[Behmon]

I am totally bummed out! I have been on a waiting list for a '04 Silver BC for quite a while now and just received word from the dealer that my wait will be much longer than originally expected.

Though I am third on the waiting list, my order has been bumped out an "indefinite period of time" while Toyota plays catch-up. Apparently Toyota has been inundated with so many orders that it is affecting the allocations to the US - even for the pre-existing orders.

The dealers are being instructed to continue accepting orders but to avoid setting any delivery timeframe expectations. I hope you others who are waiting have better news than what I am hearing.

 

[wfjw]

Totally Bummed

Glad to welcome you to MY club. I was told I was no.1 when I ordered on Sep 10 but, no, when the first car came in, it went to someone else. Mine should come "in the near future".
wfjw,

 

[Chuck]

I ordered a silver BG on Nov. 15 and am #30 on the dealers list. He was upfront and told me not to expect delivery before March.

Patience is a virtue? Guess I'll find out.

 

[Behmon]

I ordered a silver BG on Nov. 15 and am #30 on the dealers list. He was upfront and told me not to expect delivery before March.

Patience is a virtue? Guess I'll find out.

Mine was originally scheduled for delivery mid December, so I'll try harder to be patient and continue to play the waiting game. With luck I'll see my Prius before the 2005 models arive. :wink:

 

[ken1784]

FYI from Japan

FYI from Japan...

Following is some data about 2004 Prius.

* The monthly manufacturing plan was 3,000 for Japan and 3,000 for US.
* In Japan, the official launch was September 1st.
* Toyota Japan got 11,000 orders in first two weeks.
* Toyota Japan got another 6,500 orders by the end of September.
* In US, the official launch was October 17th.
* Toyota US got 12,000 pre-orders by then.
* The actual shipping was...
3,661 in September, 3,520 in October in Japan.
4,085 in October in US.
* In Japan, they ordered by September 15th are delivering now.
* In Japan, Toyota will deliver them in December ordered by September 22nd.
* In Japan, Toyota will deliver them in January ordered by the end of September.
* Toyota is now increasing the manufacturing capability.


So, please guess your delivery date by your signed date.

 

[Jerry P]

Sorry to hear about the long delivery times......but believe me, the wait will be worth it. I guess I was just extremely lucky that my dealer got me a car in 2 weeks. I have kind of felt that I was destined to get one - it was unveiled at the New York Auto show on my birthday and I fell in love with it right then and told my wife I had to have one. I have never been happier with a new car. I know that Toyota is overwhelmed with orders. Read that they have gone to 3 shifts at 3 different plants to try to meet demand. I find it hard to believe that they did not know how popular this car would be. I'll bet the folks at GM, Ford and Chrysler are just green with envy...and terrified at the prospect of a rapid, huge demand for hybrid cars that they have no ability to produce!

 

[Henry]

Behmon,

Where are you in e. PA? What dealer? I'm in Allentown.

 

[newowner]

Dear Bummed

I was on a waiting list for 3 months and the dealer called and told me the same sad story about how much longer it might take. Well I needed a car bad and I wasn't willing to wait that long so I test drove a honda civic and hated it. As a last resort, I decided to call the other dealerships in my state to see if there was another one available and after calling 12 dealerships, I was about to give up. I called one of the last ones listed and asked if they had a Prius available to purchase immediately... and they said yes. I was shocked! They had a short waiting list and no one waiting wanted the car that came in (the loaded version in the gold color). But it was the one I was waiting for. I immediately gave the salesman my credit card information and told him I would be there ASAP. Of course I had to drive almost an hour to get there but it was worth it. The car is amazing!!

Just wanted to share my story to make sure that you had considered calling all of the dealerships in your area. You also might want to consider putting your name on several list. You can always get the money back from the deposits.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[blubrid]

Completely agree with newowner. My local dealer told me that I might be able to get a car before the end of 2003 (but couldn't promise). Two other dealers wouldn't commit to a timeframe, and the last dealer reserved a car out of their first allocation for me, gave me the inventory #, the date of arrival at port (two weeks after I put down the $300 deposit) and I drove it off the lot on 11/18.

I may have been lucky, too, but I also called around.

 

[Behmon]

Behmon,

Where are you in e. PA? What dealer? I'm in Allentown.

Henry,

I am located located south of you.

 

[volvowagon1991]

I agree - check around! Mine was due mid-November, but by compiling a list of all 20 dealerships within 2 hours and calling every one, I was able to get one of the refused ones Oct. 18. Lotta leg work, but I love my car!

Paul

 

[moocatdog]

I agree - check around! Mine was due mid-November, but by compiling a list of all 20 dealerships within 2 hours and calling every one, I was able to get one of the refused ones Oct. 18. Lotta leg work, but I love my car!

Paul

That's how I did it as well. Worked the phones looking for a car that had been pre-ordered but left standing at the alter. Took me one full day, but I found two.
Moo

 

[Behmon]

I agree - check around! Mine was due mid-November, but by compiling a list of all 20 dealerships within 2 hours and calling every one, I was able to get one of the refused ones Oct. 18. Lotta leg work, but I love my car!

Where does one obtain a list of Toyota dealers within a 2 hour radius of one's home?

 

[NH Prius]

Not bummed out

I ordered a Prius a month ago, was told to expect it in Jan. or Feb., then got a call last Fri. that an identical one had come to my dealer which either wasn't wanted by the person who ordered it, or wasn't allocated for anyone. Hang in there, you might get lucky, and...it's gonna be worth the wait!

 

[moocatdog]

Where does one obtain a list of Toyota dealers within a 2 hour radius of one's home?

I live in a relatively large metropolitan area, so my local and regional yellow pages, plus the Internet, gave my more than a dozen dealerships to call. I haven't looked, but Toyota might have a listing of dealerships on their website. In a less populated region you might have to widen your search area beyond the two-hour radius. Heck, IMO, the longer the return trip, the more you'll love your car by the time you arrive home. <g>
However, a dose of reality here; I would think that word-of-mouth popularity, increased advertsing (saw a TV add the other night) and continued press coverage of the Prius' many fine qualities will make the type of search I've described increasingly difficult to pull off successfully. The sooner you start the better!
Good luck,
Moo