Getting a Prius III this weekend. Can you tell me what is a good out-the-door price in So Cal?

Car salesmen are all out to make as much money as they can. But at the end of the day they have to move units. I did as much research as I could with the little free time that I had. I went to three dealers looking for the best price.

At least it was your dads friend who got credit for the sale right??

Anyhow, I think Dianne at Manhattan Beach Toyota has a better price than what you paid at Longo. I did not finance the car.........

When a salesman sees that you REALLY want the car they got you.

 

Once again True Car is NOT the best price. Its just an upfront no haggle price. And it is not the "out the door price" the true car price does not include the insane taxes that some states have and all the other bogus fees the dealer charge you.

 

The invoice for a III with mats is $23,375.
Holdback isn't much - it's $476.

If you got that deal @ Longo, then it was a very good deal for you assuming you paid cash? There's a $500 dealer cash incentive for us (which I have been passing on to my buyers) if you do not use the low TFS promo rates like the cheap lease rates or the low aprs.

I have a few cars I would do for that pricing too in certain colors once they are here for a while. I guess it depends on how many cars you have on ground. Obviously, once a store like them runs out of base III's the #'s they were willing to blow out a specific car for on a specific deal won't work.

I have sold this same model III base with mats aplenty for $23,500 and given folks the special rates or the special leases. But then, you also get me. It takes time to do things right on delivery and prep for gas and detail and explanation of features. On a V or a III or a IV with all of the goodies, it's a long process to do the delivery properly, and my time's worth something to me, and everyone. I have done some deals on III's and IVs and even V's I had for 90-110 days at loss-margins like that just to get them off the lot and move on.

It really depends. It would be nice if the cars were one priced and that was it. Problem is, that won't work for the average consumer... we see how well Saturn fared, and Scion as well under this process.

 

I have a problem with Truecar because it doesn't reflect reality complete. It should have been more like Edmunds, but instead, it's like Edmunds incomplete.
I'll probably take some heat for this with one of their principals, who is a good man and I consider a long time friend in the business - he used to be at Edmunds, but the Truecar site is inconsistent and incomplete. It gives buyers the wrong pricing data to arm themselves with when they go to shop for their cars. That's why researching in a few places is smart.

If you offer something stupid for a car just because it's on Truecar as what's so, and at least 4 dealerships say "NO, that's ridiculous" and continue to counteroffer, you now have even better information about the TRUE market or cost for the car - just because some folks set up a website and say "this is so" you're more apt to believe the lowest # because it's our optimistic nature as people to do so.

Truecar asked me a while back to blog for them, and while I did say yes at first, but I was swamped and overwhelmed following my nod to YES, I ultimately let the opportunity pass because it would have just given them more credibility in the Toyota department. I disagree with their #'s so I can't choose the pseudonotoriety over my conviction.

 

I know there is a BIG typo in there somewhere!

 

Yes paid cash. I did alright, but I could have done better I know I could have. The dealer swore up and down they were losing money on the deal and it could not be done. I could have picked any color as they had multiples of EVERY color. They are the #1 Toyota dealer in the U.S. and they need to do numbers to stay that way.

"I have done some deals on III's and IVs and even V's I had for 90-110 days at loss-margins like that just to get them off the lot and move on. " So are you saying that Longo Toyota lost money on the deal for $24,777 out the door?

 

i think she meant 'five large off for cash'. if that's the case, i will fly to cali and drive one home!

 

I wish I'd known of this site before we bought a Prius last week. But I still think we did pretty good. We got a Prius III with NAV, floor mats, cargo mat, first aid kit and the Homelink mirror (factory installed) for 24,899 plus TTL. This was at Mossy Toyota in San Diego. Love the car. It's my wife's daily driver, replacing a 1995 Honda Civic with 300k miles on it. And it'll probably also be the "family" car replacing the Odyssey minivan since it's so roomy and comfortable.

Cheers,
BT

 

not sure on California, but in Illinois, for the month of October, Toyota had a $1000 instant rebate. So my price before taxes on the car i bought (Prius III) was $21,131 with carpet mats and $200 more for the blizzard white we got. Not sure about november incentives but suspect they are the same per the sales man I was talking too.
Well what ever you paid its still way cheaper than in the past when, at least here, they were getting msrp or close to it.

Also an interesting note i found out from the girl who did the final paper work, apparently included in the Obama stimulus package, we can write off the taxes paid in this years income tax preparation. can anyone confirm this? this would certainly help with the savings on the car.