Seaside Pearl, AM (#7), Jan 25, Portland, OR

Date Ordered: 01/25/04
Dealer Ordered From (Incl. City/State): Broadway Toyota, Portland, OR
Timeframe given for delivery: 4 months
Color: Seaside Pearl
Option Package: #7
Your # on Dealer's Waiting List: don't know


I liked the service at this dealer. No nonsense, no paying above MSRP (or at least that's what they say). They only get in package #1, #7 and #9, but #7 was my favorite anyway. I know I'm probably making my wait longer by sticking to 1 color and 1 package but I really like the blue color and I don't want to pay the $2500 for NAV and 6-CD changer or the basic package. Maybe I'll call the dealer and ask them where I am on the list and whether it would help for me to be less picky. I'm afraid he's going to put me at the bottom of the list if I make any changes in my preferences. But this is the first new car that I buy so why not have it be everything I want. I'm not in a hurry, although now that I'm on the waiting list I'm anxious to get it.

Esther

 

I just talked to fleet manager Jerry Rousselle of Broadway Toyota in Portland. He was very helpful in giving me details about their waiting list that may help me assess whether their estimated wait time of 4 months makes sense.

- They have 104 orders in for a Prius
- I am at approx. 72 on the list
- There are 73 dealerships in the area of OR,WA, ID, MT that have 1100 orders in
- They are supposed to get 300 cars a month for the whole area, where Broadway Toyota should get 13-14 cars a month. But right now, they're getting about 6-8. When the ship comes in, all the dealers in the area put the orders in of the people that are at the top of their list and they try to match it up to what's coming in.
- They're now working away people who put their order in on 2nd half of October. He said the 4 month wait could be accurate, but it could also be 6 months. They are supposed to increase production in March, but they also said that in December and instead they got less cars.
- Currently they're putting customer names in a centralized computer system, and they will send out letters shortly apologizing to people for the long wait. Also it allows them to check for people who put their names down on multiple lists. They'll try to encourage people not to do that, so lists don't get cluttered with people who already have their new car.

 

Well, the wait is now two months, so I decided to talk to Jerry Rouselle, Broadway Toyota's fleet manager, again to see how far I'd moved up the list. It turned out I didn't move up too far. I suspect I'm now around nr 65, although he didn't give me an absolute number. Instead he broke it down by color and package for me, which is more useful anyway. There are 4 people in front of me waiting for a Seaside # 7. I asked him if it would make a difference if I was open to more colors and packages but he said no. The #9 is more popular, so that would not make my wait any shorter. Silver is most popular with 15 people in front of me for a silver #7. 3 people in front of me for a Tideland. He said if I was open to white it would be a shorter list, but I absolutely don't want white.

With the slow pace of delivery (they're still delivering to people who ordered end of October) I don't think I'll have my car in 2 months, so I think I'll start calling around to other dealerships in OR/WA that are more out of the way and hope to find my dream car that way.

Esther

 

That IS a roundabout way. Couldn't they have left the car in Portland for you? I'll call them soon, but I want to make sure there's no other dealers closer to Portland that get Prii in and have a short wait.

Esther

 

I've reached the three month wait, and still no car. I emailed Jerry Rouselle of Broadway Toyota today for an update and he responded very promptly. He says:


"We believe that Prius production may be on the rise. Our last couple of Prius allocations have been pretty good sized (6 to 8 ). Your are currently in fourth position for a seaside pearl with your desired equipment configuration. Two of these people are from November and the third is from December.

With the number of people that we have from November and December we think that you still have another two or three months to wait--unless Toyota dramatically increases their production of these very popular Prius models. "


So even though I'm moving up the list, I'm not moving very fast. Plus my '93 Tercel is in for a major repair now, and I'm not sure whether it's worth paying for it. I guess I'd better start calling around to other dealerships now to get me a new Prius soon.

Esther

 

Well, I finally called Victor Alvarado at Moses Lake and he put my name on the list. According to him there are three people on the list and they're getting 4 - 5 cars a month. Still, he said, it may be 1 to 2 months until a car comes in that meets my requirements. I've expanded my options to package #7 or #9 in the colors seaside, tideland, silver, salsa. He was very nice, but the only thing that bothered me was that he said that dealers were adding $1500 to the price because it's such a popular car. He said I could refuse to pay that at which point he would ask the next person on the list. If nobody on the list is willing to pay the extra mark-up he'll come back to me with the price at MSRP. I don't want to pay more than MSRP because I think their profit margins are good enough as is. I hope nobody else on his list will pay for the markup either. I will start calling around to other small dealerships in Oregon and Washington to see if there are more opportunities out there. I'm pretty desperate for getting my new car as soon as possble, as my old car's engine just died and it's not worth fixing. So I'll be carless for a while.

Esther

 

update on wait at Broadway Toyota

I've been waiting for 4 months now, already a month longer than I planned. The last month I've also been carless, because my '93 Tercel died due to lack of oil. I could have gotten an engine transplant, but the cost of repair was more than the car is worth. So now I'm commuting with a friend whenever he is available and with public transport. Yesterday I called my dealer Jerry Rousselle again for an update. He said the end of May shipment was only 3 cars! But now that I've widened my choices, I'm first in line for a Tideland BC. He said he'd know more today as a new shipment was coming in.

My parents are in town visiting from Holland and yesterday we saw a white Prius parked in NW Portland. When we were looking inside, the owner came out of the same bar that we just visited, and opened the car for us and chatted for a bit. Really nice! And today I called Jerry again. He said this time they received more cars, but no Tideland BC. They did get a white one that would go to someone behind me on the list if I didn't take it, and he is trying to see if he can trade it with an other dealer for a car that matches my preferences. Now that's good service! I hope he succeeds so I can get my new car soon, if not I'm hopeful I'll get one in two weeks time.

Esther

 

good news at 4.5 months

Finally after 4.5 months there is good news from my dealer. There is a Tideland #9 that has my name on it. Jerry Rouselle, the fleet manager, tried to see if he could trade it for a #7 with another dealer, so I wouldn't have to pay the extra money for the nav and 6-CD changer, but after thinking it over I feel I deserve all the bells and whistles.

I know that by sticking to Broadway Toyota, I may have waited longer than I had to, but I'm extremely happy with their service. Jerry has been very nice to me every time I called for an update. And he has gone out of his way the past few weeks to get me a car. Plus when I first walked into the dealership they told me they don't do mark-ups (I expect that they will stick to that statement, otherwise I'll stir up some trouble in the store). Anyway, I have to wait a couple more days to get the VIN and the arrival date, but it can't be more than a couple of weeks now. Yay!!

Esther

 

got my VIN!

I got my VIN today. The car is expected to arrive by boat at the Port of Portland on June 25th. This doesn't match with the date the kjb516 mentioned. I wonder why. Anyway, I'm very happy that the end of the wait is in sight. I'm so excited to pick up my new car!

Esther