2003-2008 Toyota Corolla Prices Paid and Buying Experience

thetrumphet · August 2006

if i am thinking of buying a corolla for ~16.5k out the door (so including taxes, registration, title, etc.), what kind of Corolla should I get? also, are there any features on the Corolla I probably really should have?

thanks

philphil · August 2006

I wanted an S model but there were none in stock. Three weeks or so for delivery. I'm just happy that I've got all the safety features. All airbags,ABS,DRL. The lowest possible insurance with these discounts. You need these discounts living in New York.

pham0167 · August 2006

Did you special order or waited for new inventory to come in? What kind of pricing did you get? Thanks

philphil · August 2006

See my post from yesterday. Page before this one. All is explained.

Phil

thetrumphet · September 2006

06 silver Corolla LE automatic, side airbags/ABS/audio value package/carpet floor mats/all weather guard package. Edmunds lists MSRP as $18.1k, invoice as $16.4k. Dealer said that with decreasing gas prices, he MIGHT offer me invoice for this car (which is pretty BS IMO, I won't buy the car unless its invoice or lower).

so, is invoice a good deal or can I go lower or is above invoice a good enough deal?

veh · September 2006

:confuse: if you do a lot of interstate driving, cruise control is a MUST! i have a 98 corolla right now that doesn't have cruise control and i have a 70 mile drive round trip to work. it sucks! luckily i'm in the market for a 2007 LE, unfortunately, i live in charlotte, nc, which is part of the southeast distributor.

To everyone out there: am I asking the dealer for too much or is this a reasonable offer to make them?

invoice 14,925 (edmunds TMV adjusted for SE region)
side airbags 563
ABS 335
Audio Pkg 180
Destination 635
Vehicle Total $16,638
Tax (3%) 499.14
Tag Transfer 55.00
Documentation 399.00 (my wishful thinking down from $599)
$500 off internet coupon - $500

TOTAL OTD $17,091.14 I told the guy if he agreed, i'd be in next week to put $500 down; the vehicle will be here in a month.

was i too aggressive or outlandish? the guy has already come down to $17k (not including tax, tags and documentation fee) from about $18k.

Please advise!!!

babubangla · September 2006

I am a first time new car buyer.
I talked to a local dealer in Texas and got the follwing quote:

2007 Toyota Corolla LE
Color: Cactus Mica
ABS
Curtain Airbags
Audio Value Package
5-pc Floor Mat
50-state Emissions

Price Quoted: $17297
Price after all taxes and fees: $18599

Is this a good price to pay for the 2007 Corolla?

jden · September 2006

Do your homework, read the forums here. That is NOT a good price for the car. Carsdirect in my state is $600 below the price you were given, and they are typically higher than what I could get dealing directly with the dealer. I assume there are alot of dealers in the Texas area, find the car you want and give them a price you think is fair based upon research here in the forums, if they don't bite, then walk out and take your business to another dealer, someone will earn your business, just takes patience.

veh · September 2006

I too am a first time new car buyer. I did a lot of research both on edmunds and at other sites. I contacted a guy in the internet sales dept. at one of my local dealers and we went back and forth for about a week. I started off by asking for a basically ridiculously low price and worked my way up from there - even the guy himself told me later on in person when I went to put my deposit down for the vehicle, that it's rare that he comes across people who know how to get a good deal and that you will always pay more if you start at MSRP and work your way down.

The funny thing about the whole ordeal is that I'm a female and used my husband's name the whole time because some people in the auto industry (service, body shops, car sales, etc.) will screw women over on pricing.

I got the same exact car you want (I chose phantom gray pearl) out the door for $18,030.93. I ended up special ordering the vehicle due to a timing issue and the guy even asked me if I had a trade-in... I figured if I brought up a trade-in in the middle of signing prelim. documents he'd flip but he was even nice enough to admit that chances were their appraisal dept. was probably not going to give me more than CarMax.

