CNBC reports Hybrid demand has slumped....

[sorka]

Last week, I posted this thread and asked the question:
Demand starting to crack a little?

And now, just a minute ago CNBC's car guy, Phil Lebeau:

"I had dealers who a month ago were telling me, listen, I've got a 6 to 9 month waiting list. Some of the dealers are saying, hey guess what, I've got a Hybrid on the lot."

He didn't specifically say Prius, but I don't think there was ever a 6 to 9 month waiting list for other Hybrids, so he's probably referring to a Prius.

[abq sfr]

Originally Posted by sorka

Last week, I posted this thread and asked the question:
Demand starting to crack a little?

And now, just a minute ago CNBC's car guy, Phil Lebeau:

"I had dealers who a month ago were telling me, listen, I've got a 6 to 9 month waiting list. Some of the dealers are saying, hey guess what, I've got a Hybrid on the lot."

He didn't specifically say Prius, but I don't think there was ever a 6 to 9 month waiting list for other Hybrids, so he's probably referring to a Prius.

Yeah, he has a hybrid on the lot. A used one. For $31,000. My bro went to a Toyota dealer yesterday, not looking for a Prius. They told him (and everybody else visiting the lot) that they have 10 used Prii from Washington, $31,000 each. And there is a 6 to 9 month waiting list for new. So, yeah, they're on the lot, and probably will be for a loooong time at that price.

[sorka]

Originally Posted by abq sfr

Yeah, he has a hybrid on the lot. A used one. For $31,000. My bro went to a Toyota dealer yesterday, not looking for a Prius. They told him (and everybody else visiting the lot) that they have 10 used Prii from Washington, $31,000 each. And there is a 6 to 9 month waiting list for new. So, yeah, they're on the lot, and probably will be for a loooong time at that price.

He was talking about specific dealers that told him there was a wait list for new Prius's and those same dealers are now saying they have new ones on the lot now. Even at the height of the craze, you've pretty much been able to go to any dealer and drive off with a used Prius if you were willing to pay the price.

[JimN]

Originally Posted by sorka

He was talking about specific dealers that told him there was a wait list for new Prius's and those same dealers are now saying they have new ones on the lot now. Even at the height of the craze, you've pretty much been able to go to any dealer and drive off with a used Prius if you were willing to pay the price.

If the dealers aren't gouging I'll bet the car that is on the lot "now" won't be there two hours later and wasn't there when the program aired.

[PriusSport]

So the media is turning against hybrids. Wonder why.

[tochatihu]

I should not say "turning against" because that implies something new. Several times during Prius' history a month of sales has been lower than the month before, or the same month in the year before. Invariably this stimulates someone to predict "the end of the fad". Have long since given up searching for the retractions published afterwards. Zzzzzz.

It's just the media doing the best they know how. Perhaps we can forgive such smallness?

[Shawn Clark]

There have been several used Prius' on the local dealer's lot recently. (Rentals or share-a-ride.) My new order came in about a month earlier than I expected.

The dealer acted like they are getting well over new sticker for the used Prius' they are selling. Seems crazy to me, but impulse buyers do strange things.

Suggestion: Consider ordering new from a lower volume dealer if you have several dealers close enough. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but I noticed the smaller dealer seemed to have shorter wait lists. Edit: by wait list I actually meant overall wait time (not the number of names on the list), the higher volume dealers were quoting longer waits, the little guy got mine in half the time.

[sorka]

Originally Posted by Shawn Clark

There have been several used Prius' on the local dealer's lot recently. (Rentals or share-a-ride.) My new order came in about a month earlier than I expected.

The dealer acted like they are getting well over new sticker for the used Prius' they are selling. Seems crazy to me, but impulse buyers do strange things.

Suggestion: Consider ordering new from a lower volume dealer if you have several dealers close enough. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but I noticed the smaller dealer seemed to have shorter wait lists.

I ordered mine from a high volume dealer (90 / month) for under MSRP. The wait was 3 months but is now down to 2 for new orders. Even if demand is down some, demand is still high enough that under MSRP still results in waiting lists.

[cycledrum]

I saw about 5 Toyo certified Prius' at Sunnyvale this morning ...

asking $30,000 for a 08 used, pack 4 or 5

others were from 2005 to 07 all pack 2's , asking in the $27k range, 1 with HOV stickers.

No thanks.

[ALLISONWhite]

There's more to driving a hybrid car than just saving money. We still really don't know if hybrids are necessarily the answer to all our problems. I think I am much more interested in a hydrogen-powered car.