I wonder how good everyones deals really are? No one is saying how much they paid, only... "I got a good deal". We all like to think that we got a good deal, but did any one really getone?.... Today I was quoted a price for a V8 SR5 Tundra 4x4 not sure of the options, the quote before TT&L and all the other things was 25,900. Any one have any feed back on that. [email protected]
Dehaven. You need to be a little more specific. It really depends on what options you got. It's pretty simple, add up the dealer invoice cost base + destination + all options (at invoice) and then how much over invoice do you have to pay? If you're getting $250 - $400 over invoice, you're getting a good deal. I just sent out request for quotes to 39 dealers in Indiana, Louisville, Cincinnati and Chicago. The best deal was $250 over invoice plus $256.00 TDA. But, would have had to order and wait 4-6 weeks. Unfortunately, TDA is a real expense the dealer has to pay the factory, and they won't give it up. I signed the agreement today for a truck from a dealer in Cincinnati because he has in stock and it's almost exactly what I wanted (all except V3), will pick it up tomorrow. Heres the numbers: SR5 mdl 7828 4wd, ext cab - invoice costs $22,794 (pre 2/1/00 price) $59 CK $188 DZ $848 CQ $740 OF $60 CC $48 CF $249 V3 $160 BL $25146 $480 Dest. $6 fuel charge 25,632 $382 TDA (advertising) $26014 $400 dealer profit $75 doc fees $26489 $(150) Toyota coupon $26339 OTD Effectively, I got the truck for below current invoice. The 2/1/00 increase at invoice was $327.60, + $150 coupon minus the $50 cost for the coupon = $427.60 advantage over a post 2/1/00 truck. For anybody wanting to know a good method for weeding out good dealers who want to earn your business versus the schmucks trying to screw you, go to fightingchance.com, contact the owner James Bragg and for $24.95 it'll be the best money you ever spent. Saved me at least $1200.00 over what the rip-off dealers wanted. If you're looking for a truck in central indiana, louisville, or Northern Indiana, send me an email, I can direct you to some reputable straight dealers.
All toyota dealers will add the TDA (regional advertising). Also, Toyota's marketing startegy is to offer variations on their vehicles to certain markets, for instance
Well I just ordered a 2WD V-8 Tundra, Imerald green with gray interior, extended cab, bench seats, bed liner, standard options (no alarm/keyless entry). After haggling for days, got the dealer to $22,490 that is with a $2500 trade in. Did I do any good? Sticker was $25,300.
Just wondering if any deals are being made leasing a Tundra? I live in Central Florida and the national ads have an SR5 V8 Disclaimer '00 TUNDRA #7728 $1,798 due at signing. $21,659 Adjusted Capitalized Cost based on $1,499 Down Payment and dealer participation which may vary by dealer. MSRP $25,124 including freight. Monthly payments total $14,352. Your payment may vary depending on final price. Excludes tax, tag and title. Lessee responsible for maintenance, excess wear and tear and $0.15/Mile over 12,000/YR. Lease-end purchase option $12,813. Disposition fee of $350 due at lease end. At participating dealers to qualified lessees through SOUTHEAST TOYOTA FINANCE. Retail delivery must be taken out of stock by March 31, 2000. See your participating dealer for details.
NO DEALS FROM THE DEALER ON THIS LEASE AND I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE MIGHT BE GETTING DEALS ON LEASES?
johnz3: I looked into the problem on Fri. Thanks!!! Apparently our domain name got dropped from on of our providers DNS server. That propogated out to the point where we no longer existed. I looks like we should be back on line now.
Shoot me the e-mail again, and I'll answer your questions. Thanks for your patients and discovery.
My appologies to those who have not been able to e-mail me.
Can anyone explain the allocation of Tundra's? I live in MN and you can barely get to the lot before their measly allotments are sold. Many dealers have waiting lists for their Tundra's. Seems to me 4X4 Tundras would be available in a Northern state with a nasty climate as we have suitable use for the 4wd. However, it ceases to amaze me that all the Texas and Georgia, etc. states have lots full of them and are getting the best deals. I'm not getting down on anybody from these areas just PO'd I can't find any (especially at 300 to $400 over invoice like many of you have written). If I make any sense and you can explain the allocation process, please let me know. Could on-line broker be a better bet?
