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Sea Glass Pearl in SE Region?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by SeaGlassPearl, Jan 7, 2012.

  1. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    Hello

    I was a my local dealer yesterday to try and place an order for a 2012 Prius HB pkg IV with sunroof pkg, in the new color, Sea Glass Pearl, only to be told by the sales mgr., that Sea Glass Pearl was notan allowed color in the SE region and he couldn't place the order in that color.

    I called Toyota and the person I spoke to told me there is nothing Toyota could do as the SE region makes its own rules and if that's what they decided, that's what they decided.

    I would be sure that color would do well, especially here in South Florida.

    Any one hear of anything like this???
     
  2. civicdriver06

    civicdriver06 Active Member

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    Sometimes Toyota behaves rediculous !
    Why dont they let the customers decide wich colour they favor ?
    They are all built at the same plant,it dosn´t make any sense at all !
     
  3. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    Thank you.

    That is almost word for word exactly what i Told the sales mgr at the dealership, and the people at Toyota, but neither seemed to be able to do anything about it.
     
  4. sharol46

    sharol46 Junior Member

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    Are you in a position to be able to order it further north or west and pick it up there? There are dealers all over the US that post here.
     
  5. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    I guess I just don't see why I should have to go that route?
     
  6. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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  7. sharol46

    sharol46 Junior Member

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    Well, you know, you shouldn't. But sometimes you can't overcome
    bureaucracy, and you have to find a different path. I suppose it depends on how badly you want the Sea Glass Pearl color. I wanted that beautiful new dark purple that the liftback will be available in in Japan, but it isn't being exported to the US according to a couple of people here who are in the know, so I ordered Blizzard Pearl. "You can't always get what you want." to quote the Stones.
    Sharol

     
  8. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    This is not a matter of not getting a color that is only available in Japan, this color is in all the US brouchures, not a special order color, is available in the US, just some person at SE Region, decided it wasn't going to be made available to their customers?????
     
  9. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    Yes, some executive decided they didn't want to carry that particular color, presumably because they thought it would not sell well.

    Noone has mentioned it yet, but the reason Toyota can't do anything about this is because the distributor in the SE region is a completely separate business entity, with sole distribution rights in that region. This is unique to the southeast region and the gulf states region. Hard to believe they won't even process a special order though. You might try asking at a different dealer.
     
  10. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    The computer didn't allow for my order to be placed. I have a call in to the SE region (JM), hope they resolve the issue.
     
  11. civicdriver06

    civicdriver06 Active Member

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    I´ll keep my fingers crossed for you !
     
  12. ToyotaFleetManager

    ToyotaFleetManager New Member

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    I am going to preface this by saying that this may not apply to SET (Southeast Toyota), but all other regions including GST has no restriction on color.

    Now what may have happened is that the dealer you are going to and SET did not include that particular color in their order for the 2012 Prius 4. My guess is the marketing /purchasing department at SET decided not to order that color due their precieved idea it maybe a slow seller. Therefore the dealer looked at the inbound orders for SET and noticed none were ordered and incoming.

    Because of that, the dealer didn't want to bother with having to tell SET to special order the color for a future allocation they decided to tell you that the color wasn't avaliable through SET. They would much rather sell you something inbound or in stock than having to order you something that can take anywhere from 3-6 months to get in. An special order/preference order vehicle's price can vary due to price increases between when the order was placed and when the vehicle arrives. Toyota does not provide price protection because the vehicle was ordered before the price increase. The effective price on the vehicle is when the vehicle arrives at the dealership.

    You may need to find a dealer willing to order that color through SET and wait for it, normal time can be up to 6 months. When you place the order you will have to leave a deposit, usually most dealers require the deposit to be non refundable.

    Again, I cannot state that SET will do that, but most other regions will.
     
  13. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    Thanks. That's what I thought too, so while Iwas in the dealership I spoke with the sales mgr and told him that scenario and told him that's what I thought was going on. He printed from the computer he was using to place my order, a sheet that said N/A by the color selection. Heis either a c
    Very skilled liar or he himself believes that the color cannot be ordered, even as a special order.
    Makes me not even want to bother with buying any Toyota product again.
     
  14. ToyotaFleetManager

    ToyotaFleetManager New Member

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    You will be very surprised how often a retail sales manager will say something very similiar because they aren't aware of the process. Check with SET headquarters or the regional Toyota SET representative on that.
     
  15. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    If there are certain color combo or options that aren't allocated to your region, there isn't much you can do other than finding a local dealer who is willing to go out of their way to acquire one at a port en route to other regions.

    Otherwise, you might want to contact Dianne Whitmire here on PC and have her deliver a 2012 in Sea Glass to you.
     
  16. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    I have a call in to SET, and supposedly the sales mgr has one in to the area rep. Will see what happens.

    Had a Prius previously, had many, too many cars , and at the place I am in life now, no car is worth this nonsense, so of I can't get one from a local dealer, will just get a different car and certainly not a Toyota or a Lexus.

    It just never ceases to amaze me how little common sense there is in business today.

    Thank yo all for all your advice and time.
     
  17. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    It does make a lot of business sense not to allocate certain color combo or options that a region thinks won't sell too well in that area.
     
  18. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    What wre they thinking? Maybe not thinking??

    Sorry, but not allowing Sea Glass Pearl, a tropical green color, to be sold in the Sunshine State? Not a great business decision in my opinion.

    It's not like they have a different color pallet for each region, say only allowing grey, silver or black in northern or Midwestern cities ?

    I'm sure the people at Toyota put lots of money and effort into deciding which 9 or 11 colors to mfg.

    If they think they will sell few green cars ( in Florida???) , allocate accordingly, few, but not none.
     
  19. SeaGlassPearl

    SeaGlassPearl New Member

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    I heard back and it seems it is an error in the computer system and it will be available for order.
     
  20. fulltank

    fulltank New Member

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    Does Sea Glass Pearl have any of the same glittery effect that Blizzard Pearl has?