Should I take the car?

My understanding of the rebate is that it's a coupon that comes directly to you from Toyota if you were in Toyota's database before the first price increase. If you don't have the coupon, you don't have the rebate. Unless this dealer is giving you his own "rebate." Otherwise, you pay $400 (???) more for the '05, and at trade-in time you have a one-year-newer car and presumably a slightly higher book value.

 

Hey!

You may remember me from the post I made about this dealer and everything, which you replied to (plus the name). I actually got offered this one yesterday, but would have to go there immeadiately (work and vacation this weekend didn't permit me to). There's a part of me that thought whether I would take it or not, but I'll probably put a good 7-8 years on it, and by that time model years would mean little, plus I would get a Prius now! If I could, I probably would have taken it.

 

I kind of wonder if all that would be nearly a wash in 10 years.

Would the issue more like be... This car is here now vs maybe one later? Also are you comfortable with the color? Personally I think that blue is very nice.

Dan

 

My story

I think I did place an order after you, but I guess I happened to call at the right time, I guess. He said the same thing, that it was a customer that had dropped the car. Sorry, maybe he was just saying it at the time because I was on the phone with him.

Hope it helps-
Matt

 

Take the car. Always take the car. In the thousands of posts that I've read here I have not seen one that said "Darnit, I wish I had waited."

Start saving money now.

Another Austin Prius owner is a good thing.

If I had to guess, it's already too late, but good luck.

 

You know...

As I was outside trying to get my car to start today for 1 1/2 hours, I really wished I had taken that prius....

 

Get the car!!!

BTW, I would guess there are lots of Austin Prius owners - hardly any here in Houston.

 

I got mine pretty early on. Ordered Nov, got it Jan. I considered waiting: on general theory I feel that it's risky to buy the first model year of anything. But then I reflected that waiting a year would mean one year less of my life enjoying this car. (I didn't know then that waiting a year would have meant waiting two years due to the lengthening wait period.)

So I jumped in and got it, and I'm very happy I did. Get the car as soon as you can, assuming you are happy with the pkg and color. (I got exactly the pkg and color I wanted: blue "AM.")

 

Like Daniel, I worried about possible first model year problems. Unlike him, I stuck to my 'wait and see' plan so I will be waiting 1 to 2 years from the time I first thought seriously about getting one ;-)

The fact that you can get an '04 now for $400 less than an '05 would be a deal maker. It won't make much difference in 8-10 years and what happens if they can't find that Tideland for you until Jan 1? Your tax deduction just decreased making it even more expensive then the '04. Given there is no change between model years, a "last month of production" '04 will have all the incremental fixes they have been making (those which early buyers have gone in to get upgraded). I want a Seaside BC but I'm not going all the way to TN for it. I'll wait.

 

It is a redesign, 3rd generation. The first gen was only in Japan, the "classic" was gen 2. There are some major changes besides the body, all for the good. But with change comes the possibility for 'oops'. Not in the safety sense (although ALL Saturn Vue's are now under recall for a rear axle problem) but things frequently don't shake out with a few test cars and you really need a bunch of people driving vehicles in day to day living to find some of them.

Some people have had a problem when water got to an engine relay, there is now an extra gasket. Most people have issues with the gas gauge and tank filling. There is now a set of replacement parts. That sort of thing. Overall, its the "If I knew then what I know now" thing. Nothing has been enough of a problem that I wouldn't order one last fall

 

I too got the HAPPY CALL that a 2004 Salsa #7 AM model is scheduled to be ready for me at the dealer in a few days.
Ooh the dilemma, NOT!

Think of that $400 dollar savings you will get buying the ‘04 rather than the’05 as a dealer incentive of free gas for the first 10,000 miles!

If you plan on selling the car in the next year or two, then by all means wait. Otherwise, enjoy that first 10,0000 miles with a little larger grin than the ‘05 buyers.

($400 / $2 gallon x 50mpg = 10,000 miles)

 

Hey, patrick: your user name is not going to make any sense after you get your car!

 

Unfortunately, the username will still apropos. Me being a work at home type, it makes more sense for my wife to use the Prius as a commute car.

She has said many times that she would have been happy with another Corolla.
Ack . . .but . . . but . . . Aaaaaggggghhh! . . . she just doesn’t get it MAN! :? :roll: :x

“Is it safe and reliable? Will it get me from point A to B?†As far as she is concerned, it could even come with a perpetual motion motor in it - all she is cares about is . . . safe, reliable, A to B. Anything else is boyporn.

“Boyporn". Noun.

• 
  Yep, I’ll still be Sufferin’ Prius Envy every time she drives off to work - knowing my beloved Prii is with someone who couldn’t care less!

 

There's been discussion and perhaps some controversy over whether the plural of Prius should be Prius, Priuses, or Prii (I say there's no right or wrong, English being what it is you can take your pick). But you are the only one I've ever seen to consistently use "Prii" as the singular. Just an observation.