Waiting lists...get on 1 or many?

most people who have gotten a car quickly have been on multiple lists. I suggest that your chances of getting a car is to be a lists in less populated areas. being on a list from dealers in same general area i dont think will help you as much. but from what i see, there is no rhyme or reason to the distribution of cars anyway. This forum constantly has people who get their car in short order while others wait 6 months or more. There is no excuse for that imho.

if Toyota did combine the list nationwide, then they should be doling out the cars in order they were asked for. computers would take care of the job in seconds. then we are talking about a few hours of phone calls and delivery to the person who immediately ready for delivery.

I know its tough to not brag when someone gets their car after only a month of waiting, especially when so many have waited so long, but i think its total BS and Toyota's method of handling the problem ranks as a disaster.

 

get on many!

GET ON AS MANY AS YOU CAN.

Most stores are not asking for deposits -- I know I quit taking deposits a while back -- it's futile to try and track all that paper when you do not cash them anyway.
Di

 

Evan?

Evan, how is it in anyone's best interest to be on only 1 list?

 

Re: Evan?

Forget trying to explain it to me. I'm related, indirectly, to the entire process. A process I disagree with vehemently.

Your theory holds water ONLY if Toyota knows what package and color(s) you want. I have been communicating that only your dealer knows what you prefer. Toyota only knows your name, address, phone #'s and the date you got loaded into their system by the person who enters the info into it. That's it. If your dealer was THE one getting your car exactly as you ordered with the right color and package, then it's senseless to order in different places. But, as it stands right now, you widen your chances greatly with every single dealership you contact and request a car thru. it increases your odds greatly with cars coming to places with little demand as compared to others. Laying here beaten and battered in the trenches over this car and the craze for it, I am telling you... you are wrong. It's simple science - a ratio of success.

 

Re: Evan?

Evan, he was asking what to do in the here and now, not "if" and "what if" ... if this was a perfect world, we'd order the car and have it in 4 months like we did years ago. That ain't happening. So, he's best off calling every single dealership he can get a phone # for in a place he is willing to drive or fly, and ask to be added to their list. Not bark at them about wait times, markups or color or options. Just add to the list and see how quickly a call may come. For his own best avenue if he wants a car fast as possible.

Sorry -- was not about you. It was about him and what he wanted. It's not in the customer's best interests for Toyota to have been continuing to send and ship the cars to dealerships cross country with no regard for what their buyers are wanting and waiting for... so the buyers have to be proactive to find a car faster and better.
Di

 

One way that being on multiple lists can be harmful to the buyer is that some dealers won't give back deposits if the buyer bails. It's been said that this is illegal, but some car dealers some of the time do illegal things.

The other way it can be harmful is generally to the integrity of the buyer. If the buyer has to lie to some of the dealers and say or hint that they're being exclusive when they actually aren't, that's a high price to pay.

And there's the issue that some dealers will sell dropped cars to people other than the next person on the waitlist. So by causing a dropped car, you are indirectly causing some people who are first on a waitlist to not get their cars. A good argument could be made that it's not your fault as the buyer, but the fact remains that you could have avoided that unfair situation and didn't.

None of these things has to stand in your way of getting on multiple lists. If you make sure your deposit is refundable, are honest with your dealer about being on multiple lists, and verify that your dealer sells dropped cars to the next person on the waitlist, then you're golden.

 

I'm on only ONE list. I received both my keychain and 3 letters , about once each month, from Toyota stating the wait for the Prius is excessive. So I know my dealer placed my order in the system...if not I would not be getting notifications from Toyota. I assume folks that want to pay 5-10K over the MSRP can get a car much faster through dealers that want to play that game. Definitely unfair to those who are patiently waiting.

If my dealer for some reason cannot deliver the car I want at the price that we agreed upon on the sales statement then Goodbye...its that simple.

 

Package with NAV may drop in ratio

Depending on your geographic location, you will rarely seea package 8 and soon, I betcha package 8 goes bye-bye. Mark my words, the EPA will cause Toyota to start making some hard decisions about package content for us and ordering. Watch for package 9/8 cars to drop in half and more "basic" cars to be allocated. This honeymoon with all of these package 9 cars cannot last. It's historically not in the cards unless Toyota finds a way around it.

Dianne

 

Re: Package with NAV may drop in ratio

Hi Empress I do recall reading something about the EPA limiting the cars, but I don't recall how or why they would so such a thing. Can you post a short summary?

Thanks

 

Re: Package with NAV may drop in ratio

I apologize. I haven't got the time to do the research... it just (for me) is what it is and I live with the results of their decisons.

 

Re: Package with NAV may drop in ratio

Here's the thread regarding reduced #9 allocations due to EPA regulations. Much speculation on whether mercury (the element, not the Ford brand name ) content was the key factor.

 

Houston TX waiting lists

Ryan--

Which dealers' lists are you on? When did you place your order? We ordered in NOvember from Champion Toyota, and we still don't have the car. There is no e.t.a.