[Holicow]

Sorry if this is old info to you, but it's new to me. Since there are evidently no new ones on the face of the earth, the dealers I have talked have told me different things and I would like to hear what other folks are being told.

One dealer told me it would be over a year before I could get one, but he said their waiting list is long because they selling with a discount. (This, however, does not guarantee a dicount when your car actually finally arrives). And why would anyone want a car from the previous model year when the new ones would presumably be available? Or perhaps not?

Other dealers say 4-6 months....

My local dealer has a waiting list (who doesn't) and they say they expect availability by March or so....They are very big.

They are also charging $1k above MSRP.

Anyone else?

 

[talleyho]

My Order Info

I "ordered" on 11/7 from a dealer in O'Fallon, Illinois (St. Louis metro area) which actually falls under the Chicago region as far as Toyota is concerned. I purchased at MSRP with $300 in oil changes included. I was called today and told that I might receive my vehicle this week. Previously was told to expect "possible" delivery before Christmas.

 

[oldfox]

FOR THOSE WAITING.....

HOLICOW: I live in Hendersonville, NC Unable to find a town called Rye Cheer on the map (Not sure there is such a place) So don't know how much help I can be but...

I ordered my Salsa in mid September. Was #1 on the allocation list. Car will be here this Thursday. As you probably know we in the SE Region don't "Order" a Prius - just wait for whatever is allocated to arrive and either accept it or not. Dealers don't much care since they can have the car sold in 10 minutes. All dealers in NC have fairly long waiting lists so a wait of 4-6 months does not sound unreasonable.

Guess if I had to waist until June or July I would consider waiting for the 2005. However, we can probably expect a big price increase for the 05.

 

[Henry]

Holicow is pulling our legs. Fortunately I lived in Nawth C'lina for four years way back when, so I can translate for the group. "Rye cheer" is North Carolinese for "Right Here." Of course it also means something else as it stands (and sounds like a lot of fun, too!).

Other examples of this picturesque regional speech include "Gaow Tah Hee-uls" (Go Tar Heels), "erl" (oil), and "Sheeee-*t (bleep). Up here in Penn's Woods it makes us awful "ferhuddelt" (PA Dutch for "confused").

Henry

 

[rocketman7]

The dealer told me 2-4 months but didn't clarify the availability. I emailed Toyota with this question:

I was reading on the priusonline.com website that Toyota doesn't really take 'orders' for cars. Additionally, it was stated that color selection doesn't leave the dealership and that vehicles are sent to the dealers in a nonspecific (i.e. random) manner. Can you please confirm/deny or at least 'clear the air' as to vehicle 'ordering'?

and this was their response:

Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We appreciate your interest in TOYOTA.

Toyota did offer an early-adopter program which allowed 1st generation Prius owners to be placed on a list to have the option of purchasing a Prius before other retail customers in their market area.

We apologize; we are not equipped to take special orders for specific vehicles. Vehicle allocation is based on the geographical area in which they are marketed. Toyota dealerships and distributors are prepared to take your request and make every attempt to obtain the desired vehicle.

If the dealership is unable to locate the vehicle of choice, they may submit a preference request for your desired vehicle. This preference request does not guarantee you will receive the vehicle with the exact options requested, and may create an extended wait-time.

We encourage you to contact the Customer Relations Manager at your local Toyota dealership for further assistance.

Maybe I should have gone more mainstream on my 'order'. Anyway, when/if I do get it I'll post an update.

 

[Holicow]

Well, I placed my "order" today with my local dealer, and I am lucky #14 on THE LIST. I requested option package 7, but will accept 2,3,5 or 6--anything with side/head curtain airbags. Hopefully the wide range may speed up the process. The salesman said I would actually be ordering a specific car, but I don't think so. I also don't think he was consciously lying, just didn't know...

No one knows when they will get cars, and act like they are surprised when they show up. Why is the distribution system so nebulous? Orrrr is it?

oldfox: what is the list like in Hendersonville? Are they actually getting any?

