Dinner at Toyota

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PatapscoPete @ Aug 11 2006, 09:55 AM) [snapback]301544[/snapback]</div>

Cool. Although I had a good buying experience w/my dealer, they never did anything of this sort (nor did the Toyota dealers for the last 3 Toyotas my parents bought). We did get some free dinner after buying a new (at the time) 93 Dodge Caravan from a Dodge dealer.

BTW, #1 car company in the US? If you're talking about in terms of car sales, that would be GM. Toyota is the top import though. In terms of unit sales in the US YTD, the top 4 would be GM, Ford, Toyota then Chrysler. See the table at the right side of http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../608020413/1148.

 

I was very surprised to get a dinner invite for my dealer after my August 05 purchase. It was not just Prius but all models. We were shown air bags, tire changing, rec'd 20% discounts in parts and a really good meal. There were even door prizes and a "car dude" to answer questions.

It was fun. I still drive to Toyota Carlsbad for my service. One year old and 15000. Still love it.

 

Yep, I attended one after I bought mine.

I think it's an individual dealership thing. I think it's good business practice. Business knows that it's not the produce, it's the service that keeps customers coming back. And that word of mouth is nothing to be sneezed at. (Especially now with the internet.)

 

the dealership I go to services my car and doesn't act all hoity toity abotu it.

 

PatapscoPete, Hey how have you been? (It's Tracy) Why the name change?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Salsawonder @ Aug 14 2006, 12:17 AM) [snapback]302865[/snapback]</div>

We went to the same type of "New Owner" meeting. Food (including great fresh veggies & fruit - I was impressed), prizes, & meeting/talking with other Toyota car purchasers.

It was a very low key affair - information about services but zero sales pitches. In fact, some people didn't even know about the extended warranty until a new owner asked whether there was one. The question didn't elicit a spiel to everyone present about buying one, rather a short answer that this was available & to speak to someone after the meeting if interested in further details.

What made it really special was at the end new owners got to meet individually with a technician & see the car they owned, up close & personal. In our case, being the only Prius owners, we were able to ask each & every question which came to mind.

We must have spent close to an hour with this knowledgeable young man who was a Prius owner himself. On request, he put a Prius up on a lift so we could examine the underside (this pleased my husband, the engineer, no end).

The whole event was handled professionally & was purely informational. Like Godiva said, it's a good business practice.

 

Ah, Patapsco Pete... Sounds like you had fun.

Hmmm... might you have purchased your Prius from Russel Toyota? When my boss bought his Matrix this year, he went to the same sort of thing. Now he drinks coffee from that Toyota mug every morning.... :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PatapscoPete @ Aug 23 2006, 06:58 AM) [snapback]308132[/snapback]</div>

Oh I see. I though only one person would ever have that pic LOL

 

My dealer didn't do anything like that. Then again, with all the problems I had with them, maybe my invitation got lost in the mail.

 

All I ever got was a thank you card. My father bought a Corolla from the same dealership and same salesman, and he got some basket of assorted pasta. I guess that was the do-it-yourself dinner.