My Prius Went up in value Today!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KatJavandel @ Feb 8 2007, 09:15 AM) [snapback]387026[/snapback]</div>

The availability of Priuses have definitely gone up recently and with that, the prices have gone down to the invoice level. I purchased a pkg. 2 Prius last month at Walnut Creek Toyota for $22,100 (including floor and cargo mats) plus T&L. I think this is right about at invoice. You might be able to get an even better price now that the HOV stickers are all gone. If you call Walnut Creek Toyota, ask for the internet sales department.

 

I for one bought mine because of the HOV access, the hours it saves me are priceless. If there is a really nice 2007,8,9 Prius I like I probably won't buy it since I can't transfer the HOV stickers.. this is Northern Calif I'm in. That's just wrong, the car doesn't care if it's in the carpool lane.. its the DRIVER! FREE THE STICKERS! If you get another 45+mpg care you should be able to transfer.. after all your the one who applied for them in the first place.. who's idea was it to keep them with the car anyway? All together now "FREE THE STICKERS" (for another 45+mpg vehicle of course).

 

I for one bought mine because of the HOV access, the hours it saves me are priceless. If there is a really nice 2007,8,9 Prius I like I probably won't buy it since I can't transfer the HOV stickers.. this is Northern Calif I'm in. That's just wrong, the car doesn't care if it's in the carpool lane.. its the DRIVER! FREE THE STICKERS! If you get another 45+mpg care you should be able to transfer.. after all your the one who applied for them in the first place.. who's idea was it to keep them with the car anyway? All together now "FREE THE STICKERS" (for another 45+mpg vehicle of course).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KatJavandel @ Feb 8 2007, 09:15 AM) [snapback]387026[/snapback]</div>

Every dealer is willing to sell the Prius under invoice. Supply is more than demand right now. Toyota Sunnyvale $200 under invoice. Toyota Walnut Creek $300 under invoice. Toyota Marin $300 under invoice. If you know you want a new one (color and package) and don't need to see it, call Longo Toyota or Elmore Toyota in Southern California. These two are the dealerships with the largest inventory and the greatest incentive to move new cars off of their lots. Play the dealers against each other and they will come down even more.

By the way, I just bought a used 2006 Package #8 WITH HOV stickers. Purposely would not buy a new one (even under invoice and even with the tax credit) as the stickers meant everything to me and my commute. I paid a small premium for a Prius with the stickers. No question the value of those equipped with stickers has gone up

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(egb6550 @ Feb 8 2007, 11:22 AM) [snapback]387122[/snapback]</div>

The stickers stay with the car so that individuals can't hoard them and then sell them at an even greater premium.

 

Here's an eBay auction of a 2006 Prius with HOV stickers - at $25,850 already.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyota-Priu...sspagenameZWDVW

I firmly believe that HOV stickers will add resale value. The only question is how much. I'll bet that certain buyers will pay a hefty premium for those stickers. Time will tell.

 

I can't believe it either. Co-worker just sold his 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid with stickers for $2000 over what he paid for it just 2 months ago.

Incredible...

 

I wonder if people will start trying to steal the stickers. After all, what cop is going to pull you over and check for the paperwork if there are stickers on the correct make and model of car. Of course, they'd have to get them off without destroying them. Not likely. But the owner has the expense and aggravation of sending for replacements.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LittleAl @ Feb 5 2007, 10:03 PM) [snapback]385933[/snapback]</div>

The good and the bad...dh did not believe me how much value added the stickers are worth...but I'm still not selling my car for the premium (so he could pay off the beemer)....He's still pissed that we could get as much as or more than what we paid for the '06--how high the ROI would be. Still, I am NOT selling my stickered Pri to pay for his '02 beemer, which he bought in March of last year 2 months before I bought the Pri for less than his beemer (which, btw, does get about 30mpg on the highway). they're gonna have to pry the pri out of my cold dead hands--and not just because of the stickers...I LOVE that car!

LittleAl--would you point me to the data? "I told you so" can be SO much fun!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KatJavandel @ Feb 8 2007, 12:15 PM) [snapback]387026[/snapback]</div>

I went to Longo Toyota in SoCal and got a package #2 for $500 under the INVOICE. Two reasons though:
1) We are good friends with someone on the inside and high up on the ladder of that dealership.
2) Most dealerships are stocking a lot of Prius' as opposed to when you or your "Prius-owning friends" bought them. Especially in SoCal every dealer has a pretty large selection of Prius' in different colors and packages. I think they are trying to get them off their lots since the HOV stickers are supposedly gone. By the way, I still have yet to hear of someone who has got a rejection letter based on the availability of the stickers.

 

University of California Merage School of Business Professor Richard McKenzie agrees with the premise that used hybrid automobiles with HOV stickers have gone up in value.

Here are excerpts from his Wall Street Journal Opinion page:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KatJavandel @ Feb 8 2007, 09:15 AM) [snapback]387026[/snapback]</div>

Hi

I just bought my 07 Prius last Sunday from Maita Toyota (Sacramento) for $3k under MSRP. They ran an ad for 4 cars with Package #6 at a discount of $3556. I asked to see one of those cars. They claimed to have sold them all, so I offered to buy one of the two white cars they had left for that price. They said they couldn't, so I started to walk out, they kind of freaked and said they would get as close as they could to that price.

The sticker price was $29,544. They offered $26,526. They showed me an invoice and claimed this was $500 under invoice. It was $500 over the ad price, so I decided that was a reasonable compromise, so I agreed to that price.

I also got 4.9% for 60 mos thru Toyota Financial, but I think that deal ran out at the end of last month.

Back on the original topic, I wasn't opposed to buying a used Toyota Certified Prius, but the asking prices were about the same as new with comparable equipment. With the Income Tax credit, it didn't make sense to buy used. Some of the cars had the stickers, some didn't but the asking prices were the same for both.

I didn't need the stickers, so it wasn't a consideration for me. No HOV lanes on my commute.