Featured Dude, where's my car? Toyota buyers face long waits amid hybrid boom

It was like that back in 2008-2010 when I first started looking to buy a Prius...and when you did find one, you only got what "they had"...with a big mark-up.

 

'23 was bad too

 

Sometimes I think Toyota limits supply intentionally to create the illusion of much greater demand than there really is. Seems like every year they build less cars, not more cars and then act like they're successful because so many people are waiting to buy their cars. Maybe there's data that says otherwise, but I've not seen it.

 

Our nearby dealership is awash in BZ4X, and 3 Prius Plug-in.

 

pretty sure sales are up

 

Everyone I know who sells stuff are telling me that they've never seen things so slow... The obscenity we currently have as president discourages consumer spending every time he opens his brain dead mouth!

 

sales were up prior to tariffs. Watch sales skid to a halt now. I waited almost three months for mine (Rav4 phev) to get shipped and delivered (early March), but I was lucky and got in with the dealer while it was still in the build phase. The next one they're getting is due at the dealer on May 31. So roughly 3 months per vehicle.

 

My dealer today had 2 Rav4 hybrids on the lot. But gas also went up 25 cents in the last 3 days. So which pressure will win, gas price or car price/availability. Could see a couple of Prius PHEVs on the lot. No Rav4 PHEVs. And a couple of hulking off road Toyotas. Sticker said $1300 added to MSRP by SET but no idea what dealer is asking/demanding.

 

I was hesitant at first, with all that's going on right now, wondering if this was the best time to be buying a new car. After a while I realised I'd better act while I could, before things get worse.

 

I've been looking since November - Very particular about model and trim and with minimal port installed options.

Just took delivery this Friday - it's a great car!

 

I wouldn't call 3 Plugin prius as "awash" in that car.

The BZ4X got a really bad rap, so that definitely is hurting it in terms of sales. It seems, from all I've gathered, a decent local commuter car but very expensive compared to competitors because it just has so much less flexibility. The competitors have the option of being road trip cars for people who are happy with fast charging and waiting. But the BZ4X is not at all capable of that.

For in city driving though, for your average commuter - it seems to be a great car. Just way too many compromises for the price point. Toyota reliability comes out of its engines, so the premium paid for a toyota when you don't have an engine may not hold the same value proposition when applied to an EV.

Personally, I'd consider one if there was a really good promotion and they sold them in Ontario to replace our old second car. 0% financing and 50k CAD, I'd hop on that personally. Charge it at home EZ PZ.

 

With my concurrence, pickup my Tesla car from service center on Friday. New battery and deep overhaul of the front suspension. After 6 years and 151,000 miles, the suspension was due. As for the battery, a failed coolant valve probably took at least two years off the battery.

I've had two ICE engines with cooling problems:

• 1966 VW MicroBus - shop rag blew into cooling inlet and burned out the engine. I rebuilt it in 10 days when I got back from Okinawa.
• 1970s Datsun - found a piece of wire in the cylinder head gasket when I rebuilt the head.

I am not surprised the battery aged so suddenly. Disappointed that the diagnostic tool I needed was not available two years earlier when the coolant valve symptoms first occurred. Just like I wished the VW engine had shutdown with a error light instead of a smoke signal and the Datsun's steam cloud after whoever left that dam wire on the gasket.

Bob Wilson

 

you are getting a prius?

 

Neither would I; note the comma?

Yeah, it was panned by The Car Care Nut, for fundamental, mechanical issues. Plus, I can't stand the exterior styling.

 

Added technical details about my car. I just liked the title of this thread.

Bob Wilson

 

Hopefully the federal rebate comes back, since I'm in ontario, the reported improvements to the 2026 BZ refresh look pretty decent. It seems like the car becomes much more palatable with a heatpump, NACS, better range/bigger battery.