[Pebble Beach]

Thats what someone told me. They were at Toyota and were told that people placing orders on the Prius now are being told it will be AT LEAST a year wait. WOW.

 

[Riffraft]

It doesn't have to be a year!

Well I got my Prius about a week ago and I waited a grand total of 12 days from the point when I started searching. I admit in my case there was luck involved, but even without the person in Barstow deciding after waiting 3 months that they didn't want the car I had one lined up with no longer then a 6 week wait in North Carolina. I don't have much patience so when I was being told by my locale Car Dealers that it would be between 3 and 6 months I got on the phone and starting calling every Toyota dealer in California and the surrounding states. Some insisted that I leave a deposit, but a lot were willing to take my name call me back if they had one available (that's how I got the one in Barstow, CA). Then I started calling Toyota dealerships across the country. I found one in NC that has been allotted 48 of them and they have hardly anyone on their waiting list. He said he could get me one in about 6 weeks, but only after a week he called me back and offered me one. Unfortunately, it was Option package #7 and that made the price a little to steep for my blood. Sorry I can't remember the dealership name, but the contact persons name was Zid. You might try a quick search on the Toyota website under Dealer locater. I also know it was a very new dealership that just opened a short time ago by a person who also owns a Toyota dealership in Florida.

 

[TCBRT]

My wait was 3 months, the dealer told us yesterday when we picked the car up that the current wait was 6 months. On the other hand, a friend in Vermont says she walked into the dealership and drove one out. Don't know if she was lucky, or that is the norm. I'm getting the idea from the postings that the wait may be region dependent. If so, I wonder why.

 

[Holicow]

call Hoss, he has one for ya, podner... :wink:

 

[whatshisname]

Hey Pebble. Surely you must have noticed that many buyers wait only short periods. I don't understand why anyone should have to wait as long as one year when the Lexus hybrid will be available at the end of this year and the Highlander hybrid becomes availabe in early 2005. I think if I were a dealer with a whole lot of different models to sell, I think maybe I'd tell you about a year of waiting and perhaps sell you one of the other models. :wink:

 

[Pebble Beach]

Appreciate all the responses. Just to clarify this had nothing to do with me. A friend was at a Toyota picking up their new car (not a Prius) and asked about it. Cant think there was any reason for the saleperson to lie since he already had a sale.

As for me, I ordered three months ago and was told up front it would likely be a 6 month wait which is fine with me. It it turns out to be longer I will consider just waiting for the 2005 model assuming I can get to the front of the line.

 

[Jerry P]

There is now a message on the Toyota Prius site apologizing for the wait and Toyota says they hope to address the shortage issue in the spring. At least they are admitting the problem and trying to resolve it.