Topic #2: Has anyone heard of design improvements for the Tundra? My complaints are few but; will they put 4 wheel disc brakes on it in 2001? What about that rear seatback, plans to give it any contour/rake?
Topic #3: TRD offroad pck. Is it worth it? How's the ride? Also, the tires on the nonTRD truck look very umm...carlike, and not very aggressive for winter driving and offroading.
Any input would be greatly appreciated before I purchase.
For folks in Washington looking for a good price on Tundra I recommend Heartland Toyota in Bremerton. Ask for Jim Dupont. I got one for $200 over invoice plus several hundred $ for Toyota advertising. I'm a former Chevy PU owner that loves the Tundra!
Do you think you got a good deal - that is what matters. The extra fees seem high to me TDA $402, Hold back added to the invoice is creative stealing ($434), Financial reserve is a total screw at ($217). But the one that really makes me wonder is the $6.00 charge for gas. What did they expect you to do tow your new $25,000 truck (that you paid $26,000 for) to the gas station to fill it up. I am glad you were able to negotiate away the fee for oil in the engine, air in the tires (that dam up charge for air is hard to get them to drop) and I see you did not have to pay the $50 charge for the key chain with the dealers logo. Next time you buy a truck take someone in with you that has a clue.
Options: ck cf cq v3 dz bl lf. Priced for 24275 plus tax tag. Pcheng I tried who you said but they were 1500 or more then anyone in MD, VA & some PA dealers.
Anybody had any luck with any dealers in Ventura County (Southern California)? I'm looking for a Tundra SR5 Access Cab V8 4.7L. Want some POWER, boys! *wink*
Ouch! z71Bill, I posted days before meeting with dealer and checked this sight each night. The date of your post is 3/9, somehow it never showed up for me. Now I'm not so happy
I bought a Tundra Limited with almost all the goodies from Frontier Toyota in Valencia last month. Paid 600.00 over invoice(26,000.) I know that the market has cooled a little now, especially with the current gas prices. I drove by the dealership last weekend and saw that they had quite a few of them. Good luck. Oh, you won't regret getting a Tundra, lots of power, rides better than some cars.
Sorry if my post was harsh - I will stick by my first statement. If you are happy with the truck that is all that matters. If you have a dealer that will stand by you (up for you) when you have a problem, gets you in and out quickly when it is time for maintenance that is worth a little extra. The $6.00 charge for gas is what put me into my sarcastic mood. Hope you like your Tundra - I almost bought one myself.
I need help! I have just returned from a dealer in Austin, TX. I have bought vehicles for 20 years using invoice plus usually $200-$500. As you know, Toyotas don't come cheap, and they are usually tougher to negotiate for. After I had offered $300 over invoice by fax, the dealer I was negotiating with said they would take $500 over invoice, and no less. I would have accepted that until I saw the supposed invoice. It included TDA (advertising?) $163, BASE-VEH-HB ($327), MAF ($246), PIO-HB ($60), DLR-WHL-RSV ($163). The salesman was vague on what these were, stating that they were advertising costs charged to the dealer. He swears that the dealer pays them and must pass them to the customer.
Someone who really knows the story on these please help. Are they really passed to the dealer? Some of these could be unique to Texas and Gulf States Toyota. I'm not sure about that.
On my last post I need to clarify that I was negotiating for a Tacoma and not a Tundra. I doubt that I could buy a Tundra @ $500 over invoice at this point. I'm beginning to doubt that I can even buy a Tacoma for that. I am aware that there is a $500 dealer incentive on Tacoma 4X4's right now, so the dealer said that the price would be what would normally be invoice. Then...came the extra surprises built into the invoice.
Tell them to stick the BS fees where the sun don't shine. Did they have a fee called TDFF (Toyota dealer fee fee), this is the paperwork fee that many dealers charge because of the extra cost of calculating all of the other fees. The add on charges are getting out of hand (at all dealers not just Toyota) it is time the customer stands up and says no thanks. When I bought my 98 Tahoe I could not get the invoice to add up, I was $50.00 off. The sales guy points the fine print - numbers so small I could not even see them - $50.00 document fee. I looked the guy straight in the eye and said - you want to lose a $29,000 sale because of a $50 fee. The fee was crossed off. Just say no to add on fees...
