Los Angeles: Looking for Silver Package 3 (found!)

Hi.

I'm on a waiting list at a couple of places in L.A., but with the allocation cuts in January and the glut of holdovers from 2005, I just got pushed out an extra month, to the end of March in their estimation, and it is likely even then I might have to take a different color or wait even longer. I imagine this isn't especially uncommon.

I've been calling all around hoping to luck into one in stock and haven't yet. If you come across a Silver Package 3 and it's not at one of the dealers that charges over MSRP or requires expensive dealer add-ons, and it's not the car you want - I'd be so happy if you let me know.

Thanks!
jef

 

Totally. I would like the Seaside Pearl or the Silver Pine Mica too. Just not as much.

 

That's good advice. I have been in touch with 19 dealers all over the area now and I've been hunting for several weeks. I've found 6 that don't play games charging over sticker or adding on dealer accessories of dubious value -
Toyota of Hollywood
Longo Toyota
Penske Toyota
Cabe Toyota
South Bay Toyota
Toyota of Glendale

The Internet Department at Power Toyota of Cerritos quoted me $2000 over MSRP, did you mean a different one?

In my waiting list positions it looks like I'll (eventually) get a car, and the options package I want, but not my first choice color.

I'm going to keep pounding the phones and email, and like I said before, if anyone comes across my car before me, that elusive package 3 in Silver, please let me know.

 

Thanks!

I talked to Hai this morning. He already sold that particular Silver Package 3, but he's going to be matching his new allocation to his waiting list today and he's going to give me a call this afternoon.

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

I turned it down too.

I called Robert who is the Internet Manager there. He told me that he has an unsold silver package 3 arriving at the dealership on Friday night or Monday afternoon. My pulse started racing. Then he told me that they sell the car for MSRP + $3000. And I was bummed. He lowered his offer to MSRP + $1500. But still the idea of paying windfall profits to a dealer bothers me.

I am greatful for the leads though. Keep em coming.

-jef

 

Yeah. Being hard to deal with and gamesmanship and haggling are not supposed to be the norm for Internet sales. I've talked to plenty of Fleet and Internet sales folks who were direct and honest about what they had and what they could do. Don't think I'll ever buy anything from Keyes.

 

I made some good progress working the phones today. I got ahold of Ronald at Toyota Long Beach - he sells when they get the VIN numbers on the allocation. He doesn't have my car, but he expects he'll have the next allocation list within 2 weeks.

I talked to someone else at Keyes who offered me a better deal and wasn't as car dealery. I may go for that one. I told him that I didn't want to deal with Robert because he struck me as untrustworthy and uninterested. I think when I meet with him I am going to show him Darwin's quote.

And there are another two possibilities for next week.

A very good day. I hope something good comes of it.

 

Yay. I just got home from signing the contract for my new Prius. I will be taking delivery possibly as soon as February 12. Woot. And it is a silver package 3.

Today I had a lot of free time and I went all out to find my car. I called places as far away as Barstow to the northeast, Indio to the east, south of downtown San Diego to the south, and Ventura to the north (since I already called Santa Barbara). And on what must have been my twenty-fifth call, I got it.

Dave West at I-10 Toyota in Indio is a good guy. He didn't have my car, but he was going to trade, cajole, and/or take inventory from the group's other dealership, and get me that car. At straight MSRP. If you are in the Coachella Valley, or willing to travel there to pick up your car, talk to Dave.

At Toyota of Riverside, they write contracts first-come first-served on specific VIN numbers with option packages when they are officially allocated. Today they got confirmation that my SIlver Package 3 was coming.

I worked with Eric and Joe in their fleet department who were professional and straight-forward and they quoted me straight MSRP with no dealer add-ons over the phone. I spent a few minutes thinking about how much of a pain taking delivery of my car in Riverside was going to be, and then I called them back and hopped into my soon-to-be former car and headed east. I really envied the folks in the carpool lane and the 91 Express FasTrak carpool lanes on the way out. Yay HOV lane stickers coming soon.

The contracting was straight forward. Eric showed me exactly what was allocated and I signed a couple of forms, agreeing that I was purchasing the car exactly as equipped and promising the finance company that I would buy insurance. Then I waited for about 10 minutes while my finance application was processed. The finance room was pretty mellow. The finance guy did do a couple of the usual song and dance routines "LoJack will get you a big enough discount on your insurance to pay for itself" "That maintenance contract cost me $995, I wouldn't be making any money" But when I calmly told him I wasn't buying anything, he let it go.

So my out-the-door price was $26,185.65.
That's $24044 for the car (Package 3 + Floor and Cargo mats + first aid kit + cargo net)
$45 fee for document preparation (this is standard at every California dealer, the DMV set that as the maximum price) sales tax, and registration fees. There were no non-standard charges. I did not offer them my trade-in, and though I was approved for financing at 10% according to my contract, they knew I was paying in full and will not be using it. The contract includes a California standard clause waiving all finance charges if the contract is paid in full by a specified date, and I made sure they filled it out.
One big plus about buying in Riverside instead of L.A. is that the sales tax is .5% cheaper. That saved me $120.

When I get my car, I'll add on how the delivery went.

Yay!
jef

 

Good point jsf.

I also found out that FasTrak, the California Toll transponder, as administered by the I-15 toll road authority in San Diego, requires a license plate be visible - transponder use in a car without license plates can be fined or subject to administrative fees.

I talked to Eric and he is going to get with the DMV rep at their dealership tommorrow and see if they can get and install my license plates prior to delivery.