Toyota RAV4 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

3toyotas

Rav4 Limited 4x2 V6

comes with
JBL/bluetooth radio/cd -- special color blizzard white --daytime running lights -- moonroof--custom tape stripe -- towing prep package--night vision mirror upgrade-- rear bumper protector-- mud guards -- carpet mat set --fabric guard-security upgrade system--wheel locks--permavin glass etch-- vehicle shield package-after market leather added (katzkin) selling price before taxes & fees $29,000 out the door should be @ 31k --- to high? or good deal?

getting a new car should be fun, but its a lot of work!
also finacing should you be able to get a better rate than 6.9 if you have a excellant rating?

thanks

evergreen

tklius....Based on the options you listed, the MSRP should have been around $30,800. If you paid $28,000, that is a very good deal. $2800 under MSRP is hard to beat. Zymas is the only person I have seen who got a better deal. Congrats. Is that Evergreen, Colorado? Did you use the Fighting Chance program?

evergreen

zymas....You have set a new standard and showed what can be done with the Fighting Chance approach. Of course there is a bit of luck involved as the stars have to line up just right, i.e., end of month/quarter/year, etc. It would be interesting to know what Koons would be willing to sell that vehicle for at any other time of the month.

evergreen

captain8 and 3toyotas.....go to fizmall.com and find something comparable to your vehicles. If you can buy at the fitzmall price, you are doing very well. If you can swing deals like tklius and zymas ($2800-$3000 below MSRP) you can thank your lucky stars and take a vacation with the savings.

lir

If you have good credit, you should be able to get about 5% at a credit union. Maybe a tad higher - 5.2%

captain8

so, based on that, looks like I am getting a decent price, but I have to clarify whether it is a delivered price or not.

Does fitzmall sell out of state? It sounds like they do and with much less hassle. I guess I have to contact them

T

evergreen

Fitzmall sells to anyone. They charge a processing fee of $99 but that can be waived to out of state buyers who want to handle their own states taxes, title, etc.

tklius

Thanks - thought it might be a good deal. They hosed me a bit on the trade-in (not unexpected), but I made up for it on the Platinum Extended Warranty. They matched an offer I'd gotten online for the 7/75/0 option for $840 after first offering it to me for like $1,750 - obviously trying to make up some money from the car price.

FYI - The Evergreen referred to the color, not the location. I bought at Grossinger North in Lincolnwood, IL (just outside Chicago).

captain8

Hi -

Just a broad question. If price is not an option, what do you all prefer, the limited or sport edition (V6 only)? I test-drove the sport and found the drive to be incredibly fun. I suppose I should test drive the Limited, too - but haven't had the chance to do so. IS there a substantial difference, given the wheel size (17 vs. 18)?

I guess I wonder whether getting the steering wheel controls is worth giving up feel and performance.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks.

evergreen

Some prefer and buy the Sport and others the Limited. Otherwise they wouldn't offer both. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. It's all a matter of personal preference. Of course most people buy the Base model. To each his own.

captain8

I realize that one requirement of this forum is politeness and good manners, so I won't write what is really on my mind now.

I understand why they offer multiple options and I undersand that each has their advantages and disadvantages. I KNOW that. I am asking what the forum readers/participants prefer - I am not asking why each is offered, nor do I need to hear what everyone knows: to each his own.

I look forward to future (other) replies.

Captain

lir

Captain,

I prefer the limited. If you like leather/heated seats, limited is the only way you can get them unless you get after market leather. I also like the automatic climate control, leather wrapped stearing wheel, power seat, audio controls on steering wheel (with JBL) etc.

gadgetgirl

Hi Captain,

I drove both the Limited V6 and Sport V6. I didn't really see much difference in handling and the ride. (BTW, I also drove a 4 cyl., and IMHO, the V6 was the only way to go.) The specs say that the Limited has a tighter turning radius, but the couple of inches seemed negligble.

I purchased a Sport in the long run. But if I had my druthers and if Toyota would have let me configure it the way I wanted (like a Dell laptop, etc.), I would have purchased a Limited. But I couldn't perofrm a custom configuration and decided that financially all the packaged options were not worth the extra cost. I had hoped that I could find a basic Limited [yes, this may seem like an oxymoron, I know. ] V6 with just a moonroof and daytime running lights and nothing else added. However everything came fully loaded with extras that I didn't want.

