UPDATED So, I put a deposit down on a touring and we're going on Sunday

GoEco · Apr 21, 2007

Not so much on the negotiation factor, but on the test drive.

It's a Touring Package 6. Is this worth it over the regular package 6? The last salesperson said there was a spoiler on the touring (& I'm a sucker for anything that will make this different than the other 100 prii I see) but I can't seem to find evidence of that. Are the wheels significantly better for the handling? Salespeople seem to be saying finding a touring edition is hard to do, though I've found two exactly like I want and more in other colors in the last week so are they just feeding us lines?

Anything else?

Thanks for sharing your wealth of information! This website is great!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
So over a month and 4 dealership visits later, it's on it's way home!! Thanks everyone for your help. The only thing that kept dragging on was our trade-in and we finally figured out today the original offer was the best. My BARCELONA RED Package #6 is heading home with my husband and son as we speak! After yet another misleading visit earlier today by the time they got there it was too late for myself & our baby to come along, as well as too late for service to do the prep work so we are headed back tomorrow. I'm so excited!

Thanks again everyone...I'm sure now I'll never be able to shut up on this board, now.

Now, off to start my prius shopping list:
dark rear tinting
BT Plate
Hood for the Screen
2 Mini Prii for the kidlets

what else?

Oops: Edited to add I forgot the all important price information...INVOICE! We got it for Invoice. If anyone in SoCal needs a dealer/salesteam be sure to contact me b/c I've got one for you. B)

NoMoShocks · Apr 21, 2007

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GoEco @ Apr 20 2007, 10:47 PM) [snapback]427216[/snapback]</div>

Not so much on the negotiation factor, but on the test drive.

It's a Touring Package 6. Is this worth it over the regular package 6? The last salesperson said there was a spoiler on the touring (& I'm a sucker for anything that will make this different than the other 100 prii I see) but I can't seem to find evidence of that. Are the wheels significantly better for the handling? Salespeople seem to be saying finding a touring edition is hard to do, though I've found two exactly like I want and more in other colors in the last week so are they just feeding us lines?

Anything else?

Thanks for sharing your wealth of information! This website is great!
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The spoiler they are talking about is the bar between the two back windows. On the Touring model, it is a little larger, but I don't think it is all that apparent without comparing them side by side. If I had it to do over again, I think I might go for the Touring, but I am pretty happy with cloth seats, and They don't have Touring Package 5 in my area.

GoEco · Apr 21, 2007

Thanks, I'll check it out when I'm there in the prii groves.

The leather vs. cloth thing is a huge struggle for me (leftie tree-hugger animal-lover and all). I actually DIDN'T buy a highlander hybrid last year b/c I couldn't get NAV w/out leather. It's almost funny to me now a gazillion dollars in gasoline later. Almost.

Betelgeuse · Apr 21, 2007

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GoEco @ Apr 21 2007, 01:00 AM) [snapback]427218[/snapback]</div>

Thanks, I'll check it out when I'm there in the prii groves.

The leather vs. cloth thing is a huge struggle for me (leftie tree-hugger animal-lover and all). I actually DIDN'T buy a highlander hybrid last year b/c I couldn't get NAV w/out leather. It's almost funny to me now a gazillion dollars in gasoline later. Almost.
[/b]
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I thought I read that the leather in the Prius is some sort of fake leather. Can anyone else confirm this, or am I out of my mind?

freke70 · Apr 21, 2007

Hey, I'm a Toyota salesperson and Prius owner of course. Lately it seems that around my area, Touring package 6s are hard to come by. But, really, not super rare if you consider what's available. If you've never driven the prius before, it's pretty simple to get used to them. The touring edition is better, though. The wheels make a difference, the suspension is tuned a little better (I don't know exactly what is tuned, though), and you get some new chrome accents, too. Really, you're gonna enjoy the car. As far as negotiations go, which you're not really concerned about...I sold a Toyota at invoice yesterday to keep a customer from buying from the guy down the road.

