1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Bloated pricing

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by jelloslug, Jun 19, 2008.

  1. jelloslug

    jelloslug It buffed right out!

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2008
    813
    54
    0
    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    You are really trolling hard on this thread. Where did I say I wanted "the government to dictate the pricing" :rolleyes: I am perfectly aware that they can charge whatever they want for the cars and if the market bares it, so be it. I won't be the sucker that pays for it though.
     
  2. viking31

    viking31 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2005
    515
    22
    0
    Location:
    West Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    You titled the thread "Bloated Pricing" and you stated in your OP the pricing was "ridiculous". Use of such terminology indicated to me you are somewhat at a loss as to why the prices are high. A dealer is in the business only to move as many cars at the highest possible price the market will bear. Pricing is set very carefully as the dealer is responsible millions of dollars of inventory at any given point.

    This board is full of people who think dealers are "sleazy" or "greedy" when they dare charge anything over MSRP (and some even think that is too much). I might add most of the complainers most likely have not even run a lemonade stand as a kid. I apologize if I jumped the gun assuming you were in that crowd.

    I constantly find it amusing though at the number of people who claim to know exactly how much dealer X SHOULD charge for his products.

    Rick
    #4 2006
     
  3. jelloslug

    jelloslug It buffed right out!

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2008
    813
    54
    0
    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I see that you just skimmed over my first post rather than reading it. I said that adding all of the port side options to jack of the price was ridiculous, not the price itself. In the current market MSRP is more than fair for a hot car. I would graciously pay MSRP for a Prius optioned the way I want it.
     
  4. tkil

    tkil New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2006
    158
    2
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Unfortunately, if there are (relatively) few Priuses being imported, and if someone else *will* pay the bloated price, then you're screwed. Bummer.

    I was pretty happy, and no little bit surprised, to pick up my 2005 in April, 2005, with no wait and at MSRP.

    (See elsewhere for threads about how the weak dollar is likely reducing overall quantity of Priuses imported into the USA, hence making it a sellers' market, thus leading to the situation that you're complaining about.)
     
  5. pauleknight

    pauleknight Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2008
    17
    0
    0
    Location:
    Orlando Florida
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Re: Not so Bloated

    I just purchased (two month ago) in Orlando our second Prius. Package 6 with no other options.

    We paid sticker.

    I have put 5K miles on the car at 48mpg I figure I have saved $1100 in fuel costs over my Nissan Armada.

    I am glad to have saved that money, not to mention what we are doing for the environment.

    Each and every dealed is different and will try to make as much money as they can and I don't blame them.

    If the dealer is charging too much, buy used. See how much the used ones are going for.

    But then the seller of a used Prius is going to try to get as much as they can for their prius.
     
  6. viking31

    viking31 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2005
    515
    22
    0
    Location:
    West Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    You are missing the point. And definitely not, in the current market MSRP is not fair to the dealer for the Prius. Gas at $4.00 plus a gallon, dollar weak on the international stage, please!! Plus, the consumer currently searching for a Prius is not in the position to determine what is "fair". Only the seller has that option.

    It is very tough, but possible as was with me when I bought my 2006 in Jan 2006, to get a Prius at MSRP with the options YOU want. Why should the dealer go through the trouble when they get premium dollar for Priuses on the lot just from walk ins?

    It doesn't matter if he simply adds X amount of dollars over the MSRP or adds costly add ons. Trust me on this one, the dealer has only a limited number of Priuses on hand or allocated and knows that by adding on these options he is more likely to get the higher price by the high demand Prius because more people will perceive these options as justification of the higher cost. The dealers have trade magazines, market research, and just plain experience selling new cars which helps them to maximize their profit.

    It is futile to complain about perceived high prices. Toyota could care less and so could the dealer.

    I, like you, am specific with what options I desire in an automobile when purchasing it. Apparently we are in the minority. But, as the Stones rant, "You can't always get what you want"....

    You MAY find a Prius at MSRP with the options you want. It might be at the first dealer you visit, or the 20th. You may have to hop on a plane to get to the dealer you wish to buy the Prius (as I did).

    Rick
    #4 2006
     
  7. pdhenry

    pdhenry It's HEEERE!

    Joined:
    May 26, 2008
    406
    15
    0
    Location:
    PA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I like how the people who have had their Prius for 2 or 3 years imply that if we had just bought one when they were plentiful we wouldn't have to worry about waiting... :rolleyes:
     
  8. Fraser

    Fraser New Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    667
    9
    1
    Location:
    Navarre, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    And that's probably true. But when we must deal with the present, we must accept what the price is at the moment, and not what we wish it was. Now, anyone can still dicker with the salesman on price; if you're a good salesman yourself, you might be able to reduce the price somewhat. At the end, however, the dealer is coming from a strong position -- more customers than cars. Or, as has been suggested, we let the government set the price, thus recreating the 1970s Nixonian wage/price freeze fiasco.
     
  9. viking31

    viking31 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2005
    515
    22
    0
    Location:
    West Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Who says? You think the high demand for Priuses is something new? Perhaps a lucky few get the one they want at the price they are willing to pay but I have had mine for 2 1/2 years (Jan 2006 delivery) and had a bear of a time getting even MSRP (not below or close to "invoice" which is the case with most cars) with the option package I desired. It took a lot of research, about a 3 month wait, and some traveling to get it but it wasn't that I could just walk into my closest dealership and say I want this and that and pick it up a few days later. I tried that at first and it was an automatic $2,000 surcharge above MSRP, no questions, no dealing. Take it or leave it. And because of the high demand they were getting it too from many who just didn't care to shop around!

    Rick
    #4 2006
     
  10. jelloslug

    jelloslug It buffed right out!

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2008
    813
    54
    0
    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    3 Months ago I could have taken my pick of a dozen Priuses for 1000 to 1200 off MSRP with no extra crap. This current situation is a a combination of end of model year lack of inventory and a knee jerk reaction by panicked people. I have a deposit on a Prius for under MSRP and if I can get it with out all that crap than the dealer will sell me a car. If not they won't. As for what the consumer considers fare, no one is forcing them to buy a car. Quiet simply for most people an extra 1000 or 2000 added to the price of the car is the difference between it being worth the money and not worth the money. In the end the consumer is who sets the price and no one else.
     
  11. bigrichard

    bigrichard New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2008
    35
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    What the dealer don't get is that some people like me remember these "screw jobs" later on when I am interested in buying again.
     
  12. N3FOL

    N3FOL Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2007
    891
    16
    0
    Location:
    Stewartstown, PA.
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    After consulting with my former salesman regarding another Prius for my aunt, he said that Toyota is going to build a lot more Package 5 or 6 than the base model.
     
  13. jelloslug

    jelloslug It buffed right out!

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2008
    813
    54
    0
    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Well, it looks like the consumer has spoken. I just looked at my dealers allocation and all of the cars have "lost" the $1500 17" wheel package and all but one have "lost" the $1500 leather upgrade. Capitalism at it's finest....