2013 and Earlier - Toyota Corolla Prices Paid and Buying Experiences

i_need_a_car

Buying a new car for first time. My choice is Corolla or Camry. If you can help me with some questions I have:
1) which one I should go for? 2009 or 2010 ? Is latter the better?
2) Is the choice of remote engine start worth the value? Outside shops sell it for much cheaper price.
3) Anything specific to look for when buying a Corolla?

Thanks

frostbyte3964

You probably could have received the same deal or close with no trade in at all, but who knows. I doubt they even truly gave you anything for it. Still a good deal on a nice Corolla.

frostbyte3964

You have some very broad questions. A better value will be an 09 as the discounts should be at least $1500 cheaper than a 10 and basically the same thing. I believe the Corolla did add stability control as a standard on the 10, but to me that's not worth $1500.
If you like the remote start, you can use it as part of the negotiations Pick a model with it, but only give it value of what it would cost elsewhere. If they give you a hard time once you select the car, just walk away or get a model without it. I personally would get it from the dealership, but at a discount if it were important to you, otherwise just leave it off and don't worry about it.
The basic differences in Corolla and Camry will be determined by what is important to you. If you want all the upgrades, slightly better engine, larger, smooth ride, etc get the Camry. If you want MPG and smaller and cheaper get Corolla. If it's a car mainly for you, Corolla for sure. If it will regularly have 4 people then possibly the Camry. Not that a Corolla is bad for 4 people size wise, but it's not as comfortable and quiet as the Camry.
If you are looking at the Camry, you might give a real look at a 2010 Ford Fusion. At least a test drive to compare. It's almost the MPG of a Corolla, but larger and all new for this year and supposedly a very nice car.

hot5red

randy63,
I am in the Louisville area, and would appreciate if you let me know which dealership you go the car from....I have been calling some places, but not getting a good deal like you got.
Thanks,

susanka

It's a white/beige 2009 LE with 50 State Emissions (FE), all weather guard package (CK), cruise control (CL) 16" alloy wheels (AW), keyless entry (KE), vehicle stability control (VS), carpet mats (CF), and Bluetooth (B3). No nav. This price includes all taxes and fees, everything but the license plates. I'm hearing that I paid too much. I bought this in Colorado. Your opinions? Thanks very much.

randy63

hot5red,

I bought it from Kings Toyota in Kings Auto Mall, Cincinnati. The dealer is very pleasant. Her name is Jeni Wheeler

Jeni_Wheeler_10853@kingstoyota.responselogix.com

.For a well-equipped LE MSRP $18314 or $18545, start your negotiation as "Out the Door" price with taxes, titles, etc. $15.8K or less without any trade-in. Stick to your price and get a written promise via e-mail. They are also offering a Life Time Oil Change for the car and Two Kings Island gold passes.

I hope this helps. Good Luck.

cradlefish

I just went to the toyota dealership Bob Rohman in IL.

I told a sales person about the pricing quotes and the prices people are getting here and he wouldn't even budge below 16,800 which isn't what I would go for in a LE without any addition options. I was kinda disappointed and left. Oh well. He said that he makes no money on Corollas or Yaris unless he sells a certain number of them. He also said that he hates selling them because they don't bring any money to him.

rosiek

I received an offer for a Corolla LE with cruise control, alloy wheels, keyless entry, carpet floor mats & trunk mat and moonroof for $18,187 OTD (the retail was $20,239). Is this a good deal? Any suggestions much appreciated.

I was hoping for a Corolla LE 2009, but all the dealerships I've contacted are out of them! (I'm kicking myself for not getting a 2009 Corolla LE for 16225OTD a few weeks ago (this LE didn't have moonroof or alloy wheels).

rosiek

i think that is a good price. The lowest I found was $16225 OTD. Not sure what options you got, but the one I was looking at had cruise control, keyless entry, and the weather guard package (total accessories $844)

susanka

Hi, everyone -- Would someone tell me what besides the car itself, with all its options, is covered when you say a price was OTD? Thank you very much.

bostonben

OTD=out the door, so yes, it includes taxes, registration, plates, title, doc fees, and any other fees the dealer thinks up. It's what you would have to write on a check if you went into the dealer and paid cash and wanted to drive away that day. People are interested in comparing OTD prices because some dealers will have very competitive base prices but exorbitant fees. It does make it more difficult to compare base prices state to state where tax rates and registration fees may be different. Hope that helps.

abchin486

FYI....S, atleast in New England, has a 1750 rebate, as opposed to the 1000 rebate fro LE. As a result, you could possibly get an S for about $200 (or maybe even the same) more than a similiar equipped LE.