I wish more people would consider car buying like tipping at a restaurant. If you refuse to buy a car until you get it at or below invoice, it's like leaving a one penny tip for the waiter. By all means, if you think the salesperson is bad at his job, talk them down like there's no tomorrow. You'll eventually get near or at invoice price.

My situation yesterday didn't leave me too bitter, though, because I'm new at this, and I just want to generate a solid customer base...and one of them is coming back next week about a Camry Hybrid, so...

Anyways, good luck, enjoy your new Prius!

donee · Apr 21, 2007

Hi GoEco,

See if the dealership will do an alignment check on the car before you take delivery. There have been several PC threads where people had squirelly no-wind highway tracking problems. These were traced to poor alignment or bent rear axles.

GoEco · Apr 21, 2007

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donee @ Apr 21 2007, 04:25 AM) [snapback]427245[/snapback]</div>

See if the dealership will do an alignment check on the car before you take delivery. There have been several PC threads where people had squirelly no-wind highway tracking problems. These were traced to poor alignment or bent rear axles.
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Ah yes! Thank you. I knew I was forgetting something.

Any other tips?

Thanks for the inside input freke70. I don't know how it is in GA, but here it seems like all the Internet sales groups are offering the same prices (within $100) which is very close to the Costco fleet prices which all see quite fair. So we know what we're getting walking in. It will be the trade-in where negotiations lie.

rigormortis · Apr 21, 2007

Ah yes! Thank you. I knew I was forgetting something.

Any other tips?

refuse the maintaince agreement and the extended warranty. you can purchase them here. look
for the stickies. the guys name is troi dietrich. he sells the same toyota maintaince agreement
and extended warranties that the dealer will try and sell you. its a much cheaper deal.

im not sure what troi charges for the maintance, but the warranty is 980.00 for 100k miles
with zero deductible. when i was buying my touring, the dealer wanted 1999.00 for a $50 deductible
but when i told him no he said he could price it down to 1650, no thanks

i tried to tell the guy over and over that i can get it from any toyota dealer but he said i was
making a mistake. i almost stormed out didnt buy the car

theres a lot of other extras the dealer will try and sell you also

1) lojack ( i was quoted 900 - 1000). lo jack will come to your house and install it while you wait
for $650. i havent gotten a lo jack yet. probably dont need it with the engine immoblizier
2) glass breakage sensor (150 - 250 is reasonable) i guess. the prius comes with an alarm system
but its not enabled. if you get the glass breakage sensor u can have them turn on the alarm system
but u can also have them turn it on without buying the sensor too. i never had my alarm turned
on because that dealer was so much a jerk
3) vin etching or window etching - refuse

the touring also comes with alloy rims u can take off the hubcaps if u want

the maintaince agreement also comes with toyota roadside service.

try and get the maintaince agreement if all possible priced to 600-800.00 (( i paid 1250 )) because
the prius doeesnt need a lot of maintaince besides rotating tires, oil changes every 5000 miles
and a couple air filters down the road

the limit on the extended warranty is 3 years 36k miles you have to activate it before that period
so you are no hurry. do not let the dealer pressure you or hard sell you. if he is too much of a jerk
trying to hardball you into getting it, walk out

the limit on the maintaince agreement i have no idea. i heard you have to get it under 6k miles
but im not sure on that one
Click to expand...

NoMoShocks · Apr 22, 2007

For some reason, I am up 4:30 Sunday morning and see today is your day. Were you able to sleep last night?

Best of luck today. As for the maintenance agreement, I think you should pass on that. I thought about buying it here at Priuschat, because my dealer wanted $2500 and it is about $800 here for the same thing. Then I called the dealer and asked the service department about the regular services and prices needed over 36000 miles and guess what, they come to around $600.

Remember, the Finance Manager you talk to after you agree on the price is the highest paid sales guy there. He will try hard to sell you all the extras at an inflated price.

