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Surprising events to make me smile..

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Indy, Mar 20, 2005.

  1. Indy

    Indy New Member

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    To my surprise, I have been informed that my Prius is ready to pick up!

    I ordered it about February 15, and I was told it would be an eight month wait. About a week later I was called and told that it would be much faster due to rapidly increasing shipments, perhaps two months. Then a week later I was called and told that one was available, almost like what I ordered. I turned it down, not wanting to compromise, and not really be financially ready (I ordered when I did to allow myself time to sell my other car and save for the down payment).

    So I was called again Friday, when the dealer was getting ready to close for the night. I told the guy I would call back upon their opening Saturday. I needed the night to think about the money, but this time it was the exact car (the dealer explained to me that getting your car is not exactly like ordering a car, more like expressing a preference and waiting for the right one to be available to the dealer). When I called Saturday someone had already called about it and was coming to drive it! I told myself I would accept fate's decision, so when they called back and said the other guy had decided against it, I was thrilled!

    So, I go in Monday to pick it up, and I am hurriedly compiling information, mostly from this site, but also from loan companies so that I do not have to accept the Toyota loan if it is not competitive. I want to offer my thanks to this community -- I would not have been ready of it were not for you, and you have given me much enjoyment in the process of learning. I have made the bronze annual donation in appreciation.

    I will let you know how it goes!
     
    #1 Indy, Mar 20, 2005
  2. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    This brings a question up that i always wondered about. Why can't you order a Prius the exact way you want it? Is this how Toyota does it for all their models or just the Prius? When I was looking to buy a Prius last year i was floored when the dealer told me the same as to Indy, that you can just state your preferences. I couldn't believe it, any other car, as least American cars, you can order one exactly the way you want it.
     
    #2 paprius4030, Mar 20, 2005
  3. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Toyota is making a bunch of Prii as quickly as they can. They make various models and ship them out when they are ready. The problem is that with such a shortage of Prii, there is no guarentee that your dealer will receive your vehicle in the immediate future. The color or package or both might be wrong. But there's nothing the dealer can do. That's why some poeple say they have been on the list longer than others.

    Indy, for example, might have actually gotten the car ahead of people who have been on the list for longer. It just happened that Indy's car came in before someone else's.

    It's hard to blame Toyota for this. They are doing what they can.
     
    #3 TonyPSchaefer, Mar 20, 2005
  4. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    So can I order a Sienna, for example, exactly the way i want it like I can order a Caravan?
     
    #4 paprius4030, Mar 20, 2005
  5. Indy

    Indy New Member

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    I ordered the Salsa Red with the lowest option package - only the side airbags. My guess is that the ones with more options are more in demand, so they take longer to get.

    I plan to go to Goodyear immediately to upgrade to Comfortreads (Toyota, what are you thinking). Anyone have any information on upgrade costs?
     
    #5 Indy, Mar 20, 2005
  6. 4X4 No More

    4X4 No More New Member

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    Indy,

    The MSRP for the tires is $108.00 each. That price should cover the cost of mounting and balancing them. Assuming you are from IN (like me), there is a small tire tax that has to be paid. I think that it is a couple of dollars per tire. That may actually be a federal tax....not sure. Figure it is just an IN thing. They tax everything!

    I think that Toyota must have chosen the set of tires they did for resistance reasons. There is a better rating for dry traction on the Comfor Tred tires. That means that there will be more friction between the tire and the road. So, that means lower MPG. It's hard to say how much lower without some crazy math formula.

    Anyway, congratulations on the purchase of the new car. I just bought mine last Saturday. I fell in love with it the second that I drove it. The Salsa Red is a nice color too! Good luck with the tires!
     
    #6 4X4 No More, Mar 20, 2005
  7. Indy

    Indy New Member

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    When you say $108, do you mean that is a net cost? Will I not receive credit for the OEM tires?

    Thanks.
     
    #7 Indy, Mar 20, 2005
  8. Canuck

    Canuck Member

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    I'm not certain that it is common across Canada but we ordered exactly the 2005 Prius we chose from the information available and that is what arrived at our dealer in about 2 1/2 months. I still do not understand why a great many seem to have problems in getting what they wish to pay for and why they have to wait for such long periods. Must be different systems of dealership unless ours was unique.
     
    #8 Canuck, Mar 20, 2005
  9. 4X4 No More

    4X4 No More New Member

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    Oh yeah....sorry. I wasn't taking that into consideration. You probably can get somekind of money back since they are new. It probably won't be the full MSRP though. I would imagine you would have to haggle a little.
     
