[SlyJoker]

Im orderign a 2004 prius, and had a few questions.
First of all, how long can i be expected to wait? My dealer said i have 14 people on the waiting list in front of me, but that toyota is increasing production on the Prius. My other question has to do with the standard features of the Prius. All the pictures i see are from package #9. I am purchasing package number 3. Am i losing that much? what EXACTLY am i losing, and are the extras enough to pay another 4 or 5 grand?

I am new to this board, and i aprechiate all comments and replies. Thanks.

 

[SlyJoker]

I live in Florida by the way, in the Daytona Beach area. Online, it says a few dealers in my area have 1 or 2 Prius's in stock, but upon calling those dealers, they said those have been sold.

 

[Medved]

Im orderign a 2004 prius, and had a few questions.
First of all, how long can i be expected to wait? My dealer said i have 14 people on the waiting list in front of me, but that toyota is increasing production on the Prius. My other question has to do with the standard features of the Prius. All the pictures i see are from package #9. I am purchasing package number 3. Am i losing that much? what EXACTLY am i losing, and are the extras enough to pay another 4 or 5 grand?

I am new to this board, and i aprechiate all comments and replies. Thanks.

With 14 people in front of you, I would guess you wait would be about 3 months. My dealer is getting anywhere from 1-3 Prius in their allotment, about every 2 weeks. If you are flexiable on Color and options, you may get offered a car if those ahead of you will not budge on their choices.


It might be easier to discuss the packages. (most Everything else NOT Listed) is Standard. This is from the brochure I got from my dealer.

Package 1 (RW) Rear Window Wiper
Package 2 (GY) Air Bags
Package 3 (AF) combo of 1 & 2
Package 4, (AG) Rear Wiper, Anti Theft/Homelink, SE/SS
Package 5, (AI), Rear Wiper, Air Bags, Anti Theft/HL,JBL Preimum system
Package 6, (BI), Rear Wiper, Air Bags, SE/SS
Package 7, (AM), Rear Wiper,Air Bags, SE/SS, HID headlamps/Fog/VSC
Package 8, (BG), Rear Wiper, SE/SS, JBL System, DVD Nav/Bluetooth
Package 9, (BC), Rear Wiper, Air Bags, Anti Theft/Homelink, SE/SS, HID/Fog/VSC,JBL system, DVD Nav/Bluetooth

The Cars with the DVD package 8 & 9, appear to add an additional 5,000 to the cost of the car. Reading many message boards, it appears that Toyota is not making every package any more.

 

[mrv]

Simple: if there's an "S" next to it, it's standard, if a "P" it's part of some package:

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2004/prius/models.html

Listing of what is in the packages, and what that adds to the base MSRP is here:

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2004/prius/options.html

Be sure to use the "Build and Price your Prius" link using your own ZIP code, to see what packages are actually being shipped to your Toyota Region. (each region orders their own set of packages, so it's unlikely that your region orders all 9 packages, but a neighboring region might order the package that you're looking for...)

You can view the brochure online here:
http://www.toyota.com/images/vehicles/e ... ochure.pdf
(or just individual pages (less download time) here: http://www.toyota.com/toyota/vehicles/2 ... ochure.jsp )
Just be aware that the Tideland Pearl (green) in real life looks nothing like what the brochure says...

 

[SlyJoker]

I used the build and price page, but i didnt see where it told what packages my dealer had.

The one i want is package 3, with toyo guard plus (my cars tend to rust as i live near the beach), floor mats, and tinted windows.

So when my dealer said 6 months+ with 14 people ahead of me, he exagerated? 3 months isnt a huge time to wait.

 

[SlyJoker]

Oh, in the build and price thing it let me select from packages 3-9, so i guess my region gets those in.

 

[SlyJoker]

And im a little lenient on color, though id prefer white or silver.

 

[Medved]

I used the build and price page, but i didnt see where it told what packages my dealer had.

The one i want is package 3, with toyo guard plus (my cars tend to rust as i live near the beach), floor mats, and tinted windows.

So when my dealer said 6 months+ with 14 people ahead of me, he exagerated? 3 months isnt a huge time to wait.

SlyJoker,

I'm not sure how many Prius's you dealer is getting in. At my dealership, they are doing their best to match cars with customer requests. From my discussions with my dealer, the Regional Managers are doing the best they can, but there doesn't seem to be any garentee of what they will get. Just be aware that the Pickier you are about what you wan't, the longer you will have to wait.

I have been on my dealers list since Feb 2nd. About 5 weeks ago, I passed on a WHITE #9. The only colors I would not take were White and Red.

I still am sitting #1, and a black and a Silver #9 are available. In the next allotment, there was no #9's, so they skipped over me since I would not settle for less than a 9. Someone farther down the line got the car.

If those ahead of you are not as flexable, you may find yourself with an available car. At least that is how they are doing it at my dealership in Cleveland, Ohio.

I think the dealer is telling you a "Safe" estimate, if you are unwilling to take anything other than what you wan't, #3.

Hopefully I should be taking delivery at the end of this week, if not the first of next week. That will put me at about a 3 1/2, months. When I first got on the list, I was about 16th. Now there are over 70 people waiting. Glad I got on it when I did.

IMO, I think Toyota realizes that most people who want the car, are purchasing it for its technology. My brother, a Toyota Mechinac, just got back from a 4 day class on the Prius in Cincinnati. He mentioned to me that was one of the comments the Instructors made. That is why it appears that most cars are comming with more options.

 

[SlyJoker]

Yeah, im not stubbornly set on my choices, but i just dont want to pay for stuff i dont need, like most of package #9. All i need are the standards, plus the extra airbags and tinted windows.

 

[SlyJoker]

I have two more questions, first, ive heard of the "listback" and "hatchback" prius, (my insurance company asked which i was buying) but on all the sites ive seen, ive only seen the liftback (i saw one picture of the hatchback, i prefer liftback) which one do dealers order by default?

Second, my current car has a cassette player, and i play my second generation Ipod through the cassette player with an adapter. I know the prius doesnt come standard with cassette, so how can io hook my ipod up to it?

 

[Daniel]

I have two more questions, first, ive heard of the "listback" and "hatchback" prius, (my insurance company asked which i was buying) but on all the sites ive seen, ive only seen the liftback (i saw one picture of the hatchback, i prefer liftback) which one do dealers order by default?

No options here. There's only one body type. The "Classic" was a sedan. The 2004 is a "liftback" according to Toyota, which is what I'd have called a "hatchback," but call it what you will all 2004's are the same. Tell your insurance agent it's a liftback, because that's the term Toyota is using.

 

[SlyJoker]

Allright, no difference between the 2004 models then, thats good. Now about the second question...

 

[Daniel]

Allright, no difference between the 2004 models then, thats good. Now about the second question...

I can't help you there. I use AM, FM, and CD. But I remember reading some discussion of it somewhere, and I think maybe somebody said that Costal Dave had an aftermarket device. I'm not certain about this, and I know nothing about that vendor.