OTD price means different thing in different states b/c of taxes and fees, so where are you located?

The incentives are very similair to what they had 2 months back, so go back 2 months and see what people are getting. I got my corolla S (msrp of 21505) for 15,700 plus tax and fees. I do not think that price is till possible now b/c i got the car before toyota started pimping out their 0% APR commercials (however, their miht be some unknown incentives, like dealer rebates). I bought it around easter and dealers did not sell any cars at all during that time, so they were in "just get rid of them" mode. Lowest lots of dealers were willing to go was around 16.4K.

susanka

Hi -- We're in Colorado. It was 18,362.54 with FE, CK, CL, AW, KE, VS, CF, B3, and a $1295 extended warranty policy, and all state charges paid except for the license plate. We keep cars 20 years so it seemed like we might get use out of the warranty. So without the warranty, 17,067 with those options on it and state stuff paid.

Thanks again.

Susanka

jszair

I got a quote with OTD price $17490, has following packages.

Is it a good deal? What should be the expecting price?

Selected Options and Packages
Code Description Code Description
CL Cruise Control SV Extra Mile Service Rewards Program
FE 50 State Emissions - (5 Yrs/60,000 Miles)
KE Remote Keyless Entry w/Key Transmitter RD Roadside Assistance
B0 The Extra Mile Option Package B
- (3 Yrs/36,000 Miles)
- Carpet Mat Set P4 Vehicle Shield Package
- Cargo Net - Lusterizing Sealant
- Fabric Guard - Sound Shield
- Mudguards - Sealant Cleaner
- Rear Bumper Protector - Rental Car Assistance
- Custom Tape Stripe AP APPEARANCE PACKAGE
NC No Charge Extra Mile Benefits

rosiek

oops...I miss wrote the title for that thread...that was for a Corolla LE, but now I AM looking at the Corolla S. The MSRP is $19,797.00 and the dealership is giving me a price OTD for $17,205.00 (plus 2 oil changes, full tank...not much, but it's something) That price includes taxes and fees. I'm located in California. Can you tell me what your OTD price was?
Thanks!

jszair

I got a quote with following options. OTD $17,600

I'm in texas.

One thing confuses me is that the truecar.com suggest a good price would be 18.51 - 18.55 for this model and options...while edmunds.com suggests $16,285 TMV(I guess that's before TT&L, so OTD would be 17400 in texas)

Selected Options and Packages
Code Description Code Description
FE 50 State Emissions NC No Charge Extra Mile Benefits
SX Sport Package: Includes 16" Alloy SV Extra Mile Service Rewards Program
- Wheels with P205/55R16 Steel-belted Radial - (5 Yrs/60,000 Miles)
- Tires, Rear Deck Spoiler, Power Windows RD Roadside Assistance
- with Driver's Side One-Touch Down, Remote - (3 Yrs/36,000 Miles)
- Keyless Entry w/ Key Transmitter and WL Wheel Locks
- Cruise Control P4 Vehicle Shield Package
D4 The Extra Mile Option Package D - Lusterizing Sealant
- Carpet Mat Set - Sound Shield
- Cargo Net - Sealant Cleaner
- First Aid Kit - Rental Car Assistance
- Fabric Guard
- Security System Upgrade
- Custom Tape Stripe

abchin486

llets see....

