My '06 is almost here!

Many dealers are doing so.

I would call them and make sure they know you want to wait. I would be surprised if they don't hold it for you.

 

There is nothing "forcasted" about the tax credit. Bush signed it into law so it is a definite. Wait until January.

Ken

 

Can the car be paid in full in 05 and delivered in06 and it qualify? I'd like to pay all but $100. and pick up in 06 just to be safe.

 

The paperwork must be dated January 1st or later. Ask your dealer what you can do to make this work. Being it's this close to January, there shouldn't be a lot of problem with them working with you.

Ken

 

The most important thing is not to take possession of any part of the car until January 1, 2006. (and no "test drives" after paying for it)

Please review Tax Credit - Toyota's Official Position.

 

Actually, print it out and make sure your dealer is aware of it (in writing) or send him an email with the link.

 

Taking possession of the car and the dated paperwork are one and the same thing. The energy bill is not written in that exact language, but it is implied. Try proving to the IRS that you took possession of the car on January 2nd with the paperwork dated December 31.

Ken

 

If the paperwork states that you took possession of the car on January 01, 2006, you are probably ok.

Please review my post in a related thread:
'06 Credit Available even if you take it in '05?.
(Hell, review the whole thread while you're there. B) )

Clearly, the safest thing you can do is to do the paperwork and delivery after December 31, 2005. (That's what I'm doing.)
However, if you believe your dealer's tactic of threatening to sell your car to someone else, this should be a relatively safe option.

 

It is thoroughly documented:
United States Department of Energy (DOE)
Energy Policy Act of 2005
Also, supporting information and links are available in the Government_Incentives section of the Toyota_Prius_FAQ.

 

I ordered my 2006 Prius on May 7th. The salesman told me two weeks ago that it could be in the last week of December or perhaps the first or second week of January. He said that people who had ordered before me who didn't want to take delivery until 2006 would have their cars go to someone who was willing to buy in 2005 but, since mine would come in either late 05 or early 06 they would hold mine for me if it did come in in 2005. I will definitely not take delivery until 06 as the tax credit in 06 is so much better than the deduction in 05. Definitely call!

 

You have to realize that the earliest someone can actually claim the credit is in 2007, not 2006. At the time I looked into it, the IRS hadn't actually ruled which cars get which level of credit, but the companies that look into this sort of thing were interpeting the rules. Congress often writes a law, and has the agency responsible for enforcing the law work out the details.

 

Unsolicited new owner advice: Read those sections of the owner's manual which apply to your model. Judging from the steady trickle of reports in Prius forums some new owners find it easy to accidentally do things which run down their 12V batteries, and then their nice new car sits there inertly. Don't be one of them