Buying a new Prius - haggling?

I highly reccomend using the Costco auto program if they have it in your area. They eliminate the haggling process by fixing the price at $500 over dealer invoice (Wayyyy below MSRP). If you're a ninja haggler you might be able to do better but I prefer to avoid haggling all together.

At this point I don't know if anyone has prii getting old on the lot that they'll actually sell for less than invoice.

 

use the internet quote...

go to the dealer's site and find internet/fleet and email them for a quote... you'll most likely get a call or an email telling you to call them... but it beats dealing with the OBNOXIOUS salesmen on the lot that swarm you like VULCHERS!

 

Why would you want to haggle? Surely life is too short to waste time sitting in a car dealer and agonizing over a coupla dollars. Use the internet services, let them find the car, write the check, and you're on the road. Carsdirect.com worked for me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ Jun 5 2007, 12:13 PM) [snapback]455895[/snapback]</div>

I prefer to think of it as "why not try?"

I started out with a pkg 5 price of 27k and with 2 days of trading calls and e-mails with dealers and countering with 25k I got 25.3k. $1700 for maybe two actual hours of work. Way more than I make normally, and no taxes on it.

I used to be timid about haggling, but this and a couple of other successes have dealt with that. It's really not that big of a deal.

 

While I luv to not paid MSRP. I also value my time.
AND agree with the 2 prior posts who suggested the internet route.

Goto carbuyingtips.com & read up on their 5 quick tips.

Done that on my last 2 purchases & have gotten what I need, ie MY PRICE.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MickeyA @ Jun 5 2007, 03:01 PM) [snapback]455947[/snapback]</div>

You guys act like 15 minutes of haggling is worth more than $1500.

 

I just had one dealership beat a price that another dealership was offering. That worked out well for me and didn't take long.

 

Sure! I went through the internet sites for our local dealers. I wanted a specific color, so that added a bit of a complication; but overall they offered the best! I think they said $300 over invoice on anything on the lot but then the manager slipped and said "at invoice" at which point we said we'd be down to pick it up that night! I don't know if that is quite considered haggling or not.

 

Just bought a Prius and yes...you should definately haggle! You can save a lot of money. If you don't want to haggle, buy from carsdirect.com. They will give you a great price with no haggling. If you don't want to buy it over the internet, use edmunds.com to send out e-mail request for quotes to all of the local dealers. Their internet dept will contact you via e-mail or phone. Give them the carsdirect.com price and see if they can beat it. IMPORTANT...Only negotiate on out-the-door prices (tax, tag, etc. included)! Get the lowest price and then call or e-mail your favorite dealer one more time to see if they will beat it. I paid much less than invoice using this method on a package 2 Prius. I never set foot in any dealer until I had my deal totally worked out and went to buy the car.

In my experience the internet dept has way more ability to lower the price of the car. If you just walk in to a dealer you are limiting yourself your haggling potential. Good Luck!

 

My advice is haggle, haggle, haggle...

Just ordered yesterday a T-Spirit in Vermillion Red (Metallic) for £18,700 which is almost £2000 off list. Delivery is 5th July...Can't wait.

ANDREW (UK)

 

In late March I had decided I wanted a Prius. I looked at the internet sites to see what the four or five local dealers had. A close dealer had the package I wanted. I called them to ask if the car was 'really there' and it was. I drove there, drove the car with my family for 20 min.

Sticker was 28,200. I said I'll give him 26,000 for it. He squirmed a bit, disappeared like they always do (for 5 min) and came back and said ok. I was out of there in an hour (with my new prius...)

I was ready to pay cash, but Toyota was offering 0% for two years which I accepted, better the money be earning interest for me. ALso, in Connecticut, no sales tax for most of 2007.

Turned 5000 miles today..

Daniel

p.s., this was at Colchester Toyota in Connecticut.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Xabhice @ Jun 5 2007, 02:37 PM) [snapback]455863[/snapback]</div>

Yes, at least here in Ohio. Use the internet services to get the best quote out of the gate then start pitting the dealers against each other. I had four dealers in my area vying for my business.

