I really wish the dealer told/showed me...(post your wishes)

Hello everyone,

I think I am one step closer to joining this happy little family! I placed an order for a 2008 Touring Package #6 in Spectra Blue on May 5th, 2008 and was notified today that my car has been allocated!! I should take delivery at the end of the month.

Now my questions to all the experts and experienced owners out there is:

Is there anything you wish you would have known prior to driving off the lot?
I've been learning plenty here, and will continue to read daily, but I figured that there were probably quite a few good stories/experiences/problems out there that new owners could learn from.

Post away!

Thanks.

Wierdo

What the Stealership really paid Toyota for my Prius.

95% of the sales persons I have dealt with at car dealerships are bozos.

99% of the sales persons I have dealt with at car dealerships knew less about their products than I did at the time of my walking in.

My opinion is that if you need to rely on a sales person at a dealership to tell you anything about the car -- other than their lowest price -- you are in trouble. With so many informational resources out there, the amount of research you can do on ANY car is staggering.

And you, too, can be smarter than the average sales person.:nod:

Enjoy the new sled.

that package #6 came with a car alarm and not making me double pay for it.
took two visits to get my refund. snowdog is right. these guys just need to learn
more about the cars they sell and so many issues would never happen.

.
I wish my dealer told me about PriusChat!
-but I found it anyway. phew!
.

-On my 2005, the front license plate holder was not level as there was no pilot holes. Make sure they get it level.
-read the extended warrenty program on priuschat...$995... vs the dealership.
-I agree with everyone else... generally, the sales people turnover too fast to really know anything about the car..
-most amazing thing about the car... normal(not panic) braking above 7 mph is engine braking.. your brakes are not engaged.
have fun!

dont let them sell you an extended warranty, you can get the same here on pc for less.also my guy stuck life insurance and window etch protection on that i immediately cancelled...also, dont hold your breath while waiting, they will sell it out from under you. call for daily updates and if your nearby, stop in..i got the same vehicle just by stopping in to another dealer and he didnt even know it was there.

our dealership was very good at indoctrinating us to the prius. there is a guy that comes to the shop after they detail the car and get it ready for you. he goes over the car with a fine tooth comb explaining many things, including some that are "DUH". but you never know. people might not have known where the controls to move the seat are. he spent close to an hour going over things and even set up the bluetooth system with our phones. im sure there are things that i have learned on this forum that the dealership does not know about. if they knew all the things that i have found out since joining this forum, it would have taken 3 hours to show us around!!

1. Towing points
2. Lift points
3. Hidden spaces
4. Overfilling oil
5. Bladder in gas tank
6. Jumping the battery

Most of these are in the owner's manual (which I actually read), but I am a visual learner and it would have been nice to learn this stuff before I left the lot. However, to be honest, I'm not sure if I would have been listening -- I was so in love with my new Prius I wasn't paying much attention to anything else!

Ditto the hidden spaces-I keep finding new nooks and crannies.

My salesman went on my test drive and explained many, but not all Prius details.
Dealer has Prius owners workshops every month.
Prius Chat is still the boss tho.

Your assuming the salespeople know these things!
I knew 1 bazillion times more than mine did, and I was a Prii rookie, and he said he "poured himself into the Prius" to learn all about it.

I guess it's not practical, but wouldn't it be nice if salespeople could earn car certifications to prove they are knowledgeable on your new ride.

Salespeople should tell clients more about Prii features, warranty restrictions, retailers w/ Prii accessories above and beyond the dealership items for sale, and PC!

My sales guy did pretty good. Showed where the spare tire is, showed me the hook you screw in to pull the car out of the ditch, sat in the passenger seat for a good 15-20 mins going over all the features mine has. Says some days he has to spend all day showing someone how to use the car.

Just wish I didnt get taken on the warranty but that wasnt the sales guy and it should now be resolved.

We purchased our 08 Prius at Toyota of Des Moines in Des Moines, Iowa and they were great. After the paper work was finihsed, they spent 1/2 hour + going over every thing about the car with no rush and time to ask all questions. This in addition to us going through the owners manual gave us a great knowledge of the car and its features. This is done will all new and certified used cars, not just the Prius. I would expect Toyota thinks all dealers are doing this but I guess not.

Something I still can't figure out...

In the back, under the carpet as part of the tray that holds the tools...on the left hand side there is a long thin metal thing with a hook type thing at one end. I must have missed it in the manual...but does anyone know what that is for??

Thanks

It is used to prop up the cover over your "hidden" are in the trunk (boot). Fold the section back until it's nearly touching the back seat, and pull up your metal hook ... and now you can dig around back there hands-free.

Think of it as a similar device to the rod that holds your hood (bonnet) open.

Our salesperson did a pretty good job, but we have bought other cars from her. She spent a good 30 to 40 min. going through things, I could tell she wasn't as knowledgeable about the car as others that they sell.

The most important thing she told us was to READ THE MANUAL! The dealer can't tell you everything and it is your responsibility to take the initiative and time to read the manual and get to know and understand your car.

WOW, what a great idea!! The funny thing is that I was thinking it needed exactly that as I was trying to hold up the lid while looking at that.

Thanks

How about... you can't get the key fod out of the car's key fod holder while the car is on.

i wish he would have told me the fuel gauge sucks