Newbie-Dealership Woes...Need advice

[NCKevin]

Hi. With the upcoming CARS program, I thought it was time I ditched my 98 Honda Passport and got a hybrid. I'm 90% sure I'll get a 2010 Prius IV and went to a dealer last week. I test drove it and liked it a lot, though I have not tested any other hybrids yet, so have nothing to compare it to.

That said, the salesperson I was with didn't seem to know the car that well. I told him that my past 3 cars were bought at Carmax & Saturn and that I couldn't stand any of the usual sales games and that he should be VERY straightforward with me about pricing and such.

So, after getting my heart set on this IV model with the solar roof, I get the email today from him with the following info:

#1 To get the blizzard pearl IV with solar roof will be 4-6 MONTHS. He said "Toyota is generating a limited number of these units." Any opinions on this? This is the front cover model of their brochure! Are others waiting 4-6 months at this point?

#2 He went on to tell me that his dealership is selling so many of these that they are not discounting them AT ALL! After I told him I didn't want to play any games, he came back and said they are selling them at sticker price. Again, I'm sure this varies, but he said the whole market here in the Triangle area of NC is doing this since they are selling so many. Any remote chance that this guy is NOT being a slime and is actually telling the truth? I seriously don't want to be taken and I feel like this guy is not being honest.

#3 A complaint about my first Toyota dealer visit ever. I went in Thursday. On Saturday, I got 3 calls from an 800 number I didn't answer and they didn't leave voicemails. Finally at 7:30pm, I picked up the 4th and it was a Toyota rep saying "we heard you came in to the dealer and didn't buy a car today." I quickly got rid of him and told him not to call again. Well, Monday night at 9 PM!, I got another call from someone saying the same things. I told them to take me off the call list in a not-so-nice manner. This hardcore sales junk drives me crazy. I'm seriously not sure I even want to deal with Toyota if this is how their systems and people represent the company.

So far, my Toyota dealership experience is about a D minus...which is what I feared treading out of the Saturn & Carmax world I've lived in the past decade. Any comments, advice, etc. about this experience so far?

FWIW, I would be willing to travel a few hours in any direction to get a trustworthy dealer who would give me truthful information. I wonder if I should go to a smaller area where Prius's aren't selling as well or something. Thoughts?

Thanks a bunch.

Kevin

[ramolnar]

Anything with a solar roof is fairly hard to find. When I bought three weeks ago, I bought the only on-lot solar roof within 150 miles. Orders from the factory take 4-6 months, since it's in Japan.

You can find pricing throughout these forums. In a lot of places, they're selling at or near MSRP. My dad in South Carolina stopped by his local dealer, and they said the average time on lot is two days, even at that price. Calling around, I didn't find a dealer in Louisville, Cincinnati, or Indianapolis under MSRP. That's what I paid.

Some quick suggestions:
1) Try other dealers. There are three dealers in Louisville, and they varied a lot in quality. One was horrible and I walked away. The other two were better.

2) Use an online locator. I used cars.com, but since you're in the Southeast, you can use buyatoyota.com. It's one stop online peeking for all dealers in the Southeast, and can be helpful. I got a count of 237 Prius IVs throughout the Southeast, but I don't know how many of them have the solar roof.

If you were going to look, I would go to a larger area - not smaller - one with more dealers and potentially more competition. I don't know, though. Charlotte? DC?

[jburns]

Van York Toyota, High Point, NC claims to have this car for immediate delivery. It is Package IV, pearl, with solar.
336-885-9016



Fuel Surcharge $0 50 State Emissions-FEAT $0 Special Color-PCAT $220 Carpet Mats and Trunk Mat-PV50 $219 Solar Roof Package:-SRAT $3,600

• Tilt/slide Moonroof with Solar-Powered Ventilation System and Remote Air Conditioning System

• Voice-activated Touch-screen DVD Navigation System with JBL AM/FM/MP3 4 disc CD Changer

• Eight Speakers

• Integrated Satellite Radio Capability

• Hands free phone Capability and Music Streaming Via Bluetooth Wireless Technology