Here in South Carolina and Georgia, I know of at least one dealer for certain that will sell for $500 over invoice without additional fees, etc. They art Jim Barkley Toyota in Asheville, NC. I have also found that most dealers here are willing to deal and will go as low as 300 over (again, no fees). Good luck
Check with Bob Amazeen at Champion in Austin. I've had good luck there. I have my invoice in front of me and there is only the destination charge of $495. Let me know who the dealer was that you went to. Just courious.
New castle toyota delaware and Caldwell toyota NJ seem to be the lowest prices BTWN VA PA MD DE & NY. Ask for Andrew Caldwell Toyota NJ I paid 25894 out the door. Or if you're close to Delaware ask for Oscar New Castle Toyota.
A friend of mine just bought a Tundra in St. Augustine FL and got it for approx 400-500 over invoice. That was pretty good by itself. However, he was also able to take advantage of 5.9% financing by Toyota
Covington Pike Toyota in Memphis sold my 2WD Limited Access Cab for $500 over invoice with no add-on crap...they also have an incredible selection...over 20 in stock when I bought!
There is alot of talk about problems with the Tundra. Most of this comes from despondent GM and Dodge owners who have decided to post all kinds of misinformation in order to help themselves feel better about there own real problem trucks. The vast majority of Tundra owners rate their truck as the best truck they've ever owned. This includes lots of former big-3 owners like myself (3 chevy trucks). If you want the real story from someone who actually owns a Tundra, e-mail me and I'll tell you everything that is good and bad about this truck. I feel sorry for honest people who are trying to get some information to make a decision and would like to help.
check the spelling...I've received e-mails from 3 people from the edmunds site, so far. This is my only e-mail address. Post your e-mail address and I'll send a note to see if yours is working properly.
Rwellbaum2, now it works. It turns out the one on your profile has a "period" at the end, which is enough to make it not find you. You might want to update your profile and get rid of that period at the end.
I appreciate the info that I have been reading here. Chrysler is buying back our lemon '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Everything you heard is true, they are good looking, but unrefined, poorly engineered, low quality control, junk. Almost 70 days in the shop in less than a year!)
Once we drove the Tundra, we knew that this was the vehicle for us. It's like a Lexus with a P/U bed in back. We will own one soon, now we know what price to expect. Thanks!
For an outstanding summary of fees that dealers can throw at you, I will direct you to carbuyingtips.com. This site is packed with incredibly useful car buying information. You won't be disappointed.
Any dealership that shows you an invoice which itemized wholesale financial reserve and holdback is an idiot. All this does is create confusion. Add the base vehicle price and those two fees and you will come to exactly what Edmund's tells you invoice is. Every region has a TDA fee and it varies. In the Central Atlantic region, it is 2.1% of base invoice. Gulf states and Southeast Toyota have other fees which I have no idea what they are nor if they get these refunded.
Let me also make a few comments about invoice and cost. They are not the same thing. Invoice is what we pay for the trucks. Cost is invoice minus holdback and finance reserve (not TDA, we don't get that money back) PLUS average floorplan interest, advertising expenses, commissions, salaries of the staff, utilities and all other variable expenses in the dealership. When a deal is discussed, it is always in relation to invoice and not cost.
The amount you will pay over invoice is reliant upon what the market in your area demands. Right now, we have a shortage of SR5 V8 Access cabs and 4x4 Limited. We sell those for $950 over invoice. If you want a 4x4 V6 standard transmission or a V8 standard cab 4x4, I'll sell any one I have in stock at invoice and sometimes a little less. Those units are lot rocks in my area.
A few months ago, we had plenty of Limited in stock and I had a guy fly to VA from CA to buy one. I sold it for $650 over invoice and he saved $2500 over the best deal he could get locally. He drove it home and just considered the drive a vacation.
The question to ask when buying is not how much money the dealership is making. The question is how good is the price relative to what I could get it for elsewhere. If you get bogged down over the definition of holdback, you may miss the fact that the price being offered is under what the market bears in your area.
The other question to ask is "does the value exceed the price." This is a simple question. If the truck is not worth the money, don't buy it. If it is, buy it.