    #9 4X4 No More, Mar 20, 2005
  10. Indy

    Indy New Member

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    I am not sure, either, but just so that you know, as well, somewhere here someone posted about being able to go to a Goodyear dealer shortly after taking delivery of your car and getting some sort of credit for your OEM's in order to obtain upgraded Goodyears. Otherwise, quite frankly, I might consider some other brands. But, the Comfortreads are supposed to be very good, and my personal opinion is that tires contribute as much to the quality of the suspension of a car as the springs, shocks, etc., so I always invest in very good tires in order to best preserve my investment in the car (not to mention noise and safety considerations), so the OEM's are not an option.

    By the way, it seems that suddenly I am seeing quite a few Priuses around Indianapolis. Probably my filters shifting, but it could be the increase of shipments into Indiana. Regardless, it warms my heart to know I am not the only alien living among us! 8)
     
    #10 Indy, Mar 21, 2005
  11. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

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    I this dealer-allocation system is US-only. In Europe, you order a specific car.
     
    #11 KMO, Mar 21, 2005
  12. Daisy

    Daisy New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Indy\";p=\"74145)</div>
    I am picking up my Millenium silver pkg 6 Prius on Wednesday, and I asked them to upgrade my tires to the Michelin HydroEdge tires. Normally cost $113, but are discounting to $78 each for the trade-in.

    Daisy
     
    #12 Daisy, Mar 21, 2005
  13. bobc

    bobc New Member

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    Nice job on the tire switch, Daisy. I did the same thing...

    Indy, I talked to a tire store prior to picking up my car inquiring about the same thing. They had no interest in the OEM tires even if I drove straight from the dealership to them. They consider them used and do not want to incur any liability and as such, would have given me nothing for them. They told me they didn't want them and that I should sell them myself. Thus, I talked the dealership into swapping the tires as part of the sale.

    -bob
     
    #13 bobc, Mar 22, 2005
  14. clubmedic

    clubmedic New Member

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    I teach high-school physics, and I know how students are with their cars (cool, fast, powerful, loud, etc.). So when I decided to purchase the Prius (for dozens of reasons, one of which is.. I'm a physics teacher) I expected to get a hard time from most of my students.

    Surprise, surprise. My car is now a common topic of conversation. I've got one class that cheers "Hyyyybrriiiid!!" whenever I use my car as an example in a physics problem. The conservation of energy, LED brakelights, GPS system.. there are plenty of things in this car that can be used in the classroom, and I try not to miss any of them. When even one of the captains of the football team crow about your car, you know there's something to it.
     
    #14 clubmedic, Mar 22, 2005
  15. Indy

    Indy New Member

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    Follow-up:

    I am now living in fantasy-land, having just returned from another drive in my new Prius! Today is Wednesday, and I picked it up Monday morning, and so far I have only taken it out each night for a short drive, just for fun. You could say I am breaking it in e-a-s-y. Soon enough it will endure the rigors of my work-related driving, so for a week or two I am going to treat it like a toy and have some fun!

    My dealership experience was mixed. I bought it from Butler Toyota at Keystone and 96th in Indianapolis. The salesperson was very nice, although somewhat uninformed (if I knew as little about what I sell, could I keep my job?). The finance guy was a typical smoke-and-mirrors hard seller. The salesperson was amused that I had the predelivery service update and checklist, etc., but he humored me with patience. The predelivery work was immaculate (although tonight I noticed that my steering wheel may be a little off center -- or is it the line of the dash that is off center -- it is hard to tell). No one tried to pull any hocus pocus with the numbers -- I got my car for sticker plus the standard (for the Chicago region) delivery charges plus sales tax. The finance guy tried to sell me $600 worth of Ziebart (nope), $200 worth of some sort of additional insurance (yeah, right), plus the $1,750 7/100 Platinum extended warranty. When I turned that down he brought it down to about $1,300, which of course I again refused (you'll be hearing from me soon, Troy). I also talked him down to 4.99% on a 48 month loan, which is about the best I have seen lately. To his credit he was very cordial and not upset that I was not a fish, but I cannot help thinking about all the fish and how many of them there are for every one of me. Overall dealership score: B-. A for execution, C for trying to scam me in the finance office, and the minus for not displaying better product knowledge.

    The salesperson told me that the dealership does not trade out tires on new cars, but now I wish I had pushed the issue, because the best offer I have gotten for the (now used) Integrity's has been $30 each, with ComforTred's costing between $100-110 each installed. I will do it anyway, though. Good tires are worth the price.

    My only question now is whether my Prius is a boy or a girl. I know he/she is a person, because personality just pops out of the thing! So now I suppose I will have to be one of those people who names his car. Oh, brother... :roll: :mrgreen:
     
    #15 Indy, Mar 22, 2005
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