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Striking out...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by rebbi, Aug 14, 2006.

  1. rebbi

    rebbi New Member

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    If anybody knows of a dealer within, say, a 100 mile radius of Austin, who has any unsold Prii on their lot, please let me know. I seem to be striking out right and left and would love to take delivery before the full tax credit expires at the end of September. My original dealer strung me along for months on a "waiting list" with no results. I've inquired via the Net in Austin, San Antonio, San Marcos; gotten on some lists but no joy yet. Ideal car: Package 4 in any color but White or Black.

    Thank you,

    Steve :lol:
     
  2. Charles Suitt

    Charles Suitt Senior Member

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    <_< Steve... Have you logged on to www.Toyota.com and searched the inventory of dealers in your area? The web pages will list numerous dealers' stock including those actually on their lots including color, equipment. One caveat: The sites do not list dealers' "optional equipment" and charges... such as preminums added on.

    You can enter zip codes, or cities, or just the state.
     
  3. Jennjay

    Jennjay Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rebbi @ Aug 14 2006, 05:30 PM) [snapback]303196[/snapback]</div>
    Hi Steve, Would you consider coming to Florida to pickup your car and driving back. I checked stock here and there seem to be plenty of package 4's in black and white. The dealer I used ( Fort Myers Toyota) has two white 4's in their inventory today. Like I mentioned in your previous thread, I waited only a few weeks for my last Prius, my wife's Prius took 10 weeks last year. You should not be having such a hard time. Good luck and let me know if I can help you.
     
  4. Ghostrider

    Ghostrider New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jennjay @ Aug 14 2006, 07:59 PM) [snapback]303270[/snapback]</div>
    I just hung up with the internet sales manager for Metroplex in Dallas. I would call her and discuss but she mentioned that the next allocation is locked down tonight. Her name is Barbi and she appeared to know exactly what she was doing..
     
  5. rebbi

    rebbi New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Aug 14 2006, 07:56 PM) [snapback]303232[/snapback]</div>
    Duh! No, I haven't tried that yet. Will do so now...

    Thank you,

    Steve :rolleyes:

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jennjay @ Aug 14 2006, 09:59 PM) [snapback]303270[/snapback]</div>
    It's not totally out of the question, Jay; I wish I still had family living there to make the trip more of a "twofer." But let me see if I can find anything here in Texas, first! :lol:
     
  6. azzieo

    azzieo Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Aug 14 2006, 05:56 PM) [snapback]303232[/snapback]</div>
    How do you do that? The only search I found is for certified used...
     
  7. rebbi

    rebbi New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Aug 14 2006, 07:56 PM) [snapback]303232[/snapback]</div>
    Hmmm... Toyota Of Killeen seems to have 2 on the lot; we'll see tomorrow morning. B)
     
  8. mtsarpilot

    mtsarpilot Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rebbi @ Aug 14 2006, 09:38 PM) [snapback]303353[/snapback]</div>
    When vehicles appear in their inventory on the web, it does not mean they are available though. They will appear in their inventory if they are sitting on their lot awaiting pickup by their new owner. Always worth calling and checking, as deal sometimes fall through and you can jump on an opportunity.

    I also used vehix.com to look at dealer inventory in a radius of a given zip code. Another good place to search.

    If you are willing to drive to Florida, Earl Stewart Toyota (http://home.earlstewarttoyota.com) claims they have a large selection available in short timeframes. I have spoken with their internet manager twice and both times he said he could get me what I wanted. Only reason I did not jump on it was the distance to drive it home to Colorado. You are getting close to the tax cutoff, so things may be getting tighter, but worth a try. I would not wait to long, as you're only looking at about 6 weeks now.

    Good Luck
     
  9. RichBoy

    RichBoy New Member

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    I think you should check out Toyota.com and then search inventory. I would follow up with a phone call to the dealership as well. Prius are VERY hard to find right now, as most are sold before they even get off the truck ! Its almost back to school time and gasoline prices are still climbing. good luck in your search.
     