Mine

MSRP was 20505

15700 (w. 1750 rebate)

+785 (5% tax)

+298 ("process fee")

+108 (Title fee)

16891 OTD
-1000 (college grad rebate)

15891

Yours (I am guessing your fees and tax)

17205 OTD

-400 (estimated Title and Processing fees...do not know what they are like in CA)

16805

-1423 (taxes based on 9.25%)

15382
You pretty much got as low as most will go. If you want to go by precentage off, you have about $300 more wiggle room, but I think you have a very good deal as you are in a territory that some dealers do not want to be in. It's up to you, but if this does not come with floor mats, get them thrown in. If you have to, say no to the oil changes and get the mats. 2 oil changes cost, what $50 at most? The mats for the corolla go for about $120.

Keep in mind that incentives on the west coast could be different ( I am in the east coast). By the looks of it though, you got a great deal and you should jump on it by MA standards.


Sorry formatting sucks....dont know you cant just use spaces.

rosiek

Wow. thanks for all that info! That car might have sold, but I am looking at the Corolla LE now. MSRP $20,239 (this includes cruise control, alloy wheels, keyless, mats&trunk mats and moonroof) They are giving me OTD $18,187. What do you think?

jszair

I don't under stand...Isn't S better than LE?

abchin486

Looks to come out to be around a negotiated price of 16.2-16.3K. Very good.

Kind of confused though....did the S come with a sunroof? That 19.7K sticker is kind of low. Did they take off the spoiler or not include some package?

Jszair, they are the same car. In teh previous gen, S had a different suspension, but in the current one the only difference is the added effects on the S (spoiler and fog lights) and the interior cloth (s has the black sport cloth).

Also, anyone who has bought the S lately, what tires did it come with? My gf's came with Bridgestone Potenza tires....I was at a different dealership looking at Camrys and I noticed that some 09 S Corollas had Eagle RSA tires. ANyone that is buying one...for safety sake...please try to get the one with Potenza tires. I had Eagle RSA's on my Mazda 3. They are horrible. Literally, they become a safety hazard on wet surfaces. If the dealer has corollas with either tire, ask if you can switch them out. Yes, the tires are that bad.

rosiek

S doesn't come with a sunroof.....I was looking at 2 cars:

Corolla S (MSRP $19797.00, includes sport pack, keyless, carpet/trunk mat, wheel lock and bumper protector) OTD $17,205

VS

Corolla LE (MSRP 20239 and includes cruise control, alloy wheel, kelyess, carpet/trunk mat, moon/sunroof) OTD $18,187

Although the moon/sunroof on the LE is dealer installed. I've read a lot of negative reviews on dealer installed vs factory installed moon/sunroofs, so I don't think I'm going to go for that.

abchin486

hahaha....I didn't even know that a dealer could install a sunroof....I would think it would cost more to do that than to just order a car with one from another dealer....

rosiek

yep apparently they do, but i read a lot of negative reviews on aftermarket or dealer installed sunroofs. They have to cut it out vs the factory punch out way. Cutting makes the roof more prone to leaks, etc. At any rate, I'm not getting a nonfactory sunroof

The silver S one sold yesterday. They have a white one available...looking at it today!! These forums are so helpful. I really appreciate everyone's response

Sandman6472

The Eagle Rsa's on my '06 Civic were pretty crappy tires as were the Potenza's on my '03 Sentra so i'd look for michelin's if they could be had. much better tires than the other two. I've got Fusions now and not that happy as the dry grip is marginal at best. We put Yokohama's on the MZ3 and they're outstading all around...my choice next time around. But will also look at Hankook and Falken tires. Both have very meaty treads which I like. So many choices!

The Sandman :shades:

abchin486

I guess all stock tires suck then....

I have to say though...the eagle rsa tire was beyond bad. i was so scared to drive it in the snow. I put dunlop sp sport sig on my 3, and they are better.

usf813

If anyone is interested, Stadium Toyota in Tampa offered me $16870 + tax/tag/fees on an S with sport package. This was an internet offer. Funny thing is all I did was request a catalogue online and w/in 2 hours I had an offer in my inbox. I went ahead and took a test drive. Wasn't overly excited by the acceleration but the car was quiet and the suspension was adequate. Unless Mazda can offer me better on a 3 i'd certainly consider the Corolla.

abchin486

Could you afford to go with either? If Mazda comes out to 17.5K, would you spend the extra to get it (you should be able to get an 09 s sport for around 16K easily though...and you could go lower on the i version)? I ask because the Corolla and 3, even though they are in the same class, are two very different cars. they are almost on opposite ends of the spectrum. Your plunkng down a good amount of money, so get what you like that is with in your budget.

