We took the plunge!

sunnysandiegan · 12-04-2005, 10:35 PM

Hi! DH & I have been casually thinking about buying a hybrid for our next car for a couple years now. The time has come to buy a new car. I have a '95 Corolla with 120K miles on it. It has been a good car, but I am ready to move on now.

We test drove the '05 Prius by sheer luck and decided to wait a bit. That was in early October. I spent a few days seriously researching and we decided to wait until 1/1/06 for the tax credit since we are not in a big hurry. Two weeks ago, I test drove the '06 HCH and liked it a lot! On Saturday, DH & I both test drove the '06 HCH and the '06 Prius. The Prius won out! I'm so excited!!! We put down our $500 refundable deposit and are officially on the waiting list at the same dealer where we purchased DH's '04 Camry. We like the 'product consultant' (that title cracks me up everytime), but the sales manager was annoying. SM told me we would not get into our new Prius until the end of April 2006 and we would not qualify for the tax credit. I know it doesn't work that way on several counts, but that really isn't the point. I want the '06 Prius as soon after 1/1/06 as possible.

So...here are my questions:

1. Did anyone here put deposits down at several dealerships and then take the first one that produced what you wanted? How did that work out for you? Is it generally advisable? We live in an area with three viable Toyota dealerships within easy distance of our home. I've contacted the other two via email. One says they do not require a deposit and can deliver in early January at MSRP, but this is via email only and seems too good to be true. The other says they take a $500 deposit (didn't mention if it was refundable or not) and delivery runs about 3-4 weeks. Both are better than what the SM at the first dealer said, though. I wonder if they can deliver that once I go down there to sign papers and whatnot...

2. We have a 4 year old child and need a new car seat for the new car, as she has outgrown the one in my car now. Are there any issues or challenges with fitting car seats into the Prius? For example, my Corolla is a challenge due to the female end of the seat belt being very long. Most car seat belt paths are too low and we could not get a good fit with most and had to stick with Britax (pricey) models. I cannot take any potential car seats out to test them in my imaginary Prius. LOL I have been searching online for this type of info most of the day and keep getting sidetracked on all the cool new features and topics on our future Prius!

Thanks in advance!!!
Karin

richard schumacher · 12-04-2005, 10:43 PM

On a tangent: whatever car seat you use, be careful to never block the vent at the right side of the rear seats. It ventilates the high-voltage battery.

sunnysandiegan · 12-04-2005, 10:49 PM

Thanks! Good to know.

To clarify...is that the passenger side?

I plan to put the car seat behind the driver for the 40/60 split maximum usage factor.

OUscarb · 12-04-2005, 10:51 PM

The wife and I ordered a Prius in Sept. It came in as an '05 . We decided to opt for an '06."It could be Feb before you get it" we were told. Fine, I'm in no hurry. After checking with his SM, he said it would be in early Jan. I switch colors on him a week ago. At that time he said, "Our first allotment of '06's will arrive in about 10 Days to 2 weeks". There may be an '06 you want, but if not, your preference is still on the way for Jan. Meanwhile 3 other local dealers have called me, (with no Deposit), and offered us several '05's and to say they will have '06's for immediate sale in about 2 weeks.

I know that is kinda long winded, but just to say, some dealers try to use the "scare" tactic to commit you to buy now. In reallity, in a few weeks, alot of '06s will be roll'in in, and I'd bet you won't have to wait till april to get one.

Call all your local Toyota Dealers and tell them you are in the market and ready to buy. Your phone will be ringing, guaranteed. Just wait for the one you want.

OUscarb

frankie_delaware · 12-04-2005, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sunnysandiegan@Dec 4 2005, 08:35 PM
1. Did anyone here put deposits down at several dealerships and then take the first one that produced what you wanted? How did that work out for you?

[snapback]167765[/snapback]

Hi Karin, welcome to the Waiting Club!

If "sunnysandiegan" means what I think it does

, you should venture north with your inquiries.

Have you contacted Toyota of Escondido (Barry Murray 760-796-3815barrymurray@toyotaescondido.com) or Poway Toyota (Mark Toomey/Long Mao/Lynne 858-486-2900 (office) powaytoyota@eleadtrack.net)? They both offer MSRP, and have been pleasant to talk to.

I got a neutral response from Toyota of San Diego, and Kearny Mesa Toyota hasn't responded yet.

I'm in "The OC," but felt it wouldn't hurt to check what was available in the San Diego area. You might want to to the same up my way.

sunnysandiegan · 12-04-2005, 11:40 PM

Hi frankie_delaware!

Thanks for the welcome! Yep, sunnysandiegan does indeed mean what you think.

Mossy is the place we are on the waiting list (Mission Bay). Kearny Mesa Toyota is the one who said a $500 deposit and 3-4 weeks. Toy of SD is the place that says no deposit and 0-1 month. All three said MSRP.

