We decided to buy TWO Priuses after test-driving yesterday..

Wow, that's the way to step up. I have to admit, with two in your sphere, I have Prius envy.

 

I'm also in San Antonio, I'd like to see your 2 new Prii when you get them. I got my 2006 when I was in Utah, it's a pkg #8 which is the same as a 2007 pkg #6, and I got it for about 27,380 which was about 2,000 under MSRP (plus the 3,150 tax credit). It sounds like you are doing very well in your negotiations and have your mind set on a very good target price. Now that Toyota is offering the discounts on the Prius and production is finally meeting the damand you should be able to get what you want. Good luck!

 

i think you both will be very happy with your decisions. my purchase decision that i made 3½ years ago is the best car decision i have ever made. when my 04 was totaled, it never even crossed my mind to consider a different car. to me, it was the Prius and there was no second choice.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pola @ May 12 2007, 08:43 AM) [snapback]440540[/snapback]</div>

Pola, in negotiations you need to start low as the salesman will start high. Somewhere both of you will agree on a price everyone can live with. Find the invoice price for the cars you want and start from there as the salesman will start at MSRP. Let him know that you know what the car invoices for and what the dealer paid for it and that you are shopping around. www.carbuyingtips.com can direct you to pricing sites. Get the MSRP from www.toyota.com. Let everyone know exactly what you want and that you are shopping around. After you buy your car the dealer should offer you a referral fee. If you can't get it on the same day buy the second car on another day. Ask if the dealer gives a discount on parts and accessories after the sale. If so, either get that discount on the mats at the time of sale or buy them later. (I mention this because in 2006 mats did not come with the car, they were extras.) Talk trade in after the Prius price is settled. Unless you are offering an unreasonable price someone will be willing to find or order the car you want. Happy hunting.

The Prius, so far, seems to be safe. If you look for the collision threads you will find that no one has been injured. The trade off is that the car absorbs the impact which results in more damage. I don't intend to speak for those involved but I believe that if one has a choice between more damage to the car or more damage to the occupant one would choose more damage to the car.

 

i find the car to be very safe. although my 04 was totaled, the impact was minor. a truck turned in front of us, i saw it and came within an inch of avoiding him completely. but unfortunately that inch was all it took. it completely destroyed the entire left side of the vehicle.

the impact to the passenger cabin was so minor that my SO who was napping in the front seat had heard the accident but did not realize it was us that was hit until she exited the car (i could not because my door would not open!)

i posted a thread about when it happened and one thing that was touched on very lightly but the resale value of your car will be greater than any Civic you could have purchased and the higher gas gets, the better it will be, and my proof. my 04 pkg #1, i paid $22,600 for it. that was taxes, title, license etc... out the door price. i drove it 25 months, put nearly 30,000 miles on it. it was totaled. the other insurance company paid for my rental car for 3½ weeks and cut me a check for $23,800!!.

that allowed me to upgrade to an 06 pkg 4 for about $1700... that would include 25 months "free" rental of my previous usage of the 04... pretty cool...

 

I just want to know, is it true that the Prius is bigger in Texas?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ May 12 2007, 09:53 PM) [snapback]440782[/snapback]</div>

Who is your insurance with??? I doubt Geico would give that much of an Allowance. I am Insurance Shopping now.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoMoShocks @ May 12 2007, 11:57 PM) [snapback]440955[/snapback]</div>

Nah.
With their higher percentage of trucks, Prii are relatively smaller in Texas. :lol: :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmaybe @ May 13 2007, 12:04 AM) [snapback]440958[/snapback]</div>

"my" insurance company did not pay me a dime. the other insurance company was USAA.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmaybe @ May 13 2007, 12:04 AM) [snapback]440958[/snapback]</div>

USAA was the other guys insurer.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ May 13 2007, 03:23 AM) [snapback]440960[/snapback]</div>

You mean, they don't bolt on lift kits and mud tires to the Prii in Tx? Shame shame, I guess not everything is bigger in Tx after all :lol:

Seriously, though, pola, if you're wondering about size and safety, the Prius is a fairly decent-sized car for its class, comparable in size to an Audi A4, Ford Focus sedan or a Mazda 3 sedan. I didn't notice how big the Prius actually is until I saw it parked next to a Ford Probe - it dwarfed the Probe!

Or, for reference, here it is next to a Fiat 500:


(Found this one doing a Google image search)