Rather poor experience trying to buy a Prius v today. Advice for next time?

No advice for you, since I'm in the market and have yet to buy one as well. I've got two dealers being very flaky with me about the Truecar prices. One refuses to honor it - because a rebate has expired - and the other I just get the feeling I'm going to show up at the dealership and they're going to try to tack on all sorts of crap.

It's frustrating.

 

Obviously you didn't feel comfortable with the terms. Glad you walked away. Don't be surprised if you get a call from them. Maybe, maybe not. Dealer set the price, but they should have been up front with their terms. Chances are good they will get their asking prices and terms from someone else.

 

After an like that, I'd just go out and buy a brand new 2013.

Life is too short....Get what you want....it's worth the extra money.

 

Congrats on standing your ground.
Sometimes if you ask to speak to the GM you may get a better deal.
Better opportunity is around the corner.

 

To me, I wouldn't want the car, now.

It would always remind me of the bad experience that you stated.

It matters...

 

Go buy a 2013...no that much more . You get what you want. Look at different dealers outside your area. Come to the Pittsburgh area and you're sure to get your vehicle. I am taking delivery of a 2013 Prius 3 and had good buying experience after I started looking out of state.

 

That price is way out of line:

1. It's a used car, not a new 2012; it's a used 2012 w/6,000 miles.
2. You will take a hit on depreciation like all of us as soon as you drive off the lot. For a used w/6K miles, it could be worse
3. If you are financing; used car interest rates may differ from new car purchase
4. As you have pointed out, you have lost 1-year of warranty
5. Dings & scratches; OMG, why?
6. You can buy a new Prius v III for that price or maybe even cheaper

In Calif (where the Prius is very popular), I purchased a new 2013 Prius v 5 for $3K more than what they are willing to sell you a used w/6K miles

I think you should run, not walk away from that deal.




iPhone ?

 

Not only run but tell everyone you know how bad these guys are.

 

Do your research, determine what the car is worth to you (out the door), make the offer. If it doesn't fly find out who is next in the chain of command and make the offer to them. If they still can't get close tell them thanks but no thanks and walk.
Don't get emotionally invested in the process. (That's the hardest thing for me even though I like to think I'm an experienced horse trader. Autos are my weakness)

 

it's difficult when you have to drive a long way. i guess you can try to establish ground rules over the phone, but there's no guarantee it's going to work out when you get there. i got an internet price on a new hycam from a dealer this morning. i get there for a trade in price on my 08, they shuffle me off to a salesman. he quotes me a thousand dollars more than the internet price. i didn't even bother to tell him, just got up and left.

 

Few questions for ya. First off have you seen this video...

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=rob%20gruhl%20buy%20car&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CEMQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DpPor5b7JLLE&ei=6oyyUZPMN6nC4AP9roCYBw&usg=AFQjCNF9NgxNMJLIO8iVB6oWUFvzMY2m5w&sig2=oLYNavkTM1o9AK5EgcgMzQ&bvm=bv.47534661,d.dmg

This is the technique I used to buy my car and it worked great even though it takes much more effort than going to a place, taking whatever they give you and signing on the dotted line like so many people do. Let the dealer know you are shopping at several dealerships and looking for the best OUT THE DOOR price on whichever model you end up wanting.

Secondly, try considering a model other than the v 5, because I personally feel the v 2 comes with many of the same great options standard, and that can open your possibilities of finding a better price not only because its cheaper but because you will have more places to choose from when buying. Things like fog lights can be added on cheaply with minimal effort, and even leather seat covers that fit over the fabric seats and look great.

Thirdly, I would wait out that dealer because I doubt that car is going anywhere with all those scratches, and once the 2014 is out that dealer is really going to need to sell that car desperately if it does no big deal, there will be a better deal on an actual new car, and that is when I would figure out your price that you would want to pay with all taxes and fees included and give them another call.