During our online dealings, he never once brought up anything about financing or monthly payments; we discussed strictly OTD pricing. I'm really happy with the deal especially since no other dealer in my area was willing to (as they put it) 'sell me a vehicle that wasn't even on the lot yet for anything under MSRP' (I had wanted to get one of a few vehicles that were due in in October).

Start by getting the TMV for the vehicle and options you want in you area and look around online for car buying tips. Contact several dealers via e-mail and you're on your way. Good Luck!

alamocity · September 2006

I too live in Texas and you should be able to get the car for $18,069.00. The price before taxes,title and registration should be $16,769.00 so they are probably adding some additional fees to bump the price of the car they quoted you. Went with a friend who purchased a Camry and they wanted to charge $799.00 just for service department to inspect vehicle for so make sure they break down price completely.

chickengirl · September 2006

I just got a 2006 LE in Charlottesville, VA at the end of July with exactly what you have listed plus floor mats--$16,653 ($16,200 to 16,500 were some of the other prices I found in VA at the same time but I really wanted to buy from a local dealer). Taxes (?), documentation fee ($288) and tags ($50) put me at around $17,400 out the door. According to an article in the paper this summer, Toyota is only increasing invoice prices for 2007 Corolla models by $100. So I think your offer is within target range (although you may have to go up a couple hundred more) -- or the dealer could come down from his $17K a bit! Although I think I'm in the mid-Atlantic region, which might have slightly less-inflated prices (I don't know...) -- you think the SE region is even higher in price?

pham0167 · September 2006

How long did the dealer/sales person say the special order would take? I've gotten mixed messages for several dealers in my area. Some forum messages have said 3-4 weeks. One sales person said 3 months on the date; while another said "at least 2 months, most likely 4 months"

I understand that they don't like special orders too much, but it's poor customer service to dissuade the customers. Let me know of any good/bad special order experiences. Thanks

iwangs04 · September 2006

I bought 2006 LE in May. MRSP listed at $16.5K. Paid $16.2 out the door.
This seems a best deal i see so far. The dealer is in Hartford, Conn.

sportyc · September 2006

2007 corolla sport

Fully loaded

$17,500 in northern nj MSRP: 19,365

mcdawgg · September 2006

See my previous messages. It all depends on what you want and what the schedule at the factory is at that particular point. It could be weeks or months - you probably won't know until you order it. Just a for instance...
Maybe you want a LE with a manual tranny. They will check the factory, and the factory is not producing this specific combination for two months from now, or maybe they are scheduled to produce it two weeks from now. Or maybe they are going to produce it two weeks from now, but they have already booked it solid, so now you have to wait until the next run, which could be 3 months from now.

My point is you won't know exactly, because it depends on the individual circumstances and the timing. Just go for it!

hbharga1976 · September 2006

I think the right price should be close to 16500.00 + TTL. you may as well get a honda accord value package in that price, which is a much better value for money and has better quality.
or otherwise you may as well consider cars from suzuki, nissan and hyundai,i ended up buying Nissan Sentra 1.8S for 13500.00 OTD after negotiations on price with toyota dealer failed, both are same quality wise. Best of luck

godgood2 · September 2006

The whole situation here is quite frustrating.
I bought a 2007 Corolla CE yesterday. I don't know if my deal was one of the best or not, but I was at least satisfied with the whole thing. (price, apr, and service)
But today driving on a highway I realized my Corolla didn't have 'cruise control' which my dealer said it did!!
(You know... you don't try cruise control when you test drive.)
So I checked the sticker paper(I don't know what those are called) that was left in my console wrinkled, and guess what? I found something even more interesting!!
My Corolla CE has the options of upgrade package(power windows and locks), keyless entry, extra mile options package A, Vehicle shield package, mud guards and window tint. It tells me that apparently it doesn't have cruise control which I was told 'it did' by the dealer.
And the funnier thing is THE MUD GUARDS they charged me 199 dollars for was already included in 'extra mile option package A'!! According to the prices they put at the bottom of every page, extra mile option package A was added before another mud guards got on there.
I called my dealer and he was still believing my car had cruise control, and when I mentioned mud guard problem he wanted me to come in and have a talk with someone who was authorized to give me any kind of answers.

