I need advice - color, buying problems, etc!

For starters, I wouldn't buy from this dealership at all. But if you do, I absolutely wouldn't get talked into a different color. It just seems like rewarding their bad behavior. They are really jerking you around here--it's time to talk to a different dealer.

 

I agree with grunthos, but I do have an opinion about color. I usually like grays or dark greens (colors that don't show dirt easily) but I can honestly say I like every Prius when I see it. I can almost say that every color is my favorite color when I see it on a Prius -- no kidding.

The dealer may have made an honest mistake with your Prius but I would suspect that someone offered to pay a higher price for it. You might get some mileage with the dealer if you can play the "breach of contract" angle and threaten to write Toyota and the BBB. If you have something in writing and they didn't come through then you could also make them give you a better package for a lower price.

 

If the price is the same I'd get the gray one. That's a nice color.

 

As the former owner of a dark green Camry, I would say that they definitely do show dirt, as badly as a black car does. The lighter colors, but not white are best for not showing dirt. A black car, and a dark green car as well, is only clean when you buy it and when you drive it out of the car wash. If I were you, I'd wait. It sounds like the classic bait and switch to me. I'd also go directly to the Manager and threaten to cal Toyota direct to complain about one of their dealers. Don't put up with this crap. Don't be a victim.

 

I accepted only color (Black) the salesman said was available on my first 2004 Prius. It had tan cloth seat covers. Pkg 4. I regretted accepting less than I wanted. Toyota must teach the salesmen to discourage ordering the way you want it. As I was taking delivery I was reading people that actually ordered what they wanted were still waiting 6 or 9 months. Some were still waiting when 04 models were replaced with 05's. Yet people were taking delivery all over the country while other were waiting.

I when through 9 dealers on my second 2007 Touring Prius. Some did not ever answer my emails. All of them said Silver Pine Mica wasn't available from anywhere in the vicinity, that wasn't already sold. And it probably would take 3 months or more to get one. Same story as when I bought the 2004. I kept submitting requests until one took me half way serious. He told me he could get me a Red one with Pkg 5 in about 10 days if I would accept Leather installed at the port of entry. He did give me a serial number verifing it was a real car.

The installed leather seat covers have liquid gel in them. However they are so much more comfortable than the old Prius with cloth. I have like them very much.

Of course 2 weeks after I took delivery Prius started coming in faster than they could sell them. Believe half of what the salesman tells you. Dealers can get verification incoming cars are assigned to them if you place a deposit on an order of an already ordered car. If they won't furnish a color, pkg and serial number I would not give a deposit. The dealers have access to a list of what cars that are coming to your region on a ship before it arrive in the port nearest you, including the information I mentioned above. Do some dealers get priority? I am sure they do. If a dealer sold a car out from under me, like it sound like they did you, I would still be shopping. My final salesman offered the serial number as soon as I agreed to placing an order and a deposit.

Good luck.

 

what price are they going to give you? I would haggle them, if the price is right..i would just take the silver. Most dealerships are "crooked", not all of them..but most.

 

If they have a car equiped the way you want if . Then accepting another color is your choice. For me the black was very hot here in the summer. And the cloth uphostery was uncomfortable and can stain more easily. I also wanted the back up camera. Otherwise it was a great car. I had no trouble selling it.

They still should be able to let you know of other colors that are already on the way. The dealers rather close the deal on cars in stock. You have to make that choice of what you want to live with.

 

Spectra Blue Mica rules!

I don't think this is unusual - If you were buying some V8 truck I bet you could get what you want cheap, but demand is certainly high right now and car salesman treat each other as sleazy as they treat us - there's no loyalty - if they can sell the car to a higher bidder, you're out of luck, oh so sorry.

I am sorry to hear of your troubles, I just went through it.

It took me 2 weeks to get my Prius from the time I walked into the Toyota dealership. I had many issues, and if I hadn't beaten them up on price ($1200 below MSRP) I would have gone elsewhere.

• No one listened to my requirements
• The sales manager tried to get out of my deal as soon as he agreed to it.
• The car was supposed to be in the next day was sold.
• My salesperson Sandy was fired on day 2.
• The car the next salesman located was sold.
• They tried to change the deal to a different package becasue they couldn't find one.
• The fired sales lady's friend from another dealership called me and tried to get me to jump ship
• The sales manager called me and rudely demanded to know if I was serious because he didn't want to order the car if I didn't want it.
• I called the dealership president and complained
• I got my car.
• They will be getting all zeros on their customer satisfaction card.
• My new Spectra Blue Mica had 5 options I didn't pay for Tint, Bluetooth, Cargo Net, Alarm and Road Hazard Kit, because they couldn't find another.
• Unfortunately it had 300 miles on it when I picked it up because they had to send someone to drive it from a dealer on the other side of the state.

But I love the car

 

my dealer had all of the colors and lined the darn cars up side by side for me! doh! no way to walk away without buying one!

I decided on the red. But if I hadnt gotten the red I would have been severely tempted by the mag grey!:drum: