playing the waiting game

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but going for the more basic packages may actually decrease your chances (as was my case). I began my search for a package 1 (RW) in January and eventually accepted delivery of a package 7 in July.

From what I've read (and personally experienced), the higher level packages (7 and 9) make up a significant percentage of the overall Prius shipments. By following a number of Prius forums, I’ve also noticed that the package allocations can vary widely depending upon geographic location, with certain areas being allocated certain package levels. You may want to quiz your fleet manager on the exact number of cars they been receiving and for what package levels.

You also need to consider who is on the list in front of you. As in my case, I began in January with very few orders in front of me. What my dealer hadn’t told me was that one “order†was a fleet order for 40 package 1 Prii for the city of Salem.

Needless to say, my position on the list did not budge for months as they filled this order, forcing me the either wait (forever?) or upgrade my order.

Good Luck!

 

Not to mention that a number of the 2004 Prius' more basic option packages have been eliminated from the 2005 lineup. It's gone from 9 to 6 packages.

 

Re: killjoy

 

I too am in a similar situation. I put an order in for a #1 in Aug and they are telling me a 18 month wait. (and I think that wait is for any package.) I am now considering the package #7 (AM). The features added in that package are closer to worth the extra bucks. To me the NAV system, improved (from reading on this forum the sound is not much better. One would be better off updating the speakers themselves.) stereo and bluetooth is not worth an extra 3k above the AM package.

But there seems to be a bummer for me even in that. The dealer told what their allotment for 2005 was and the AM package as not on it. They were getting GY,AI, and BC. AI is the highest percentage of them all and that has the stuff I really don't want. That leaves me with just the GY package which they are only getting 10% of. What to do, what to do...

 

DanH -- what part of the country are you in? I was wondering where they weren't getting the AM package in...

 

I'm in NC. It does bring up a question I have been wondering about. Can people get a car the is not on the dealer's allotment without going out of state? The dealer told me that the order goes to Toyota itself. Also, when he first took my order he simply asked me to pick for any of the 9 (of 2004) packages. It was only when I asked about packages available for 2005 that he told me about the allotments as well.

You do probably want to ask your dealer about where you are on the list and the allotment. They should have this information. The dealer was able to tell me I was number 62 on the list, they get 3 a month, but the 50% increase in production would start in May.

 

If they could, I'm sure they would! Prudent forecasting based on the 2001-2003 sales didn't show how wild we would all be about the revamped model.

In my area and in No. Cal from another post, AM & BC make up 70% of the allocation. I'm sure that can change over time and I have no idea how one would find out when, where and how it changes.

In Dianne's original post about the 2005 packages, she said So. Cal will be getting GY, BI and BC. So that is 1 area where AM is not (at least initially) available. I think that, generally speaking, VSC would be of interest to people who live in snow and ice country. Certainly they have that in So. Cal, up in the mountains, but the majority of the population probably wouldn't have the need so AM would be less popular.

 

I think if they thought about it AM should be more popular in NC. For one thing they get at least one big ice storm a year and snow as well. The only difference is usually doesn't stay on the ground for more than a couple of days. Also, the big reason to AM around here is for the most part they don't know what a snow plow or a salt truck is. By the time a plow gets any road outside of the most major ones, it's all packed down. After reading on this forum how the VSC worked for someone in such conditions, I decided that would be worth the added expense.

 

finding out what's available in your area

sorry if i am not suppose to recommend a "competing" prius forum, but at the PriusOnline web site, cunningkeith put detailed instructions to find out what package options are available in what area. Last post on that thread was 07/02/2004. http://www.priusonline.com/viewtopic.php?t=1724

I did what was recommended, and found out that the packages I wanted were in New England area and Kansas City, so I had to change the option package I was willing to buy, since I didn't want to go that far to get my car!! Didn't list the dealer individually, but did tell you what packages were being sent to what region. Then it just took time to call different dealers in the region.

 

Too bad the Toyota site is still showing 2004 models and pricing

 

Actually, I think they're already reflecting 2005 option packages, if not prices. Every part of the country I tested listed no 2004 #1 or #2 (or #0) packages at all. They're no longer an option.

I've forgotten what 2004 options package besides #0, #1 and #2 got deleted for 2005. Anybody remember?

(Glad this topic came up -- I hadn't done a "Build a Prius" option on the Toyota Website, with different zip codes, for some time.)

 

I don't know about that Jeff. For MA, they still call AM #7 and BC #9. For 2005 they should be 4 & 6 respectively