Will the prius price go down in 1 month in CA?

[Half_Orc]

Anyone know when the prius prices are going to go down? The production of Prius have gone up and demand is startingn to slow down finally and MSRP is commonplace, even below for many dealers.

Any predictions on the OTD prices within the coming months?

Especially in S. CAL.

[Godiva]

They still aren't that plentiful and there is still a healthy demand.

Every time gas goes up, Prius sales go up. Sure, gas went down a LITTLE temporarily. But they move enough of them that they really don't have to sell below sticker. However I don't know of any local dealers (San Diego) that are adding any "market adjustment" due to the demand.

You can always try, but they pretty much know if you don't buy the car, someone will come in soon and buy it. It's pretty much a sellers market.

[Devil's Advocate]

Its a crap shoot.

Try going on the LAST day of the month,
dealers are always anxious to pump up
there end of the month numbers.

Use the phone, use the internet, be prepared to either
buy on the spot or wait months.

[majordude]

Demand is starting to slow down? Who told you that?

Every dealer in town (that I am aware of) has a waiting list for new Prius'. I was looking at one (wrong color) and another person behind me was waiting for me to turn it down!

I read that Toyota shipped 15K to the US last month. That isn't a lot of cars for a country as large as this.

As soon as gas prices go back up the waiting lists will get longer and the dealer mark-ups will go higher.

If you had enough money you could buy every Pri you could find and flip it for a $1,000 profit easily.

[AnOldHouse]

I would certainly hope that Toyota would concentrate on redistributing the Prius to areas like Connecticut that still have waitlists averaging 3-6 months before overstocking dealers in areas where the waitlists are already minimal or non-existent.

I think the significantly backlogged dealers would have something to say to Toyota about this as well.

[Godiva]

I think Toyota sending a larger number to California is a good plan. Good or bad, trends start in California and then move east. Also the ones being delivered to CA are built slightly different due to emissions standards. There are also a higher number of people in CA who are most likely to buy a Prius, but that may be just my imagination. I do think adding a "market value" to the sticker price is bad business and will only hurt Toyota.

That said....there are other states that have adopted the same standards as CA. I think they should get a bigger allotment of the Prius as well. And I think Connecticut is one of them. And I think as more states adopt the CA standards, buying Prii and other hybrids will be come more desirable. Producing hybrids will become a lot more desirable. That's why the group that lobbys for the environment is working on the state level to change emissions and mpg laws rather then in D.C. D.C. is hopeless as the Big Three have our politicians in their pockets. Not so much at the State level.

I think Toyota is right on track developing their hybrid Camry. Even my Mom was interested when I told her that's what Toyota was planning. She wants to sell my Dad's big long bed truck he never uses and get a smaller truck. I'm just hoping they'll hold off long enough for Toyota to come out with a good hybrid truck, then that's the one I'll push for them. But he may just buy a Ford or GM because they'll sell below sticker. They have a Cadillac with low miles. It won't last forever, but I'm hoping by the time that car goes, they'll be a hybrid out there I can seriously push them towards. My Father still has not rode in my car. My mother seems a lot more interested. I find this interesting since my Father is a retired electrical engineer. I would think the technology would at least make him curious.

[AnOldHouse]

Also the ones being delivered to CA are built slightly different due to emissions standards.

That is true of typical cars, but not the Prius. The Prius comes standard with "FE" 50-State Emissions.

[AnOldHouse]

I think Toyota sending a larger number to California is a good plan. Good or bad, trends start in California and then move east.

Many trends do start in California, but not all...think gay marriage/civil unions..Connecticut having just passing a civil unions act, the first state do do so without activist court intervention...adding to Vermont's civil unions and Massachusett's marriages.

I agree that Toyota's initial concentration with limited production on even very specific areas of California was a very smart marketing plan, but if the supply in most of California has met the demand such that there is little or no waiting time, and even dealer stock, then Toyota would be foolish not to shift some of its now greater production to areas where demand is high and deliveries are still currently restricted as evidenced by the much longer waitlists.

[bethmaup]

I agree that Toyota's initial concentration with limited production on even very specific areas of California was a very smart marketing plan, but if the supply in most of California has met the demand such that there is little or no waiting time, and even dealer stock, then Toyota would be foolish not to shift some of its now greater production to areas where demand is high and deliveries are still currently restricted as evidenced by the much longer waitlists.
[/quote]

That may be going to happen. Champion Toyota in Austin called me to check. When I said that I'd called them to let them know that I'd picked one up in Houston, they thanked me and reported that my name was still on the list. The reason they gave for calling was that Toyota asked dealers to purge their lists. That sounds to me as if they want to know where people are ready to buy.

Beth