Henry: you nailed it. Just a play on the local vernack... I actually live in Winston-Salem, emphysema capital of the civilized world. Oh, well, keeps me in business, at least... :wink:

 

[veggivet]

I was at my dealer on Saturday to check out their December allocation- one white Prius with package 6. I passed on it. Dealer says I will stay on top of the list. I asked him what he was telling customers who were inquiring about the Prius now. He said, "I don't know what to tell them at this point".
Talk about leaving customers in the lurch!!

 

[Holicow]

Well the saga continues....

I called pretty much all the dealers in an 80 or so mile radius. I am now #3 on the list of another area dealer that might actually get to me in the next month...

They also will not charge above sticker, unlike some around who are marking up by 2 grand now. I wonder what HQ thinks about that, or if they care about the gouging. It's not great PR for their innovation.

How frustrating. I find a car that suits me well, spend the time and money to rent one to make sure, and then I can't buy one.

:roll:

 

[oldfox]

HOLICOW: Guess thats what I get for trying to really provide some help!!

H"Ville lists are about the same as they are in Rye Cheer!

 

[Holicow]

HOLICOW: Guess thats what I get for trying to really provide some help!!

H"Ville lists are about the same as they are in Rye Cheer!

Please, I need all the help I can get.

"Pssst...hey fella, can I interest ya in a Prius?"

 

[patrickg]

Holicow, As it was explained to me, it is most likely due to the sales situation (high demand low supply) that Toyota will not make much if any changes for the '05 model (except maybe price) and that at some point in their production stream the VIN's being installed will change to reflect '05 vice '04 but the cars will be otherwise indistinguishable.

The longer you anticipate keeping the car the less a late '04 vs early '05 decision matters. For example, if you were to keep the car for a short period, say only 6 months then perhaps there would be a significant value in waiting a few more months to get the '05 VIN. On the other hand if you intend to keep tha car a long time, say, as long as it is safe, reliable, and economical to operate/maintain, then waiting for the '05 is of essentially no value to you except and unless you are into numerology and odd vs even in the year of manufacture is important to you.

What have I heard from dealers? Mine says that they are free to charge what the market will bear but in my contact's tenure he has never seen this dealership sell above MSRP.

My personal take is that there are dealers out there with more integrity that the scum-profiteer-gougers and that those are the dealers to patronize even if the wait could be a little longer (though it may not be.) Only my extreme bashfullness prevents me from more completely and accurately characterizing those A$$E$. Those gougers should be in a situation where their house and their sales manager's house is on fire and the first responding emergency crew, instead of setting up lines and hosing everythign down, sets up a small podium with a gavel and begins to auction off the scarce fire fighting capability to the highest bidder with a reserve of $1 to $2K.

Pat

 

[greenmachine]

I ordered my Silver package #9 on 10/18 and passed on a Black #6, a Blue #7, and last week a Gold #9. Must admit it was hard to pass but I want Silver and I'm 1st on the waiting list here in Central CA (pollution central)! Dealer has been very helpful and has been in touch with me on the list and where I'm at. Interesting that he couldn't do a dealer trade for the gold and swap it for the silver. I really wanted to take advantage of the extra $500 tax credit if you take delivery this year. Oh well, I'm really picky and when I get my Silver BC I will be one happy camper!

 

[oldfox]

HOLICOW: Well....OK Bryan Easler in H'Ville has a waiting list in excess of 20 and in talking with the manager I learned that they are not even taking anymore names for their waiting list.

A couple of weeks ago I called all around NC and SC, and a few dealers in GA. They all said the same thing. Lots of people waiting, would be happy to put me on the list but may end of 04 or even 05 before they could get me one.

The good news is I picked up my Salsa Red from Bryan Easler on the 15th three days earlier than expected. Of course I did not get a call that it was in, just drove around the lot and there it was so went to the manager (My salesman had taken the day off without calling me)

This is one awsome car. Really like the stealth mode, handles well and fairly quiet - certainly more than my Explorer.

