Bait & Switch, Prius Style

quagmire0 · 08-09-2006, 09:57 PM

So, about two weeks ago I find a dealer who is supposedly getting a Black Prius w/ HG Package in about 2-3 weeks. Earlier this week I emailed him because I hadn't heard anything and he was supposed to be sending me a letter with the info on the car. He replies that he's still waiting to hear from Toyota. I get a call tonight at 8:30pm. Not only is the car another 3 weeks out (ok, no biggie, it happens) but the package is wrong - it's an HI, which is about $1400 more.

Now, many people will say, take it anyway, get it while you can, it's not that big of a deal. But the fact is, I'm too much of an inner scrooge to let this slip. It's bad enough I'm paying MSRP, but now I have to pay for features I'm not going to use?

+Bluetooth - nifty, good in the future, but I don't have a bluetooth phone.
+JBL w/6 disc - who needs a 6 disc? Theres an aux input for an mp3 player!
+Alarm - don't want it.
+Homelink - don't need it.

Sorry, I know people have jumped through enormous hoops and payed any price to get these cars, but that's just not me. I'm the kind of person that thinks paying an extra $24 a month for the next 5 years is a big deal. I guess i'm crazy.

RichBoy · 08-09-2006, 10:05 PM

your Profile says you have a 2006 pkg 4, when in fact you dont. dont count your chickens before they are hatched !

Godiva · 08-09-2006, 10:56 PM

And when it gets here in FIVE weeks it won't even be black.

Take a page out of the many other books on Priuschat.

Start contacting dealers in your area in ever widening circles until you find the color and package you want already here. You may need to travel and drive back. Use the internet, e-mail the internet managers. Use toyota's build a car and get the phone numbers of all of the dealers within a reasonable distance. (100 miles? 300 miles?)

This guy is already late and already got the package wrong. There is no guarantee he won't be even more late and have the wrong color too. And if the car is an extra $1400 because he got the package wrong, there's no telling what port options or dealer add ons they'll try to stick you with. Run away. Run fast. Run to the phone and start calling.

**Tideland Prius** · 08-10-2006, 01:18 AM

Yeah, no point giving him your business if he can't get your order right.

Don't worry about the money/package thing. If you don't need it, then don't take it. No one will reprimand you for choosing what YOU want.

TJandGENESIS · 08-10-2006, 01:50 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(quagmire0 @ Aug 9 2006, 09:57 PM) [snapback]300556[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

+Bluetooth - nifty, good in the future, but I don't have a bluetooth phone.
+JBL w/6 disc - who needs a 6 disc? Theres an aux input for an mp3 player!
+Alarm - don't want it.
+Homelink - don't need it.

[/b]

Bluetooth. You will use it, as most phones are going that way. And the truth is, it's better to be hands free if you are going to use the phone in the car.
JBL w6 disc. It's for people who like to hear all the music, and not just compressed music. Of course, I am becoming part of the audiophile minority.
Alarm. You will be glad you have it when the windows get broken in to steal your mp3 player.
Homelink. I don't use mine (yet), but I like the idea that I could if I wanted to.

Look, you don't have to listen to me, or anyone else, but why not just get the car? Even if you think you won't need those features, when you go to trade it in, in the future, you will be glad you have them, since it will raise the value of your car. Even just a bit.

richard schumacher · 08-10-2006, 08:57 AM

Patience, grasshopper, patience. Call around, get the best price for what you want, pay a deposit, and then be prepared to wait. If you want it now you will pay more for it.

mike_m · 08-10-2006, 09:33 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RichBoy @ Aug 9 2006, 10:05 PM) [snapback]300560[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

your Profile says you have a 2006 pkg 4, when in fact you dont. dont count your chickens before they are hatched !
[/b]

I did that here before I got my car. I was so excited I already had my package, options, etc. listed in my profile, 1 month before my car got here. There is a chicken hatching somewhere, and it's the correct one.

c4 · 08-10-2006, 10:15 AM

I *really* hate the way Toyota basically lets their dealers get away with murder.. Once a dealership arrangement is obtained, the dealer has almost carte blanche to determine their own sales and service strategies.. This leads to a lot of shady dealings that basically taints the whole brand name.. Dealer blames Toyota for delays, etc and when found out and you complain to Toyota, they tell you that all their dealers are independent and they have no control over their activities.. Well, they may be independent, but they still have the Toyota name plastered all over the place and they are the "public face" that buyers see.. You would think that Toyota corporate would be concerned about this because although people are still buying their cars despite the dealers, this can't last, especially as the company grows and quality is impacted (as it already has been); soon people will get fed up with the poor dealership experience and if the vehicles no longer live up to their legendary reliability, no longer seeing any benefit to buying a Toyota, they will go with competing brands.. This may not happen in the near future, but it will happen.. I mean one bad dealership, fine, but if you're going around to a dozen dealerships to find one that's half decent, that's a very bad sign.. Somebody up the chain has got to crack the corporate whip and get these guys to smarten up..

