What's a fair price to pay for a new 2006?

[ucla95]

Any hope of a $500 or $1000 off nowadays?

[daronspicher]

I don't know of anyone paying above msrp in Chicagoland...

But I wouldn't expect to find a discount as long as you can't find the cars on the lot and there is a 5 month stack of people on waiting lists..

Let us know what you come up with.

[TonyPSchaefer]

If you're Northern Chicagoland, I can talk to my sales rep in Libertyville and I'm sure we can get you at least on the list for MSRP. The demand is still outpacing the supply right now. The dealers know that if they try to charge over MSRP, people can drive twenty miles to get a better deal. Shoot, twenty miles around here is nothing, so the good ones work with you.

I'm not really trying to be snobbish here, but in all reality, the Escape is worth less than the Prius. Your opinion based on cargo room and hauling requirements will vary. On the other hand, there are people here who have children and large pets and drive a Prius, some have installed tow-bars and use them frequently, at least one person keeps a couple Kayaks strapped to his roof.

If you're thinking about technology and reliability, keep in mind that the Escape is built using 2-generation-old technology that Ford licensed from Toyota.

In the end, the decision is yours and yours alone. Though we would love to see you getting a Prius, if it's not the right car for you, your lifestyle and your needs, than you would be a fool to get one because you would regret it later.

[tacomel]

Only one of the dealers I contacted (almost a month ago now) in Chicago wanted more than MSRP, and I quickly moved on. Both dealers I eventually bought from went straight MSRP.

The only dealer that was talking below MSRP was the one in Monroe, WI (a small rural community) who was going $500 below MSRP to entice people from Madison, Rockford, etc., to drive over there. They had a 6-9 month wait as of late May, though.

I bought the #5 from Fox Lake (Curt H.) and the #7 from Elmhurst (Rob S.) and would recommend either (salesman's name in parens). Straight MSRP and short waits.

[FireEngineer]

You might try dealers in the western and southern part of Illinois in smaller towns (Moline, Effingham). Also look out of state to Wisconsin and Indiana, again smaller towns. You could also try my dealer up in Escanaba, Michigan - Riverside Town and Country. Last I heard they would cover your transportation to them and give a break off MSRP.

Wayne

[Cheap!]

Prius - list price.

Why is there a discount on the Escape?
Have you test driven the Hylander?

[tacomel]

Just a caution about going out of state (especially to WI) - in my experience Illinois was more consumer-friendly than Wisconsin. If you want to read the whole experience look under dealers & pricing forum for my post advising Wisconsin folks to buy in Illinois. Briefly, your deposit can be only taken in WI if you sign a purchase contract (this is state law), and if you break a purchase contract you might have to pay up to 5% of the vehicle cost as a penalty (allowed by state law). You will probably find the penalty provision pre-typed on the purchase contract. If you do decide to join a wait list at a dealer in WI, therefore, be sure that you get the penalty provision crossed out (and initialed) and that they put in writing that the deposit is unconditionally refundable! Unless you're buying off the lot that day, there are plenty of other dealers where your deposit is refundable to deal with one who is non-refundable and on top of it will charge you a penalty! Don't limit your choices in that way, and remove all incentive for that dealer to get you a car more quickly.

I don't know about Michigan. FWIW I was told in Illinois that the deposit is always refundable. IANAL, but this is what the sales guy told me.

[meezercat]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Taco Mel @ Jul 6 2006, 11:49 AM) [snapback]282070[/snapback]</div>

Only one of the dealers I contacted (almost a month ago now) in Chicago wanted more than MSRP, and I quickly moved on. Both dealers I eventually bought from went straight MSRP.

The only dealer that was talking below MSRP was the one in Monroe, WI (a small rural community) who was going $500 below MSRP to entice people from Madison, Rockford, etc., to drive over there. They had a 6-9 month wait as of late May, though.

I bought the #5 from Fox Lake (Curt H.) and the #7 from Elmhurst (Rob S.) and would recommend either (salesman's name in parens). Straight MSRP and short waits.
[/b]

I just got mine over the weekend. Everyone I was talking to was at MSRP. (Ended up buying at Elmhurst - they had what I wanted on the lot, ready to go.) My sales guy told me that Naperville was charging $2K over MSRP, but I'm not sure I believe him.

Also, I talked to several dealers and it seems the minimum wait is going to be 3 months, unless you get lucky.

[hpvamp]

Don't know about Chicagoland, but was able to get $250 off list on a package #3 2006 Prius in the San Francisco Bay Area using the Costco Auto Buying service (free to all Costco members).

[tacomel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(meezercat @ Jul 6 2006, 06:48 PM) [snapback]282266[/snapback]</div>

Also, I talked to several dealers and it seems the minimum wait is going to be 3 months, unless you get lucky.
[/b]

Of course, you make your own luck, or at least increase your odds, by making phone calls. Lots of phone calls. 95% of the dealers said it was going to be 2-3 months (or more). I politely thanked them for their time and moved on to the next one on the list. As long as you can live with the rejection, and realize that it doesn't matter how many times you fail because you only need to succeed once, you can almost certainly find something a reasonable distance from your home that will be in within a month. I probably called about 50 dealers - and was told 48 times that there was nothing available. I suspect that demand might pick up now as last-minute buyers try to get their cars before September 30, though.

Naperville might have been the one that had mentioned a "market adjustment factor" now that you mention it. I recall that it was one of the southwest suburbs so maybe that was it. Maybe they can get away with it in Southern California, but you should be able to get MSRP in Chicago.