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Question for Toyota Dealers - our purchased Prime is advertised for sale on website

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Spidey71, Jun 21, 2018.

  1. Spidey71

    Spidey71 Member

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    So, we just got a phone call that our 2018 Prius Prime has arrived and we can pick it up on Monday. I happened to be on our dealer's website and noticed that "our" car is also advertised for sale - exact color and VIN number. Is this normal practice? The sales associate mentioned that this is the first Prime they've sold out of their dealership.

    This is the first brand new car we've ever purchased and I'd not like it to be test driven. I hope this is much ado about nothing. How many miles is "normal" to have on the odometer when picking up a new vehicle?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    3 or 4, better get down there asap!:p
     
  3. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    All my cars have had 5 or fewer miles.
    J
     
  4. citiprius

    citiprius Active Member

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    Yes, no more than 5 miles
     
  5. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    My prime was advertised on sale, online, the sale price was never mentioned, after the fight over the trade in value, (they doubled their offer), and after I had signed on the dotted line...I found the car had 1000 miles, did I want to cancel the deal was the question, no, I wanted the car, I also wanted to leave that dealer in my rear view mirror, dealerships are independent, that one (white river Toyota, vt), is the pits....buyer beware.
     
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  6. Spidey71

    Spidey71 Member

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    Thanks folks. We live in Alberta, Canada. So, being liberal with mileage estimates, I'll only get "curious" if there's over 20 km or 12 miles on the clock. I called the dealership asking why they are advertising our car online and the response was "we advertise all vehicles until they leave our lot". I'm a tad skeptical of this response given that they have our $2500 deposit, but like I mentioned before - this is our first new car purchase. Hopefully I'm overthinking things!
     
  7. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    I bet it's just a computer generated thing. Car came in, computer listed it for sale, when you pick up the car, it's marked as sold, computer takes it off. I wouldn't worry about it unless your dragging your feet.
     
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  8. Spidey71

    Spidey71 Member

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    Nope, totally committed. Just seeing it for sale on the website came as a bit of a surprise. Really looking forward to this car!
     
  9. William Redoubt

    William Redoubt Senior Member

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    My 2016 Two had 64 miles on it.
     
  10. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    Lots of extra miles probably means it was a swap with another dealer.
     
  11. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    Sound unscrupulous. How many potential customers will see "your car" for sale come in and find out it isn't available. It's called false advertising or even bait and switch (just to get potential customers in the door) here in the states.
     
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  12. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    Or the nearest gas station was a bit of a drive for that full tank of gas you were promised? :)
     
  13. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    It is not though. Inventory is automatically listed for your online shopping convenience. When sold, a delete process will remove will remove the listing.
     
  14. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    It only inflates the apparent number of available cars for sale. If I saw a Prius Prime on a dealer web site for sale (which is rare here in Chicagoland), drove "X "miles to see it, only to find it was not, and never was, available for sale. I'd be thoroughly Pi**ed. I stand by my "unscrupulous" remark.
     
  15. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    On top of that, it may attract a customer who will love you car. At which point the dealer will get to say, "I'm sorry, but we just sold this one. Would you like to order one?" Bait and switch? Kind of, but not if they can get the new customer what they want in a reasonable amount of time.
     
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  16. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    ALWAYS Call before you go:eek:
     
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  17. SteveMucc

    SteveMucc Active Member

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    unless you paid full cash price up-front on a fully executed contract then the car is not "sold" yet. It simply makes good business sense to have potentially interested buyers e-mail/call them in case your sale falls through.
     
  18. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Automatic listing makes sense, but would that include photos.
     
  19. Spidey71

    Spidey71 Member

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    Yeah, I totally get that. I'm just curious if, in the meantime, this gives them the right to let others test drive it? The contract we signed and put a deposit on was for a new car - not a test driven one.
     
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if you order a car and put down a good faith deposit (even a refundable one) i have a problem with it being advertised.
    might be nothing to say they can't sell it to the high bidder, let peeps test drive, etc.
    might be why so many people go to the dealer about a car that is no longer for sale.
     
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