Toyota Canada - Access

drvan · 01-06-2006, 03:25 AM

Hey there--
I just bought a Prius 2006 in British Columbia, Canada. I found that of the three Toyota dealerships I went to, they wouldn't dicker (at all!) on price. This is because of their Access Program, which means no dickering at all. I find this really hard to believe. I've always dickered before when buying a car. Can anyone either support or refute this 'claim' of Toyota Canada's? Thanks.

TorontoSusan · 01-06-2006, 07:54 AM

I got my 2005 Driftwood from Don Valley Toyota Lexus in Toronto, Ontario back in October. Ontario was on a wait list - I was lucky and only had to wait 1 month. No dickering on price either - supply and demand. What we did do, however, was negotiate the trade in: a 1993 Honda Del Sol, and that lowered the price for us. The trade in, coupled with the $1000 tax rebate from Ontario gov't lowered the price even more.

So I feel we did ok. But I think you'd get more flexibility if you 1) bought near the end of the production year; or 2) if the dealership had cars available on the lot. We tried with the former, but in the end, it was the generous trade in and the tax rebate that gave us the 'reductions'.

It's to be expected with popular cars, I think. (And that they're made in Japan and shipped over, rather than made in North America.)

**Tideland Prius** · 01-06-2006, 12:38 PM

Yep, no negotiating on any of the Lower Mainland dealers that I went to. Kinda stupid since Access Toyota is long gone. All that's left of Access Toyota is that what you see is what you pay. At least they're not charging over MSRP and besides, you get that $2000 rebate

. The last time we negotiated for a Toyota was the 02 Camry. Any time after that and it seemed to be no dicker sticker.

DaveG · 01-07-2006, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by drvan@Jan 6 2006, 01:25 AM
Hey there--
I just bought a Prius 2006 in British Columbia, Canada. I found that of the three Toyota dealerships I went to, they wouldn't dicker (at all!) on price. This is because of their Access Program, which means no dickering at all. I find this really hard to believe. I've always dickered before when buying a car. Can anyone either support or refute this 'claim' of Toyota Canada's? Thanks.

[snapback]184686[/snapback]

Ya, it's basically all of the lower mainland Toyota dealers - you need to get up to Kamloops or Kelowna, etc to get away from the practise. You're not likely to get lower than MSRP for a Prius anyway, there's enough demand to move them all at that price.

BTW: Just a heads-up, if you get your extended insurance through Canadian Direct instead of ICBC, you get an extra "hybrid discount" of about $200/yr, so it might be worth checking into when you are pricing insurance.

Dave

wilco · 01-07-2006, 07:42 AM

Yeah that's basically the case, but there are a few ways they'll still "deal". My $0.02...

When I was looking in the fall of '04 it was MSRP. When the '05s started rolling in they were discounting the left-over '04s by $1000. I talked to most of the mainly lowland dealers, drove three '04s, and almost bought one. It had 50kms on the ODO, and the interior was already showing some dirt from test drives (I really didn't want the beige interior), plus the wait for an '05 was pretty short, so I wasn't super motivated to close the deal. I would, however, have driven it away for the right price. After about thirty minutes of horse-trading they were willing to knock more than $1000 off (can't remember the exact number, somewhere around $1200 or so), if I wrote the check that day. I came pretty close to buying it, but decided that I wanted the '05 ("one more" as Nigel Tufnel would say), so I got them to order one. While I was waiting for my car to come from Japan, they located an '05 in the province that was the same color/package, but with a few hundred kms. They offered that one below MSRP too, but not enough below to sway me.

Although, this year, there don't seem to be many (any?) '05s left.

Another way they're usually willing to deal is on trade-ins. They will generally low-ball their offer, but if your trade-in is a clean, desirable vehicle there will always be room for negotiation.

**Tideland Prius** · 01-07-2006, 01:01 PM

Yeah. I didn't bother going for an 04 knowing that either way, they're gonna make me wait (this was Sept 04) so I might as well wait for an 05. I just took my car in for some minor repair and there's an unspoken 2005 Black Navigation Package (Pkg C) that's on their lot. I've yet to see an 06.

wilco · 01-07-2006, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tideland Prius@Jan 7 2006, 10:01 AM
Yeah. I didn't bother going for an 04 knowing that either way, they're gonna make me wait (this was Sept 04) so I might as well wait for an 05. I just took my car in for some minor repair and there's an unspoken 2005 Black Navigation Package (Pkg C) that's on their lot. I've yet to see an 06.

[snapback]185407[/snapback]

Once an '06 arrives, they might be flexible on that '05 if the two of them are sitting right next to each other on the lot. Is that at Downtown Toyota? I know someone who might be interested in that one.

northvan · 01-08-2006, 12:53 AM

My brother-in-law bought a Matrix in Courtenay, B.
C. at the no dicker, "access" price. In Vancouver, I also paid "access", the same price found on the Toyota Canada website for the 2006. I ordered it last October, elected to wait for the '06 because I wanted to stay away from the ivory interior, and liked the sounds of silver pine mica. At that time they weren't able to show me a sample of the colour and they couldn't tell me the price of the '06's The contract was written up subject to approval. Sounds kind of weird, buying a car without knowing what colour it'd be, how much it'd cost, when I'd see it. The car came just before Christmas, and I love the colour, and everything about it.

