Screw toenails, I'm ripping someone's friggin foot off!!!

They know good and well they have a contract with you. Otherwise they wouldn't be cancelling.

They are completely obligated to sell you the next car that comes in, at MSRP. Lookit, if they hadn't told you MSRP, why would they need to refund your deposit and take you off the list? They would simply send you an email that said "Hey, we're going to have to ask you for more than MSRP. You still want that car?" The only way they can start charging a premium is to rescind all outstanding contracts and start over.

Point here, is THEY KNOW they have a contract. They're hoping you won't force them to stick to it, but just get pissed and walk away, swearing not to give them the business. Hold them to the contract, Manny. We want to see you win!

 

I would sue...

I cant even imagine the frustration that you must be feeling with your dealer..... I would definatly talk to a lawyer. Sounds like breach of contract and intentional/negligent infliction of emotional distress!

(this in no way should be considered to be legal adivce)

 

I still like the question and glue

 

Did you get the letters and keychain? If so, it would seem to verify that you had an agreement with them.

I will certainly write a letter / send eMail / make a phone call to Toyota on your behalf. A couple thousand irate Prius owners should make some kind of impression.

Please let us all be indignant with you.

 

Wow Manny, that surely is some tough shit to swallow. The key word there is shit.

All of this Better Buisiness Bureau / media / etc stuff... probably won't get you very far. The good news for you though... most buisiness relies on word-of-mouth, and information that portrays a dealer in a negative light is ten times more likely to spread than positive information.

With that said... I briefly worked at a dealership where a man had bought a car that he'd "settled" on (something about the color and trim level), thought he paid too much for, and definitely didn't like. A couple of weeks later (or so the story goes)... the man drove the car through the floor-to-ceiling window and claimed it as an insurance writeoff. Apparently he later got the car he wanted somewhere else.


Go for that Matrix and invest in a good crash helmet . I hear West Virginia is lovely this time of year...

 

Manny,

Another way to politely and formally make yourself heard to the dealership's General Manager, is to conpose and send him/her a letter via certified mail, return receipt requested. Someone at the dealership will have to sign for the letter in order to receive it, and you will get proof (in the return mail) that they did, when they did, and who signed for it. Now, most businesses know better than to discard such "important" mail, so you're almost certain that it will be forwarded/delivered by the mail clerk at the dealership, to the General Manager. Seeing your particular situation outlined in such a letter, may help grab their attention. Ask them what they intend to do, in order to reach a solution that is satisfactory to you (selling you the next Prius at MSRP ). If you're so inclined, you might enumerate some steps you intend to take if a satisfactory outcome cannot be reached.

Your mileage using such a technique may vary. Good luck.

FWIW,
Glenn

 

The corporate beancounters referenced are probably not in Japan. The dealership is likelly a corporation in its own right. The greedy :cussing: beancounters are probably the same 'managers' the sales people go to when you are trying to make a deal on any car they sell and they go out back to "see what I can do for you".

Manny - I agree you should try Evan and Danny's (and others) suggestions of calmly stating your case directly to the dealership's management/owner (including ramifications if they choose to ignore their blatent error in running a business).
If that doesn't work and "first come, first served" means whoever shows up first when the car hits the lot, pull the tent out of your trunk, set it up right in front of the door and let them know that you expect 24 hour bathroom access while you wait. If you are lucky, they will also be having some promotional burger & dog events so you don't starve while you wait.
And back to seriousness - If they choose to continue, I would add a letter to the editor of all papers within a reasonable distance summarizing this and letting people know that if they buy a Prius from this dealer at an inflated price, they are taking a car from one of many decent, patient people who were screwed by the dealer in the name of greed.

 

Out of curiosity, I just went to Vandergriff Toyota's website and "built" a salsa red package 9. They have 1 available now through a "dealer's pool" and one available in one day through a"dealer's pool". :evil:
I suspect that I am not the only one who has been to the site.

Many people have made suggestions about how to handle the situation. I'd add calling the state department that regulates auto dealers and see if they can do anything. I suspect it may be out of their jurisdiction, but its worth a try. At this point, I'd be calling everyone I could think of to complain.

 

I did the same thing just now, and they also show 2 Seaside #9s available through the dealer pool. They also claim to have a Driftwood #8 in stock, a Seaside #4 and a #5 in 2 days.

