Prius fans a patient bunch

Prius fans a patient bunch
Waiting times for Toyota's hot hybrid are over a year in Ann Arbor
Monday, 31, 2004
BY CHRISTOPHER JENSEN AND BRYCE HOFFMAN
Newhouse News Service and News Business Reporter

Ann Arbor News

Plan ahead if you are thinking about buying a Toyota Prius, the high-mileage hybrid. Plan way ahead.

Ann Arbor-area customers can expect to wait more than a year for one, according to Jennifer Raft, sales manager at Dunning Toyota on Jackson Road. She said the wait time now stands between 12 and 15 months, depending on options, but added that most of those with a passion for the Prius do not seem to mind.

"We've been taking orders every day," Raft said. "Our list keeps growing."

Nationally, the wait is at least six months, but some dealers say it could take a year to get one. Dunning Toyota receives only four or five Priuses each month. Raft said that's more than most dealers are allotted....