Great dealer experience in MA - Toyota of Wellesley

This was the best car buying experience I've ever had (and I've had more than a few).

I knew what I wanted - a 2010 Prius package 2 with mats and cargo net. I emailed 10 dealers in 5 different states asking them to quote on this car, and telling them that I had to pick the car up within 3 days (in order to beat the end of the "no sales tax on high mileage cars" in CT). I put very specific instructions in my email.

Greg Lavin responded very quickly and in exactly the way I had requested (unlike so many of the other dealers who just didn't seem to want to be bothered doing what I asked, or replying at all in a couple of cases).

It became very clear that Toyota of Wellesley and Greg were serious about selling me a car, offering exactly what I was looking for at a VERY attractive price (over $1800 cheaper than local CT dealers, and this is a package 2). One of the dealers told me that Greg's price wasn't possible - it had to be a trick to get me to come to his dealership, and then they'd tack on all kinds of extra fees. I'm not that dumb or naive - I had everybody quote out-the-door prices, with very specific language in their quote that guaranteed it until June 30.

I completed the sale over the phone on June 28.

My needs weren't simple. Since MA doesn't issue temporary license plates, I had to be able to get to the dealership which is near Boston from our home near New Haven, complete the paperwork and pay them, take the paperwork to the nearest CT DMV office to register it (85 miles away), and come back to the dealership to pick the car up (all on the 29th, or miss out on a $1,300 CT sales tax break).

Not only that, but my wife was not able to drive me in our other Prius that day. So I asked Greg if he could meet me at the train station (coming up from CT), and if the dealership would lend me a car to make the round trip to the CT DMV. I fully expected him to say yes (to picking me up) and no (to lending me the car), and was preparing to rent a car for that trip (their price was so much better that it would have been worthwhile). He went to bat for me, and called back to tell me that he'd meet the train, and that he had a car for me to drive to CT.

On the 29th, the transaction went incredibly smoothly. They had all the paperwork ready for me, and I was on the road to the DMV less than 15 minutes after arriving at the dealership. It was a long day, but well worth it.

Greg and the people at Wellesley Toyota were fabulous, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone who is looking for a Toyota, even if they aren't local.

Kind of sounds like the east coast version of Dianne Whitmire!

Now to figure out who gets to drive which Prius...

 

Greg asked me not to post the actual price. Sorry, but he really did so much for me, and it was such a good deal, that I'm going to follow his wishes. I know, sounds lame, like I'm shilling for them, but it's true.

As for who's driving the 2010... I have a very happy wife!

 

Nope... as it turns out, he was willing to sell two at that price.

After a little over two months on the road, my wife was smacked by a 16-year-old driver who turned right into the car from the oncoming lane (time to raise the age to get a driver's license?), and there was over $16,000 of damage (wife and son are fine). Second time a teenage driver has hit one of our Prii, with major damage - the insurance company forced me to accept over $12,000 in repairs on a 2-year-old 2006.

This time, the insurance company classified the 2010 as a total loss. I called Greg Lavin at Wellesley right away, and he did the same deal without hesitation (except this time there's a $750 rebate to make the deal even sweeter). Picking up the new car on Friday.

Thanks, Greg!