Problem 1) I wanted 'cruise control' on my car, and they sold me one without it.

Problem 2) They double charged me for the stupid mudguards.

Any advice? Has anybody had any problem like this after purchasing a car?

philphil · September 2006

Hi,

As stated last month, I purchased a 2007 LE with all the airbag options and ABS. No problems. In fact I just purchased the mud guards on e-bay from a Toyota dealer in Florida for $25.00 after shipping fees. I think that you should try to get the money back from the rip-off mud guard charge.

grosloup · September 2006

I just bought my first car. It's a Toyota Corolla 1995 with automatic transmission.
It has 107,000 milles on it. Very clean. Seems to run well.
My questions are... How reliable is it? Did I make a good choise?
I would appreciate receiving some comments about the Corolla, especially that year if possible. I don't know to much about cars and it's my first one and I'm a bit scared.

gujjuguy · September 2006

I was looking for Toyota Corolla S and this is the best offer I got right now. Should I buy it or let it go?

2007 Toyota Corolla S Automatic
Silver Color
Packages
PV
CF
P4 which includes crap like vehicle shield package, lusterizing sealant, sound shield, sealant cleaner, and rental car assistance.

Price I was offered was $17,420 OTD.

Is it a good price? Thanks for your help. :confuse:

fredvh · September 2006

After you receive those mud guards would you please e-mail me and advise how they are and how they installed on your Corolla? I have been looking at them and was just wondering how they differ from the official, genuine Toyota part that is listed in their accessories pamplet. The ones that you got are from the SE region. My e-mail is in my profile.

philphil · September 2006

OK. I did receive them but didn't have time to install yet. The fronts are very easy according to the instructions but it says that for the back ones, a drill is needed. I'll let you know when I install them.

Phil

cubssoxs · September 2006

Does anyone know when the 2008 Toyota Corolla is supposed to come out. Because in my mind it is better to wait for the next generation Corolla to come out. Because the current Corolla has been out since Feb 2002.

vbitm · September 2006

I just bought a 2007 Corolla S with Sport Package, 6CD player for $16900 OTD (taxes about $1000)
This was in the Tampa area.
Had to wait 10 days for it, it came with the Toyota floor mats.
I think I got a good deal.

happywithit · October 2006

I live near Charlotte, North Carolina. Yesterday, I just bought a 2007 Corolla LE with only 10 miles on it (7 miles were from my test drive). I got it for $16,552 OTD. The sticker price was $17,090.58.

It has the VV Package 6-disc Changer w/ 6 speakers and Cruise Control. It also came with Carpet Mats and the Toyoguard Protection Group. I had them add a cargo net and cargo mat. All of this was included in the above price.

It has a manual transmission. Exterior color is Cactus Mica with grey interior. I found that this color combo with a manual transmission was rare for the Southeastern region according to Toyota website new inventory.

I've also read that the Cactus Mica color will not be available after December 2006. I think that I read that in the Kelly Blue Book or NADA Guide.

Anyway, I went thru the internet and found which dealership had this particular transmission/color combo coming in. It took a while but I found one. Then I e-mailed them about the car and asked what could they offer for a deal. They stated $15,900 not including document fees, tags or title. (Around here document fees can be anywhere from $389 to $600.) Their site didn't state doc fees, so I counter offered and they came back with 15,900 including document fees. Then they wouldn't budge anymore. I had to pay cost for the cargo mat and cargo net, but with tax paid $117 for both.

Anyway, the final break down was
$15427.67 for vehicle and accessories (included the cargo mat and net)
$589.50 for Doc Fees/Dealer Handling Administration
$462.83 Sales Tax
$72.00 for Tags & Title

I'm happy with it all because I've always wanted a green car and a stick shift was a must have for me. I would have settled for a silver Corolla, but really wanted the green. I would have gotten a 2006 Corolla but all that are left on the lots around my area are automatics.

