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New prius owner in NC

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Red15Persona, Jul 1, 2015.

  1. Red15Persona

    Red15Persona Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2015
    35
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    Location:
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    Hi everyone, this past weekend I purchased my first prius (it's actually my wife's daily driver) and our first toyota ever. We got a 2015 prius persona in absolutely red. I negotiated to $22,000 plus dealer fee, tax and tags, making it $23,438 OTD. I think that's a pretty decent price for this vehicle. Once I looked at the manufacturer date and inspection certificate, I realized this vehicle has been on their lot for 6 months! I know that prius sales are down, but that surprised me.

    Now is definitely the time to negotiate a good deal and purchase a prius, before the redesigned 2016's arrive. I've already purchased husky liners (have them in our other two vehicles), bumper guard, a life hammer tool, phone holder, a seat back trash bag. The car came with tinted windows already, so that's a plus. I'm also thinking about installing oem mud guards and
    installing xenon or led lights from xenonsupply as well.

    Any ideas on any other accessories I should consider?

    I look forward to learning more about this car and appreciate any responses I get from this great community.

    Thanks in advance!
     
    Priusguy78213 likes this.
  2. Priusguy78213

    Priusguy78213 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2015
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    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Congrats on the new ride and welcome. Sounds like a great deal for a new one. I got mine for $13,000 and with my old trade it was $10,800 TTL OTD. Former rental; 2013 but in great shape. And yeah, I noticed the same with mine. Hadn't had any recent miles since it's last inspection. Not sure if that's a good thing; or with Prius a BAD thing for them to just sit around. Since gas has been cheap, nobody really rented my car much the last year and a half. So it sat around. No problems though. It all checked out with Toyota. The battery is in good shape and the hybrid battery charges up quickly. So I think NOW is the best time to scoop a Prius or other hybrid. People are going with big suv and trucks. A buddy said well gas prices are low; why bother with a hybrid or other fuel efficient car???. Yes, they are right now but they WILL go up again. So that's why I bought now.

    I'm ordering a HID light kit for the headlights. I'll see if I can find the link and post it. Did a nice dark tint and went with the Michelin energy saver all season tires. GREAT tires; good mileage so far. A few other things like a really good dash cover. Fits perfectly and breaks up that huge black dash! ;) And get one of these; a must have with the huge windshield: Toyota Prius Prius V 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Heatshield Sunshade | eBay

    Again, congrats and welcome.
     
  3. Priusguy78213

    Priusguy78213 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2015
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    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
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    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome and congrats! seeing as i paid 21k for an'08 pkg II, i think you got a fantastic deal. all the best!(y)
     
  5. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
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    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Welcome - we just survived shark week on the NC shore. I forgot to look for BP Silver E0 while I was down there. Might be something you can fiddle with as you try to check how to maximize MPG. We didn't have the Prius with us, so it would not have been as much fun.
     
  6. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2009
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    Location:
    Wilmington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Welcome and congrats! Always good to welcome another North Carolinian!
     
  7. Red15Persona

    Red15Persona Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2015
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    Location:
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    Thanks for the replys all. I appreciate the feedback. So far in the little bit of driving I've done in this car, I really like it!
     
  8. lifehouse

    lifehouse Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    GA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Sounds good deal to me, expected as new 2016 is coming. Welcome and congrats
     
  9. law

    law Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2015
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    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    Welcome and congratz!


    I actually got quote for new red persona for 23k but decided get the new white persona one for 22,300, 300 more for white paint. The dealer is in so cal. I don't think you can get lower price than what we got. Getting 500 more off was like pulling teeth. I actually got little more off since I used credit card for down payment that saves me 2%. From what I researched here 22300 I paid is cheaper than 2013 used persona with 30k miles here in so cal.

    You should get a tint. Just got mine few weeks ago.


    My gf has been using it as daily driver too and she gets about 42 mpg but she drives like a lunatic. When I drive it I can get 72 mpg easy.
     
    #9 law, Jul 9, 2015
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2015
  10. Red15Persona

    Red15Persona Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2015
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    Location:
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    Thanks Law, I agree with what you said. I negotiated back and forth for about 4-5 days via e-mail. I never talked to them on the phone at all. I finally told the sales manager to make it worth my time to come in on that Saturday to test drive it and take it off his hands. I knew it hadn't sold for a long time (this particular vehicle was sitting inside their showroom for several months) and I quoted him the slumping sales statistics over the last couple years. He knew I had done my homework and I knew they wanted it gone. His final offer was $22,700 and mine was $21,800. We settled at $22,000 even and I paid cash (wish I could have put it on my citi double cash card and gotten 2% cash back).

