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Need help concerning MSO/MCO from dealership

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by marblue, Mar 19, 2010.

  1. marblue

    marblue New Member

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    New York
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    The Prius V that I put a deposit on in December finally arrived today 3/19 at the dealership. The color is blizzard pearl/bisque interior
    (not my first choice but fine) I am paying cash for this car. The dealership is Toyota of Manhattan. They only accept MSRP. I contracted for the car in Dec. before the price change. They said they will honor the original price but I have to pay the $220 for the extra paint color. I said yes. However, I told them I was going to register the car by myself at the DMV and save $322 that they were going to charge me to register the car. I don't think they liked that.

    I arrived at the dealership ready to buy the car when my salesperson said there was a problem. They didn't get the MSO/MCO from Toyota and until they get it they can't give it to me to bring to DMV. Also the weren't sure when the MSO would come in. Maybe Monday, Tuesday.

    I have waited 3 months for a car and won't wait any longer and calling them for this piece of paper. I said I wanted my deposit back and if the MSO arrived Monday, Tuesday fine. If not the deal is over. Sales manger said they would try to get a check cut for me by
    Monday. However, if I registered the car through them no problem. But of course it would cost me $322. I said I wanted some other concession since I am paying the extra money for the paint color. He went back to his manager and came up with a concession of $100. I said no. I want my deposit back ASAP and if you get this MSO by Mon latest Tues. okay, not any later. I will not wait any more time.

    This is the short scenario of what took place. My gut feeling is that they are not happy with losing the $322. And it appears that
    they refuse to make any concession to please a customer until the customer is ready to bail out.

    Anyone know about how legitimate it is for this dealership not to have this MSO/MCO having received the car today. They said it gets
    Fedexed to them and they just got the car today and it will take a bit longer. I just don't believe them. I am at my limit.
    Moreover, there are other Prius V's out there within an acceptable distance of travel for me that are still available. I just have a bad
    feeling that this can go on and on. Any information on the MSO would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks for listening.
     
    #1 marblue, Mar 19, 2010
  2. ToyotaFleetManager

    ToyotaFleetManager New Member

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    A MSO can arrive up to ten business days after the vehicle arrives at the dealership. The dealer is correct, the MSO is delivered seperately from the vehicle. Normally the MSO arrives within 3 business days from the arrival of the vehicle. Sometimes it can arrive before the vehicle, sometimes after. They are shipped from the corporate offices of the regional headquarters. The vehicle is usually shipped from the region's vehicle processing facility which is usually seperate from the corporate offices.
     
    #2 ToyotaFleetManager, Mar 20, 2010
  3. marblue

    marblue New Member

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    Thank you for this info. However, it would have been good to know this before I went
    to buy the car today and make a special trip to find this out when I got there. By the way, this car came from the port to a holding facility and then to the dealership.

    Further, it shouldn't be so difficult to buy a car and after all this time and wait. It doesn't feel good at all.
     
    #3 marblue, Mar 20, 2010
  4. Prius42

    Prius42 New Member

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    Location:
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    Hi. Are you sure you don't just want to walk away from this and buy one somewhere else? I just paid $3K below retail for my Prius IV and I think many others are currently having this experience. At or below invoice seems to be the going rate. According to Consumers
    Reports there is still a $550 dealer holdback, and probably other concessions so the dealer is still getting a fairly standard profit margin by selling at invoice. Anyway, even if you don't get your deposit back you could still fly down here, buy the car, have a nice vacation, drive home, and still be ahead $1000 or so. There are 2 Vs, one with ATP, one without, at the small dealer where I bought mine. I bet there are dozens of Vs in the Washington area on the lot to choose from. I bet it is similar where you are. I would look around. You could even fly to the midwest, where the cars seem to be cheaper at the moment, and save a lot of money. Just my $0.02.

    p.s. I negotiated for my Prius completely over email. I could do the research in-between emails at my leisure. Absolutely no pressure and the deal was concluded in half a dozen short exchanges with a couple of dealerships. At the dealer there was nothing to do but make sure nothing changed (and ready to walk away if there was), sign the paperwork, and drive away. It was the most unstressful car buying experience I've ever had.
     
    #4 Prius42, Mar 20, 2010
  5. Carnutt

    Carnutt Member

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    You seem to be nitpicking at pennies on the dollar for the registration fee when at the same time you are willing to pay MRSP. It seems that the more important issue with your dealer is the fact that you no longer trust them. For that reason alone you should get your deposit back and move on. In doing so you will also most likely get a better price for a car with a color scheme that is more favorable to you.
     
    #5 Carnutt, Mar 20, 2010
  6. richard13

    richard13 Junior Member

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    Even if the story is true that the missing/delayed paperwork is necessary for sale the dealer shouldn't have contacted you unless they were ready. So, this sounds like they are taking advantage of the fact to play you a bit.

    You should seriously consider walking from this deal and buying your Prius elsewhere. These cars are not so rare that you'd have to wait 3 months for one let alone have to pay full MSRP and have to deal with these headaches. Heck, you probably wouldn't have to go far. I'm sure there are dealers on Long Island or in New Jersey that could get you a better deal. And even if there is a shortage in your area consider, as the other poster suggested, flying to another state (for example, Florida) on vacation and drive home.

    Regarding the DMV situation: My dealer here in WA overcharged me for that too but I got a check for the difference in the mail later on. This dealer is probably just overestimating to be sure there aren't any delays in getting the registration and plates.
     
    #6 richard13, Mar 20, 2010
  7. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    Sounds like the dealer has somebody else that wants that car.
     
    #7 paprius4030, Mar 20, 2010
    1 person likes this.
  8. marblue

    marblue New Member

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    Thank you all for responding.