• and Backup Camera

• Navigation System comes XM Nav Traffic Ready

6-Gallons of Gas-UF60 $0 Southeast Toyota Distributor Plus-FP50 $0

• Final Quality Inspection

• Certified Technician 46 Point

• Picture Asset Program

Toyoguard Plus Protection Group-XY70 $699

• Roadside Assistance Program

• No Charge for First Oil and Filter Change at any Southeast Toyota Dealership

• Vehicle VIN Etch Glass Product Protection Program

• Exterior Paint Sealant, Undercoating and Interior Protection Application

• Rental Car Assistance for Warranty Repairs

Standard Features of this Vehicle

Mechanical
1.8L DOHC 16V VVT-i 4-Cylinder Engine - 15" Aly Whls w/Cvrs & P195/65R15 Tires - 4-Whl Disc Brakes / Front Ind Suspension - Electric Power Steering (EPS) - Hybrid Synergy Drive System, AT-PZEV
Safety
3-Point Seatbelts w/ALR/ELR Pass Belts - Dr & Fr Pass Advanced Airbag System - Dr & Fr Pass Seat Mounted Side Airbags - Dr & Fr Passenger Active Headrests - Eng Immobilizer, Tire Press Monitor Sys - LATCH(Lwr Anchor & Tethers for Children) for Outboard Rear Seating Positions Only - Side Curtain Airbags & Dr Knee Airbag - Star Safety System includes: Enhanced Vehicle Stability Ctrl w/TRAC Anti-Lock Brakes w/ EBD & Brake Assist
Exterior
Clr-Kyd Foldable Pwr Heated Outside Mrrs - Front Variable & Rear Intermittent Wiper - Projector-Beam Halogen Headlamps w/Auto- Off Feature and HSD Blue Accents - Rr Deck Spoiler, HSD Blue Accent Badges
Comfort and Convenience
3 Dr Smart Key & Leather Seats & Str Whl - 6-Way Adj Driver Seat w/Power Lumbar - 60/40 Split Fold-Down Rear Bench Seat w/ Fold-Dn Ctr Armrest & Adj Hdrests - Auto Climate Ctrl Sys w/Plasmacluster - Center Console w/Sliding Armrest/Storage Compartment & Dual Front Cup Holders - Cruise Control, Instant MPG Meter - Dual Glove Box & (2)12V Pwr Outlets - EV/Eco/Pwr Modes & Touch Tracer Display - Htd Fr Sts, Autodim Rrvw Mrr w/Homelink - JBL AM/FM/MP3 6-Disc CD Chgr w/8 Spks, Integrated Sat Radio/Ant (Req Subscr), Bluetooth Wireless Tech & Aux Audio Jack - Multi-Information Display w/ Trip Info - Pwr Locks & Pwr Windows w/Auto Up/Down - Rmte Keyless Entry & Push Button Start - Tilt/Telescopic Steering Whl w/Controls
Unclassified

Footnote

[dhs]

You are not going to find one significantly under MSRP -- particularly with the solar roof. I bought the PriusIII without the roof, and got it for a small discount. At the dealer I went too, the only cars that people were looking at is the Prius

Originally Posted by NCKevin

Hi. With the upcoming CARS program, I thought it was time I ditched my 98 Honda Passport and got a hybrid. I'm 90% sure I'll get a 2010 Prius IV and went to a dealer last week. I test drove it and liked it a lot, though I have not tested any other hybrids yet, so have nothing to compare it to.

That said, the salesperson I was with didn't seem to know the car that well. I told him that my past 3 cars were bought at Carmax & Saturn and that I couldn't stand any of the usual sales games and that he should be VERY straightforward with me about pricing and such.

So, after getting my heart set on this IV model with the solar roof, I get the email today from him with the following info:

#1 To get the blizzard pearl IV with solar roof will be 4-6 MONTHS. He said "Toyota is generating a limited number of these units." Any opinions on this? This is the front cover model of their brochure! Are others waiting 4-6 months at this point?

#2 He went on to tell me that his dealership is selling so many of these that they are not discounting them AT ALL! After I told him I didn't want to play any games, he came back and said they are selling them at sticker price. Again, I'm sure this varies, but he said the whole market here in the Triangle area of NC is doing this since they are selling so many. Any remote chance that this guy is NOT being a slime and is actually telling the truth? I seriously don't want to be taken and I feel like this guy is not being honest.

