Carson Toyota, 9/17/03

[Cris Lombardi]

Order Placed: 9/17/03
Dealer Ordered From (Incl. City/State):Carson Toyota, Ca
Timeframe given for delivery:None given
Color:Black with grey int.
Option Package: BC #9
Your # on Dealer's Waiting List: 33rd as of 8/2/04

My old thread was getting a bit long in the tooth, so I'm starting a new one, but I'd like to quote from that thread a message posted by Dianne on May 20, 2004:
>>Cris, good news right now is that you are #33 on the wait list (out of over 300 on it)<<
As of today, Aug 2, I'm... #33 on the waitlist, according to an email from Dianne.
My lack of movement on the list can be partially explained by a bit of backpedalling that was done in June: when she originally told me I was 33rd, she meant I was 33rd in line for a #9, though there's no way of telling that from the above quote. As of June 16, I was #39 on the list of people waiting for all packages. So, with today's news, I find I've moved up 6 spaces during the last month and a half.
I really need a new car, and Prius is the one I want, but at this moment, I don't believe that Dianne will be able to get me one.
If anyone knows of a Black #9 w/Grey int available at MSRP (fat chance!) in So Cal or San Fransisco, please contact me at crislom@eurekamail.net.
Thanks..

[ebcain]

Date ordered : 29 July 04
Dealer : Lithia Toyota of Vacaville
Timeframe 6 -8 months
Color : Do not care
Option Package #9

I ordered mine last Wednesday and got calls from two different dealers on Saturday that they had a car for me. I went back to Vacaville because the internet salesman is retired military and he had a new 2004 pkg 9 White Prius waiting for me in the delivery stall. I got someone elses car because she could not buy it on Saturday because Saturday was not a "lucky" day for her. She has been waiting since Feb. But as you can tell from this message, It was my LUCKY day.

[singpilot]

Most will tell you anything to get your deposit money.

Their attitude is that you are going to wait a year or so. Wrong!

Start calling around.

[mcbrunnhilde]

Cris, I encourage you to try Merced Toyota, where Melissa Favello was my wonderful saleswoman, or Fresno, where another San Diegan just got his car and was very impressed with his purchase experience. I think you'll have a much shorter wait if you call the more outlying dealerships. BTW Merced took my credit card info for a depost, but they did not run my card through. Also, I know of a couple of people who got their cars in Barstow and were very happy.

Best of luck to you--put in the time to contact all the dealers you can, and I'm sure you'll be rewarded!

[Cris Lombardi]

Yesterday morning I emailed several outlying dealers to get on their lists. I sent messages to dealers in Barstow, Fresno, Merced and Vacaville. As of this afternoon, none of them had even bothered to get back to me. Then..
I GOT THE CALL!! What could be more dramatic? My black #9 will be arriving at Carson within the next 2 weeks! Yay! Total wait time will end up being just under 11 months.. which I'm sure I'll forget all about once I'm behind the wheel.. the ACs been broken for awhile on my ancient Saab, so when I say no more hell, I mean that literally!
In the end, wanting only black helped me get the car a bit faster.. black isn't too popular a car to buy during the Summer, but I have covered parking and for me black just hands down looks best on the Prius! Also, I didn't feel the need to hold out for an '05. I'll be driving this one for enough years that I won't need to worry about resale value.
Dianne, thanks for coming through for me.. now people won't need to read about my sad, long wait anymore!

[mcbrunnhilde]

Yay!!! Dianne is truly the Empress of Prius! I'm so glad you're going to get your car soon, Cris. I've been wondering these last few months how different the 2005 would look (it's usually something minor like the taillights), because I just don't want the car to look "dated" too soon. I was so glad to hear the they were planning on NO changes--that way my little red hot rod will simply look a year younger as time goes by! :-)

[bruceha_2000]

Originally posted by Cris Lombardi

I GOT THE CALL!!  What could be more dramatic? My black #9 will be arriving at Carson within the next 2 weeks! Yay!

I'm a bit confused. So all this time when you were on the list, starting at #33 for a BC, who knows where on the "overall" list, were a ton of people ahead of you taking BCs when that wasn't really what they wanted? And now, within 3 days, none of the 32 in front of you (ALL waiting at least 11 months so far) were willing to take a black BC but others were, earlier on? I know from the production sched the dealer showed me last week, they don't make many black ones.

[Cris Lombardi]

Originally posted by bruceha_2000+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bruceha_2000)</div>

I'm a bit confused. So all this time when you were on the list, starting at #33 for a BC, who knows where on the "overall" list, were a ton of people ahead of you taking BCs when that wasn't really what they wanted? And now, within 3 days, none of the 32 in front of you (ALL waiting at least 11 months so far) were willing to take a black BC but others were, earlier on? I know from the production sched the dealer showed me last week, they don't make many black ones.[/b]

Yeah, needless to say it was quite a surprise when I got the call from Dianne! She told me that quite a few people are holding out for a 2005, and that black isn't a very popular color during the Summer. As far as the specifics of the packages that people ahead of me are waiting for, I have no idea. Carson Toyota used to post a waitlist on their website, but they stopped doing that a long time ago... AFAIK, Dianne's the only one who has that information. Hey, I'm just pleased as ---- that there's a car coming my way after all this time, I'm not questioning why!