Barcelona Red # 4 Ordered 3-4-06 Yakima, WA

[universe44]

After waiting more than a year, driving my dad's Prius a few times and lurking here a bit, I'm taking the plunge. My Barcelona red Prius is scheduled to hit port this Friday (March 10) and be at the dealer's lot within a week. And that's all the waiting I am doing. (I would try to put the excitement - considerable - into words here, but I think anyone reading this already knows...)

The process couldn't have been easier. I had been checking info here at Prius Chat for some time and had talked to a few dealers. It seems most are at MSRP these days. The dealer closest to home here in Portland, OR, was Ron Tonkin Toyota. They were at MSRP, but as of last Friday they were saying eight weeks, maybe up to 12 weeks, for delivery.

That was doable, but it wasn't what I did. Instead, I called Jason Edlin at Toyota of Yakima (based on a mention by someone here, in fact). Well, it turns out that this dealership has been the Prius fleet dealer for Washington state government, which means they have had very large allocations. After telling Jason exactly what I wanted on Friday, he called back Saturday to say they could swap a car in an upcoming allocation to get what I wanted. On the outside that's 15 days (maybe 12 days) from first call to my car on the lot. He gave me a slight break below MSRP (!), which will offset the cost of my plane ticket for the journey to Yakima.

It's likely now that, on March 18, I'm flying to Yakima to pick up the four-wheeled wonder, then drive it back the 190 miles to Portland (through the beautiful Columbia Gorge). I can't imagine it working any better than this. Pinch me...

I will let you know if the plan plays out....


Date Ordered: 3-4-06
Dealer Ordered From (Incl. City/State): Toyota of Yakima, WA
Timeframe given for delivery: 15 days
Color: Barcelona Red
Option Package: 4
Your # on Dealer's Waiting List:

[Cameron]

My Barcelona Red #8 is on order and has been since Feb 3rd. I ordered it through an auto broker, paying MSRP. The expected delivery date is the first week of April. Here's to no factory fires, blown-up refineries, sabotaged pipe-lines, another front, etc, etc.. Prius Chat has been very helpful during my research. What a hot car!

[bgdrewsif]

Greetings everyone!

I just ordered my Barcelona Red 2006 with package #4 from LaRiche Toyota in Findlay, Ohio two weeks ago. I have been told to expect a late-April or early May delivery. (findlay is about 45 miles south of Toledo on I-75 in Northwest Ohio if you are wondering). I could potentially get another Prius at other NW Ohio dealerships sooner but the service at LaRiche is exceptional. My mother has purchased a Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Toyota T-100 and jut last month a Toyota Highlander from LaRiche over the years (all from the same sales rep too!)

I am VERY eagerly awaiting my new car to arrive... (ive literally been having prius dreams at night... its that bad). Currently I am driving a 2002 VW Beetle. I knew that I was looking to trade it in for a newer car as I drive a lot and wanted to trade in while the Beetle still had some value left on it.

LaRiche has offered $8400 for my car with 61,500 miles on it (yes, I drive a lot back and fourth between Bowling Green-Toledo and Bowling Green-Findlay, with B.G. being halfway between Toledo and Findlay).

While looking for car options I seriously had considered upgrading to a Slasa Red 2006 Beetle, a red 2006 PT Cruiser, or the red 2006 Prius. I had done all the research online that was possible over a period of a month or so. Ultimately, however, the test-drive in the prius won me over as I am taking a significant upgrade in both performance, fuel econonmy, environmental cleanliness, and interior space. No longer will my passengers have to do the "snake move" to get into the back seat! (and i will have cruise control, power windows, rear wiper, 4 doors, full size trunk, and all the cool technological goodies my beetle does not have...

I will update as I get information in... Cheers!

[ghostofjk]

Welcome to PC! What is this, the Barcelona thread?

If you were considering a PT Cruiser (and you're the only one in two years I can remember saying he or she did), you must have felt strongly to be willing to pay that much more for the Prius. But it was a smart decision, as will be confirmed to you.

Welcome to the antsy and temporarily forlorn bunch known as Prius-waiters!

[bgdrewsif]

Originally posted by ghostofjk@Mar 10 2006, 05:14 AM
Welcome to PC!  What is this, the Barcelona thread?

If you were considering a PT Cruiser (and you're the only one in two years I can remember saying he or she did), you must have felt strongly to be willing to pay that much more for the Prius.  But it was a smart decision, as will be confirmed to you.

Welcome to the antsy and temporarily forlorn bunch known as Prius-waiters!

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Thank You! And yes, I definitely felt good enough about the Prius to pay the extra $$$. Although with all of my financing options, plus trade-in, my final total is just under $17,900, so comparatively speaking, the prius is not that expensive for me... Although I could have gotten a PT cruiser for about 10K with trade-in or a new beetle for about 12-13K, so yes, I am paying more, but I feel that it will be worth it. Besides, I needed another attention getting car, after drving a beetle for 3 1/2 years and all the fun attention that has gotten, going back to a 'normal' car would just take the fun out of driving... although it would be great if everone had a Prius... what a wonderful world that would be!

