What do you think?

Yeah, it's typical SE Toyota Region and typical car dealer BS>
Tell them that doesn't suit you. Find another dealer. Buy a Honda. Don't take it.
Everyone that pays over MSRP is just fueling the fire.

 

TOYOGUARD and mats are NOT mandatory! :angry: Thats just the dealer's way of telling you "we want more profit margin". My dealer, also in the SE area, has guaranteed me that the 2006 will NOT have Toyoguard or mats installed. In fact, they have a 2006 Package #3, Driftwood Pearl, in stock RIGHT NOW without any options:
MSRP
Base $21,725
Options $1,495
Del, Proc & Hndlg $635

Total $23,855

Just let them know, in no uncertain terms, that you are willing to shop outside your area for a SE dealer who will give you EXACTLY the car you want, without all the expensive trimmings you don't want, and at MSRP. BTW, ALL 8 packages show up whenever I build a 2006 Prius in my zipcode, unlike when I was trying other zipcodes, which would seem to indicate an SE dealer can get you ANY package you want.
Jeff O.
Hobe Sound, FL

 

What's Toyoguard?

 

Exactly what many SE Region dealers are NOTORIOUS for.

You didn't say, but when you agreed to go for the '06 instead of the '05, did the "MSRP" slide up to cover the $490 increase? I assume it did.

In any case, I'd suggest getting a quote from a dealer in the region just north of you (VA, I think) at MSRP with no add-ons. If you can't use that to leverage your dealer, get your money back and BUY it in another state.

Someone should show these bozos in SE they can't just keep getting away with their schtick (and I'm sure some have stood up to them). They've carved out their own little Toyota, Jr. Empire. I'd make a call to Toyota, too.

 

Again though, not ALL SE dealers play that game, at least not 100%. Everytime I've checked my dealer's inventories, about 1/3 of their cars DON'T have the TOYOGUARD and mats. They have repeatedly assured me that they will NOT force those options on me. As I pointed out above, of the two 2006 Prii in stock, one HAS those options, and one does not. So, they're 50/50 at this point!
Time will tell though........

 

Same here. Apparently since the SE has been offering leather as a port option for quite a while, they are going to keep doing that and focus on getting the factory leather to the regions that didn't ever have it as an option.

As for the Toyoguard, good luck getting it without. That is pretty much a standard port installed option for EVERY Toyota that gets to the SE. I've told my dealer that I don't want it either, but I don't have high hopes of that coming true. At least I'll be the first one to get an '06 here.

 

Why were you willing to keep trying to do business with a dealer that had already expressed a strong desire to screw you? I would get far away from that dealer as quickly as I could.

 

Visit the Consumer Reports website and read their excellent advice on car buying: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home.htm

I did all my shopping by phone, did rounds of bidding by fax, and got one for less than MSRP. I did wait six months for delivery, and, of course, Your Mileage May Vary.

 

For the fun of it, I checked the inventories at both Courtesy Toyota of Bradenton, and Stadium Toyota in Tampa. Of the 3 2006 Prii available at Courtesy, 2 had Toyoguard, and 1 did not.
At Stadium Toyota, they show 7 2006 Prii available, 5 with Toyoguard, and 2 without. But, the 2 without Toyoguard did have $209 mats and other options added to pad the bill.
It seems to me that it would be more likely to get Courtesy to sell you one with exactly the options you asked for.

 

I've already checked, the only car with the package and color combinatin is the one coming to Kuhn-Morgan. Courtesy has a packaeg #7, but it's red. Stadium Toyota is forever off my list of places to shop. I wouldn't go there if they offered me the exact car I wanted even if they gave me thousands off the MSRP and even threw in an extended warranty.

I prefer simplicity most of the time. Kuhn-Morgan has my deposit, they have my car. If it comes down to the stupid ToyoGuard package, I'll just negotiate the price down somewhere else. No one can ever MAKE you buy a car, so if things don't turn out to my satisfaction, then I'll just walk, or wait for the correct car. I'd like to get it sooner rather than later, but I'm not in any sort of critical hurry. My current car is a bit of a gas hog, but it still runs flawlessly. I could easily drive it for years.

 

Good question! I've heard everything from nothing more than some sort of environmental coating applied to the wheel wells to a full "protection package", including rustproofing, paint sealant, interior protection, VIN etching, etc.

Only your friendly SE Toyota Distributor knows for sure.

 

BS & $$$$$$$