As for the new car salesman who compares savy car buyers to those who leave a 1 penny tip, I can understand your pain. I thinkg it would be better for all if a car pricing could be more like a jar of applesauce at the grocery store. Here is the price, do you want it or not? I was happy with my dealer for telling me what they could do and getting me out within about 1.5 hours, but since then, others have paid much less than me. I know that the reson car dealers are able to sell a car near or under invoice is because of volume incentives and kickbacks, and if none of those incentives make their way to the sales guy, that is too bad. I wish the sales people were paid a salary so that their focus could be on helping customers find the right car and answering all their questions honestly.

Be sure to post here what you end up getting. Think Green! Pine Mica Green that is.

priusFTW · Apr 22, 2007

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GoEco @ Apr 21 2007, 01:47 AM) [snapback]427216[/snapback]</div>

Not so much on the negotiation factor, but on the test drive.

It's a Touring Package 6. Is this worth it over the regular package 6? The last salesperson said there was a spoiler on the touring (& I'm a sucker for anything that will make this different than the other 100 prii I see) but I can't seem to find evidence of that. Are the wheels significantly better for the handling? Salespeople seem to be saying finding a touring edition is hard to do, though I've found two exactly like I want and more in other colors in the last week so are they just feeding us lines?

Anything else?

Thanks for sharing your wealth of information! This website is great!
[/b]
Click to expand...

Wow! How exciting! Congratulations! The others here gave you some very good tips. I'm sure you will be very happy with your decision. I don't regret my purchase in the least, infact I would buy another. Goodluck today!

GoEco · Apr 22, 2007

Thanks everyone! Leaving soon. Now I'm back to waivoring on the leather or not (perforated with kids? Sounds worse than cloth - no?). They're going to hate me. LOL.

I'm wondering if they'll give me anything special for Earth Day, too!

GoEco · May 27, 2007

<div align="center">~~ Added my Happy Update to the OP. ~~</div>

desertbriez · May 27, 2007

am i the only one that HATED the way the touring drove? :huh: waaaaaaaaaaaaay to rough.... i feld EVERY little bump i the road! and to think... they charge more for that? ICK!

Godiva · May 27, 2007

You might consider adding the mudflaps and either a clear bar or a hood deflector to your list.

Don't buy any dealer add ons, especially etching, lojack, any sort of paint treatment of any sort whether it's for sound deadening, rust prevention or 'super better than wax'. Unless they can meet or beat Troy on the extended warranty, don't buy that either.

My best mods were:
1. BT plate
2. mudflaps
3. Priushoods MFD shade
4. hood deflector
5. bumper protector
6. back-up beeper
7. Wheelskins leather cover for steering wheel.
8. Dashmat

desertbriez · May 27, 2007

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ May 26 2007, 10:19 PM) [snapback]450690[/snapback]</div>

You might consider adding the mudflaps and either a clear bar or a hood deflector to your list.

Don't buy any dealer add ons, especially etching, lojack, any sort of paint treatment of any sort whether it's for sound deadening, rust prevention or 'super better than wax'. Unless they can meet or beat Troy on the extended warranty, don't buy that either.

My best mods were:
1. BT plate
2. mudflaps
3. Priushoods MFD shade
4. hood deflector
5. bumper protector
6. back-up beeper
7. Wheelskins leather cover for steering wheel.
8. Dashmat
[/b]
Click to expand...

can you post a pic of the dashmat in your car, please! thanx!

UPDATED So, I put a deposit down on a touring and we're going on Sunday

GoEco Red Prii Rule

NoMoShocks Electrical Engineer

GoEco Red Prii Rule

Betelgeuse Active Member

freke70 Salesman

donee New Member

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rigormortis Active Member

NoMoShocks Electrical Engineer

priusFTW Gen III JBL non Nav

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**UPDATED** So, I put a deposit down on a touring and we're going on Sunday

GoEco Red Prii Rule

NoMoShocks Electrical Engineer

GoEco Red Prii Rule

Betelgeuse Active Member

freke70 Salesman

donee New Member

GoEco Red Prii Rule

rigormortis Active Member

NoMoShocks Electrical Engineer

priusFTW Gen III JBL non Nav

GoEco Red Prii Rule

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desertbriez New Member

UPDATED So, I put a deposit down on a touring and we're going on Sunday