I've only ever dealt with Toyota, but how do other vehicle brands do their factory/dealer relationship?

Starfall · 08-10-2006, 11:33 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(quagmire0 @ Aug 9 2006, 08:57 PM) [snapback]300556[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

+Bluetooth - nifty, good in the future, but I don't have a bluetooth phone.
+JBL w/6 disc - who needs a 6 disc? Theres an aux input for an mp3 player!
+Alarm - don't want it.
+Homelink - don't need it.[/b]

I definitely agree with everyone who says you're wise to look around. It's the "once burned, twice shy" rule.

As far as those extras, you have valid reasons for not wanting them now. There are many after market ways of dealing with Bluetooth, for example. You could have a headset or a indoor car unit that attached to the visor for under $100. Plus, leaving Bluetooth on all of the time costs you in terms of phone battery life.

Buy what *you* want. It's your $24/mo. <_<

quagmire0 · 08-10-2006, 12:03 PM

Quick update - the dealer got back to me and they did, in fact, find an HG model for me. They are probably swapping with another dealer. Good stuff. So a (hopefully) happy ending after all. :P

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(quagmire0 @ Aug 10 2006, 10:58 AM) [snapback]300849[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Quick update - the dealer got back to me and they did, in fact, find an HG model for me. They are probably swapping with another dealer. Good stuff. So a (hopefully) happy ending after all. :P
[/b]

As far as putting all my eggs in one basket...can you blame me?

Anyway, I feel better about working with this dealer now that they took the time to find what I wanted.

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08-09-2006, 09:57 PM	#1
quagmire0 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 110 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	So, about two weeks ago I find a dealer who is supposedly getting a Black Prius w/ HG Package in about 2-3 weeks. Earlier this week I emailed him because I hadn't heard anything and he was supposed to be sending me a letter with the info on the car. He replies that he's still waiting to hear from Toyota. I get a call tonight at 8:30pm. Not only is the car another 3 weeks out (ok, no biggie, it happens) but the package is wrong - it's an HI, which is about $1400 more. Now, many people will say, take it anyway, get it while you can, it's not that big of a deal. But the fact is, I'm too much of an inner scrooge to let this slip. It's bad enough I'm paying MSRP, but now I have to pay for features I'm not going to use? +Bluetooth - nifty, good in the future, but I don't have a bluetooth phone. +JBL w/6 disc - who needs a 6 disc? Theres an aux input for an mp3 player! +Alarm - don't want it. +Homelink - don't need it. Sorry, I know people have jumped through enormous hoops and payed any price to get these cars, but that's just not me. I'm the kind of person that thinks paying an extra $24 a month for the next 5 years is a big deal. I guess i'm crazy.

08-09-2006, 10:05 PM	#2
RichBoy Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 189 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	your Profile says you have a 2006 pkg 4, when in fact you dont. dont count your chickens before they are hatched !

08-10-2006, 01:18 AM	#4
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,900 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	Yeah, no point giving him your business if he can't get your order right. Don't worry about the money/package thing. If you don't need it, then don't take it. No one will reprimand you for choosing what YOU want.

08-10-2006, 08:57 AM	#6
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	Patience, grasshopper, patience. Call around, get the best price for what you want, pay a deposit, and then be prepared to wait. If you want it now you will pay more for it.

08-10-2006, 10:15 AM	#8
c4 Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 523 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I really hate the way Toyota basically lets their dealers get away with murder.. Once a dealership arrangement is obtained, the dealer has almost carte blanche to determine their own sales and service strategies.. This leads to a lot of shady dealings that basically taints the whole brand name.. Dealer blames Toyota for delays, etc and when found out and you complain to Toyota, they tell you that all their dealers are independent and they have no control over their activities.. Well, they may be independent, but they still have the Toyota name plastered all over the place and they are the "public face" that buyers see.. You would think that Toyota corporate would be concerned about this because although people are still buying their cars despite the dealers, this can't last, especially as the company grows and quality is impacted (as it already has been); soon people will get fed up with the poor dealership experience and if the vehicles no longer live up to their legendary reliability, no longer seeing any benefit to buying a Toyota, they will go with competing brands.. This may not happen in the near future, but it will happen.. I mean one bad dealership, fine, but if you're going around to a dozen dealerships to find one that's half decent, that's a very bad sign.. Somebody up the chain has got to crack the corporate whip and get these guys to smarten up.. I've only ever dealt with Toyota, but how do other vehicle brands do their factory/dealer relationship?