Don't get me wrong, they are both great cars (my gf owns an 09 corolla, I own an 07 3), but you would most definately be doing your self a disservice by picking soley on price between those two cars.

usf813

Yes, I can afford to go with either. My driving habits are rather boring (for a 33yo guy). I do most of my driving in the city, highway occasionally when going to the beach. I LOVE the '09 3 and yeah if I could find one (it's becoming much harder) i'd jump on it. The '10 3 has some issues i'd need to mentally get over. The Corolla seemed solid enough, and while the acceleration/cornering don't even come close to the 3 I'd never drive aggressive enough to fully appreciate it. What i'm thinking is maybe get Toyota and Mazda into a bidding war against each other and see which one gives me the best deal. I have a '97 Civic now and it's time to be retired. Honda is out...they haven't improved sound insulation in 12 years and I HATE the digital/analog (sp?) dash.

abchin486

hahaha...just to let you know...if you get into a bid war now....I am pretty sure Toyota will win. You can get an LE auto with no extras for 15.1K easily, and there is still some wiggle room. BTW, your price for the S is good IF it has a sunroof. If there is none, try to talk him down to somewhere in the 15's.

If you can find a 3 (yes, they are depleting fast), there might be a dealer who just might want to get rid of it. It seems that the hatchbacks are pretty much gone, but there are still a few sedans out there. If you get the i version of the 3, then you can probably get a really good price, and teh price would be more comparable to low end corolla trim lines. But I would not get into a price war for them, especially since it is between two different brands. The number of 09 3's on the lot is too small to do that.

usf813

The price I was quoted is w/out a sunroof. I'll see what I can taking your suggestion into consideration with them. I don't really want a sunroof....I get enough sun in Tampa outside the car. Plus it's just one more electronic gadget to fix once broken. I keep cars 7+ years so less is more for me. If I can talk them into the 15s on the S he emailed me about i'd seriously consider it. The 3 is a nice little car but the grill and lack of temp. gauge have me going through a mental block!! What's the deal with toyota.com showing the "value" sport package at $355 and the sticker at the dealer $1400. From what I see the two packages are identical.

abchin486

The 3 does have a temp gauge, as does the corolla. 3's temp gauge is located on the radio LCD and is always visible. Corolla's temp gauge (and clock) is located on the tachometer and you have toggle through to get to it. It's kind of annoying because your mileage rating is on the same LCD, so you have about 5 different things to toggle through to get to it.

Does Toyota's website still give specs and prices for 09? From what I understand, options are actually cheaper on 2010, so they have an over lower MSRP once options are added.

usf813

HA I should clarify. The temp. gauge i'm referring to is the one that tells you whether the car is overheating or not. The '10 3 doesn't have one. I didn't mean to infer the temp. display that tells you the outside air temp.

ktv1969

I have a dealer in Orange County, CA who offered the 2009 Red Toyota Corolla S model w/ Automatic Transmission for the following price. Is this a good price or should I ask him to lower it more. He said it is a cost for him. Thanks for any info.

MSRP: $ 19,204.00
Your price: $ 14,995.00 plus tax
(after rebate and loyalty discount).
Your out-the-door price is $ 16,796.00.
For another $275.00 I can sell you the one
with the rear spoiler.

