part of my professional life using my objective perspective to advise people on their business decisions. I encounter many people who are "stuck" on a price or one particular issue. I say "stuck" because they will allow one issue to control the deal. Many people would say they allow the tail to wag the dog. If I do my job well, I will be able to show my clients how to get around this problem.

Is this the same as the issue described in this thread? Perhaps, but I think not. I read that a clear promise was made and that the parties entered into a bargain with open eyes and a common understanding of the transaction. When one party makes a change to its own benefit and gives nothing in return, it is a new deal. When it happens in controvention of a clear deal, it is dirty and underhanded. If this is how the other party deals, then I advise my clients to run away.

If you are buying a commodity, then you just look at the dollars, I suppose. When you are establishing a relationship where you may need to return to have work done or have a warranty honored, trust becomes a critical element of that relationship.

I do not know all of the particulars of the deal, but if it went down as described, I would say the decision to walk away is sound not only in terms of the "principles" involved, but also the "dollars" involved.

 

You continue to think that I'm arguing with you and I'm not...

We don't have anything to shake hands about because we haven't been arguing, at least I haven't been arguing...

Anyways I can't make it any clearer to you so I give up.

This is exactly what I've been trying to say.

I absolutely agree. If the option however is to run away and take another deal to their significant financial detriment it wouldn't make any sense. You're better off to proceed knowing that the other party is underhanded then to take a bath waiting for another deal. Its a new deal, but if it still makes much more sense than the alternatives then I say go for it.

The OP had the luxury of being able to sit back and wait for the right deal to come along but not everyone has that luxury or that desire.

But who'se establishing a relationship? Any dealer can do warranty work, not just the selling dealer. The sales and service departments are completely seperate so your experience in sales may and will be completely different than in service. He's simply purchasing a commodity from them. Any desire to establish a relationship is out of his choosing, not out of neccesity.

It absolutely makes sense in terms of the principles, but it makes no sense in terms of the dollars. According to the other offers he's shown us this deal was $2300 better even after the $500. Underhanded or not, these guys have a much better deal. So in the end who lost? The dealer will sell the car. The OP may not find another deal where the dollars work out as well for him because of the complexity of his trade situation and the costs of operating his current vehicle.

This is a good place to say this. Don't turn your car in to the dealer, sell it yourself either to something like CarMax or on consignment somewhere. You'll do better, and it will make negotiating for the car you purchase a whole lot easier.

 

Congratulations on having the courage to stand your ground and walk. You did the right thing. The dealership reneged on the agreement and you had every right to refuse their counter offer.

I did the same thing a few years ago right after the paperwork was signed and a serious "problem" became apparent that was not agreed upon. Dealership refused to compromise. I got up and left. Bank check stayed with me. I never regretted it. Neither should you!

 

Maybe something to feel good about. You come across as a perfectly reasonable person in your posts here. If you were half as reasonable under the stress at the dealership and they still showed you the door, then the folks there are completely fruit loops. If they react that way when they are trying to sell you a car, imagine the treatment if you have to go back for service/repairs? I think you probably came out ahead of the game.

 

See I didn't know that about the extended powertrain warranty...

Have you tried taking that deal to the other dealerships and seeing if they can match it?

 

My guess is that you'll end up spending more time, energy, and money searching for the 'best' deal than what you have locally. Diminishing rate of return and all that... Whatever blows your hair back, though. Press on!

 

That was me. It could be nothing more than a cheaply tarted up #2 chock full of dealer add-ons, with the hope of making a few grand extra profit on somebody who doesn't know any better. There are some slimy dealers where I am that do it all the time. They add many thousands of dollars in markup by slapping on $1-2K of tacky bling. Then again, that Prius could be beautiful and well executed. Probably worth a look just to say you did. But it may hurt resale value later on when you are selling a modified package 2 versus a real-deal package 5 or 6.

 

Yeah I would avoid dealer add ons, they're typically lower quality and the profit margin on them is enormous.

Who did you talk to at dealer #1?

 

Yes.

- Door edging.
Worthless. You can buy an inexpensive kit to do it yourself in about 15 minutes.

- Window tinting
Be careful. Unless they are pros at this, the tinting may prematurely peel, crack, look horrible, and be very expensive to fix. Make sure it has a lifetime warranty.

For the rest of the stuff, ask the dealer if it is a regional port-installed option (PIO) package. If so, it will be professionally done, well worth the money, and covered under the Toyota warranty. But make 100% sure and get it in writing. If it's not, I would be very leery, since any issues that arise from these mods would probably not be covered under any Toyota warranty.

Is this the car you are asking about at Toyota of Northwest Arkansas?
http://toyotanwa.com/NewInventoryDetail.aspx?Vin=JTDKB20U783333291&Type=new&From=NewInventorySearch

Judging by the info, it's a package #1 car with a bunch of PIO stuff installed. No stability control or backup camera, which stinks. The extra options are $1,897. The MSRP is $24,937. If that includes freight, then your quote of $25K is $63 above sticker.

The same dealer also shows this in stock for a few hundred dollars more:
http://toyotanwa.com/NewInventoryDetail.aspx?Vin=JTDKB20U683335727&Type=new&From=NewInventorySearch

2008 Prius 5 Door Hatchback, Magnetic Gray Metallic

50 State Emissions $0
Carpet Mat Set $199
* Carpet Floor Mats
* Trunk Mat

Package #3 Includes: JBL Am/Fm 6-Disc Cd $2,105
* Changer With 9 Speakers
* Aux Audio Input Miniplug
* Mp3/Wma Playback Capability
* Satellite Radio Capability
* And Hands-Free Phone Capability Via Bluetooth; Vehicle Stability Control; Backup Camera; Smart Key System; Anti-Theft System; Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror With Homelink. Heated Outside Mirrors; 15" Alloy Wheels With Trim Ring
* Tonneau Cover
* Seatback Pockets

Includes: Cruise Control, $0
* Heated Outside Mirrors; 15" Alloy Wheels With Trim Ring; Tonneau Cover; Seatback Pockets. The Price Of This Option Is Included Within The Base Vehicle Msrp Above.

Price: $25,344.00
VIN: JTDKB20U683335727
Status: In Stock

Package #3 is rare and a nice combo of features. I would be all over that one like a fly on stink, even for MSRP.