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Possible to get Prius C under MSRP?

Discussion in 'Dealers & Pricing' started by VicVicVic, Mar 12, 2012.

  1. VicVicVic

    VicVicVic Junior Member

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    I hope you are doing well.

    I am planning to purchase my first car, ever, and it's going to be a Prius C, trim 2. I live in San Francisco, CA, and most of the local dealerships are selling the Prius C at above the MSRP/sticker price, with a few matching the sticker price.

    Is there any way I can get a second trim Prius C under the MSRP? Also, if I can afford to wait a while, would the price drop?

    I'm very new to purchasing cars, so I'm hoping the good people of PriusChat can help me out. I have now read at least 40 Prius C threads on this forum and am very excited about the car, especially after test-driving it today.

    Thank you,
    Vic
     
  2. formula

    formula Member

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    Welcome.

    I live in Bay Area too. I ordered a Prius C III in CityToyota and I will pay MSRP.

    I think they have about 10 of them in stock now. you can check Citytoyota or SFtoyota site.

    Citytoyota offer me 2.9% 60months
    SFtoyota offer me 3.9% 60months


    I think there is not much room to bargain on the Prius C as many of the new buyer in this forum paid MSRP. the demand is too high and supply is not enough which should drive the price up of this vehicle on the next couple months. lol some dealers may add Premium to the sticker price.


    if you really like this car, I will buy it now before the price goes up. but that is totally my opinion. lol


    How much driving you are going to have each day or month?

    average MPG of the C is about 50 MPG combine.


    C II is about $19XXX? base price- plus carpet,destination. about $1000 more.
    C III is about $21XXX? base price? - plus carpet,destination,moonroof, alloy 15inch rim about $2200 more.
     
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  3. VicVicVic

    VicVicVic Junior Member

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    Thanks for replying, formula! Thanks for sharing your experiences with me. I test drove the car at San Francisco Toyota earlier today and am very pleased with it.

    There's a chance that the price of the car will go up? If I can wait say, half a year or a year, the price would drop, right?

    I decided to not pay more for Trim 3 because I honestly have no use for a moonroof. The car I have been sharing with my sister has a moonroof, and in about seven years of driving it on and off, I have only used the moonroof about half a dozen times. My sister, however, loves the moonroof, so it's definitely a matter of preference.

    Thanks,
    Vic
     
  4. strongbad

    strongbad Member

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    Normally the price will drop in time. A car is a depreciating asset even when new. As time passes, used Prius Cs will compete for buyers also. How long do you want to wait?
     
  5. formula

    formula Member

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    There's a chance that the price of the car will go up?
    I think so. the demand is too high in Japan. lol they sold out 120,000 unit in Feb. even you order in Japan, you still have to wait couple months to get the vehicle. :)
    the price may drop a little when the supply catch up with the demand, but who knows how long it will take. lol the MPG is unrated and usually people get better MPG than 53/46. when more people know this, they are going to buy this vehicle instead of other compact. it is very easy maths.

    $16500 compact - 32 MPG combine . may be? lol
    cost of gas $0.131 per mile

    $20000 compact - 50 MPG to 55 MPG combine ? Prius C
    cost of gas $0.082 per mile

    $3500 difference, $4.2 a gallon. 833 gallon of gas.

    break even in 70000 mile ? if you do a lot of city driving like me (75%), you can save about $100 on gas each month.

    my civic get 23/35 and 30 combine and the prius C easily get 50 MPG in city. double the MPG.
    Drive 1000 mile per month. 750miles city and 250 miles freeway. (use 1000mile as sample)
    $136 gas for city
    $30 gas for freeway
    total $166 gas for 1000miles drive. I usually drive about 1200 - 1700 miles.

    $59.4 gas for city
    $22.8 gas for freeway
    total $82.2 gas for 1000miles drive. 53/46 MPG Prius C.



    oh- also the resale value of the prius C is better than other compact vehicle.



    I think the C II doesn't have the moonroof as option? I only find C III and IV had moonroof. I do like the moonroof too. I even use it at night time in summer.


    go Cititoyota, they offer better rate and have more vehicles in stock.

    New Toyota prius c at City Toyota Serving Daly City, CA
     
  6. VicVicVic

    VicVicVic Junior Member

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    Thanks for replying. Would you happen to know approximately when price drops start for most other cars? I can afford to wait months, or even half a year if the price drop is significant.
     
  7. HabaneroBomb

    HabaneroBomb Junior Member

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    It is common to see 2K mark up on Prius c or at least the addition of permaplate paint coating for a grand to 1200.00. Try to find a dealer that has no mark-up! And tell them up front you'll wax it yourself!
     