 

Agree with the above. Down here you could get a v3 new for that price. Sometimes it's just the management on site at the time trying to make a killing. If you can wait until the last week of the month you may do better. Now that you know what the car is all about, just go in to all the dealers (or call and ask about inventory) and just look at it and offer a price you want to pay based on invoice. You should be able to get close.

 

Ryan, from an accounting standpoint, the reason they wouldn't budge was that they were selling you a car that cost them about $29,000 at invoice for a $3,500 loss.
Our invoices don't miraculously drop because some manager's wife drove the car.
Some dealerships depreciate cars monthly and write back the invoices to a sensible number - which in your dealer's case was about 10% of the car's original cost. That's actually pretty reasonable for only 6K miles. Yes, it's used, technically. If it's been plated when it was a new car, and has tags and plates, they it's more than technically used. But, each dealership's got their own method of doing things. Yes, here you can get a new V3 2013 for that, or damn close, but these are what you do not get when you get a 3:

Prius v 5 Standard: 17-in. 10-Spoke Alloy Wheels with P215/50R17 Tires, LED Headlights with Auto Level Control, Auto-On/Off Feature and Headlight Cleaners Integrated Fog Lights, Softex-Trimmed Seating, 3-Door Smart Key System with Push Button Start and Remote Illuminated Entry, Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror w/Homelink.

so the question is: would you trade off a 6,100 mile car for those things? That's what it kinda boils down to.
If I had a Prius package 5 that I bought new in 2012 and drove it 6100 miles in a year and it dropped from $30K to 20K, I'd be pissed. Toyota Prii just do not take that sort of "hit" in a year.

I hope this makes sense.

 

Great advice here, but we all know it's easier said than done. If you're financing, get that lined up before going to the dealer, even if the rate is not ideal. If the dealer asks, tell them you're all set up and let it go. Talk more about the price. Later you can tell them if their rate is better you'll take their money, but only after you agree on pricing. Of course if you're paying cash this is all a moot point. Do not get so tied up in one car. It's okay to let them know "this is what I'm looking for" but if you don't make a deal, you'll keep looking.

In general, dealers make more on used car sales than new cars. With new cars, they know you can shop around, but with used cars, they know they don't have much, if any competition and it's nearly impossible to comparison shop if you're looking for a specific vehicle.

 

17 inch wheels look nice, but actually reduce mpg. They are quite counter intuitive for most people interested in prii if you ask me.

3 door smart key system, no big deal. You can open all the doors with one click while walking to your vehicle. I do think toyota should have simply made sks on the hatch standard, but I am not paying 3 grand for it. The same for the auto dimming mirror.

Headlights can be changed after market, again no big deal. Thought I wanted the LEDs but now I realize the v 2s are just fine. Headlight washers are a joke. The fog light package is 90 dollars.

For 450 dollars and an hour or two of your time you can put clazzio leather seat covers on.

Why should you take the depreciation hit for some dealership on top of the scratches and warranty reduction. I would laugh in that dealers face when he told me that. How about 26k out the door and you can get rid of your 2 model year old used car with 5991 more miles than a new car should have

Love my prius v but I personally feel toyota butchered the options on the models. Which is why I would pay for none of it. The v 3 was not even worth the extra money. My phone has google maps, or I can spend 200 bucks on the newest garmin there is.

 

A Prius v III invoice @ $29K? Not even close to being the truth.

Here's the invoice on a Prius v 5 (2013) new that I purchased.



No way that Prius v III has the same invoice as a Prius v 5.

And dealer taking a loss is all relative. Maybe less profit on a particular sale but holdback & end of year bonus money, they come out ahead. If not, they won't be in business.




iPhone ?

 

The OP was trying to buy a 2012 v5, not a v3.

 

It also depends on what the dealer thinks she can actually get for the car. if the market is such that she is confident that she can get that asking price, then there is no motivation for coming down in price. Prii have some of the highest resale values on the market so, in my opinion, the gain from buying used is fairly minimal anyway.