    It does sound like nitpicking with regard to not paying dealership's registration fee of $322. However, since
    I am paying premium price I have dug in my heels not to give this dealership any more money that is in
    my control; particularly when they aren't making any concessions at all.

    I saw the car yesterday and they had a sold sign on it with my name. They kept on saying it was my car. However, when I asked for my deposit back because I didn't want to wait any longer given the charade I believe they were playing they suddenly seemed so willing to come up with the deposit. Saying to me, "would I be more comfortable waiting for the Manufacture's Statement/Certificate of Origin (MSO/MCO) with my deposit back." At first I thought of course and that would be good because then if more time passed I could go elsewhere.

    It has just dawned on me with regard to Paprius' comment "they have someone else that wants the car", YES!
    And they would be paying Premium Premium price too. They would be paying MSRP as of today. They will be getting $400 more from them because of the price increase and their willingness to register the car with them, another $322. I believe that's why they were so forthcoming with the deposit check being cut.

    Now this hasn't happened yet. However, if they give me my deposit back I would think they are also free to sell it right out from under me. I just could hear them saying that a buyer presented themselves and were willing to pay the PRICE and we sold it. We no longer had a deposit from you to hold it. No matter that I have waited 3 months for this car, no matter the many songs and dances I have heard about its allocation and its final arrival. Bottom line is bottom line. Someone else posted the thread referring to "cut throat" practices and indeed they are. Despicable.

    Now, I have to decide if I want to do business with these people and how much I want this particular car. I can go elsewhere to buy another Prius V that's not too far away via Amtrak. Long distance travel I can't do due to family
    responsibilities. I have much to think about. However, this dealership really reeks. They have robbed
    me of any joy there was in buying this wonderful car from them. Judging from their past performance doesn't portend well for the ultimate outcome.

    What a learning experience. I know I have to move on.

    Thank you all so much.
     
    #8 marblue, Mar 20, 2010
  9. marblue

    marblue New Member

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    You are 100% right. In fact they may have sold it already and have
    a check for my deposit ready for me on Monday AM.

    I know now that I only would be able to buy this car on their terms or not at all.

    Thanks again.
     
    #9 marblue, Mar 20, 2010
  10. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    The AAA V-NAV Blizzard Pearl price tonight is $29419 from a dealer 50 miles away from NYC. Start shopping tonight for the car you really want. Once you ask for your deposit and they return it that isn't "your" car any longer, of course they can sell it to anyone willing to pay their price.

    Do yourself & the dealer a favor by finding another car elsewhere and this time ask if they have the paperwork on hand.
     
    #10 JimN, Mar 20, 2010
  11. marblue

    marblue New Member

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    Thanks for the information. I have done a thorough search and checked with Edmunds and on
    many dealer website inventories within a 200 miles radius of NYC for a V w/Blizzard Pearl/Bisque interior just with Nav and found nothing. With ATP there are more available but not with Nav only. But I will look into the AAA site to find out where it is only 50 miles away. I also have other possibilities in Sandy Beach/Bisque which I originally wanted.

    As far as the paperwork is concerned, this MSO/MCO is quite an esoteric document that I am now
    aware of that is needed by most DMV's if you are registering the car yourself. However, I am having the feeling that they are just putting roadblocks in my way from keeping from buying the car. If now I would agree to their registering the car for me, I believe they would just come up with something else that would be an obstacle to this purchase and make the deal virtually impossible for me to agree upon. And no I will never do this dealer a favor of any kind.

    Thanks for the info.
     
    #11 marblue, Mar 21, 2010
  12. richard13

    richard13 Junior Member

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    IV
    Seriously, why are you continuing to pursue this car when

    1) you obviously do not trust the dealership
    2) you've stated that the car is not your first choice of color
    3) it is clear that the dealership does not want to sell to you under your terms

    Just get your deposit back and consider this a life lesson. Go to a dealership that will deal closer to your terms. Your first mistake was going to a dealership in Manhattan. Seriously, unless you want to pay top dollar, what did you expect?

    Regardless of good reviews of the dealership, was this an experience you would consider good?

    People who live in Manhattan do not quibble over minor things like DMV fees. Remember, they (and you, hopefully) are buying a $30,000 car. Don't worry about something as small as 1% of your purchase price. New Yorkers have much bigger things to worry about like insane rent or insane mortgage. Don't sweat the minor things. Either buy the car or move on.

    If it were me and I still lived in NY I wouldn't have gone to a dealership in the city in the first place and second, I would have walked out on the first hint that they were playing games.
     
    #12 richard13, Mar 21, 2010
  13. kremlin

    kremlin Prius is a religion, not a car

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    Just to let you know -- dealerrater.com is a ****paid**** service to the dealership (see the attachment. If you look into the details of this site -- those dealers who pay get good ratings and a lot of *customers* leave feedback. Those who don't -- customers do not leave feedback. . :eek:
    See the attachment -- dealer pays $1000/year for their service -- good ratings come at a price. :) :)
     

    Attached Files:

    #13 kremlin, Mar 21, 2010
  14. tguy

    tguy New Member

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    Hey Kremlin,

    Your part right and part wrong about dealerrater.com. I used to work for a certified dealer and while it is a paid service that a dealership signs up for, dealerrater.com doesn't have anything to do with what reviews get written or posted about a dealer. I think the reason you see so many more reviews for certified dealers vs. non-certified dealers is because they are paying for the service, but they aren't "buying" good reviews as you allude to. Because these dealers are invested in the serive they pay for they ask their customers to write reviews about their sales or service experiences. My guess is that they spend more time asking satisfied customers to write reviews as well, which is probably why their ratings tend to be higher as well.

    Happy car hunting!
     
    #14 tguy, Mar 25, 2010
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