The breakdown is:

Vehicle Base Model ...................................: $ 17,250.00
50 State Emissions .........................
Cruise Control ............................................. $ 250.00
All Weather Guard Package: Includes .......... $ 150.00
Heavy Duty Heater with Rear Seat Heater ....
Duct, Anti-Chip Tape and Color-Keyed .......
Heated Outside Mirrors .....................
Power Package: Includes Power Windows ..... $ 635.00
with Driver''s Side One-Touch Down and ......
Remote Keyless Entry w/ Key Transmitter ....
Carpet Floor Mats & Trunk Mat ................. $ 199.00
-----------
Total Accessories .......................................: $ 1,234.00
Destination Charge ........................................: $ 720.00
-----------
MSRP ........................................................: $ 19,204.00

abchin486

What is a loyalty discount (if that is a rebate from Toyota, you can still go lower or or it just another name for dealer discount)? But that price seems good....you are at the point of where some dealers will not want to be in. If you have a large dealer nearby, it may be worth it to go there and see if they can beat it, but I will tell you now that that price is definately aggressive. It is priced to get it off the lot at this point.

if you want to negotiate with just that dealer, i'd say try for the spoiler one, but try to get $200 knocked off by having them just include the floor and trunk mats (provided they are included in the price) at no cost.

ktv1969

Thanks for the response and input.

Royalty discount is $500 off for those who currently own a Toyota or household family members who own one.

I think it is a good price, too, but debating whether to push the dealer further buy asking them to either throw in the spoiler for free or reduce it by a hundred or so.

Another obstacle for me is that the color they have is Barcelona red. With that color, the car will draw unnecessary attention, especially from law enforcement. At least, that is whay I think.

Thanks for your suggestions.

abchin486

That royalty rebate kind of makes the price better than it really is....how much is your customer cash rebate in your area? If it is 1750, then you still have about $300-$500 worth of wiggle room.

This is why I always tell people to not say you have any additional rebates until you negotiate the price.

yuvmeng

I had a corolla but sold it this Feb. Is ther any way I can get this loyalty discount if I don't have the offer sent by mail? The dealer said they need to have a paper offer from Toyota credit for this discount.
Are there any other incentive for 2009 corolla besides the 1000 rebate and 1000 for college graduates? I am looking for a reason to get 300-500 lower.
Your suggestions are appreciated.

carbuyer88

This is going to be my first car, till now i was in NY and have managed without car/driving.

I was initially looking for a used car found a 2006 civic lx (25k miles) for 11,400$, accord vp(2007, 18k miles) for 12,500$, 2007 corolla LE without cruise and ABS(18k miles) for 11,500$.

Initially i was looking around for new Corolla's. Yesterday i got quotes from couple of dealers. One was offering 2010 Corolla LE with cruise for 14,500 +doc fee (300$) +taxes, another dealer was offering the same for 15,000 + doc+taxes.

Thanks for the help

I am torn between the used cars and new cars, what is your advice. Also if you are suggesting new one what are the options you would suggest adding and any other thing i can bargain for such as free oil changes etc?

I have also heard complaints on the 2009 Corolla moving sideways on highways, will it be a problem for me as i am a new driver?

frostbyte3964

I have read about the drifting 2009 Corolla myself, but I didn't experience that at all with mine. I could have just been lucky, but I've read both by many people. So with that in mind, I'd say test drive the 2009 if it's available and make sure that model doesn't have issues. It may be very independent. Having said that, I would highly suggest a 2009 or 20010 Corolla over the older choices of used cars unless money is a real concern. I would think you could find a great deal on a 2009 now. Most used ones are the same or more than new since they want to get rid of them so bad. I bought mine back when they first came out and it was almost $18k OTD. Those same ones are going for less than $15k OTD now so $3000 less than mine for the exact same thing. You have to take a huge loss to sell a used one so new is the way to go unless it's from someone willing to sell one for $12k or so.
2010 has a few standard features the 2009 doesn't as well. One addressed the drifting I think so none should have that issue anymore. The options are very personal on what you like in a car. Personally I would suggest trying to get an S for $15k over the LE. I know our dealer was selling them for that price as a standard for a while and I so wanted to get one over my LE.

ktv1969

When you said, " Personally I would suggest trying to get an S for $15k over the LE," are you referring $15,000 OTD or before Taxes, Title and License? I am in the market for an S as well, but want to get clarification if you meant $15,000 is OTD price. I got one that quoted $15000 before TTL. Thanks for any info., anyone.

