Planet Toyota dealer--rip off

[sparky1015]

I received a phone call this evcening from one of the dealers I've been calling--trying to find a Prius. I DO have a downpayment at another dealer, but Planet Toyota in Orland Park (??) was a dealershiop I had called early on in my seach...saleswoman called, they have an 05 Prius IN STOCK today, with the options I want....20% over MSRP. Which is more than $4000. I nicely told her to keep her car.
I WANT a Prius, but that--to me--is just a RIP OFF.

[TonyPSchaefer]

That's a rip. I wouldn't do it. There are other places. Someone went down to Danville. Until I've been told that FrBill has sold his car, I'll continue to refer people to Effingham. Check out to the West in the "sticks" where there might be cars with no drivers. Especially now, with temps in the teens and snow, people might not be looking for hybrids.

Use Mapquest, find names and zip codes of towns to the West of Chicago and start calling dealers.

But paying the overage is just perpetuating the act.

[TonyPSchaefer]

Sorry, I jumped logic thoughts there.
What I meant was, once you have zip codes for towns to the west of Chicago, you can use the "find a dealer" function on the toyota.com/prius site.

[sparky1015]

I agree 100%. When the sales person called me and told me she had a 05 with the options I want....I was suspisious. I mean, EVERY dealer has a waiting list, right? I'm ON a waiting list right now at Naperville Toyota. Soooo, for this dealership in Orland Park to call me to tell me she had one FOR ME...I was thinking, where's the other 100 or so people who are on the waiting list? Now we know...the dealer was trying to find someone who would spend 20% OVER MSRP. In this case, nearly $5000. I want a Prius, but not THAT bad. I was polite, but I should have told her to shove it.

[TonyPSchaefer]

Makes me wonder is their game plan isn't something along these lines (and this is just my conjecture, I have never dealt with this dealership):
1) Car comes in
2) Call all people on list in proper waiting order and ask 20% above MSRP
3) If no takers, reduce markup to 15%
4) Call on people on list in proper waiting order and ask 15% above MSRP
5) If no takers . . .

Again, just my thoughts.

[sparky1015]

We must think alike..that's EXACTLY what I thought too. They have a car that is hot demand and went down the list of names to see how much they can possibly get for it. Nearly 5 grand OVER MSRP is a complete rape--as far as I'm concerned. She hasn't called me back, so I'm guessing she found someone stupid enough to pay it.

I'm on a waiting list at Naperville Toyota--at MSRP.

[sparky1015]

Well.....I just spoke to the dealership where I have a downpayment/order for a Prius. They say there's at least another TWO months wait....sheesh...this is getting nuts...

[TonyPSchaefer]

Check out this page:
http://www.buyatoyota.com/participatingdea...&zipcode=?60001

You might be able to find a dealer in that list.
I went to Toyota.com, entered 60001 as my zip code and it took me to the "Chicago Toyota" site. In the upper-right corner I selected [Dealers] and it took me here. I was not only impressed with the list and the distances, but if you scroll to the very bottom, there's a drop-down menu with tons more.

I suggest that you go through the list, one at a time, and start making phone calls. Sounds like a bunch of work, but the way I see it, you have two months to kill. . .

Make a few calls each day and you'll be through the list in no time.

[sparky1015]

Thanks for the tip....I'll give it a try....like you said, I DO have the time to kill. (dammit)

[bnlfanmatt]

Just trying to help, etc, with my thoughts. I'm not sure which dealer you are dealing with, because there is Orland Toyota in Orland Park, and Planet Toyota in Matteson. But both of them told me they'd put me on the list, it'd be MSRP, and 1 or 1-1/2 year wait. It's disappointing that now they are selling above MSRP and possibly jumping the list doing that.
I'm glad that I went out of state, found one at MSRP, and held for my color/package I wanted. The wait will be agonizing, but I would suggest looking around hard for it, especially out of state, as it seems north-east indiana have/had some, as well as Minnesota. If you wish, PM me about the dealership I bought from in Minnesota, I don't want to give out info, etc, because I think it's not allowed/appropriate, but it wasn't that bad of a 7+ hour drive down, and I talked to the saleswoman the other day, and they had one on the lot unsold and one other coming in unspoken for.