I had the best auto buying experience ever! I did all the leg work over e-mail and received a great price! If you need a Toyota in the Seattle area go to www.towntoyota.com and e-mail Tony! He did a great job locating the Tundra for me and delivered it to me at no extra charge! Good Luck! Alfred
OK here is the deal---- 2000 Tundra LTD Access Cab 4 WD w/ Leather, Off Road, 6 disc changer, Tonneau Cover, Under rail bed liner, All Weather Package, Alarm,, and Towing Package...28,495 plus Tax and Tags...How did I do??? Also I ordered it and they told me 4-6 weeks. How accurate is this? I don't want to wait any longer than that !! Those of you who have ordered-- is this fairly close to actual delivery time??
4 to 6 weeks is realistic. Within a week, they should be able to give you a more specific time. We get allocations once or twice a month. from the time a truck is allocated until it arrives is generally 3 to 5 weeks. With the equipment you mentioned, they should be able to divert one already allocated to another store and have it for you sooner then 6 weeks. It sounds like they are underpromising which is far better than overpromising.
So far we have had our Tundra Limited for about one month and we are very satisfied. No defects, no complaints. Oddly enough, I was with some people the other day (all three were purchased 2000 Chevy Silverados) and they were talking about how they "checked-out" Tundras but figured the Chevy was a better value. They then proceeded to explain how they all had their trucks in for the front suspension, rear window and defective rear view mirror compass not to mention the transmission was bucking. Yes indeed it's great to buy a new Chevy Truck and visit Mr. Goodwrench on a weekly basis. If you are interested in buying a Tundra at $650 over invoice, buy all means check out Hurlbert's Toyota in Stratham NH. If you check out my file, send me an email and I"ll explain my experience in shopping for a Tundra. Got to go, one of my Chevy Truck buddies has broken down on RT 93.
I am currently shoppong for a Tundra V8 Limited in Little Rock, AR. Anyone know a good honest dealer?? I was told that if I wanted a limited, I had to get antilock brakes. I assume it is not true, but does anyone know for sure??
Different regions order their trucks with different equipment. Your region probably orders all their Limited with ABS. You can order one without it but it can take a long time to get it. Your options are to take the ABS (and why wouldn't you want it?), load up an SR5 or purchase out of your region.
Here in VA, we get very few Tundras with ABS and it drives me nuts. Most of my customers want it and I have a hard time getting them.
Is it true? They don't bring any wiring to the back of the frame if you don't buy the wiring kit? Seems to me that this was common practice on trucks. If anybody can confirm this please respond. I was not thinking of ordering this option because I figured they marked the hell out of the price and I could just get a hitch installer to run it from the frame to the hitch. Now I might consider it if it's true.
Has anybody been successful in negotiating out the TDA fee? I don't see why they try to pass this cost along to the customer especially since I haven't seen an advertisement for the Tundra in any newspapers or on TV since it first won Motor Trend T.O.T.Y.
By the way, I got some really good quotes from the online buying service carpoint.com. The Autobytel dealer didn't call me back within 24-48hrs but I stopped at the dealer and asked for the guy. They quickly matched the carpoint dealers prices. I learned it works well to go into the dealer holding all the cards. I had a stack of different Tundras I optioned out w/ their MSRP and Invoice posted side by side. They quickly get out of the MSRP mode and start talking real deals. Thank God for the internet!!
Has anybody been successful at special ordering a Tundra. Dealers are telling me they can only request that the Toyota factory builds one, but it is often denied three maybe four times before they agree to build "your" truck. Sounds like you can request to build every 15 days. So right there it is approx 2mos wait, then it is a 4 - 6 week lead time for delivery. I know they can do the other Region search but I can't believe it is that difficult to special order from Toyota. I would like to know if they just don't want to do the leg work or if this is really how Toyota works.
It's called prefrence order and Toyota USA in Torrance CA told me they did not have a problem with Tundra orders. Most likely you have a dealer who does not want to deal that way and would rather sale what's on his lot or do a regional search. If they won't order just go to someone else. If you do have a problem just call Toyota USA Torrance CA and let them know they might even call the dealer your at while your there. I had a problem with a dealer who tried to tell me about the new emmissions law that took effect in January. That I could only order from the state I live in (Maryland). Of course I new something did not sound right so I email Toyota USA and also had called them, toyota customer service connected me to department that deales in emmissions and explained it to me and then they called the dealership for putting out bogus info. Needless to say the dealership called me in regards to my contact with Toyota USA. The other things is not to pay the finacial reserve, which according to Toyota USA the dealership should not be passing onto the consumer, Doc fees is another one that you should not pay no more then 50.00. Also watch it some dealers will add holdback which is already included in there invoice (there trying to double dip). If a dealer shows you his invoice for trucks usually it's just paper with a bunch of vehicles stock #s invoice price and msrp. Tell them you want to see the actual invoice with all charges for a specific truck. That holdback and sometimes other kickbacks the dealer gets at the end of the quarter or so. So, be careful out there and do not go for the double team of sales reps, just walk out and leave.
