The Prius Waiting List Support Group.

[kittykat]

Originally Posted by Son of Gloin

as a matter of fact, SBrine1971 ... our wait has FINALLY ended as well!!!

just last Monday, we got "The Call" that officially removed us from "The List" ... a list we had been on since May 28th ....

we've had "Mithril" - our Classic Silver Metallic / Pkg #3 - on the road quite a lot already: on Wednesday, we had to go to Dayton, Ohio. that gave us plenty of time to test out the 6-disc CD changer and the Bluetooth technology. in fact, just on Tuesday, i bought our FIRST-EVER cell phone JUST for that purpose ... i'm just SO "mid-20th century" at heart ... snicker ....

anywhooo ... we're all QUITE pleased in the early going of Prius ownership. the ride and the seats were more "comfortable" than i had thought they might be for a longer trip - based on some comments i've read from some people around here - and, on the first tank of gas, we covered about 465 miles and averaged nearly 47 mpg; that was with three people in the car, perhaps 50 pounds of "stuff" in the cargo area, and running the AC most of the time.

three photos below ... "Mithril" and "Stone White"; the '97 Stratus we bought new in September, 1997 ... which now has nearly 115,000 miles on it ....

oh #1 ... and thanks for the info on how to do the photos; yes ... QUITE simple, really ... if one only knows how ....

oh #2 ... and yes: the expression on your neighbor's face is priceless!!!!

Congratulations! Great news for you. I know that you have been waiting a long time also. My wait has been extended a little bit by "tropical storm Edouard". They had to shut the assembly lines down at the port in Houston & even though it wasn't much of a storm it takes awhile to get things going again. At least according to my salesman. Hopefully, I will be getting it by sometime next week.

[dwreed3rd]

BY AND AND I'm and .

Please forgive me for jumping the gun. The issues were localized at the dealer level and now seemed to be under control. I'll know more about my situation Monday. I really do apologize, but it seemed like one of those gut feelings that you don't act on and later reget. I thought if there was anything to it that I should not keep it to myself.

Apologies, Apologies, Apologies, Apologies, Apologies, Apologies, Apologies

[Freedom]

OMG what's this mean???

I phoned my dealership just now; my sales person (the one who took my deposit) is not working. Someone else checked, told me there is a red package #3 with my name next to it. She gave me a "partial VIN?" She also said it is "being built and will be here in one month."

Can I celebrate a little bit now, or not yet???? (Full celebration on hold until it is IN my garage.)

[dwreed3rd]

Originally Posted by Freedom

OMG what's this mean???

I phoned my dealership just now; my sales person (the one who took my deposit) is not working. Someone else checked, told me there is a red package #3 with my name next to it. She gave me a "partial VIN?" She also said it is "being built and will be here in one month."

Can I celebrate a little bit now, or not yet???? (Full celebration on hold until it is IN my garage.)

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but, as a just find out today, a partial VIN# means absolutely ZERO. It's BS. It's a game they play to keep you from shaking off the hook. I speak from experience. It may not even be your salesperson playing the game, he/she may be just as naive and is only passing on what he/she is being told by that "someone else" that "checked", the list. I can't go into detail at this time, and it's only hearsay, but the person that was "Keeper of the List" where I'm on the list is on longer "Keeper of the List", as of this week.
You still should be O.K., as long as your dealer isn't one of those selling allocation units out from under buyers on the wait list to the highest bidder. I have no way of telling you how to know for sure. But following the posts on PC hopefully will give you enough info on how to be reasonably sure. There are no guarantees. Just exercises in faith.
I was told that I'm 11th on the allocation list, as of the this last allocation. That it will probably still be 1-2 months. And it will most likely be a 2009. All of which is fine with us. And I think it's the first time I've gotten a truely straight answer, from someone with actual knowledge, since I put down my deposit in May. Again! I beleive that the salesman was being honest and was just passing on what he was being told.
so! Good luck to all and to all a good night.

[rjparker]

Originally Posted by Freedom

OMG what's this mean???

I phoned my dealership just now; my sales person (the one who took my deposit) is not working. Someone else checked, told me there is a red package #3 with my name next to it. She gave me a "partial VIN?" She also said it is "being built and will be here in one month."

Can I celebrate a little bit now, or not yet???? (Full celebration on hold until it is IN my garage.)

I'd be more optimistic. The partial vin could have been just easier than trying to read off a long complete vin for a salesman who is not your guy. If it has a vin it's probably on the boat ready to hit port or is at a port ready for their make ready (add stuff) and then shipment by truck.

It appears to me that supplies "might" be loosening up some, primarily because the dealers don't end up selling to everyone on the wait list. Either potential buyers refuse the car for various reasons (can't afford it?) (on multiple lists?) (couldn't wait), etc, or importantly, buyers are getting over the initial shock of $4 gas while it is also going down ($3.55 here today).