Frank Hudon · 01-08-2006, 01:08 AM

I thought that the "access" price scheme was declared illegal (deemed as price fixing) yet the dealers still seem to think that they can get away with it. I'd tell them that and see what their reaction is.

**Tideland Prius** · 01-08-2006, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wilco@Jan 7 2006, 02:02 PM
Once an '06 arrives, they might be flexible on that '05 if the two of them are sitting right next to each other on the lot. Is that at Downtown Toyota? I know someone who might be interested in that one.

[snapback]185538[/snapback]

Yeah, that's the one.

Frank, ya technically that's collusion which is illegal in Canada.

01-06-2006, 07:54 AM	#2
TorontoSusan Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Toronto, Ontario CANADA Posts: 44 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I got my 2005 Driftwood from Don Valley Toyota Lexus in Toronto, Ontario back in October. Ontario was on a wait list - I was lucky and only had to wait 1 month. No dickering on price either - supply and demand. What we did do, however, was negotiate the trade in: a 1993 Honda Del Sol, and that lowered the price for us. The trade in, coupled with the $1000 tax rebate from Ontario gov't lowered the price even more. So I feel we did ok. But I think you'd get more flexibility if you 1) bought near the end of the production year; or 2) if the dealership had cars available on the lot. We tried with the former, but in the end, it was the generous trade in and the tax rebate that gave us the 'reductions'. It's to be expected with popular cars, I think. (And that they're made in Japan and shipped over, rather than made in North America.) __________________ 2005 Driftwood Toronto Canada

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01-06-2006, 03:25 AM	#1
drvan Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Hey there-- I just bought a Prius 2006 in British Columbia, Canada. I found that of the three Toyota dealerships I went to, they wouldn't dicker (at all!) on price. This is because of their Access Program, which means no dickering at all. I find this really hard to believe. I've always dickered before when buying a car. Can anyone either support or refute this 'claim' of Toyota Canada's? Thanks.

01-06-2006, 12:38 PM	#3
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,407 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 215 Thanked 327 Times in 228 Posts Friends: 22	Yep, no negotiating on any of the Lower Mainland dealers that I went to. Kinda stupid since Access Toyota is long gone. All that's left of Access Toyota is that what you see is what you pay. At least they're not charging over MSRP and besides, you get that $2000 rebate . The last time we negotiated for a Toyota was the 02 Camry. Any time after that and it seemed to be no dicker sticker.

01-07-2006, 07:42 AM	#5
wilco Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 401 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Yeah that's basically the case, but there are a few ways they'll still "deal". My $0.02... When I was looking in the fall of '04 it was MSRP. When the '05s started rolling in they were discounting the left-over '04s by $1000. I talked to most of the mainly lowland dealers, drove three '04s, and almost bought one. It had 50kms on the ODO, and the interior was already showing some dirt from test drives (I really didn't want the beige interior), plus the wait for an '05 was pretty short, so I wasn't super motivated to close the deal. I would, however, have driven it away for the right price. After about thirty minutes of horse-trading they were willing to knock more than $1000 off (can't remember the exact number, somewhere around $1200 or so), if I wrote the check that day. I came pretty close to buying it, but decided that I wanted the '05 ("one more" as Nigel Tufnel would say), so I got them to order one. While I was waiting for my car to come from Japan, they located an '05 in the province that was the same color/package, but with a few hundred kms. They offered that one below MSRP too, but not enough below to sway me. Although, this year, there don't seem to be many (any?) '05s left. Another way they're usually willing to deal is on trade-ins. They will generally low-ball their offer, but if your trade-in is a clean, desirable vehicle there will always be room for negotiation.

01-07-2006, 01:01 PM	#6
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,407 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 215 Thanked 327 Times in 228 Posts Friends: 22	Yeah. I didn't bother going for an 04 knowing that either way, they're gonna make me wait (this was Sept 04) so I might as well wait for an 05. I just took my car in for some minor repair and there's an unspoken 2005 Black Navigation Package (Pkg C) that's on their lot. I've yet to see an 06.

01-08-2006, 12:53 AM	#8
northvan Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 23 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	My brother-in-law bought a Matrix in Courtenay, B. C. at the no dicker, "access" price. In Vancouver, I also paid "access", the same price found on the Toyota Canada website for the 2006. I ordered it last October, elected to wait for the '06 because I wanted to stay away from the ivory interior, and liked the sounds of silver pine mica. At that time they weren't able to show me a sample of the colour and they couldn't tell me the price of the '06's The contract was written up subject to approval. Sounds kind of weird, buying a car without knowing what colour it'd be, how much it'd cost, when I'd see it. The car came just before Christmas, and I love the colour, and everything about it.

01-08-2006, 01:08 AM	#9
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I thought that the "access" price scheme was declared illegal (deemed as price fixing) yet the dealers still seem to think that they can get away with it. I'd tell them that and see what their reaction is.