Sandman6472

Rented a LE...barebones car...seats were horrible but pick up was nice and no drifting and also had good radio reception. No clock though...odd. The S model is better equipped & nicer looking with the alloy wheels.
Go for it!

The Sandman :shades:

jszair

Guys I have a question

Now the lowest otd price I got is from a dealer 60miles away. If I buy his car, does that mean I need to go to their place to do maintenance?

Newbie question...Thanks

alamocity

You can have the maintenance done at any dealership of your choosing.

jamg

2010 Corolla S Manual (Gry) with the following options:

FE - 50 State Emissions
CK - All Weather Guard Package
QC - S Extra Value Package #3 (alloy wheels, rear deck spoiler, pwr windows, cruise control and remote keyless entry with key transmitter).
SR - Power Tilt and Slide Moonroof
CF - Carpet Floor Mats

+ Tax (Rhode Island at 7%)
+ Registration/Plates ($100.00)
+ Doc Fee ($250.00)

- Recent College Grad Rebate ($1,000)
___________

Final OTD (all-inclusive) $16,800.00

Thoughts, comments, feedback? Would love to hear. Thanks.

abchin486

so...you got him to 16,400 (before college rebate, taxes and all other stuff)? That is pretty goood for a 2010. I am guessing msrp was around 19,400?

jamg

Actually we didn't play the "MSRP" or "Invoice" game at all. I went right for the OTD price (and let them do the math) and did it via email! After getting what I thought was a very good deal ($17,050.00 OTD after rebate) from Shop A, I contacted quite a few other dealerships. Shop B said they would do the car at $16,800.00 OTD, and Shop A said they would match this. Shop B is in state (but super high-pressure, "over the phone" prices (nothing in email), called 8 times in 48 hours, and has really low dealer feedback scores and comments--while Shop A is across the state line, been working with me for a month, is happy to work via emails, and has terrific dealership feedback scores and comments. I'm about to put money down (car to arrive at dealership in a few weeks)!

I'm nervous because quite a few other dealerships said "yeah, right--they won't stick to that number--email me if you actually walk with that as your OTD." I'm trying to sort out these naysayers are telling me truth (and numbers won't go through when the car comes in), or if I really did land a good deal and they're bitter they didn’t get a sale during these hard times for the dealerships.

Edmunds has lists the car as follows MSRP $18,565 Invoice $16,929 TMV $ 17,675—if I’m not mistaken these should be PRE tax/title/plates?

What are your thoughts?

carbuyer88

I am new car buyer...whats this documentation fee? is it something which can be done away with?

Thanks,
Hari

udo

Includes cruise control, keyless entry (factory), heavy duty heater package, carpet/trunk mats. Before taxes, title etc it's basically $14850 incl $1000 rebate. No college grad rebate included -you only get that if you're financing thru Toyota.
Dealer was Cobb County Toyota in Kennesaw,GA. Very good to deal with - negotiated over the phone and he gave his best price with no gimmicks, even when I initially turned it down to try and get other offers. No pressure from salespeople to buy extended warranty-just a presentation of options.
Also got a good quote using purely internet/email from Team Toyota in Lithia Springs - a few hundred less, but no options on car. Again, no pressure.
Previously had bad experience with Sandy Springs Toyota -all sales gimmicks (mandatory envirogard added to price, advertised XLE car sold 2 weeks previously) and high pressure
If you need more info: email to udonew@yahoo.com

udo

Almost every dealer adds it, if they're allowed by law. The amount is totaly arbitrary, and is part of dealer profit. They do it because they don't have to disclose the amount in advertised prices.
I would suggest not worrying about price breakdown when negotiating. Just negotiate the Out-the-door price including sales tax,title, and ALL dealer fees and add-ons. If you get specific about which ones to exclude, they will just invent new fees.

udo

I got a 2009 LE in Atlanta with keyless entry,cruise, heavy duty heater, carpet mats for $15850 OTD ($14850 before tax, title), so unless tax is quite a bit higher in your state, I'd try another dealership.