Good dealer experience - Michael Toyota, Fresno

Last Sunday we drove 160 miles (each way) from Walnut Creek, CA to Fresno, CA to pick up our Prius. It's a Driftwood Pearl, BC package, one of the last 2004's.

We purchased the car from Michael Automotive. We paid list price for the BC with three options that had been installed at the port:
Base price: $20,295
BC 5,245
EF bumper applique 65
CF carpet mats 184
V2 glass breakage sensor 149
delivery, proc., handling 515
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$26,453 as had been quoted to us in advance.
Doc preparation fee 45
Sales tax (our county) 2,186.09
License fee (est) 225
CA tire fee 5
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Grand total $28,914.09

Our first contact with the dealership was on May 7th, at which time I provided my credit card number (no actual charge was made against the card). So our wait was about 4 months, somewhat longer than estimated.

We dealt with their internet sales manager, Evan Schroeder. He was helpful and straightforward. He came in on a Sunday (his usual day off) since that was the day we could make the trip. He spent about an hour and a half explaining the car to us. Then he stayed to oversee most of the transaction (he had to leave before everything was done), He is clearly an enthusiast.

I was provided with a copy of the pre-delivery preparation checklist. They had entered some non-default settings on the "body electronics" options, as per my request. The car was clean. They filled the tank before we drove off. The entire purchase experience took (perhaps) three hours.

The only concerns we had were:
- no play area or toys for our daughter (6 years old). Should have brought more of our own.
- an odd form we were told we had to sign acknowledging that we knew the car was not designed to accommodate snow chains, but that other snow traction devices might be acceptable, as listed in the owner's manual (which says snow chains are OK). I've been meaning to call them about that and ask for a copy of the form. By the time we signed it we were exhausted, our daughter was climbing the walls, and (since we are not really planning for the Prius to see snow very often) we did not put up the back pressure that we probably should have.
- a somewhat aggressive sales pitch for the extended warranty by the "finance guy" (withstood successfully).

On the trip home I was pleased with the car's power. When we drove through the Altamont pass the windmills were churning and the dust devils swirling along the barrier at the side of the road. I had less trouble with crosswinds in the Prius than did my wife, following in our (her) V6 Passat wagon. Much of that trip was at 72-75 mph, the average speed of the traffic on those roads. The readout estimated 42 MPG (actual MPG probably was 40.5, based on our first fill-up).

 

Re: Good dealer experience - Michael Toyota - follow-up

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(knowledgeseeker\";p=\"40424)</div>

I called Evan and he explained that they had had a guy come in and:
- buy a Corvette with sport suspension and fat wheels
- put chains on the car
- ruin the car
- sue the dealership because they had not warned him of this.
So they make all their customers sign the form.

I still do not have a copy of the form, but apparently it is not specific to the Prius, or Toyota in general, in any way.

PS - my thanks to Drew for steering me right.