I checked for Seaside #7s:
Through the dealer pool: A Tideland 3, Salsa 6. A white 4 in 2 days and a white 5 in 1 day. Silvers: #2,#4,#5 in 1 day, a #1 in 1 day, a #8 in 3 days and a #7 in 4.

A #9 Seaside search:
Through dealer pool: a #8 Tideland
2 Seaside #9s. $26,920. In the "Features in this vehicle you didn't request" part: "Extra Mile Option package A" (including floor mats twice!) Plus 3 discontinued features: VIP Sales followup, Pre delivery services and vehicle fueling :roll:
A Salsa #9 with floor mats and cargo net ($26,331)
A #8 Driftwood
and on and on.

A lot of them had options that I think many people wouldn't want but the prices LISTED were MSRP range. Of course I didn't click the "Request a quote" button to see if they were REALLY selling them for the prices shown.

"Build Your Toyota" on this site makes it look like there is no shortage and Manny should have had his #9 Salsa a long time ago. Kind of makes me suspicious of the entire function.

 

From one bald man to another-or: trade Prius for toenails

Manny, if you feel like coming to Denver, I think I can get you a Salsa #9 very soon, at MSRP+$289. Basically, I have special ordered (non-refundable deposit paid, contract signed, sent to Toyota Corporate) a blue #7 with Longmont Toyota at MSRP and am high on the list (refundable deposit paid, on dealer's list) for an allocated unspecified car (currently holding out for Blue #7) at Boulder Toyota for MSRP +$289. My salesman at Boulder Toyota mentioned Saturday that if I wanted a Red #9 I could have it a lot sooner. I've already passed on a Black #3. Boulder is a hot dealer for Prii given the eco-friendly nature of the town, and the Colorado Tax Credit that covers almost the entire cost of the hybrid system. Basically, they get a lot of them, and lately they have been all package #9's. Dealership says red shouldn't be a problem. You can take my spot at Boulder Toyota and buy a Salsa #9 reasonably soon and I'll wait for my special order blue #7 at Longmont Toyota.

Feel free to email me to talk.

Spam Proof email representation:

nvanderschaaf at (insert name of cell phone company ending in "ola" here) dot com

I must insist, though, on wearing my steel-toed boots in case anything goes wrong... ;-)

Oh, also, I must demand utmost reverence forever on from all on this forum for my selfless martyrdom.

Nate

 

It is just this sort of behavior that makes me dread to go in to a dealership for anything, and confirms everything I believe about car dealers. This is a system that is badly in need of repair. If there are honest dealers out there I have not run across them. I don't understand why the car companies to not do more to to police this behavior. If Toyota threatened to cut off the supply of all models to this dealership they would see the light. I am so sorry you have been treated in this fashion. I hope thing work out for you. I daily expect the same thing myself and hope I get through this process with out such an occurence.

 

Going to Toyota Corporate probably won't do any good because both the Gulf States and Southeast regions are run by private companies. The rest of the country is "owned" by Toyota itself. That's probably why someone else (can't remember who) made a big noise about a crappy dealer and "magically" got his car in a matter of days.

Manny, I hope you end up giving them LOTS of bad publicity after calmly but firmly trying to make them see the error of their ways.

BTW you're quite right to hold out for Salsa---it's the BEST color!!!!!!!!

 

Ditto! What a great gesture! Are you going to take him up on the offer, Manny? Please say "yes"!

 

I was just at the dealer this morning and they were putting a Salsa in the back lot. Still covered in the transit covers, not sure if it's sold or not, but if you want I can give you the dealers ph# and you can check. There are only 2 versions of the 2k4 in Canada and the B model has most of the trinkets less Nav as it's not available in Canada. USD v Cdn is about a 25% premium so a quick calc is about 27 grand USD and the papers to export it to the US. All of the Prius have US/Canada emission certification, the only real difference is in fuel consumption readout. As I saw it I said to the guy I can probably sell it for you right now. He looked a bit taken back. PM me if you want ph# etc.

 

Dear Manny,

Somehow I feel certain that all of us on this format have shared your heartache this week. I wish you the best of luck and hope your story has a happy ending.
You've got a lot of friends out here!

Best wishes from a fellow Texan!