[universe44]

UPDATE: I got the call this morning. My Barcelona red #4 arrived today at the dealer's lot in Yakima, WA, just one short week after I first talked to Jason Edlin, the sales guy at Toyota of Yakima. That's several days earlier than expected. Now, I must suffer through a week knowing my car awaits. I will try not to think about it (yeah, right). I will be on the plane to Yakima on the morning of March 18. Now the real countdown begins...

(Hey, this has become the Barcelona red thread. It's a great color. Hello to all. See you on the road...)

P.S. I didn't choose between a Prius and a PT Cruiser. Didn't have to. My wife drives a PT Cruiser. They make will make a great couple, the Cruiser and Prius...

[bgdrewsif]

Originally posted by universe44@Mar 10 2006, 03:11 PM
UPDATE: I got the call this morning. My Barcelona red #4 arrived today at the dealer's lot in Yakima, WA, just one short week after I first talked to Jason Edlin, the sales guy at Toyota of Yakima. That's several days earlier than expected. Now, I must suffer through a week knowing my car awaits. I will try not to think about it (yeah, right). I will be on the plane to Yakima on the morning of March 18. Now the real countdown begins...

(Hey, this has become the Barcelona red thread. It's a great color. Hello to all. See you on the road...)

P.S.  I didn't choose between a Prius and a PT Cruiser. Didn't have to. My wife drives a PT Cruiser. They make will make a great couple, the Cruiser and Prius...

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Congratulations Universe! Now how to survive one more week of anticipation???

[shandrea]

Didn't see your post first, but I some how ended up contacting Yakima out of frustration in waiting at Seattle area dealers. I was on the waitlist at the Auburn, WA and Seattle, WA dealers since December. They kept stringing me on and telling me that there have been no black prius' available with package 4 or higher. I think that they have just ignored me figuring that I am easy money and willing to wait.

I emailed Yakima on Wednesday. I received a call back on Thursday. Today, Friday, I called and talked to Jerry Olsen. He told me that they had a red Prius coming in on the 15th, but it didn't have a package. I told him I wanted a black Prius with package 4 or higher. He said they could trade the red one once it comes in for a black one. I told him that I'd be out of town next weekend and that I'd like to get one by this weekend because I graduated from law school two years ago on March 19, which means the $400 college grad rebate expires on the 19th.

He said he could try to trade another car and get me a black one this weekend. I gave him a $1000 credit card deposit to show that I was serious and he called me back three hours later and told me that they would pick the car up tonight and I can pick it up tomorrow. Wow!

Hopefully it's not your car they traded out Universe. I didn't even try to negotiate under MSRP. I guess I started on the wrong foot when I asked if they wanted more than MSRP. Oh well, for next day delivery, I'll pay extra.


How have I not heard of this dealership before? I'll let you know how it goes. I may find out how it handles in the snow driving back over the Cascades.

[shandrea]

Just picked up my black package 4 prius. It only had six miles on it, but I think someone burned through almost a gallon in those six because it tool a long time to get above a 10mpg average. But once I got it home over the mountains (about 160 miles later), I was up to a 40 mpg average. Not bad for driving 75 most the way over the mountains.

Universe, you can rest assured. They still have your Barcelona Red sitting in the back of the lot far away from other cars so there will be no scratches or dents when you get it. The service was great there. Very quick and easy pick up. The finance guy just told me the price on the warranty and I told him I wasn't interested. He set aside the warranty information and went on. No pressure what so ever.

I'm not sure whether Yakima has more Prius' coming in or not, but they are certainly a good dealership to consider and the wait should not be too long because as of yesterday, there was no waiting list.

[universe44]

Originally posted by shandrea@Mar 11 2006, 09:54 PM
Just picked up my black package 4 prius.  It only had six miles on it, but I think someone burned through almost a gallon in those six because it tool a long time to get above a 10mpg average.  But once I got it home over the mountains (about 160 miles later), I was up to a 40 mpg average.  Not bad for driving 75 most the way over the mountains. 

Universe, you can rest assured.  They still have your Barcelona Red sitting in the back of the lot far away from other cars so there will be no scratches or dents when you get it. The service was great there.  Very quick and easy pick up.  The finance guy just told me the price on the warranty and I told him I wasn't interested.  He set aside the warranty information and went on.  No pressure what so ever. 

I'm not sure whether Yakima has more Prius' coming in or not, but they are certainly a good dealership to consider and the wait should not be too long because as of yesterday, there was no waiting list.

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Glad to hear your process was painless in Yakima. Mine's a straight cash deal and I expect to be in and out there awful fast.

I doubt your deal had anything to do with mine. There's a Barcelona red Prius parked and locked back there with my name on it. They list close to 50 in their inventory (certainly almost all are committed somehow), which is why they can move cars around and find one pretty darn fast (far better than any other dealer I contacted).

I will be stumbling out to the airport for an 8:30 am flight Saturday (passing through SeaTac) on my way to the dealer. I should be in the car and on the road to Portland by 1 p.m. I'm just trying not to think about it. Like that's working. Well, I'm trying not to have too many obsessive thoughts about it. Four days and counting...