Seaside Pearl, AM (#7), Jan 25, Portland, OR

[eklabbers]

Date Ordered: 01/25/04
Dealer Ordered From (Incl. City/State): Broadway Toyota, Portland, OR
Timeframe given for delivery: 4 months
Color: Seaside Pearl
Option Package: #7
Your # on Dealer's Waiting List: don't know


I liked the service at this dealer. No nonsense, no paying above MSRP (or at least that's what they say). They only get in package #1, #7 and #9, but #7 was my favorite anyway. I know I'm probably making my wait longer by sticking to 1 color and 1 package but I really like the blue color and I don't want to pay the $2500 for NAV and 6-CD changer or the basic package. Maybe I'll call the dealer and ask them where I am on the list and whether it would help for me to be less picky. I'm afraid he's going to put me at the bottom of the list if I make any changes in my preferences. But this is the first new car that I buy so why not have it be everything I want. I'm not in a hurry, although now that I'm on the waiting list I'm anxious to get it.

Esther

[Bob Allen]

I don't think making any changes in your preferences will move you down the list to the bottom. In fact, it gives the dealer a better shot at selling you a car. I ordered Seaside Pearl Blue (my favorite) with a number 1 option, but have since broadened my scope to accept virtually anything except a black Prius. I'd even pay the extra for the Nav, maxi CD player, etc, because it will make for a better car.
Good luck. Keep us posted.
Bob

[halfbreed]

Originally posted by eklabbers
I know I'm probably making my wait longer by sticking to 1 color and 1 package but I really like the blue color and I don't want to pay the $2500 for NAV and 6-CD changer or the basic package.

Are the horrific waits described here because of people holding out for a particular color and package? The colors all look fine to me. When I tell the dealers any color, any package, they get more optimistic.

[tag]

Originally posted by halfbreed
Are the horrific waits described here because of people holding out for a particular color and package?

That could be part of it, but my dealer has close to 50 on the wait list and, ostensibly, only got 2 cars last month. I suspect quite a few people would be willing to take just about anything offered to them at this point.

[eklabbers]

I just talked to fleet manager Jerry Rousselle of Broadway Toyota in Portland. He was very helpful in giving me details about their waiting list that may help me assess whether their estimated wait time of 4 months makes sense.

- They have 104 orders in for a Prius
- I am at approx. 72 on the list
- There are 73 dealerships in the area of OR,WA, ID, MT that have 1100 orders in
- They are supposed to get 300 cars a month for the whole area, where Broadway Toyota should get 13-14 cars a month. But right now, they're getting about 6-8. When the ship comes in, all the dealers in the area put the orders in of the people that are at the top of their list and they try to match it up to what's coming in.
- They're now working away people who put their order in on 2nd half of October. He said the 4 month wait could be accurate, but it could also be 6 months. They are supposed to increase production in March, but they also said that in December and instead they got less cars.
- Currently they're putting customer names in a centralized computer system, and they will send out letters shortly apologizing to people for the long wait. Also it allows them to check for people who put their names down on multiple lists. They'll try to encourage people not to do that, so lists don't get cluttered with people who already have their new car.

[aja2460]

eklabbers, nice explanation from your dealer. I think that what most of us want is to know is what's happening, and where we are. I am on the list at Michael's Toyota in Bellevue, WA, which is in the same region, where the cars come through the Port of Portland.
Ordered my Silver BC on the 29th of October (about number 70 on the list) and was told to expect a 90 day wait Was told this Monday that I was second on the list for this combination, and that it could be here in the next three or four weeks. Sounds consistant.
I've gone through the knowing that it will take less than the 90 days, to worried about when or if it will come, through the I'll appreciate it more when it comes stage, to the I want it now point...

[eklabbers]

Well, the wait is now two months, so I decided to talk to Jerry Rouselle, Broadway Toyota's fleet manager, again to see how far I'd moved up the list. It turned out I didn't move up too far. I suspect I'm now around nr 65, although he didn't give me an absolute number. Instead he broke it down by color and package for me, which is more useful anyway. There are 4 people in front of me waiting for a Seaside # 7. I asked him if it would make a difference if I was open to more colors and packages but he said no. The #9 is more popular, so that would not make my wait any shorter. Silver is most popular with 15 people in front of me for a silver #7. 3 people in front of me for a Tideland. He said if I was open to white it would be a shorter list, but I absolutely don't want white.

With the slow pace of delivery (they're still delivering to people who ordered end of October) I don't think I'll have my car in 2 months, so I think I'll start calling around to other dealerships in OR/WA that are more out of the way and hope to find my dream car that way.

Esther

[Danny]

eklabbers, sounds like it's time to call up the guys out in Moses Lake, WA

[JJay]

James Toyota in Moses Lake, WA is where I picked up our #5 Driftwood last Saturday. It came in to the port of Portland, shipped to Moses Lake, and I drove it back home to Vancouver WA!

Roundabout, but they're getting them in!

[eklabbers]

That IS a roundabout way. Couldn't they have left the car in Portland for you? I'll call them soon, but I want to make sure there's no other dealers closer to Portland that get Prii in and have a short wait.

Esther