OK, you got a response from a seemingly angry consumer, now allow me to give you the dealer's side. Ordering is a nightmare with Toyota. Toyota can and does reject requests if the order request throws off the "just in time" ordering process. If you are patient and the dealer is willing to work through a maze of paperwork, we can order anything but it can take up to 4 months. You are not protected from price increases in that time frame. If you want one sooner than that, you need to think very hard about your priorities.
As to your question on TDA, we as dealerships can not negotiate it out of what we pay to Toyota. If anybody claims they didn't pay it, they fell for a real line from the dealership. We all pay it and it is not refunded to us ever. As a matter of fact, those $150 coupons you see on Edmunds are a result of the fact that we used to get half of the TDA money back. As part of a class action settlement, we put out the $150 coupons and stopped the practice of using the TDA as holdback.
While you may not see the Tundra advertised (although I see it every time I turn on a hockey game), the money goes into a pot for the region to use. If your region has too many Camrys and not enough Tundras, guess where the advertising money is going.
One final note. Buying a car or truck does not have to be a war with winners and losers. If you run into a dealership who seems to view it as a war, find one who doesn't. Don't reward the "old school" behavior with your business. Also, don't go to war with a decent dealership as you will be teaching them that they need to be like the other guys.
This can be a civilized process if both parties agree to make it so.
Toyotas have never been like the domestics on wiring. If you are ordering one, get the wiring harness or the full hitch (unless you are getting a Limited and then you are stuck with the harness only and an aftermarket hitch). The kit is a 2 part system that includes a fuse under the hood.
I preferenced ordered a SR5 4x4 V8 Access Cab through Jim Barkley Toyota in Asheville, NC back on Feb. 7. The reason for the preference order was the ABS and the All Weather Pkg. (FYI..Cliffy1 is right about the lack of availability of ABS in the Southeast). The initial projected delivery date was the end of May, 1st week of June (120 days). I was advised on March 22 that the vehicle would be on the dealers lot as of March 30. They received it on March 28 and I picked it up this past weekend. It seems that most of us on this forum who have preference ordered received the vehicles in 6-8 weeks from the date of order, with a few exceptions. The dealer was more than happy to place the order and was very up front about the possible lead times involved.
I read someplace that Toyota was going to implement a new ordering system that will allow any car / truck to be ordered and be delivered in no more than 30 days , with a normal delivery time of two weeks. It would be nice if some auto manufacture would develop this type of system - it would force the others to follow along or lose business. Even if they charged $500 per order (article did not say they would) many people would be willing to pay the extra $$ to reduce the waiting time.
it is unwieldy to manage, and difficult to use for "newbies." There is entirely TOO much topic duplication, so I will be doing some SERIOUS topic consolidation in the next few weeks, getting us down to not more than 2-3 topics per vehicle type, and ultimately down to 200 topics or less.
THIS weeks consolidation candidates are: Tundra's, Tacoma's and Rangers.
In that vein,please consolidate this Tundra topic to Welcome Toyota Tundra - V and continue these discussions there.
Thanks!
Front Porch Philosopher SUV, Pickups, & Aftermarket and Accessories Host
Comments
Unfortunately, TDA is a real expense the dealer has to pay the factory, and they won't give it up.
I signed the agreement today for a truck from a dealer in Cincinnati because he has in stock and it's almost exactly what I wanted (all except V3), will pick it up tomorrow. Heres the numbers:
SR5 mdl 7828 4wd, ext cab - invoice costs
$22,794 (pre 2/1/00 price)
$59 CK
$188 DZ
$848 CQ
$740 OF
$60 CC
$48 CF
$249 V3
$160 BL
$25146
$480 Dest.
$6 fuel charge
25,632
$382 TDA (advertising)
$26014
$400 dealer profit
$75 doc fees
$26489
$(150) Toyota coupon
$26339 OTD
Effectively, I got the truck for below current invoice. The 2/1/00 increase at invoice was $327.60, + $150 coupon minus the $50 cost for the coupon = $427.60 advantage over a post 2/1/00 truck.
