Looking to join the Prius owners.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dixiechick @ Jul 23 2007, 06:40 PM) [snapback]483793[/snapback]</div>

This is a tough time to be looking for a new Prius. Many of us have paid around MSRP so that may be considered "normal". You should be talking to the Internet Sales Manager at the dealers.

 

In So Cal right now the only way to pay below MSRP is to be a Costco member. With that you get fleet price at about $1K over invoice (at least according to the salesman who sold us our Red Menace two weeks ago.)

According to the sales guy orders came down from Toyota Corporate that all dealers were to be selling the Prii at MSRP.

 

I always thought that expecting invoice was a bit silly. I had a good few months of planning before I bought my Prius and I was emailing about 14 different dealerships and I only got mine for $1300 less than MSRP.

If you're willing to buy a Lexus why aren't you willing to pay a "fair" price for the Prius?

 

The way I handled it was it went to this site: http://www.toyota.com/toyotaApp/dealers/se...=GM_STN_DEALERS

From there, I could look at all the dealers in the area. On each site they list their inventory. On many sites there is an area where you can make an inquiry on a particular one you want. If you fill that in, make sure you take the option where they contact you by e-mail. In the comments, you tell them you're in the final phase of shopping for a 2007 Prius. You're looking at various dealerships to get the best price. You continue by telling them you want their BEST price on the particular car you're asking about -- be upfront with them by telling them you'll be shopping their price around to find out if its the best or not.

At that point, they should get the message that you're in the FINAL stages of shopping and they can't jerk you around too much so they need to give you their BEST price -- make sure you stress you want their BEST price. Once you get that quote from them, which will be in writing since you requested an e-mail response. You move on to the next dealer who has that same car (doesn't have to be the same color, but it has to be the same option package) and tell them you got a quote on the same car from X dealership (in fact, just copy and paste what you were sent) and ask if they can beat that price. Keep in mind, all sites list their processing fee at the bottom of their page with the vehicle -- make sure you factor that into the price they are giving you because it can be anywhere from a $100-$300 difference.

So, you get the second quote and they probably going to at least match the price -- if not beat it. You take that price and move on to the next dealership you want a quote from and go with the same process. You eventually come back to the dealer you first went to and report your results, which will likely include a quote from a dealer that will beat their price. At that point, they will usually either beat that price or tell you they can't do any better. If they give you a new price which is better, start shopping that around.

Clearly the idea is to get the dealerships to compete against each other and take you out of the equation which reduces your stress for buying a car. Keep in mind, its simple capitalism, either they beat the lowest price or you move on.

If they tell you to come in, you can tell them you'll come in when you're confident they have the best price and you're ready to sign the deal. Some dealerships will try some pressure tactic like, that price is only good till the end of the day today or tomorrow. Tell them to stuff it (essentially), any price they give you today should be good next week. The one dealership I found that was not shy about using that tactic was Ourismann here in VA. At the end of my shopping process I was so unhappy with their tactics that I send the general manager an e-mail note -- never heard anything back.

Also, I'd look at www.edmunds.com. They have a free service for all cars where you can find out what the invoice price is on all cars. Look up the 2007 Prius and you'll see that listed. You plug in the package you want and it will give you MSRP and dealer invoice. To give you a base line, a the Package 6 we got had an invoice price of $26,200 (I think) and we got ours for around $26,250. Don't forget you have to factor in sales tax!

The nice thing is once you find that price you like, you know it has been fully vetted and shopped around. You can go to the dealership, test drive your prospective car to make sure its fine and do the paperwork...no haggling over price and no pressure!

The only difference is the DC metro area has a lot of dealers with a lot of Priuses on the lot. Your area may be different.

 

I think supply is getting tight as they are switching model years right now, unfortunatly you can't wait for the 08 since you are without auto. I paid 1400 under sticker on a zero option 07 touring 1 month ago. I owuld think there is more room to negotiate on a loaded prius, but toyota is offering the 2000 off right on the sticker, so I don't know. I feel I overpaid, but I wanted one and didn't want to wait so I took it.

 

You also must understand that Prius sales and sales amount differ tremendously REGIONALLY. For example, here in Phoenix even in my old "internet" department we were forced to quote $3k OVER sticker (and we sold every in stock unit FWIW).

At the same time, my friend in Houston was $500 over invoice.

Look, the bottom line is, nobody wants to pay too much. If you really think the Prius is only worth invoice however, may I reccomend a Corolla?

I never can understand why people think the laws of supply and demand only apply to every other business BUT the car one.

I'll make you a deal, bring me a customer willing to pay MSRP for a V8 Tundra (we routinely discount them... a lot), and I will sell you a Prius for BELOW invoice.

See how it works? We CAN sell the Prius for MSRP, so why should we discount it? Just because we'll miss a few people that don't want to doesn't mean we won't still sell every one.

I realize how that sounds, but people need to stop thinking the T in our name indicates the Red Cross and not Toyota. We are a FOR PROFIT business and the Prius is one of the last vehicles on the planet that still has demand enough to warrant it. Gouging only happens because consumers allow it by paying it. If you don't believe me, what do you think would happen if everyone stopped? That's right, prices would fall.

No apologies for having a phenomenal car worth EVERY penny of MSRP.

Getting a token discount is just a bonus. The difference between MSRP and invoice is minimal (around 9% for Toyota, which is probably far less profit than you paid on your Lexus, even if you didn't realize it (especially since it was used...)). A $1000 discount is great. Run with it!

And if you don't agree, there's always that Camry or Corolla =). I'll sell as many of them as you want at invoice... but that's only because supply exceeds demand.

Not the case on the Prius (of which we have a nationwide inventory of less than 24 hours).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Seaside2007 @ Jul 24 2007, 10:06 AM) [snapback]484129[/snapback]</div>

To the originator of the thread...this is who you need to listen to because he's right...its supply and demand...if there is a strong demand in your area for the Prius, you're not going to get as good of a deal. If there isn't then expect dealers to be ready to "deal."

However, the key is not you negotiating with the dealer because you'll "lose" almost everytime...you need to put the dealers in the position of competing with each other, while saving you the time of going all over the place to different dealers and have pressure applied to you -- not saying their sales pressure is necessarily wrong, but its how they make sales with people on the lots.

 

A perfect example of the supply and demand aspect at work was when I bought mine a couple of months ago. I first went to a dealer in the local metro area - he'd sold all but two Prii and knew those two would go that weekend based on turnover levels. He made clear there were no discounts or any deals. Sticker was it, and that it was even possible in the coming weeks, it would be sticker PLUS if supply dropped at all. He even made the point that he didn't need to do me a deal because if I didn't buy, someone else on the lot would.

I went to a dealer some miles away in a more rural area where the hot item is more like a Tundra than Prius. He'd sold half his stock of Prii but had a few left and no great interest in them - either himself or from customers. The salesman I dealt with was very helpful because he had one himself, but said even with gas at over $3 a gallon in May, sales of Prius hadn't changed much for them like it had for other dealers. I got a deal somewhat above invoice but satisfactorily below MSRP and drove away in one.