Good Luck!

 

[patrickg]

Is it just me, or doesn't it seem that more cars are already showing up. Not that there is a better buyer to available car ratio as demand may have grown even faster than the supply but it seems like there is more supply.

Pat

 

[Mabosa]

For those waiting:

I gave my dealer (small town upstate NY) a written letter detailing the various color and options packages I'd prefer. Having gone through this sort of thing before years ago, I realize the likely gap between my 'choices' and their 'availability' - i.e. - you get offered what the dealer gets in. While at the dealer last week (having current car serviced), sales manager said that I'm # 17 on 'the list', and so far they've received 3 cars thru end-November. Likely I'll have my turn at-bat in late spring, possibly later.

What I don't understand: the dealerships in my area all have 04 Prius available as 'fleet rentals'. Each dealer is more than willing to rent one for a week, yet they all cry about the long wait for sales allocations, etc. What's up with that?

 

[patrickg]

Re: For those waiting:

What I don't understand: the dealerships in my area all have 04 Prius available as 'fleet rentals'. Each dealer is more than willing to rent one for a week, yet they all cry about the long wait for sales allocations, etc. What's up with that?

The dealers are sent those rental cars by Toyota, not as part of their "regular" allocation but earmarked as rentals. They are prohibited from selling those cars for a specified period of time. I am a bit leary of buying one and turned down exactly the color and package I wanted because it was a rental. I have seen how folks drive demos and rentals. Full power acceleration and panic stops with cold engine. Drive over curbs... Why dodge the pot holes, its a rental...

I want to "break-in" my own car that I want to last 200,000 miles.

Pat

 

[Holicow]

The dealer that is local, is very large. I rented one from them a couple of weeks ago. When I asked afterwards about availability, they said they had "a bunch" that they received as rentals, but have just been sitting, and they would be available for sale later this month. They are all base models.

Also, 3 days after getting on another dealer's "list", they called me saying they just found out they would get one in 2 weeks, with #9. Unfortunately, it is the one color I don't want. I passed . Now I probably won't hear from them for several months....

 

[patrickg]

Holicow, Seven colors and they offer the only one you don't want. That is a shame. The rentals I saw were package #9. We too only have one color that is not accceptable. BLACK, We don't want black. Prefer the light green, silver, gold, or white, blue, or even red ahead of black but that is just us.

Eventually, there should be a #9 come to my dealer in one of the 6 acceptable colors that isn't in the rental program.

Good luck to you in the dice game of Prius allocations.

Pat

 

[Holicow]

patrickg,

the one they offered me was a white #9. If you want one enough to drive to NC to get it, I'll give you the info and you can see if it is still available. They called me last Friday.

PM me if you want the info..

 

[patrickg]

Holicow, Thanks for the info. I am tempted but wouldn't want to drive as I'd be there with two cars. I could drive my 1 ton turbo diesel and tow my car hauler trailer but somehow that seems a bit much of an evolution to leap into just now. I don't know what it would cost to have it shipped but I can find out.

This isn't a good tme for me to be away on a road trip as our winter weather is likely to get serious real soon and I am trying to get a house under construction "dried in" and the roofing crew is only one guy till after the 1st of the year. We have about 64 more squares (6400 sq ft feet) of shingles to get up before the weather goes bad on us. It is a 12:12 pitch roof (45 degrees from horizontal) and would be treacherous witih frost, ice, or snow. You would have to be on ropes if the surface gets wet and freezes.

Could you send me the name of a contact and a phone number back there so I can find out if they would cooperate in getting it shipped to me? Of course if they have buyers lined up they probably aren't interested in anything with any complications. Just send me a priivate message and we'll find out. White is not our last acceptable color it is next to last. It will clash with our red clay but oh well.

Thanks again for thinking of me. I'll be waiting for the contact info.

Pat