After my initial discouragement at being told that it would be 6 months to a year before I could expect to get a Prius I took the advice of several posters here and called around to all the dealers in my region. I got the same story from most, but one told me he had one comming in "next week sometime" that was not yet spoken for. I was elated even though it wasn't the package I wanted, and put money down on the spot. "It's yours" he said, and I eagerly awaited his call.
The call didn't come, and when I checked early the next week he told me that Toyota had reallocated the car, but because it had already been spoken for Toyota was going to increase their next allocation and he should have a car for me "sometime next month".
I know the seemingly random system of long lists at some dealers and cars sitting unclaimed at others until someone happens to call has been a source of discontent to some, but this doesn't seem like much more of a reasonable approach to me. Has Toyota changed their approach in the face of the high demand? Has anyone had a similar experience? If this is purely local, and I'm being jerked around by the dealer I'd just as soon wait for the 2005 as reward him for being less than straight with me.
The call didn't come, and when I checked early the next week he told me that Toyota had reallocated the car, but because it had already been spoken for Toyota was going to increase their next allocation and he should have a car for me "sometime next month".
I know the seemingly random system of long lists at some dealers and cars sitting unclaimed at others until someone happens to call has been a source of discontent to some, but this doesn't seem like much more of a reasonable approach to me. Has Toyota changed their approach in the face of the high demand? Has anyone had a similar experience? If this is purely local, and I'm being jerked around by the dealer I'd just as soon wait for the 2005 as reward him for being less than straight with me.