    I definitely would have gotten a white one, but none were available within the whole Raleigh/Durham area. The absolutely red really stands out though and I think it looks great. My wife is starting to like the color too, which is good since it's her daily driver. I've already installed black husky liners up front in the in the passenger area and a grey cargo liner to match the grey carpeting in the back. They look fantastic! The car already came with NC legal limit tinting (35% all around) using formula one window tint, so at $22k that saved me several hundred already.

    It's already getting advertised mileage and even more in some short stop and go trips. We hope to have it for many trouble free years.
     
  11. law

    law Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2015
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    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    ha it's nice to meet someone who negotiates. My GF mocked me when I email dealerships. I email all dealership in So Cal, which is about 25 dealerships. Only two was willing to entertain me. I emailed dealerships for about 2 weeks till one gave me a decent deal, because I know I could have gotten an American brand for 35% off msrp easy but my gf wanted prius.

    Citibank double cash gave you a credit limit that high you can put 22,000 on it? I have excellent credit and they only gave me 10,000.

    So far I have no complaints about Prius, except beeping when your backing up which I could have got disabled at dealership, but wasn't informed that was possible at the time.
     
  12. Red15Persona

    Red15Persona Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2015
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    Location:
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    I love to negotiate. It's a part of my nature! Actually you're right, I only have a $20k limit on my double cash card, so I would have had to pay some if it in another fashion. I too have excellent credit (823 fico score). I still would have liked the $400 cash back with the card. I was only given a $10k limit originally, but I went online and requested a $20k limit and they approved it. You should try it!

    LG-D801 ?
     
  13. Red15Persona

    Red15Persona Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2015
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    Location:
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    I forgot to add, that I was able get the dealer to turn the reverse beep off before we drove it home. The only reason I even knew about the beep was because I read many threads in here before purchasing. I'm so glad we got that done. Now it just beeps once when you put it into reverse. I can live with that.

    LG-D801 ?
     
  14. law

    law Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2015
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    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    I don't really enjoy to neogiate but I do very much enjoy a deal. It bothers me knowing I paid more than I have to than going through process to neogiate. I still have cool beeping sound like a semi. I didn't see forums till after I got prius.

    My fico is 807. Do you remember if it was hard or soft pull on the credit? Did you have to give a reason or did you just request? I've only had card for 4 months.

    Sounds like your into deals if you don't have Discover It card you should get it. It's best card on market for next 12 months because double cash back. You can get up to 20% right now at home improvement stores.
     
    Red15Persona likes this.
  15. Red15Persona

    Red15Persona Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2015
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    Location:
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    I believe it's a soft pull. There is a link when you log into your account which allows you to request a credit increase. I only had the card for a couple months before requesting my $10k increase. I didn't have to give them a reason and you shouldn't have a problem with that credit score. Thanks for the tip on the discover IT card.

    LG-D801 ?
     
  16. law

    law Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    I got approved for 20k. Odd thing is when I talked to credit manager on phone she told me it's hard pull and she already did it without asking me and she told me I got denied, but when I log into my account it changed. I called asking what my limit is and they said 20k so I don't know what's up with that lady, maybe it's because I said she has robot voice...lol
     
  17. Red15Persona

    Red15Persona Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2015
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    Location:
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    Well that's weird. On their website, it states that they will not pull your credit. Glad you got the increase either way :).

    LG-D801 ?
     
  18. Sarawithanh

    Sarawithanh New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2015
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    Location:
    Northern Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    Hi - first time dealership buyer here, searching for a prius and learning and navigating the dealership.

    That being said, can I request the manufacturer date and inspection certificate DURING negotiation discussions? Are they able/allowed to give it to me? I know they won't want to but can they?
     
  19. Sarawithanh

    Sarawithanh New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2015
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    Location:
    Northern Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    Also - has anybody had issues w/ red paint? I ask because my husband is willing to compromise if we can get a Persona, but white isn't really in stock in my area. Just that bright red. We swore we would not get another damn red car because 1) my old 1998 civic was red, and the paint eventually faded really terribly. and 2) hubby's 2006 acura tsx is RED and it too is fading.

    why with the fading red paint?????? tips? maybe I can get them to throw in the pain protection package for free?
     
  20. sillylilwabbit

    sillylilwabbit Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2015
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    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base

    It fades because you probably didn't wax it on a regular basis.

    I had a red BMW a long time ago and it never faded during the time of my ownership.

    Remember to always wax it ... Often...