TSD is very odd. We physically drove there Saturday afternoon and as soon as the salesguy walked up to us, I told him exactly what we wanted to do (test drive a 2006 Prius). No hesistation, no 'or', straight out clear as day. DH was getting DD out of the car and he heard me. The guy asks, "Does it have to be an '06 Prius?" He said they didn't have any Priuses (or is it Prius'?), so we left. We had no power at home, so I dragged out the 'old-fashioned' (LOL) phone book to call every Toyota dealer in the county. What a useless endeavor! LOL First, our phone book doesn't have anything North of Mira Mesa/La Jolla/Scripps Ranch. Second, no matter what they told me at first, in the end no one had an '06 we could test drive that day. However, our 'product consultant' at Mossy came through for us later in the day and we were the very first consumers in that particular '06 Prius. Mileage was 2 and apparently the future owners had turned it down sight unseen.

Anyway, the SM annoyed me with his 'scare tactic' while DH was elsewhere. I suppose I shouldn't be annoyed since it is such a common thing. DH handled it with humor when he found me and I was explaining how the tax credit works. The SM backed off, but did not change his estimated arrival date. How could he, though, without looking like an idiot??? LOL

Oh, in general, we dislike KM Toyota due to several unpleasant experiences. Just an FYI.

OUscarb ~ Thanks for your input! I think that makes a lot of sense. We are not in a hurry for a new vehicle. *I* am just in a hurry now that I made the decision.

But, I am waiting until 1/1/06 because the new tax law will help us out.

tripp · 12-04-2005, 11:52 PM

Sunny,

I take my 3 year old to preschool in our Prius and she rides in a Graco booster seat. It fits in without any problems at all.

Jack 06 · 12-05-2005, 03:05 AM

I'm doing the same as you with Dealer Roulette---one $500 deposit (where I think I'll really buy, because of $500 Costco discount), one $100 deposit, and one "on the list with no deposit" (which, through Murphy's Law of Irony, I'm sure will be the first to call and offer a car

).

Hey, we know them and they know us...

Good luck. You've done your homework---and did it right. :P

Stevep · 12-05-2005, 08:53 AM

I take my two kids everywhere in my Prius. There is no problem in hooking the car seats in. I do not use the seatbelts though. I use the anchors where the seat and back meet and also the one on the rear of the seat back. I don't remember the brand of carseat I have, but they are not expensive ones. If I remember right, I spent in the neighborhood of $45-$60 for them. There is still room for a full sized adult in the back seat, with two carseats. What a car!!

TidelandAZ · 12-05-2005, 08:58 AM

If you do decide to put down a deposit at more than one dealer, make sure you do it with a credit card. If you pay by check, most dealers (I've found, anyway) will make you wait 10 days even though you can prove that the check cleared.

12-04-2005, 10:51 PM	#4
OUscarb Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sooner Land, Oklahoma Posts: 166 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The wife and I ordered a Prius in Sept. It came in as an '05 . We decided to opt for an '06."It could be Feb before you get it" we were told. Fine, I'm in no hurry. After checking with his SM, he said it would be in early Jan. I switch colors on him a week ago. At that time he said, "Our first allotment of '06's will arrive in about 10 Days to 2 weeks". There may be an '06 you want, but if not, your preference is still on the way for Jan. Meanwhile 3 other local dealers have called me, (with no Deposit), and offered us several '05's and to say they will have '06's for immediate sale in about 2 weeks. I know that is kinda long winded, but just to say, some dealers try to use the "scare" tactic to commit you to buy now. In reallity, in a few weeks, alot of '06s will be roll'in in, and I'd bet you won't have to wait till april to get one. Call all your local Toyota Dealers and tell them you are in the market and ready to buy. Your phone will be ringing, guaranteed. Just wait for the one you want. OUscarb __________________ 2006 Seaside Blue Package 5 Gray Leather!! Oklahoma Sooners!!