I'd check back with your salesman when he comes in and start considering add-ons now.

[pdhenry]

I didn't get a VIN until the car was on the lot, about a month after I was told what I'd be getting. It was explained to me that sometimes cars get switched around so they didn't want to give me a VIN until it was in hand. I got the car I'd been promised so I guess it all came out in the wash.

[dwreed3rd]

Originally Posted by rjparker

I'd be more optimistic. The partial vin could have been just easier than trying to read off a long complete vin for a salesman who is not your guy. If it has a vin it's probably on the boat ready to hit port or is at a port ready for their make ready (add stuff) and then shipment by truck.

It appears to me that supplies "might" be loosening up some, primarily because the dealers don't end up selling to everyone on the wait list. Either potential buyers refuse the car for various reasons (can't afford it?) (on multiple lists?) (couldn't wait), etc, or importantly, buyers are getting over the initial shock of $4 gas while it is also going down ($3.55 here today).

I'd check back with your salesman when he comes in and start considering add-ons now.

Dealers gon't get their VIN#'s from Toyota, They don't get a VIN# until they recieve their allocation from their region, one of 12 in the U.S.
Factory builds units, ships units to regions, region tries to match what they receive from factory to requests from dealers, regions allocate units to dealer, dealer recieves units 7-14 days after recieving allocations. Car does not exist for dealer until dealer receives VIN# from Region. There is no such thing as a factory order from a buyer for a Prius. If salesman implies otherwise it's BS.

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by dwreed3rd

There is no such thing as a factory order from a buyer for a Prius. If salesman implies otherwise it's BS.

I know that. She never said this was a factory order. I am thinking what she meant by "it's being built" was what the above posts referred to, that it is in port .. . somewhere. (Besides, there is no WAY a factory order built vehicle would arrive in a month! That was another hint she was not meaning factory order.)

I'll call back and try to get a bit more specifics.

[dwreed3rd]

Good. To follow up on the partial VIN#'s I just wanted to point ou,t for those that may not be aware, that if you go on line at Toyota.com or at Buyatoyota.com which is Southeastern Toyota Region, and do a "Build your own", the inventory results may show a unit available on a specific date, with a partial VIN#, last 6 digits. The unit does not exits in the current Prius market. It's the old bait and switch. I do not know about earlier times or other models. But for the Prius, today, It's marketing at it's, well, you know what I mean. Just thought I'd pass it on. It don't like seeing members on the wait list getting teased or scammed.
I'm waiting for the day that the wait list threads will be archived.

[abqwalt]

So here it is Sunday, and I haven't posted anythng since I said on Friday I was going to pick up my silver touring Prius. Frankly it was a rather bittersweet experience. Yes, there is a silver Prius in my garage. It just is not the car ordered (a touring model) although my dealer claims it was exactly what I ordered (a code 1224). Even though the order form cites a dollar delivered price for a touring model package 6.

What is the visual difference between a base package 6 and a touring package 6? one spoke and 1" diameter on the wheels. So, I didn't discover the error until after I had done the paperwork and driven the car home. Oh yes, and a difference in the MSRP sticker price--my cost was adjusted appropriately on their own initiative before I went in to see the business guy.

Dealer offered to take the car back, that afternoon, put me back at the head of the line for a touring model. I immediately returned to the dealer and began a serious discussion of my options with the Internet sales manager. They weren't pretty. The price of the touring model would be the MSRP-$250.00 at the time of delivery, rather than the firm fixed price on my current contract. (I don't believe they would have won that fight since I had a signed contract with a dollar price and a description of the car that specified either 2008 or 2009 model year.) On the other hand, the contract was for a code 1224 car. Also, my dealer told me they had been allocated 21 base models dujring August and only 2 touring models.
So what's the sweet side of bittersweet? There is a Prius sitting in my garage, and we all know that a Prius in the garage is worth two Prii on the boat!

After a long (and civil) discussion, I decided to keep the base package 6 car in my possession, and the dealer agreed to write a new order which was put at the top of the wait list with a price of MSRP-$250, and no deposit required since they considered it to be an order for a second car. Once the car is allocated to the dealer, I will have approximately 5 weeks to sell my current car (privately) at a price that will cover the MSRPof the new touring model before it arrives at the showroom. So, I would end up (if successful) with the Prius I ordered, at the price I negotiated, and someone ends up with a low mileage pkg 6 base.

If I am a typical consumer, I speak in model names of cars. Dealers speak in codes. Rarely is there a transltion effort made to reconcile differences in translation. I do know now that a code 1224 Prius is some sort of a base modelm, and that a code 1226 is some sort of a touring model. Also the packjage codes arde different for base and touring models and a two letter codes, not package numbers.

Anyway, I have my Prius and am happy. Sjurprisingly I thing that alhough the mistake was the dealer's, I have been treated fairly.