2008 Silver Pine Mica #5, 8/7/08 Huntington Beach, CA

I've been very exact in what I wanted in my Prius and had my heart set on a Silver Pine Mica #5 (no leather interior for this vegan!). I started shopping around at the end of May 2008 and found that everyone in Southern CA was charging $2-3k over MSRP. I started looking out of state and found Findlay Toyota in Las Vegas. They promised me my exact car in 8 weeks at MSRP, taking a specific order for interior/exterior/package and a $500 deposit. 10 weeks came and went with no car... I called them a couple times to check in but they never initiated updating me other than a couple calls to offer me a car I didn't want (silver pine mica #6 or a #2 or #5 in the wrong color). I wasn't impressed. It had sounded like they were ordering a specific car for me but then kept trying to pawn off something else I didn't want.

On 8/7/08, at the recommendation of a co-worker who bought her Camry Hybrid from Toyota of Huntington Beach (CA), I called Minh Dang, internet fleet manager. Mr. Dang was very helpful and called me back in about 30 minutes stating he had found my EXACT car (#5 silver pine mica with gray interior) at his sister store in Westminster. I went in that evening to sign the papers (I paid $1000 over MSRP - not as bad as most dealers). Had I not had a previous engagement and time deadline, I could've driven off in my new car that night, but instead I signed all the paperwork and picked up the car the next day after my car was delivered from the other dealer and the alarm system had been installed. My experience was very pleasant... maybe it was kismet to get the right car at the right time, it had just come in the night before.

It was worth the wait, I'm in love! (and I got my deposit refunded from the other dealer). I'm glad I held out for exactly what I wanted!