Toyota Obligatory "optional" equipment@ MSRP (take it or leave it)

Buy early and pay high; buy late and pay low. Seems a universal trend.

Enjoy your new car.

 

Paradox,

Talk to your dealer. If he is reasonable, like mine is (Thanks Jabber), they will allow you to swap the 5 piece carpeted floor (CF) mats package for the 5 piece all weather rubber (2Q) ones that you want. The bonus is that compared to the CF mats, the 2Q ones actually cost $1.00 cheaper. Not that great of a buy, but if you are gonna buy rubber ones anyway, why not do it now. (and save a buck). I also opted for the Bumper Applique.

 

I disagree. I paid under MSRP for my 2010 Prius V, but the local Toyota Dealer still has 3 new '09s selling at MSRP, and 2 used '08s selling for above $20k, with more than 30k miles on them.

I 'bought early' and still did not 'pay high'...

 

Thanks, I'm going to call my dealer tomorrow and ask if I can get the all weather mats versus the carpeted ones. I have no use for carpeted floor mats in New England.

 

There are dealers in Southern California that will take off accessories at the port.

Feel free to PM me and I can recommend some dealers that won't make you purchase accessories you don't want or don't need.

 

Except in Washington State, where yesterday afternoon we were informed that there will be 6.5-9.5% 'price hike' on August 1st, depending on one's tax jurisdiction. In reality, a tax exemption meant to last until Dec 31 2010 is being terminated early to help out with the state's budget catastrophe.

So this changes the former strategy of waiting three to six months for lower prices. How should one time a purchase to get the lowest price, and still achieve delivery by July 31? The answer will probably become clear sometime in August.

 

oh no!! gonna have to look into that....the demand is gonna be huge here if that is the case.

probably will have to buy out of state and drive back...what a hassle and waste of miles.

 

Good for you! However we know that a sample size of one won't be a good indication of the trend.

 

Welcome!! BTW, yours now has a port date of 5/27. And the changes were accepted, so you now have the all weather and the rear bumper. As for the other itemwe discussed, I'll have to know by 5/26 if you want me to have them put on vs. you installing them.

 

How does this kind of "port install" work? Who does it? (Toyota or dealer or 3rd party)? Where do the parts or accessories come from? (the same boat or somewhere else)? Who produces the corresponding window stickers? Thanks!

 

Fortunately, since this issue arose, half the dealers I've (re-) contacted are not in gouge mode, and appear to be seeing a reasonable supply.

-- Dean

 

Whoa.. lots o' questions..

They are toyota employees at the port that installs them. They are genuine toyota accessories. They are taken off the shelf, not put on the boat with the car. After they get installed, a new monroney label (window sticker) is printed. Car gets shipped.

 

In my shopping, the 'obligatory optional equipment' has been different for every dealer. One has mats only. One has mats and carpets. One has everything you list and plenty more, totaling $2438.

 

$200 for floor mats is a ripoff and any dealer which refuses to remove them is gouging you. You can buy perfectly fine mats for a fraction of the cost at any parts store.

This isn't like a bumper applique that can't be removed once it is applied. The dealer can just take the mats out and sell them to someone else.

Usually, the finance officer is the one pushing the mats, along with extended warranty and PPM while closing the deal.

Mats and other cheap items are a common giveaway when salesmen are trying to reel you in. "Ooh! You'll throw in a genuine Toyota tire pressure gauge? Sold!"

 

thanks dean...i was looking forward to buying one of these puppies at the end of the year....my timeline just moved up 6 months.

so far i have just requested a quote online today from from a dealer and havent heard back other than a few automatic replys.

i would really like to wait until july...i hope i can find "my" prius @ msrp by then. a savings of $2500 +/- is worth pulling the trigger early.

 

Gas will easily be $3 a gallon this summer. We are now at $2.29 up from $1.97 just 10 days ago. It will go even higher when the Govt adds that 50 cent per gallon increase to make up for lost revenue because of fuel efficient cars. although that will not be until next year.