My first bought and previous car was a 91 Mazda 323 HB metallic blue that I've had since 1991 (191,000 miles). It is a manual. I wanted a green car back then too. I figure that I'll keep the Corolla for a good long while. Every time I look at my "green" car with the gray interior, I get this smile on my face.

I knew the price was above invoice and TMV according to Edmunds. Kelly Blue Book TMV had it about $15,900 though. I would have haggle more. However with the car being new and just come in on the lot, I didn't want my "catch" to get away. I bought it on the 29th, the day before it was suppose to be available on the lot (it was on the lot the 29th though) according to the Toyota new inventory info on the web.

I didn't get any of the packages that the Toyota finance department offered. I went with my credit union on financing. Anyway I'm happy and content. :shades:

sammya_md · October 2006

let me preface this by saying i ordered, and will receive in a week a 2007 camry that i special ordered.

I ordered the car Aug 10th, and next week will be the week of Aug 9th. So in my research and talking with the dealer and other camry special order customers, i would say 2-3 months would probably be a good guess.

I have had a good expereince with my order, except for having to go into the dealer myself to check it's status 3 weeks after ordering (you think they would just call to give me an update at that point). A month after I ordered, early Sept, they gave me the date they would receive it, and have just confirmed we are still on schedule to receive sometime next week.

i get the car i want, color, options, transmission, etc...and only took 2 months, nothing could be better.

electrobuzz · October 2006

I believe the '08 is due early summer of next year. It will probably look like the new Camry (which is sweet).

However, two advantages of buying now: cost and engineering.

Use the new model as a bargaining chip to buy now, i.e. when you are closing the deal, note the upcoming change and you can likely shave (at a minimum) hundreds off the sales price. Additionally, the new models are sure to go up in cost several percentage points.

Engineering is a much lesser consideration, but still valid. A new design means working out a few kinks...even with a model that's existed in five decades. The 2007 Corolla is so refined, it's like sugar, baby.

And... Go BEARS!

oande · October 2006

Bought my Corolla CE, zero options in San Antonio for 15400 OTD. Breakdown was 14288(TMV is 14361) + TTL. Hard to find in the color I wanted(Phantom Gray) w/o options. Haggled via internet, settled on a price and set an appointment. Showed up, car was up front, took it for a test drive, signed papers, and was gone in ~70 minutes.

alamocity · October 2006

Which dealership did you go to? Was it a five speed or automatic?

oande · October 2006

I went to Universal Toyota, up north. It is a 5 speed.
I've driven 5 speed's for a long time. I may have been able to get a lower price, but I wanted that color and up here in Austin I couldn't find that combination.

I'm happy with it. They filled it up for me on delivery and I drove back to Austin and filled it up again. 93 miles on 1.9 gallons(70-80 mph w/A/C on). That's not an extensive test, but it's a great start. Let me know if you want any more info. Good luck.

alamocity · October 2006

Thanks for the information. Did you go through the internet department? I know when I went in the salesman kept telling me I had to pay $798.00 for vehicle prep so needless to say I quickly walked out. Sounds like you had better luck than I did.

bliss1871 · October 2006

The best deal I've been able to get in Atlanta for a 2007 CE, automatic transmission with upgrade package and carpet mats is $16,000 out the door (7% sales tax), with the $400 college grad cash. Is anyone from Atlanta who checks this board?

bsrik77 · October 2006

Am planning to buy a 2007 Corolla LE with VV (6-CD audio package) + CF (Floor mats) package in BayArea. Anyone out here knows the best place to get a deal. From the comments before it seems that most of them paid around 16-17K out of the door - is 16K a good starting point to start bargaining.

SB

dkarsch · October 2006

go to www.fightingchance.com and order the packet for the corolla. Make the dealers bid against one another. Never, never walk into a dealer and make an offer as you have just set a bottom price. Based on how close a dealer is to monthly goals, you may be able to get a great deal.

You should be able to get all your quotes from dealers without ever setting foot in a dealership. Only go in to sign the papers and take the vehicle home.

Also, the best time to get the best deal is the last week of the month.

paulfarin · October 2006

We found an AD in the New York POST. The dealership actually honored it. This is what we got:
2007 Corolla LE (power everything but no ABS brakes).

