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Buying a new Prius... very excited... please evaluate?

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Jhardisk, May 17, 2008.

  1. Jhardisk

    Jhardisk New Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2008
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    Dayton, OH
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Hi everyone:

    Long time reader, and new registree/poster here.

    We (my wife and I) have decided that a Prius purchase is my best option in our current vehicle status. Our '04 Vibe was hit in late '06 and had 8k worth of repairs to the front end and inner workings. The car has never been the same. The body work done was fantastic, but we've had issues with the A/C refrigerant leaking out twice. (It's going back to the body shop this week to be "fixed") The alignment has never been the same, and the engine has a little roughness to it. It still easily gets 28-32mpg, but this can't compare with a new Prius.

    We want a new car for several reasons: (In no order)

    • Obvious Gas Savings
    • Dislike of current Vehicle
    • Environmental Impact of Vehicles
    • Similar sized car for a similar monthly price
    So, we're crunching all sorts of numbers, learning about allocation lists, figuring out what we can afford, etc.. etc..

    We had it narrowed down to an '08 with package #2. Great! So, we went to our recommended dealer (from my wife's mother who is a very money-wise person) and he's got us on an allocation list with a $100 deposit. No sweat! The pricing sheet of his typical Prius shipped to this dealership is attached. Is this reasonable, considering that MSRP is pretty much the standard to pay? I shudder to even consider paying MSRP for a vehicle, but I understand supply and demand. I am convinced we'll recoup costs with extended ownership of the Prius.

    (The prices on the sheet are not favorable, according to Edmunds.com.)

    I'd appreciate any input. I don't want to think this guy is taking us to the cleaners. If he is, how could we combat price jacking if this car is in such high demand?

    Thanks so much!
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 Jhardisk, May 17, 2008
  2. Mouth

    Mouth New Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    26
    0
    0
    Location:
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I bought a black package 3 a few weeks ago. Sight unseen. First time I ever bought a car sight unseen, without test driving it, and for MSRP (25,500). I realized that I would be paying MSRP when the only other two scheduled for that dealership sold over the phone (no kidding, sight unseen) in about 10 minutes. That blew my chances at negotiating really quick and made me question reality. I also hate the thought of paying MSRP but I did and that's that. My story is much different though. Last December I was deployed to Iraq. On numerous occasions the current gas prices were the topic of small talk to pass the time, specifically, just how bad it could get in the next few years. I ran into numerous Prius owners over there, which surprised the hell out of me giving the circumstances. Every one of them had nothing but great things to say. Not one bad thing and they all recommended I get one. When I had a chance to get on a computer I did some research on the Prius and got more and more interested. I asked my wife to go test drive one in January and she asked me if I was nuts. She said no way, too small, uncomfortable. I knew I wasn't going to win that battle 8,000 miles away so I let it go. About a week after returning I took her out to eat and "coincidentally" drove through the Toyota dealership. Not one to be found, seen, smelled, or test drove. I was livid (mainly because just a few months ago there were literally 25 on the lot according to the salesman). Long story short, I got one against her wishes and I don't regret it for one second. Guess who drives it now? Yeah, the person who thought it was too small. MSRP is fine right now unless you want to wait for a while and bank on gas prices stabilizing, demand stabilizing, and a large supply of the 09's coming in to give you some negotiating room. Good luck!
     
    #2 Mouth, May 17, 2008
  3. Scrittibear

    Scrittibear Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    67
    7
    0
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    I
    This looks great and fair to me

    This looks great and fair to me and yep - I had to pay MSRP too for a base trim model - so if you want it - act very, very FAST (as in now) - it will not last - trust me! :eek:
     
    #3 Scrittibear, May 17, 2008
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