Black #5; 05/26/06

I actually didn't place an order with a dealer. I used my credit union's auto resource center. They deal with the fleet managers and find the car for you.

I got a call this morning (6/19) that a Black pacakge 5 will be coming in by the end of the month to East Coast Toyota, a little more than an hour north of home.

Now we'll see if the CU comes through with the 500 below MSRP I was told I can get.

Mike

 

Found out the price of the car yesterday and almost choked. It was almost 1000 more than I had thought it would be. Turns out the car includes satellite radio and the "Preferred package" (floor mats & first aid kit). I wasn't told the car would have either when I found it was coming in.

So now the dealer is going to try to get those two options dropped. If he does, I'll probably take it. If not, I'll wait.

At least the CU held up their end on the 500 off MSRP.

Mike

 

I'm a-gettin' my Prius!!

It's supposed to arrive either tomorrow or Friday and I'll pick it up Friday or Monday.

I am totally stoked!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MiPrius @ Jun 28 2006, 06:05 PM) [snapback]278259[/snapback]</div>

I did things a little different than a lot of people. I used my credit union's auto resource center to locate the car. They work with the fleet managers to find the car. I told my my credit union rep what I wanted (black prius) and what I was flexible on (package 3 or 5) and she did all the leg work. East Coast Toyota in Wood Ridge (near Giants Stadium) finally called and said they had a black package 5 coming in. The first time I go to the dealer will be when I pick up the car.

The only drawback for me is it's more than an hour north to the dealer (I'm down the shore). That's mitigated by the 500 off MSRP the credit union was able to negotiate.

From what I've heard, MSRP has been pretty standard here in NJ, so I was lucky to get the break. It will be about a month from the time I called the credit union to when I pick up the car. The waits here --depending on the dealer-- are from 4-6 weeks up to 3 months(!).

If you do a dealer search from Toyota's website on zip code 07075 (Wood Ridge), you'll get good mix of dealers in north & central NJ, NYC, Long Island, Westchester, and CT.

Good Luck!
Mike

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Proco @ Jun 28 2006, 04:22 PM) [snapback]278193[/snapback]</div>

This whole process has been ... interesting, to be nice about it. Getting information from the dealer has been like getting blood from a stone. Twice I've faxed information to them, followed up the fax with a voice mail letting them know I sent it, and asked for a confirmation that the fax arrived. Twice I've ended up calling back the next day asking if the fax arrived.

Today was one of those days. I called to see if they got yesterday's fax of the registration I want transferred to the Prius. Was also told the car "is still in the port, but should be arriving today".

Time for a call to the sales manager. Left another voice mail (in fairness, I called around lunch) quickly listing my disappointment with how I've been treated through the whole process: lack of communication, incomplete information (not being told initially the car included XM radio & the "preferred package") and the constantly vague arrival date for the car.

Got a call from the guy I've been working with saying the car will arrive *tomorrow* now. Fine. I'll pick it up Monday like I planned. At 9am, so I can drive it to work and my wife can get on with her day.

Now I'm waiting to hear if the service guys will be there tomorrow to get the car ready in time. Of course, I was told I'd be called right back about that. About 45 minutes ago. time for another phone call.

Maybe if the person buying our Jeep weren't picking it up tonight, I wouldn't be so PO'd. But it's really f-ing annoying having everything else lined up perfectly (sale of old car, loan, etc) just to be wondering when the car's going to make the trip from the port to the dealer. And it's not like the thing has to be shipped far. The ports are no more than 10 miles from the dealer.

I'm still looking forward to my car. I'm just looking forward to scraping these clowns off the bottom of my shoe ASAP.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Proco @ Jun 30 2006, 02:40 PM) [snapback]279237[/snapback]</div>

Consider the clowns scraped!

We got to the dealer today at 9am, just as they were opening. First in the door. Drove away about 45 minutes later.

I'm really excited to see what this car can do!