$14,480.00 includes destination fee +
$1,248.90 New York taxes +
$185.00 inspection & registration fees
----------------------------------
$15,971 GRAND TOTAL Out the Door

The catch is I must finance through the dealer but there are no prepayment penalties in New York so i'll pay the whole total off in one month.
Good luck..
This dealership is in Inwood, NY.

oande · October 2006

Yes, I went through the internet dept. Never spoke to anyone directly until I got there. Basically I checked dealers inventory and eventually found a car configured the way I wanted it(color + no options) at Universal Toyota. I made an offer at invoice, they countered with between invoice & MSRP, I countered one more time and they accepted. Made an appointment, test drove it, paid for it and left, pretty sweet. Internet/fleet manager was straight up about everything.

I think one of the keys is to make sure the car you want is in their stock. I tried making an offer for a car that showed as "available" in another dealers inventory and they e-mailed back saying they couldn't deal on a car not in their inventory.

Good luck, let me know how it goes.

beantown · October 2006

Yikes. Same car here in Mass would cost you $11,999 before TTL. You could have the car shipped to you and painted whatever color you want aftermarket and still save money.

oande · October 2006

That's a great price, but I would have trouble buying something that expensive that I couldn't inspect before-hand. I know a new Corolla is a new Corolla but I'd be leery of the long distance transaction.

You should buy those and bring them down and sell them, you could make a bundle!

allcarsrcool · October 2006

i would wait for the '08, though i dont think anyone knows when it will come out. Honestly the current model is bland and if you want a more stylish model wait for the '08 or look at a honda civic.

wisetry72 · October 2006

Hi, Sounds like a very good deal on your LE. I went to Stevens Toyota in Huntington, NY today. After going back and forth with the price, the salesman wouldnt come down below $17,461 out-of-door for same specs LE. (I offered upto $16,500 which he turned down). Will sleep well after reading your post as I was feeling guilty that I bargained too much.
May I know when u purchased your vehicle and what was the interest rate for the finance?

dkarsch · October 2006

You have to deal directly with the sale manager or the fleet manager. Those are the only people authorized to make slim profit deals. Once you start talking to a regular salesperson, they have to start adding in commissions, etc. and you will never get the best possible deal.

Don't ever feel bad about bargaining to get the best deal. The Salesman is trying to squeeze every nickel out of you that he can. I highly recommend carbuyingtips.com and fightingchance.com as far as reading how to go about getting the best deal. I only wish I had more money to buy cars more often as it is now a big game to me.

Someone will sell you the car you want at the price you want (as long as your not totally wacked). You just have to know how to get dealers to compete against one another for your business.

beantown · October 2006

i would wait for the '08, though i dont think anyone knows when it will come out. Honestly the current model is bland and if you want a more stylish model wait for the '08 or look at a honda civic.

The redesigned model won't be out for AT LEAST 12 months, but most likely it won't be out until Jan-Feb of 2008. And then, count on waiting another year for them to work out the first year bugs (speaking of the Civic!) and offer any rebates. Why wait that long to be a guinea pig for a more expensive model, likely with first year problems that may or may not be more "stylish"? The current model is proven, reliable and can be had far cheaper than the future redesigned model will ever be.

fredvh · October 2006

I agree with beantown. I purchased an Corolla LE in July and am very happy with it. I get 38-41 mpg and it is a very comfortable car. Personally, I would never get a small car though without the side airbags. Mine came with both the side bags and ABS. MSRP then is approx. $18,100. This Corolla is a proven design and should last for many trouble-free miles. The 2008 with have a larger engine and probably a 5-speed auto which a number of people are having trouble with in the 2007 Camry. The 2007 is cheaper and a proven design. Of course, you probably should check out the Civic also and even maybe the Nissan Sentra which has some good incentives now. The Sentra is not as refined as the Corolla.

