HELP! me find an '06 ASAP: $50 finder's fee

My dealer just informed me that even though I'm next in line, his current allocation, shipped 1/17, was cut to ONE car, and he won't know until 2/5 what it is. Chances are tiny it's what I "reserved". He also said my order could be pushed back 2 months or more.

So I'm going to full-court press to find one, ANYWHERE W of the Mississippi.

If anyone will help me by at least giving me the name and phone # of a dealer, and that results in my buying, I'll pay $50 finder's fee.

I'll take 1) Driftwood 2) Seaside 3) Barcelona, pref. with bisque interior (but gray acceptable), with either pkg 2 or 3. No other colors, no other pkg. And I won't pay over MSRP---but I don't expect you to do my research for me and call any dealers yourself.

Meantime, I'm burning up the phone lines, starting with El Paso, TX, because I know they sell #2s. But it takes time to figure out which region a city/state is in, get a ZIP, then find dealer(s) and call them.

Even if you don't even know if your dealer has a Prius on the ground, I'll call them. I'm not getting on any lists---gotta find one on the ground before they're gone and the storm has passed. I'll fly almost anywhere east to a line between Missouri and Minnesota.

Thanks.

 

I'm checking back in for the first time since I posted. Thanks to you who responded. I've called 16 dealers, 13 in CA and one each in KS, UT and TX. I've found a third-choice color (red) #2 in Dodge City and am waiting for callbacks from El Paso and Salt Lake City (yes, 01blackum, mark miller, but their inventory has even their sales guy befuddled!).

Problem with Dodge City is finding an airport and small commuter airline---my next task. Let's get out of Dodge? No, let's get INTO Dodge. Salt Lake would be far easier, of course.

Koons Tyson has all kinds of "Beware! Sleazy dealer" warnings overlaying their website address, including some guy claiming he won a suit against them. I'll save them as a backup---they apparently have exactly what I want. Haven't checked OK City yet.

Again, thanks. If nothing else, this little exercise might serve as an example for some newbies about how to find a car in short order in a distressed market, using a great built-in resource---PC!

(Actually, this is kinda fun, but tiring.)

BTW, the Dodge City price is MSRP, no dealer add-ons, $199 dealer processing fee (excessive, but I'll pay it if I can't negotiate out of it); $23,515 OTD + CA tax after I get home.

 

Outside chance I might do cross-country, as my 73-yr-old sister is very ill in NY. Playing everything by ear at the moment. Must beat Rancid to a car.

 

Talked to the San Diego dealers (I had bought from Kearney Mesa before)---no dice.

BUT: I have found flight connections from Sacramento to Denver to Dodge City, probably for Friday, only 4-1/2 hr. incl. layover in Denver, getting me into Dodge at 1 p.m.; AND the dealer will subtract the cost of my flight ($400) from the MSRP; AND they'll pick me up at the airport!

Howzzat? B)

If I can't find a Driftwood or Seaside tonight or tomorrow morning, I think I'll go for it.

BTW, Hoy Fox Toyota in El Paso doesn't even return calls. After the Fleet Mgr., John Logan, cut me off twice with his cell phone, he said, "let me get a land line and call you right back". He had just taken my number. Never happened. Business must be good.

Tidbit: Sunnyvale Toyota (near SF) said there were no Seaside #3s in the STATE because some company had fleet-purchased all 25 of the ones available! Thought Toyota had suspended fleet purchases. Must be they're reinstated. :angry:

I missed a Driftwood #3 by 5 hr. today, only 30 mi. away in Sacramento.

Found a silver #3 in Salt Lake, but my '04's silver.

I can drive from Dodge City to Salt Lake City, where I have good friends, Friday afternoon/night. Might be 800 mi. or so. I love driving at night, if it's clear and I have good music.

Gotta check The Weather Channel now. :mellow:

 

Thanks, dvd, notsure and benighted. I'll call all three in the morning. I have to commit on an airline ticket by about noon.

I'd rather drive home from WA, OR or AZ than KS. Then again, there's something adventurous-sounding about "riding into Dodge". May come down to weather.

If this isn't the best way to find the Prius you want, I don't know what is!