  10. glenhead

    glenhead New Member

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    Toyota.com is COMPLETELY WORTHLESS for Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.

    Everyone repeat the above three times.

    Those five states are owned by Gulf States Toyota (GST), one of two distributors in the U.S. that are totally independent from Toyota USA. The "in stock" inventories shown at ANY dealership in those five states are a fraud, pure and simple. End of discussion. I called thirty dealerships in the GST region, and finally spoke to a fleet manager who told me the truth. There is NO WAY for a consumer to find out the actual allocation of a Prius in the GST region. Period.

    If you put down a deposit with a dealership, they'll put you on a waiting list. We had almost exactly your requirements, no black or white, though we told them #4 or lower, down to and including the base model. We put our deposit down on 3 June, and took delivery on 14 July, with package 4 and exactly the extra options we asked for, no more. Can't guarantee that kind of results will happen again. We dealt with David Shoemaker at Classic Toyota in Round Rock - heckuva guy, very honest and easy to deal with (thus very, very busy). If you're flexible, you may get lucky, though it's danged late in the game. You may have to go way out of state and region to buy one off a lot. Good luck.
     
  11. jberry

    jberry New Member

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    Hi Steve,
    I appears to be quite a challenge to find one in the Austin area. I think you will better luck looking in San Antonio, Houston or Dallas/Fort Worth. I spoke to every dealer in the area and if I were willing to accept what they had I could have had one by now from either San Marcos (only a 1k over MSRP for internet shoppers, all other pay 2K. EVERYONE should refuse to pay this and it will stop!!!) or Red Mccombs in San Antonio. We had plenty of time so we ordered exactly what we wanted from Metroplex in Duncanville. Ours is due in Houston on 8/26 and we should have it by 8/31. This is exactly the time frame they gave us. I am keeping my fingers crossed but it is looking good. By the way the best offer I found in the area for a loan was at University Federal Credit Union, 5.85 for 60 mths with good credit ratings. Good luck but most likely you will need to go outside the imediate Austin area to find one quickly, at a decent price.
     
  12. rebbi

    rebbi New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(glenhead @ Aug 15 2006, 11:10 AM) [snapback]303488[/snapback]</div>
    Your info on distribution in our area seems to explain a lot of the nonsense I've been experiencing; the inventories on Texas dealers' websites (all of which have an identical interface) seem to tell you nothing, even though they look legit, down to the VIN numbers of the cars. It's very frustrating but your post explains it.


    I've been dealing with a fellow named Mohammed Merchant at Classic, too; seems to be a straight-up guy, low pressure and very accommodating. I gave them a $500 deposit a few weeks ago. He said he can usually get a #3 or lower within 8 weeks; #4 can take up to 12 wks. :blink: And I'm looking at that maximum tax credit expiring.

    Charles Maund in Austin has 2 Prii on the lot right now, but they weigh in at over $30K (a package 8 and a package 7 with leather) and that's more than I want. But I'm gonna meet with the internet person at Maund tomorrow and see what's what. I have personal reasons for not wanting to buy from them if I can help it, but if they can deliver, I may have to hold my nose and do it.

    This whole "needle in a haystack" thing is beginning to get old; I can see why a certain percentage of would-be Prius buyers just cave in and get a Civic hybrid instead (though I have no intention of doing so).

    Best regards,

    Steve


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jberry @ Aug 15 2006, 11:20 AM) [snapback]303491[/snapback]</div>
    I'm doing just that: I'm now on the lists of a bunch of dealers within a 2-hour drive from home.

    Best regards,

    Steve

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RichBoy @ Aug 15 2006, 09:31 AM) [snapback]303440[/snapback]</div>
    Did that, thanks. It gave me a lead that claimed inventory of two "In-Stock" Prii in Killeen, but they wrote back and said they were sold already. <_<

    Take care,

    Steve