Dealer BS/FUD... Y/N?

In abstract your conservation was

Customer: "I'd like the cheap version please."
Salesman: "How about the expensive version? We don't want to sell you the cheap version."

They didn't actually lie but they were trying to deceive you.

Toyota Prius Hybrid - 2012 Models: Prius Two, Prius Three, Prius Four, Prius Five

Scroll down and note that the P(ackage) items are the Advanced Tech

 

I got a similar run-around when I went to order mine. I eventually ordered what I wanted (based on the Toyota build page), but only after being told by the salespeople it wasn't even possible. Once they did some investigating they called me back with "good news".

I'd like to see what Dianne has to say, but my recommendation is to go to the Toyota Prius web page and build your own. It will let you add the 17" wheels without the ATP. Fog lights, LED headlights, and SofTex all look to be standard on the Five.

Toyota Prius Hybrid - 2012 Models: Prius Two, Prius Three, Prius Four, Prius Five

As Dianne told me, read the fine print about "Not all options/packages are available separately and some may not be available in all regions of the country." You may have to go to another dealership.

 

I suspect it will be difficult (if not impossible) to do what you want, ie: mix-and-match trim levels. Not much has changed in the last decade, I don't think it's ever been the norm, at least with imports. I also suspect that if you convince Toyota to custom build you what you want, it will likely cost nearly as much anyway.

 

When the 2010s first debuted, only the Five with ATP was allocated to the Southern California region so most of us living in that area who wanted the Five had no choice but to get the ATP so yes, it's been known to happen. The only exception is if your dealer is willing to go out of their way to acquire one with no ATP at the port en route to other regions (which Dianne Whitmire had been known to do).

No idea if your dealer is actually BSing unless you check with other dealers. If they all say the same thing, it could very well be true.

 

But to answer your original question, "were they lying to me?". YES. It's a car dealership.

 

Yes, Trim Level 5 is available without ATP - Dianne Whitmire has a few of those available right now. I would guess there are orver 100 of those cars in the (48) states, as we speak.

I suggest that you go to CARS.COM and search for the exact car you want. You can select any radius from your zip code, all the way out to include all 48 conus states. This is not building a vertual car, it is lookng at actual inventories of actual cars.

The most important thing you've seen here is that dealerships want to sell what they have; they are hungry for it. Any other kind of sale involves more work and more time.

I suggest that you get exactly what you want in a new car; you'll have no regrets and no second thoughts. That's what I did.

MrBill

 

Alternatively, you could try to find a local dealer who is willing to acquire one with no ATP at the port en route to other regions. A good dealer should be able to do that. For example, Toyota has stopped allocating Misty Gray to the SoCal region about a year ago but Dianne Whitmire of Carson Toyota is happy to get it at the port for her customers who really want Misty Gray.

 

Yes, you need to check whether you can build the car you want on Toyota's Website and enter your zipcode. To get a 2011 Five without the AT Package you may have to go out of State.
I know Pennsylvania has some $32K Prius Fives, but they are getting hard to find. I had to buy a 2011 Prius Four in New Jersey because the Four was only available with NAV in PA. I wanted to save a few bucks $2K.

 

i would order one from dianne, fly out to cali an take a sweet road trip home.

 

I picked up my 2011 five w/o the AT package in PA about a month ago -- most of the fives have the AT package. I was originally going to get a four w/o the sunroof ..... but went with a five for the LED headlights and the wheels. After adjusting the headlights the LED's are great -- Fogs don't do much ... and I like not having the hubcaps.

 

don't come to mass, it only gets worse.

 

No...you're not a victim...at least not yet.
You're a consumer.

In addition to cars.com, there's Edmunds. Both are ad driven, and I've seen absences from their reporting from some dealerships versus others, but that's the internet for you.

This shouldn't be that hard.
You're in NY. There are lots of Toyota dealerships there.
Log into a few that are the closest and find out who their internet sales associates are.
Say "I want _____ ....do you have one, or can you get one? I'm also checking with ________, so if you don't have it or can't get it, please don't time for either of us."

Give them some contact info.
I cannot imagine that you won't have some dealership who has enough time on their hands to check with their partnering dealerships and get the make, trim, and color that you want.

I mean.....I know that the economy is in full recovery and everything, and gas prices are going to make it hard (but not impossible!) for you to get a really killer deal on a new G3, but c'mon!!!
You're not doing them a favor by driving one of their cars off of the lot.


Good Luck!

 

Sounds like the dealer was being mostly honest. They have no idea how long it will take to custom order the exact model/trim/color you want. It's 100% built in Japan and Toyota does the allocation. It's more of a corporate issue than a dealer problem. Could be 3 weeks, 3 months, or never.

When sourcing a vehicle not on the lot you have to hope they can find it from a neighboring dealer who is willing to trade. Otherwise, you're going to be waiting, and this wait depends on many factors. Often the dealers don't know how long and are less willing to negotiate. You're previous experience is with a Honda CR-V and those are cranked out like hotcakes right here in North America.

 

If a certain option isn't allocated to a region, there's no way to get it unless you grab one from other regions, either at the port or through dealer exchange.