#3 A complaint about my first Toyota dealer visit ever. I went in Thursday. On Saturday, I got 3 calls from an 800 number I didn't answer and they didn't leave voicemails. Finally at 7:30pm, I picked up the 4th and it was a Toyota rep saying "we heard you came in to the dealer and didn't buy a car today." I quickly got rid of him and told him not to call again. Well, Monday night at 9 PM!, I got another call from someone saying the same things. I told them to take me off the call list in a not-so-nice manner. This hardcore sales junk drives me crazy. I'm seriously not sure I even want to deal with Toyota if this is how their systems and people represent the company.

So far, my Toyota dealership experience is about a D minus...which is what I feared treading out of the Saturn & Carmax world I've lived in the past decade. Any comments, advice, etc. about this experience so far?

FWIW, I would be willing to travel a few hours in any direction to get a trustworthy dealer who would give me truthful information. I wonder if I should go to a smaller area where Prius's aren't selling as well or something. Thoughts?

Thanks a bunch.

Kevin

[TracyJ]

Originally Posted by jburns

Van York Toyota, High Point, NC claims to have this car for immediate delivery. It is Package IV, pearl, with solar.
336-885-9016 Footnote

any idea what the interior is? i'm looking for just this with dark gray.

[damack1]

For what it's worth, I don't think you can expect a Toyota dealership to behave like CarMax or Saturn. Those two companies have a business model that is different from the typical car dealership. Most salesmen (Toyota or otherwise) just can't suddenly change their way of doing business. To get below MSRP, you will probably have to do some haggling.

BTW, according to the New Owner's Poll, 64% of people who responded paid MSRP, 31% paid below, 1% paid above, and I guess the rest didn't answer the question.

2010 Prius Owners Poll - really

[wvgasguy]

Witht the CARS program you will have to deal with a dealer that honors that program (most will, some will not). I wouldn't worry about a discount. Best you'll probably get is $500 and on a $30,000 car that's not enough to kill a deal for me, especially if what you want is tough to get.

Ordering a car from port is a crap shoot. Your dealer may take a while to get a specific configuration whaile a dealer nearby may get one on the lot unsold.

A lot of people on PriusChat are getting IV's w/ solar and they typically seem to be getting them from a dealer that got one as they were calling and checking. A dealer won't really know until about 10 to 15 days before it hits their floor if they have one coming, so you may have to check every 5 days or so as new allocations come out. But in NC you probably have a lot of dealers within 100 miles that you could check with. The large flush sales are probably taken care of by now (except perhaps for solar models) and you you have an easier time of just finding one rather than trying to obtain one through just one dealership.

[TKY]

Hi NCKevin,

After doing internet research I narrowed my car search to the Prius, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Honda Insight Hybrid. I visited dealerships and test drove two Prius, two Fusion, and one Insight. One of the Ford dealerships was charging a $6,200 over MSRP for their fusions (not a typo - six thousand two hundred over sticker), the other four dealerships were all charging MSRP or very, very near MSRP.

I was looking for a different color, but the same Prius IV with the Solar Roof package. Neither of the two Toyota Dealerships I visited were suggesting anywhere near a four to six month wait. They were talking about a wait of a couple of weeks depending on specific additional options I was interested in including.

I have a deposit on a Blue the dealership has on their allotment list and they are willing to hold it for me while the CARS program details become available. Unless, of course, I can sell my Dodge Durango privately sooner.

Good luck, TK

[Martin37]

Originally Posted by TKY

Hi NCKevin,

After doing internet research I narrowed my car search to the Prius, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Honda Insight Hybrid. I visited dealerships and test drove two Prius, two Fusion, and one Insight.

Considering an Insight? Read the Aug09 issue of Consumer Reports, p. 63; not sounding like a great vehicle to me.

NCKevin - When I placed a firm order I was told 8 weeks to delivery; my model II arrived in about 3 weeks! Paid MSRP. Funny but I was not contacted enough, imo, by the dealer; I had asked for email contact, primarily. Suggest that you place a deposit at a number of dealerships in order to better your chances of getting the car you want. I had contact w/ four dealers within 2-2 1/2 hours driving time - one way!

[tumbleweed]

Sound like people are paying MSRP or near MSRP pretty much coast to coast. There seem to be quite a few IIIs and IVs with sun roof and nav available in red white or black on dealer lots in this area. Even saw one blue one. Haven't seen any IIs or Vs though. I ordered my V after agreeing to pay MSRP and making a $1000 deposit, estimated delivery time 2 to 3 months although the salesman indicated yesterday that it "may" be here a bit sooner. That would be nice.