For anybody wanting to know a good method for weeding out good dealers who want to earn your business versus the schmucks trying to screw you, go to fightingchance.com, contact the owner James Bragg and for $24.95 it'll be the best money you ever spent. Saved me at least $1200.00 over what the rip-off dealers wanted. If you're looking for a truck in central indiana, louisville, or Northern Indiana, send me an email, I can direct you to some reputable straight dealers.
All toyota dealers will add the TDA (regional advertising). Also, Toyota's marketing startegy is to offer variations on their vehicles to certain markets, for instance
I live in Central Florida and the national ads have an SR5 V8 Disclaimer '00 TUNDRA #7728 $1,798 due at signing. $21,659 Adjusted Capitalized Cost based on $1,499 Down Payment and dealer participation which may vary by dealer. MSRP $25,124 including freight. Monthly payments total $14,352. Your payment may vary depending on final price. Excludes tax, tag and title. Lessee responsible for maintenance, excess wear and tear and $0.15/Mile over 12,000/YR. Lease-end purchase option $12,813. Disposition fee of $350 due at lease end. At participating dealers to qualified lessees through SOUTHEAST TOYOTA FINANCE. Retail delivery must be taken out of stock by March 31, 2000. See your participating dealer for details.
NO DEALS FROM THE DEALER ON THIS LEASE AND I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE MIGHT BE GETTING DEALS ON LEASES?
Shoot me the e-mail again, and I'll answer your questions. Thanks for your patients and discovery.
My appologies to those who have not been able to e-mail me.
Total cost to me $26,000 + Tax
Any opinions, comments
Topic #2: Has anyone heard of design improvements for the Tundra? My complaints are few but; will they put 4 wheel disc brakes on it in 2001? What about that rear seatback, plans to give it any contour/rake?
Topic #3: TRD offroad pck. Is it worth it? How's the ride? Also, the tires on the nonTRD truck look very umm...carlike, and not very aggressive for winter driving and offroading.
Any input would be greatly appreciated before I purchase.
24275 plus tax tag. Pcheng I tried who you said
but they were 1500 or more then anyone in MD, VA
& some PA dealers.
Someone who really knows the story on these please help. Are they really passed to the dealer? Some of these could be unique to Texas and Gulf States Toyota. I'm not sure about that.
Thanks.
Thanks again.
Good luck
Samman
NJ seem to be the lowest prices BTWN VA PA MD DE
& NY. Ask for Andrew Caldwell Toyota NJ I paid
25894 out the door. Or if you're close to Delaware
ask for Oscar New Castle Toyota.
check the spelling...I've received e-mails from 3 people from the edmunds site, so far. This is my only e-mail address. Post your e-mail address and I'll send a note to see if yours is working properly.
Once we drove the Tundra, we knew that this was the vehicle for us. It's like a Lexus with a P/U bed in back. We will own one soon, now we know what price to expect. Thanks!
can throw at you, I will direct you to
carbuyingtips.com. This site is packed with
incredibly useful car buying information. You
won't be disappointed.
Let me also make a few comments about invoice and cost. They are not the same thing. Invoice is what we pay for the trucks. Cost is invoice minus holdback and finance reserve (not TDA, we don't get that money back) PLUS average floorplan interest, advertising expenses, commissions, salaries of the staff, utilities and all other variable expenses in the dealership. When a deal is discussed, it is always in relation to invoice and not cost.
The amount you will pay over invoice is reliant upon what the market in your area demands. Right now, we have a shortage of SR5 V8 Access cabs and 4x4 Limited. We sell those for $950 over invoice. If you want a 4x4 V6 standard transmission or a V8 standard cab 4x4, I'll sell any one I have in stock at invoice and sometimes a little less. Those units are lot rocks in my area.
A few months ago, we had plenty of Limited in stock and I had a guy fly to VA from CA to buy one. I sold it for $650 over invoice and he saved $2500 over the best deal he could get locally. He drove it home and just considered the drive a vacation.
The question to ask when buying is not how much money the dealership is making. The question is how good is the price relative to what I could get it for elsewhere. If you get bogged down over the definition of holdback, you may miss the fact that the price being offered is under what the market bears in your area.
