PriusChat Certified Dealer Program - Launch Announcement & Form

I was hoping for something in Buffalo as I am from the Chicago area and planning on buying one and driving West. I assumed Buffalo would be a natural market for anyone in a similar situation.

Thank you for the effort though. It gives us somewhere to start.

Thanks for the program!

Feels like some movement in the process helps out.

Will these dealers charge a standard "Documentation Fee" or no fee at all? And what will that fee be ?

I see the $500.00 discount getting recouped quite easily if that detail isn't hammered out.

What is the PriusChat Premium membership and what kind of swag do you get?

I feel like there still might be a disconnect between PriusChat and the dealer/salesperson. I've never had good luck working with dealers and discount programs (AAA discount, Costco, etc). They usually give me the "WTF" look and think I'm crazy. A lot of phone calls and a lot of deflection usually ensues.

Is there a way for PCers to recommend a dealership for you to contact about a partnership? Since there's only 2 Toyota dealers in my area that I'm aware of, it might be a good to try to partner with one for us. They're both owned by the same people, but one is way more customer friendly than the other and both have their own sales goals.

The two closest are in DE. I didn't realize it was specific to the Plug-In rollout, just that it was being done initially together with that. I thought it was going to be a list of dealers, not specific to those for the initial launch of the Plug-In.

I clearly missed the thread for recommendations. Oh well, I'm not actually in the market for the PIP, but was thinking of other members that might be in the area.

good question. In researching my next car purchase, I've seen doc fees between 270 and 399. They seem fairly consistant between deaelers of the same brand, though...

I'm really torn here now. I live about 20 minutes from Magnussen's Toyota in Auburn but I know that Dianne from Carson is legit and will get the job done right.

With the shadiness that can go on in car sales, call me skeptical even if priuschat certifies someone. I'm assuming that Danny called them only, I'll go in person this week and get a feel for the dealership and report back here. If anybody is in the Sac area, send me a PM, we can discuss what we know about this dealership and srategize..haha...

Well, in California, the fees are a bit more predictable. Doc fee is $55 max by law and of course they all charge the max $55. Tire Fee of $1.75 per tire. Registration can be calculated on the CA DMV website, last time I bought a car it was spot on. My dealership charged me an extra $10 than the website and later I got a check from them refunding it, saying I overpaid the registration fees. And of course taxes depending on the tax rate in your area.

I'm new to PC, but from personal experience Acton Toyota of Acton Massachusetts is a fantastic dealer and excellent choice for a prius dealer!

First, thanks for getting this program going, very cool.

But I gotta ask I know you mentioned this program will roll out for the Plug in Prius. What about us Pchatters who want to purchase the upcoming regular 2012 Prius? Will any of these dealers be willing to offer the same kind of promotion?

Dianne's job must be pretty cool. She hangs out on PriusChat all day and calls it work. Wait, that's what I do!

I think this is absolutely a great idea, and a great program.

But obviously for me? I'd like a dealership within the Pacific NW, preferably Oregon.

And probably more importantly I'd like the Program to exist for all Hybrid purchases not just the Plug In Prius.

I realize the framework of the specific deal might not be able to be transfered to each and every Prius offering...but I can dream can't I.

I don't think this kind of program is needed for the regular Prius. There are people like Dianne, who you can contact about a regular Prius already. There's Costco, truecar, etc.

The reason this kind of program is needed for the Plug In is because it is being special order and in short supply. Once the short supply is over, this program isn't needed anymore. I think most decent negotiators can get a good price on a car when supply isn't short.

The dealer has going for it the fact that the vehicle is in short supply.

You have going for it that you can order it from any dealer and the car isn't part of normal allocation for the dealer and they wouldn't have made the sale if you didn't pick them.

This is a unique situation and once supply catches up, it's time for the consumer to start negotiating or if you not a good negotiator, plenty of options like I mentioned above where they give you fixed pricing.

Same here. I think I have more time on PC from work, than some of my co-workers total tenure.


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You can believe whatever you want about the "need" for a continued program. I'm just stating what I'd like to see the program evolve into. Believe me, I've considered traveling just to utilize the ethical skills of Dianne Whitmire.

This program directly as presented offers some perks, a discount, but more importantly as Danny presents it- Prius Focused Dealerships.

Call me selfish, but I always would want "more" not less. I'd hope to see a Prius Chat Certified Dealership "program" exist beyond the simple "launch" and beyond the initial support of the Plug In Prius itself.

I realize I'm asking for a very daunting and perhaps challenging reality. Creating and maintaining a program that recommends dealerships across the country, and trying to ensure benefit to users as well as benefit to participating dealerships might be asking too much.

But since we are just dreaming? I think as a consumer, dealerships that have perhaps commited to a baseline set of standards and guidelines when selling a Prius, and dealerships that are knowledgeable in regards to Hybrids and Prius (trust me this is big) would be a great benefit.

I realize I'm perhaps asking a lot.

I would ask Danny what is the "long term" plan for The Prius Chat Certified Dealership Program? Is it to be primarily and only a program that exists for the launch and early phase of Plug in Prius? Or do you expect the program to expand?