The Prius Waiting List Support Group.

I don't get it. What is the point of doing this?

 

:fish2:

 

Bait and Switch

The oldest trick in the book, bait and switch. Even if you don't go for the Corolla or Yaris, they can get you on their list for a sale down the road. The point is the strategy has always been "get them in the door" with whatever "truth stretching" works.

 

Re: Bait and Switch

They have to pay a $100 insertion fee just to get the car listed. Seems like a waste.

 

Yeah but, on ebay, someone has to WIN each auction, don't they? Maybe I'm naive. Maybe I don't WANNA know!

 

Re: Bait and Switch

For a car, the insertion fee is $40. If it is not sold, ebay allows you to list it again (or something very similar) for free. Effectively $20 each. And then ebay has "special pricing" for volume users. Basically, ebay allows these dealers to have "come on" advertising. Finally ebay allows fixed priced sales, high reserve sales and disclaimers such as the car might be sold locally and the auction pulled.

 

Have you ever noticed this in the upper right corner?

Seller:nationalvehiclemarketing( 567)
Feedback:100 % Positive
Member:since Jun-03-04 in United States
See detailed feedback
Ask seller a question :fish2:
Add to Favorite Sellers :fish2:
View seller's other items: Store :fish2: | List :fish2:
Visit seller's Store: :fish2:
For Sale By Owner Vehicles :fish2:

 

Freight status! That's what the salesman said today. That my car is all made and is in freight status and I should get it in about a month. I don't know if that means it is on the boat. I got on the list on 7/08 and at that time they were talking two months. Later the word was three months. I am hoping it really will be within a month because then I will still get the CT state sales tax exemption. Hooray, hooray! And I was starting to worry about not having time to adjust to driving it before winter weather.

 

Did he give you the VIN#? I don't think they know what specific cars are in the pipeline until they get their allocation. And, it is my understanding, if it's on the allocation list they will have a VIN#. Otherwise, it's still speculation. :noidea:

 

Darn. No vin given. I'll call next week and ask for it. I thought perhaps he knew a green was coming and I was at the top of the list for a green. Maybe not.

 

I've been waiting since 5/19.....almost 14 weeks for a magnetic grey package 3 with after market leather. I'd probably be ok with the wait if it were realistic. The original 6-8 weeks has long passed, the re-estimated 8-12 has also long passed....I'm so discouraged that I'm starting to look at the mazda 3 and the pontiac vibe. The salesman never calls and I only get updates when I call. The last thing they said is that I'm not going to get a 2008 with those specs.....and they didn't know how long for a 2009.

Seriously Toyota has a huge problem with this method of selling.
:tsk::frusty:

 

What's you position on the wait list?

 

I finally got it!

I finally picked up my silver package 5 last Thursday! It's better than I expected! Started looking for a Prius about five months ago, and when I finally found a dealer that wouldn't gouge me too much I was on his waiting list for about two and a half months. Yipee!

 

I've been lurking for awhile. I picked up my 08 Mag Grey Touring today after being on the waiting list for 90 days. I paid MSRP and only had to endure a very low key talk with the finance guy. One of the best car buying experiences I've had despite the wait (not as long as for some). Thanks to everyone on this thread and on Prius Chat for the great advice and information. I'm glad I've finally joined the club.

 

:welcome::cheer2::cheer2::cheer2::cheer2::cheer2:

 

Ordered a Prius in July (used the Costco program) and was told not to expect delivery until December or January. Which of course means a 2009 model. Just hoping the color we chose will still be available.

 

Toyota has a problem? So, you prefer the 'problem' GM has? ... which is NOTHING better than Toyota has to offer? ... or even similar to offer? Or even close? Gee, THAT's a great way to do biz ... no worries about wait lists ... because NO one is waiting to buy a Hummer, or Suburban, or Tahoe, or Cavalier etc.
Curious; why'd you wait so long to "get in line". What stopped YOU from buying one earlier? My carpool'er ordered his Mag Grey about 3 weeks prior to gas flying past $4/gallon. It took 10 days to arrive. He only waited that long to order (this was 3 months ago) becausse of his mom passing/inheritance. Even so, he financed his mag grey knowing the inheritance would eventually come thru.
We knew 5 years ago, that gas (fossle fuels in general) would be $7/gallon by 2010 simply by doing a little research. With all the available data, even Toyota was surprised that supply & demand elements began hitting the economy hard ... much less GM's surprise ... or yours. But you see, it's not really all about you ... or me ... or Toyota or GM. Get your Prius. And by 2010 you'll be smacking yourself foreven THINKING about the vibe.

.

 

Not more then 10 minutes ago I finally got the call. My dealer advised that my Touring edition silver metallic pkg.3 is arriving at the port before the end of the August. Happy camper here. By the time I actually recieve it I will have been on the waiting list for 3 months. He said it takes another week or so to arrive at the dealership.

 

F.Y.I. In case you have been unable to keep up with the news. Toyota does have problems but the root cause is not their selling methods, although it has affected sales. The root of the problem lies if the fact that there has been, a hugh increase in demand, world wide, due to the increase in fuel prices. The fact is that every automaker and their brothers are jumping on the band wagon causing a glut in the non-lead acid battery manufacturing industry. That, along with unexpected problems in the development of Lithium Battery Packs, has thrown Toyota's marketing plans out the window. I believe they planned to announce the 2009 in April 2008, and here it is the end of August. Do you really believe that all this lost sales is really their planned marketing strategy?
While I do agree there are problems with the methods of selling cars, they're not unique to Toyota and go back to at least 1961 when I bought my first "new" car.