Buying a Prius #2 in Maryland

seems a decent price to me. I just bought a pk2 in FL for 23K. I saw 10 Prius' sold within 2 days here. I was happy to get mine!

 

Yesterday (3/24) in Madison, WI I bought a Prius with the #2 package with floor mats, sticker for the back bumper, and a $95 processing fee for $22,633. I feel like I got a pretty good deal.

I paid the $14 for the consumer reports guide, but I don't think it was worth the money. It didn't tell me anything I didn't already know by searching here, KBB, Edmunds, etc.

 

I don't know if those are good prices or not. Assuming each vehicle is similarly equipped, what is the MSRP and what is the dealer invoice price? Ask the dealers to give you the invoice price.

What I would do is contact a few more dealers (6-8 total). Use your lowest price as the bargaining tool. First ask each dealer to give you their best price. If it is higher than your $22,380 quote, then tell them, "Another dealer will give me the same car for $22,380." They will either say the can't match that or they will come up with a lower price (or simply match it).

Do that a few times until some of the dealers start dropping out and you are left what you know is your best price.

That's how I always buy my cars and I always walk away knowing I got a fair price (maybe not the best price possible, but a price I know is competitive).

 

When you go to buy a car forget the msrp when negotiating. Once you found the car you want just ask the dealer how much over invoice. A good dealer will have no problem showing you the invoice and adding what they want to make on top of it. Don't be unrealistic either. You can buy a Chevy Aveo for $100 over I bet you'd have hard time finding any Toyota dealer willing to take less that $500 over for a Prius.

 

What part of Maryland? I had a pretty good experience with Toyota of Southern Maryland. Helpful staff and a pretty good price. However, they claim to "match any competitor's price". They gave me a pretty hard time about matching the price that Bayside Toyota quoted me, though. The sales manager seemed to think that "match any price" meant "match any reasonable price", with the definition of "reasonable" coming from his head.

Negotiations eventually solved that issue, but it was a bit annoying to have the sales manager disputing his own dealership's advertised policies. I was about to walk out, but I really didn't want to drive ~1 hour up to Bayside to buy my car.

Bayside also gave me a completely false price quote when I emailed them. Here is the text from their email:

"My sale price to you regarding the magnetic gray, package 6 Prius with an MSRP of $27,884 and an invoice of $20,012 is $20,212 plus your taxes, tags and a $100 dealer processing fee. This price reflects $200 over cost and includes floor mats and a cargo mat for the rear."

I obviously didn't believe this price for a Package 6 2008 Prius, so I called the salesman to confirm it. He confirmed the price over the phone as quoted in the email. I thought about it and was about to drive there to buy the car, but then called again just to be sure. On my second phone call he finally came clean and said, "Oh, did I say $20,212? I meant $26,212. Sorry." Obviously I wasn't too keen on dealing with them after that.

 

I also live in Rockville, MD and I got the best deal from Silver Srping Toyota. I'm not saying you won't get a better deal somewhere else (I'm sure the salesperson has a lot to do with it), but try them if you haven't already.

I wanted to buy from 355 Toyota since it is closer, but they would not match the deal I got from Silver Spring.

 

Hey Rockville1,
I'm in Frederick and bought my ('08 Pkg #6) from DARCARS here in Frederick and I paid about $25000 for it. I'm confused about what you are paying less than 23000 for.

Oops! I thought Rockville1 started this thread! My apologies to both moisiFr and Rockville1.

Tom

 

I went through a similar smoke and mirrors routine with Toyota dealers in the NE Baltimore area. I just had to have the Touring model. The most bald-faced lie: "Toyota doesn't make that model any more." I ended up going to Rhode Island to get it.

Be that as it may, I don't know where you are in the price setting-final price tussle, but be advised that there is a frequently played three-way whip saw involving cited price, trade in, and finance rate. To see how it is played see:
Confessions of a Car Salesman

In the current marketplace buying a Prius is a dog-eat-dog proposition. You don't have to put up with the BS, the Internet puts you in the position not only to walk out, but to find the deal that's best for you within whatever mileage radius you can handle.

Give 'em hell!

Hope to see you soon on the road, and here on PriusChat.

 

Are you saying C-Reports doesn't tell you the "Real" price the dlr. pd. for the car & I can find it on Edmunds? I was thinking of getting that report on an '08 Prius.

 

Today I was quoted $23,800 minus $300 as I am a Sam's Club member for a 2008 with pkg. 2. The mats are $164 according to Carsdirect.com

This dealer does not charge the BS paper shuffling fee. That price included the freight.

 

If you want to know the Dealer price for a 2008 model 1224 prius with package #2 with floor mats . It is $20,666.00 + $685 (freight) +dealer fees and Tax,Title and registration..

 

Wow! That's way less than the Invoice price I've been quoted & saw on Carsdirect.com

Would you happen to know how much leather seats cost the dlr.? They list for $1100 retail. Where can I find this information about what dealers pay? Thanks.

 

I am not sure if you can just get leather seats added to a package I think they only come with package #6 but I could be wrong on that...The dealer price for package #6 is $4095.00..I will say this about the dealer price that is the price they pay for it so they will have to make something on the car so dont expect to get it for that but you can try and get them as close to it as you can....

 

My advice:
Don't trade in, sell your used vehicle yourself, UNLESS it's one that has a really great trade in value, and the dealer wants it because they can move it quickly. Otherwise you will never get as much out of it.
Get your financing elsewhere. Use your local credit union or bank. Get that settled first, and then you can deal with the dealer.
Check Costco, they may or may not be able to do better, but they might.

 

For reference [edited: I had the package #3]... I paid $23,900 (before tax/tag/title fees) for 2008 Toyota Prius Model 1224 Mag Gray and I was able to secure the distributor's leather seats (along with leather for the door arm rest and the center console) for next to nothing. Original price from the dealer was $25,520 with the leather added in.

I have a cousin that works for SET [Southeast Toyota Distributors] that has a very friendly salesman at a Toyota Dealer that was easy to deal with and I was done within the hour with my Prius. Though I hated the fact they drove the vehicle 22 miles back and forth from the distributor to add in the leather.

 

I paid $22,154 + TTL for a package 2 Prius with mats. I could have gotten it for under $22,100 but I did not want to travel 2 more hour to get it in Lansing, MI and I liked the dealer that was closer as well.

 

Selling a car can be a highly stressful exp. here. I'm thinking about 2 types of buyers: 1) They want to know if I will take payments. 2) They call up & the 1st words out of their mouths are "How much less will you take for it"? I'm from CT & I never ran into so many CHEAPSKATES as I have down here.

I have no problem getting the $$. We have an equity line & exc. credit. Everyone wants to lend us money. I always buy new cars with money that does not hold my title in the event I need to sell the vehicle in a financial crisis.

The dlr. doesn't really want my Honda Accord as they sell Toyotas. They offered me $12,000 if I trade it in. I know I can get $14,000 as the car only has 38,100 miles on it & is the top of the line Accord-EX-V6. This is a loaded car and what we used to refer to as a real "Cream Puff".

Many years ago I learned mechanics and I take exceptional care of all my things. I know if I take exc. care of my vehicles they will take good care of me when it's time to part with them. Today I spent 4 hrs. "super" detailing the Honda as I'm ready to sell it. Unfortunately, I live on a filthy, dusty dirt road & it gets everything dirty or muddy depending on the weather. I will NEVER live on a dirt road again.