[Peking DUck]

Having not bought a new car in 15 years what add ons should I expect to see the dealer put on the P&S and what, if any, are fair? I got on the wait list at one dealer (11 months) when another called me and told me one would be available at the end of next week. The very brief phone call consisted of me asking if it would be MSRP which he confirmed it was and then he took my credit card for a deposit (yes I probably should have asked a couple of more questions but figure I would check here first before calling back)

 

[Daniel]

A document handling fee is customary. Mine was $159. That was on the low side. There should be no other add-ons. The dealer gets to ask you if you'd like all the worthless stuff like fabric protection, undercoating, extended warranty, etc., etc., etc., which are pure profit for him and serve no purpose whatsoever, and you get to politely say No, thank you.

A few dealers claim that this or that add-on was "added at the port" and he "cannot" take them off. This is bull, and at that point you just have to decide if the car is worth the extra cost.

I'd recommend getting floor mats and mud guards, though. The genuine Toyota ones are nice, if you don't need to cut costs. If you do, you can get aftermarket ones cheaper.

 

[michaelplevy]

Do you think the extended warranty is really worthless for the Prius? My dealer sold me the car and never once tried to sell me an extended warranty (it was a nice surprise). But, I'm thinking about going back to buy one. Since the prius has such unique technology, I don't think I'll be comfortable going to other mechanics - even when I have over 36K miles. Since I think I'm going to be bound to Toyota for service, I was thinking the extended warranty might be a good insurance policy.

I thought I read on http://john1701a.com/ that you could get the extended warranty for about $1000 (though John says he didn't buy one - http://john1701a.com/prius/prius-log130.htm).

 

[Saruman]

I bought it because I like the peace of mind past 36,000 that I will not have to pay for a new backlight in the MFD (its a laptop really) or a new computer chip that burns out (it gets hot under the hood and very cold sometimes... imagine a laptop processor withstanding that daily?


My school had 23,000 laptops in use and they need new screens all the time... and its $600 for the replacement.

I bought the platinum package from Troy Dietrich in Mass. at Toyota of Greenfield...after reading about him on this board. Paid $985.

 

[Daniel]

All the hybrid components (including the battery) are warrantied for 8 years or 100,000 miles (longer in some states) and for the rest, it's Toyota quality.

Insurance is hedging your bets by betting against yourself. In my opinion, the risk vs cost does not justify the extended warranty. But on the other hand, I'll only keep this car until the next major model revision comes out, when I expect technological advances great enough that I'll want the new stuff. And if I do have an out-of-warranty repair, I can afford to pay for it.

Everything you read on john1701a's web site is reliable. Yes, some dealers sell the warranty for much less than others, and you can buy it anywhere. The fact that John didn't buy the extended warranty tells you his opinion of it.

 

[john1701a]

> Everything you read on john1701a's web site is reliable

Unfortunately, it is not consistent. Both prices & experiences at other dealers can be quite different.

And to further complicate matters, it usually changes over time. So even at the same place things can happen differently later.

As for buying an extended warranty, I see no need. Extensive research of the design and personal experiences inform me that it isn't much of a gamble... especially compared to the vehicle repair crap I had to deal with before I bought my first Prius.

I do feel comfortable taking a mild gamble though. Some people will get far more from their first hybrid experience with the confidence of knowing they will be covered should something happen.

To help put things into perspective, ask yourself... How many people purchase an extended warranty for a Corolla or Camry?

 

[ym4949]

Peking Duck,
What does P&S stand for?

 

[toyotrever]

Some add ons really ARE port installed that cannot be removed. If you live in the south east, TOYOguard is port installed, and with the laser etched window and undercarriage coating(that does do alot for the car like a softer and much much quieter ride), cannot be removed unless you replace all of the glass and take a chisel to the undercarriage. Something like a sunroof deflector or aftermarket wheels can be replaced and will be if you push the dealer hard enough.

 

[Phoenix]

Unwanted Options in New Cars

If there were extra cars on dealer lots like when we bought our 1998 Camry and in 2002 when we got our classic Prius, you just tell the dealer to take the unwanted options off; because your aren't going to pay for them. We got several options free on both cars, because they wanted to move the cars.

Unfortunately, the Prius is in high demand; and if you really want one bad enough, you may have to pay for stuff you don't want or need.

When the classic Prius' first came out, they were in short supply; and the buying situation was the same as now. In a year or two, supply caught up with demand; and we were able to bargain with the salesman to get a better deal.

In 2002, we had our pick of eight Prius' and paid $750 below sticker. Also, we told them to remove a CD player if they wanted to; because we didn't want it and weren't going to pay it. They left it in at no cost, and they threw in the factory floor mats, too.

There was also an extra $600 charge for "dealer servicing" and "paint protection", and we told them that this was fluff and we weren't going to pay these charges. They took these off, too.

So, if you want to save money; wait. Or, pay the price and enjoy it now. I guess that is a decision each individual has to make for themself.

 

[Daniel]

Re: Unwanted Options in New Cars

... So, if you want to save money; wait. Or, pay the price and enjoy it now. I guess that is a decision each individual has to make for themself.

Yep. Supply and demand. Wait for supply to catch up with demand, or pay to enjoy your new toy sooner. Vegas1 is reporting reduced waiting times already in CA. Maybe in a year you'll be able to bargain down below MSRP. I'm just glad I got mine before the waiting times got really excessive or dealers began charging over MSRP. (What I "paid" for that was the uncertainty of not knowing if serious problems would show up in the early production cars.)