deborah3282 · October 2006

I HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH JOYCE SUPERSTORE! I CAME TO BE A WITNESS FOR MY FRIEND WHO OVER PAID THE KELLY BLUE BOOK VALUE FOR A TOYOTA YARIS 2007, AND IT WAS A USED CAR WITH OVER 2,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ALMOST $16,000 FOR THE CAR WHEN A NEW YARIS IS LISTED AS $13,270 ON KELLY BLUE BOOK. SHE SHOULD HAVE DID SOME RESEARCH TO AVOID THIS, BUT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CHARGES SHE HAD IN FINANCING THE CAR. THE DEALER ADDED EXTRA COSTS: AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, DISABILITY INSURANCE, VIN ETCHING, MAINTENANCE PLAN, GAP INSURANCE. AND BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS THEY MISINFORMED HER ABOUT THE NATURE OF AN ARBITRATION AGREEMENT. BY SIGNING IT, SHE GAVE UP HER RIGHT TO GO TO COURT OR A TRAIL BY JURY IN THE EVENT OF FUTURE DISAGREEMENTS EXCEPT IF THERE ARE CRIMINAL VIOLATION. WHEN SHE WENT TO DISCUSS SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS ALONG WITH CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS, THEY WERE VERY RUDE TO MY FRIEND AND MYSELF. THIS IS NOT A GOOD DEALERSHIP TO PURCHASE YOUR VERY FIRST CAR BECAUSE IF YOU ARE ALONE AND HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE THEY WILL OVER CHARGE YOU. AND THE DEALERSHIP, DO NOT CAR ABOUT THE LISTED PRICE ON KELLY BLUE BOOK. PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST AND NEVER GO BUY A CAR WITHOUT HAVING AN EXPERIENCE WITNESS. PAY ATTENTION TO THE A.P.R. AND THE OVERALL AMOUNT OF THE CAR WHEN YOU MAKE ALL THE PAYMENTS AT THE END OF THE LOAN. MY FRIEND WILL POSSIBLY END UP PAYING OVER $30,000 FOR THIS CAR IF SHE DOES NOT GET OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT. PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

sandman46 · October 2006

Why would your friend agree to all that stuff...can't she read...? Why didn't she just walk when the numbers got that confusing? If she didn't understand all the charges, why did she sign?
I don't understand when people do that kinda stuff. Ask more questions or leave and bring back someone who can understand what's going on. But shame on that dealership for padding the sales agreement with stuff the customer clearly didn't understand.
I do feel bad for your friend, but there needs to be some personal responsibility on her part here. No one put a gun to her head to buy at that time. When confused about all these charges, that would've been the time to have pulled back on the reins and delay the purchase. Honestly, that wasn't the last car on earth that she had to buy right at that moment!

The Sandman :confuse:

dkarsch · October 2006

I would have to agree with Sandman...Why on earth didn't your friend get up and walk out of the dealership?? You have to remember that the deal isn't done until everything is signed. While it is unfortunate that the dealer wasn't more honest with her, she needs to accept responsibility for her actions. Why on earth didn't she take an experienced car buyer with her. It appears that both parties are to blame.

corollashopper · October 2006

There's a new $500 rebate today. I already had a dealer give me a quote of $16,300 earlier in the week for the LE w/ Cruise Control (included in some Audio package), Side Air Bags, and ABS breaks before the rebate came out today.

How would you go about getting this dealer to give you the extra $500 off? I'd even split it.

I'd go $16,000 (which would be great) but I would prefer to keep the whole thing for myself.

Think I should go lower? $15,800? I'd buy the car in a snap at that price, but I'm also willing to sit and wait if they think I'm in a huge hurry.

What would you pay for the car I described?

alamocity · October 2006

Didn't realize that they had raised the rebate to $500.00 from the previous amount of $400.00 so you might want to check to see if the quote already included the $400.00 rebate. None the less I would target the $15,800.00 plus TT&L.

dkarsch · October 2006

Where did you find out about this rebate? The only cash back listed on Edmunds is for recent college grads and it is $400.

corollashopper · October 2006

one of the salesman let it out to me accidentally on the phone.

2003-2008 Toyota Corolla Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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