  8. formula

    formula Member

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    the C III I ordered from Cititoyota only have the factory options and about $400 mark-up from them.

    $400- protection package. lol door edge protector.
     
  9. Sunkiss'd C

    Sunkiss'd C Junior Member

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    If you wanna get it now, you'll likely pay MSRP. Go to or call a high volume dealer in your area, and tell them that you've been to other dealers and are ready to buy, but looking for the best deal. Tell em that another dealer is willing to give it to you for a couple hundred $$ off msrp.

    Realistically, any type of discounts off msrp would only be $400ish for this car right now. A lot of dealers will tell you that they are high in demand (which they are), and can't sell under sticker price. If they don't budge, just go somewhere else. Keep in mind. if you're financing, the APR they're offering...this can make the difference.

    You're gonna have to contact A LOT of dealerships in your area to find the best deal. You can even contact the internet sales and haggle via email, which is more convenient with less pressure.

    Keep in mind though, that they are a hot item right now, so you might not be able to be picky with the color and model that you want. I gave up $400 off MSRP (that was the best I can find on a base model) at Longo Toyota to pay sticker price at my local dealership b/c they had the color I wanted, and they got me 2.69% $0 down.
     
  10. priusCpilot

    priusCpilot Active Member

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    Longo gave you 2.69?
     
  11. formula

    formula Member

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    is 2.69 the lowest we can get from toyota? I got 2.9% offer.
     
  12. vinnie97

    vinnie97 Whatever Works

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    2.45% for me. Try getting an approval with PenFed (currently offering 2.49%)...I hadn't yet gotten an approval but with a good credit score, they reeled me right in and beat that prospective offer from PenFed.
     
  13. formula

    formula Member

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    60months? I will try to bargain for that rate when my C arrived. they told me the C is in the ship right now. lol
     
  14. vinnie97

    vinnie97 Whatever Works

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    Yup indeed, 60. Next best thing to 0%, I suppose. Fat chance that rate is offered on this model right now. I decided not to be picky (wanted summer rain but chose metallic gray, which is incoming to the dealership anywhere between 12-16th).
     
  15. VicVicVic

    VicVicVic Junior Member

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    The now off-topic comments about APR is really, really appreciated, as I'm trying to get a low rate, as well.
     
  16. pmike

    pmike Member

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    Awesome! We did the same thing with Honda. Came in with a check from PenFed for 2.49% and they offered 1.99%. Most the time the dealer can get you better financing but they don't make money that way. Went from trying to charges us 7+% until we were about to walk they they magically could give us 1.99% and $500 off. That was 2012 Civic 2 weeks after they came out. $500 off MSRP but they have a standard $500 dealer fee that made it back. So MSRP/1.99%/and legitimate tax/fees.
    Not really off topic. Dealers manipulate the trade in and apr to discount the car. They know how much they want to make off you that day and will manipulate any of those factors to get the sale, but in the end they will still make the same money.
     
  17. Codyroo

    Codyroo Senior Member

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    Sure it is possible to get a Prius C for under MSRP, PMike was hitting on it.

    The dealer can make money off the final sales price of the car, off of financing the car (especially interest rate), or on your trade in.

    Let's say you have a car (for trade in) that the dealership knows it can sell for $15,000. They might offer you $10,000 for that car and then knock off $1,000 off of MSRP to secure you with them.

    Then you can proudly pronounce that you got the car for $1000 less than MSRP (due to your awesome negotiation skills) but the dealership knows if made a net $4,000 profit just on the trade-in (beyond the profit made on the sale of the car).

    They can do the same thing if you finance through them. Knocking the price down on the car, but charging you 7% interest on a loan that they could give you a 2% interest charge on. That way, they've locked in 5% of interest over a few years of payments.
     
  18. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    You never pay MSRP for a car, period! That's because MSRP is ridiculously higher than what it costs to the dealers.

    Right now a reasonable deal would be about $500 below MSRP because the model has freshly arrived.

    About 6 - 9 months from now, $1000 - $2000 below MSRP should be standard. Some of that money will come in terms of dealer incentives or rebates.

    There are Web sites like cars.com where you can see how much the dealers are actually paying for the car and how much you should actually pay for it. Consumer Reports also has a paid service (new-car price report/service) where you can get such a price report.
     
  19. Sunkiss'd C

    Sunkiss'd C Junior Member

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    No, Longo was only willing to do Toyota's minimum financing which was 3.xx% for the C. My local dealership got me 2.69...but that was thru Capitol One.
     
  20. Sunkiss'd C

    Sunkiss'd C Junior Member

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    I believe for 60 months, 2.9 from Toyota is only for certain model promotions like 2011 Prius and others. There's no prius C promotions ATM.