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12-04-2005, 10:35 PM	#1
sunnysandiegan Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 248 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Hi! DH & I have been casually thinking about buying a hybrid for our next car for a couple years now. The time has come to buy a new car. I have a '95 Corolla with 120K miles on it. It has been a good car, but I am ready to move on now. We test drove the '05 Prius by sheer luck and decided to wait a bit. That was in early October. I spent a few days seriously researching and we decided to wait until 1/1/06 for the tax credit since we are not in a big hurry. Two weeks ago, I test drove the '06 HCH and liked it a lot! On Saturday, DH & I both test drove the '06 HCH and the '06 Prius. The Prius won out! I'm so excited!!! We put down our $500 refundable deposit and are officially on the waiting list at the same dealer where we purchased DH's '04 Camry. We like the 'product consultant' (that title cracks me up everytime), but the sales manager was annoying. SM told me we would not get into our new Prius until the end of April 2006 and we would not qualify for the tax credit. I know it doesn't work that way on several counts, but that really isn't the point. I want the '06 Prius as soon after 1/1/06 as possible. So...here are my questions: 1. Did anyone here put deposits down at several dealerships and then take the first one that produced what you wanted? How did that work out for you? Is it generally advisable? We live in an area with three viable Toyota dealerships within easy distance of our home. I've contacted the other two via email. One says they do not require a deposit and can deliver in early January at MSRP, but this is via email only and seems too good to be true. The other says they take a $500 deposit (didn't mention if it was refundable or not) and delivery runs about 3-4 weeks. Both are better than what the SM at the first dealer said, though. I wonder if they can deliver that once I go down there to sign papers and whatnot... 2. We have a 4 year old child and need a new car seat for the new car, as she has outgrown the one in my car now. Are there any issues or challenges with fitting car seats into the Prius? For example, my Corolla is a challenge due to the female end of the seat belt being very long. Most car seat belt paths are too low and we could not get a good fit with most and had to stick with Britax (pricey) models. I cannot take any potential car seats out to test them in my imaginary Prius. LOL I have been searching online for this type of info most of the day and keep getting sidetracked on all the cool new features and topics on our future Prius! Thanks in advance!!! Karin

12-04-2005, 10:43 PM	#2
richard schumacher nacreous lacquer Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: United States Posts: 4,126 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	On a tangent: whatever car seat you use, be careful to never block the vent at the right side of the rear seats. It ventilates the high-voltage battery.

12-04-2005, 10:49 PM	#3
sunnysandiegan Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 248 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Thanks! Good to know. To clarify...is that the passenger side? I plan to put the car seat behind the driver for the 40/60 split maximum usage factor.

12-04-2005, 11:40 PM	#6
sunnysandiegan Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 248 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Hi frankie_delaware! Thanks for the welcome! Yep, sunnysandiegan does indeed mean what you think. Mossy is the place we are on the waiting list (Mission Bay). Kearny Mesa Toyota is the one who said a $500 deposit and 3-4 weeks. Toy of SD is the place that says no deposit and 0-1 month. All three said MSRP. TSD is very odd. We physically drove there Saturday afternoon and as soon as the salesguy walked up to us, I told him exactly what we wanted to do (test drive a 2006 Prius). No hesistation, no 'or', straight out clear as day. DH was getting DD out of the car and he heard me. The guy asks, "Does it have to be an '06 Prius?" He said they didn't have any Priuses (or is it Prius'?), so we left. We had no power at home, so I dragged out the 'old-fashioned' (LOL) phone book to call every Toyota dealer in the county. What a useless endeavor! LOL First, our phone book doesn't have anything North of Mira Mesa/La Jolla/Scripps Ranch. Second, no matter what they told me at first, in the end no one had an '06 we could test drive that day. However, our 'product consultant' at Mossy came through for us later in the day and we were the very first consumers in that particular '06 Prius. Mileage was 2 and apparently the future owners had turned it down sight unseen. Anyway, the SM annoyed me with his 'scare tactic' while DH was elsewhere. I suppose I shouldn't be annoyed since it is such a common thing. DH handled it with humor when he found me and I was explaining how the tax credit works. The SM backed off, but did not change his estimated arrival date. How could he, though, without looking like an idiot??? LOL Oh, in general, we dislike KM Toyota due to several unpleasant experiences. Just an FYI. OUscarb ~ Thanks for your input! I think that makes a lot of sense. We are not in a hurry for a new vehicle. I am just in a hurry now that I made the decision. But, I am waiting until 1/1/06 because the new tax law will help us out.

12-04-2005, 11:52 PM	#7
tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it? Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 3,772 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	Sunny, I take my 3 year old to preschool in our Prius and she rides in a Graco booster seat. It fits in without any problems at all.

12-05-2005, 03:05 AM	#8
Jack 06 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Winters, CA: Prius capital of US. 30 miles W of Sacramento Posts: 2,567 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I'm doing the same as you with Dealer Roulette---one $500 deposit (where I think I'll really buy, because of $500 Costco discount), one $100 deposit, and one "on the list with no deposit" (which, through Murphy's Law of Irony, I'm sure will be the first to call and offer a car ). Hey, we know them and they know us... Good luck. You've done your homework---and did it right. :P

12-05-2005, 08:53 AM	#9
Stevep Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 66 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I take my two kids everywhere in my Prius. There is no problem in hooking the car seats in. I do not use the seatbelts though. I use the anchors where the seat and back meet and also the one on the rear of the seat back. I don't remember the brand of carseat I have, but they are not expensive ones. If I remember right, I spent in the neighborhood of $45-$60 for them. There is still room for a full sized adult in the back seat, with two carseats. What a car!!

12-05-2005, 08:58 AM	#10
TidelandAZ Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 62 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	If you do decide to put down a deposit at more than one dealer, make sure you do it with a credit card. If you pay by check, most dealers (I've found, anyway) will make you wait 10 days even though you can prove that the check cleared.