The other question to ask is "does the value exceed the price." This is a simple question. If the truck is not worth the money, don't buy it. If it is, buy it.
Alfred
4 WD w/ Leather, Off Road, 6 disc changer,
Tonneau Cover, Under rail bed liner, All Weather
Package, Alarm,, and Towing Package...28,495 plus
Tax and Tags...How did I do??? Also I ordered it
and they told me 4-6 weeks. How accurate is this? I
don't want to wait any longer than that !! Those
of you who have ordered-- is this fairly close to
actual delivery time??
on a weekly basis.
If you are interested in buying a Tundra at $650 over invoice, buy all means check out Hurlbert's Toyota in Stratham NH. If you check out my file, send me an email and I"ll explain my experience in shopping for a Tundra.
Got to go, one of my Chevy Truck buddies has broken down on RT 93.
Here in VA, we get very few Tundras with ABS and it drives me nuts. Most of my customers want it and I have a hard time getting them.
Has anybody been successful in negotiating out the TDA fee? I don't see why they try to pass this cost along to the customer especially since I haven't seen an advertisement for the Tundra in any newspapers or on TV since it first won Motor Trend T.O.T.Y.
By the way, I got some really good quotes from the online buying service carpoint.com. The Autobytel dealer didn't call me back within 24-48hrs but I stopped at the dealer and asked for the guy. They quickly matched the carpoint dealers prices. I learned it works well to go into the dealer holding all the cards. I had a stack of different Tundras I optioned out w/ their MSRP and Invoice posted side by side. They quickly get out of the MSRP mode and start talking real deals. Thank God for the internet!!
Torrance CA told me they did not have a problem
with Tundra orders. Most likely you have a dealer
who does not want to deal that way and would
rather sale what's on his lot or do a regional
search. If they won't order just go to someone
else. If you do have a problem just call Toyota
USA Torrance CA and let them know they might even
call the dealer your at while your there. I had
a problem with a dealer who tried to tell me
about the new emmissions law that took effect in
January. That I could only order from the state
I live in (Maryland). Of course I new something
did not sound right so I email Toyota USA and also
had called them, toyota customer service connected
me to department that deales in emmissions and
explained it to me and then they called the
dealership for putting out bogus info. Needless
to say the dealership called me in regards to my
contact with Toyota USA. The other things is not
to pay the finacial reserve, which according to
Toyota USA the dealership should not be passing
onto the consumer, Doc fees is another one that
you should not pay no more then 50.00. Also watch
it some dealers will add holdback which is already
included in there invoice (there trying to double
dip). If a dealer shows you his invoice for trucks
usually it's just paper with a bunch of vehicles
stock #s invoice price and msrp. Tell them you
want to see the actual invoice with all charges
for a specific truck. That holdback and sometimes
other kickbacks the dealer gets at the end of the
quarter or so. So, be careful out there and do
not go for the double team of sales reps, just
walk out and leave.
As to your question on TDA, we as dealerships can not negotiate it out of what we pay to Toyota. If anybody claims they didn't pay it, they fell for a real line from the dealership. We all pay it and it is not refunded to us ever. As a matter of fact, those $150 coupons you see on Edmunds are a result of the fact that we used to get half of the TDA money back. As part of a class action settlement, we put out the $150 coupons and stopped the practice of using the TDA as holdback.
While you may not see the Tundra advertised (although I see it every time I turn on a hockey game), the money goes into a pot for the region to use. If your region has too many Camrys and not enough Tundras, guess where the advertising money is going.
One final note. Buying a car or truck does not have to be a war with winners and losers. If you run into a dealership who seems to view it as a war, find one who doesn't. Don't reward the "old school" behavior with your business. Also, don't go to war with a decent dealership as you will be teaching them that they need to be like the other guys.
This can be a civilized process if both parties agree to make it so.
it is unwieldy to manage, and difficult to use for "newbies." There is entirely TOO much topic duplication, so I will be doing some SERIOUS topic consolidation in the next few weeks, getting us down to not more than 2-3 topics per vehicle type, and ultimately down to 200 topics or less.
THIS weeks consolidation candidates are: Tundra's, Tacoma's and Rangers.
In that vein,please consolidate this Tundra topic to Welcome Toyota Tundra - V and continue these discussions there.
Thanks!
Front Porch Philosopher
SUV, Pickups, & Aftermarket and Accessories Host