In the end I got a pkg 2 for about $560 over invoice, which is just over $1,200 below the sticker price. We also had a sweet deal involving my wife's car which her company leased for her, and Toyota wanted to buy. That saved us $2K. Otherwise I probably could have gone a few hundred lower by grinding down the dealers even more.

My guess is that people who take the time to know the actual price get the best price because the next person through the door will have no idea and they can get close to sticker with them. They still made a few hundred off me and were one step closer to their monthly goal.

Never hurts to ask. All they can say is no.

 

If your question is whether Prius prices are negotiable below sticker these days, the answer is YES !

Your technique can be any of the above .

Be careful of the folks that claim they bought "below invoice", with no other info. The terms invoice and sticker price are often mis-used as if they are the same, but they are not. So, it's hard to know if someone really knows what they are talking about. Also, if they traded, did they get taken on that part of the deal, or did they get taken on the back-end with financing...

In the end, the car can be had for at and around true invoice. And make sure that price takes into account the new Eco-discounts.

 

Does the OP mean the traditional way of haggling? or the new 21st century which is electronic & requires less face time?

 

I wouldn't take the first offer, that's for sure.

I really don't have to haggle much anymore. I have purchased enough cars from this dealer, that they know I have done my homework. I try not to be an idiot either, and I had priced the car at two other locations before I even asked them for a price.

Prices may differ for different areas. In Nothern VA, I got:

2007 Prius
Option pack #2
6-Disc Changer added
RS3200 Plus Security system

Total out the door, taxes, tags, blah blah blah $23,512

Other quotes were more than that without the CD and Security.

 

I think Costco program is $500 below MSRP and not invoice. Big difference so I would double check on that. At any rate I talked to a dealer using the Costco program but ended up getting a better deal by emailing quotes from other dealers back and forth until someone bit. Didn't take me a lot of time and I saved an additional $552 from the Costco price. So it depends on how much your time is worth. Try to get 2 different dealers to give you trade-in value so you have something to compare with. Dealer X may give you $500 more for your trade and charge $500 more for the car so it is a wash. I did deal with the fleet department. Just research Edmunds and any other preferred sources. Pick your price and don't buy something until you get your price. Period! This was for a package 2 with car mats. I got the dealer to throw in window tint as well. Just stick to your guns. Edmunds says invoice on this configuration is around $21557 and what people are paying is $25510 so I was happy with that. If dealers don't want to communicate via email so be it. The smart ones know you are smart and want a quick sell. They will deal contrary to all of the "these are popular", "Hard to get" blah blah non-sense. Original Costco price was: $23147

Good luck!

PS: Don't by GAP insurance, warranties, etc from the dealer! This can be had cheaper elsewhere!!!!!!!

Here's a quote for reference:
2007 Toyota Prius (model #1224)

18186 VEHICLE INQUIRY REPORT DATE: 05/26/07
Factory Installed Accessories: FE HG
Port Installed Accessories ..: CF

Retail
Vehicle Base Model ....................: $ 22175.00
Total Accessories .....................: $ 774.00

Retail Total
Vehicle Base Model ..........................:$ 22175.00 $ 22175.00
50 State Emissions .........................
Package #2 Includes: Vehicle Stability ..... 575.00
Control; Backup Camera; Smart Key System; ..
AM/FM CD w/6 Speakers, Aux Audio Input .....
Miniplug, and MP3/WMA Playback Capability ..
Carpet Floor Mats & Cargo Mat .............. 199.00
--------- ---------
Total Accessories ...........................: $ 774.00 $ 774.00
Destination Charge ..........................: $ 620.00

---------
Total .......................................: $ 23569.00


Based upon a Prius equipped as above, our Internet Sale Price is quoted at $22,598.00 and is then subject to 8.05% Sales Tax and applicable fees.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ckole @ Jun 6 2007, 03:03 PM) [snapback]456715[/snapback]</div>

Price shoppers need to also be aware that 1 market condition does not = another.

I bought the exact same car (exc colour) as above for OTD 22,353 in the DCArea using the internet quote system from Edmunds.