Anyway, I hope you have fun test driving and negotiating for your vehicle.

captain8

I really appreciate the thoughtful response. It's helpful. I am leaning toward the sport because I actually DID like the feel better and I figured if I wanted the extras, I could just pay for them. (Leather on the steering while IS something I want, but not that much.)

Thanks - very helpful.

Cap

captain8

Thanks - both comments are very helpful. I DO love the power seat and audio on the wheel. I am trying to get the upgrade package on the Sport for wheel controls - and if I can I will get it and pass on the seats.

The REAL luxory comes with my NEXT car - but that's gonna take a few years.

Thanks for the help

Cap

carnivore

I don't think fender flares, big wheels and hard shocks are enough for a "Sport" model. To make it worthy of the label, Toyota should have at least made it available with a 5 (or 6)-speed manual stick.

The flares and wheels do look nice on the Sport, although I think the wheels and the chrome grill on the Limited look pretty sharp too. I haven't driven the Sport, but it's hard to imagine I'd want the ride much harder than the Limited. This comes from someone who has driven Mustangs for the past 20 years, but then I was looking for a little more refinement from the Rav 4 so that's just my preference.

Even without the leather package (which is actually leather "trim" on a vinyl seat), the Limited's cloth seats are better than Base/Sport as they offer the driver 8-way power & lumbar adjustment. You also get automatic climate control, leather wrapped steering, leather wrapped shift knob, heated mirrors. It really does boil down to your preference between these features vs. slightly better looks & a harder ride.

I have a Limited on order but would have gladly given up its extra features for a 5-speed stick if it had been available in the Sport trim.

banjolaya1

To be honest, I don't like when somebody talks to people like that. This was pretty rude. Evergreen was nice enough to respond and he/she didn't deserve such a rude reply. Nobody needs an officer to shout directions in here. And BTW, if you are so specific and want people to talk only about what YOU want them to talk about, why don't you take a look at the name of this forum (Prices Paid and Buying Experience) and stick to that. If you want to KNOW what people prefer - start another forum.

captain8

Hi there -

Sorry. I apologize.

First, I have been effusive (and thankful) in my praise of the follow up. Second, I asked for an opinion, and got in response - to each his own. That I already know.

Third, I agree about the forum - but there is no such forum and I am buying next weekend - so I am being direct. I am not going to start a forum amd then abandon it a week later.

Sorry I offended - but the responses I have had since are very helpful and I have gotten what I needed - which is, in part, what this forum is all about.

Thanks for your comments and again, my apologies.

Captain

banjolaya1

No problem. Evergreen responded to what he/she thought was appropriate. Now that we know more about what you need to know, I hope you wouldn't mind me sharing my opinion too. I opted for RAV4 4X4 V6 Base. One reason for that is - I didn't need a sunroof (MSRP $900). I had a sunroof in my old car and if you open it in the winter - you freeze. If you open it in the summer, the sun is right there in your eyes most of the time. I didn't care about JBL system either (we don't spend that much time in the car) so when presented with a choice, I opted for Base trim. I drove Sport and I drove (and still am) Base. The main difference is in:
1. Options
2. Suspension.
If you don't mind options and if price is really not an issue then the only consideration for me would be - what is more fun to drive and what my preference is. I noticed in Sport, handling and suspension were tight and it kind of bounces you around. That means you might have more fun and the suspension is meant more for off road use (probably a little bit more durable too). However, if you go on long trips, after a couple of hours you'll feel so beat-up just as if you were in a truck.
So, if you want a little bit softer ride - go with Base or Limited. If you want fun then definitely Sport is the way to go.
My advice would be - test drive both options and see what works best for you. Don't assume they are all the same and the only difference is in options in the car.
Second, I hope you did your homework and you know what's your final price. You should know there aren't any incentives for the customer because the car sells well (and you'll know why as soon as you press the gas pedal in your new V6). But if you do your homework you should be able to get a good deal. As W. James Bragg (fighting chance) said in his book - it doesn't matter whether it is Christmas or New Year, for those who know what they are doing, every day is Christmas and they'll get a good deal.
Once again - good luck and make sure you post your good deal here as a guide to others.

banjolaya1

Another thing I forgot to mention,
I was going to buy a Honda CR-V and I was pretty sure that that's the vehicle I want. But they were arrogantly priced and Honda dealers didn't want to negotiate at all. When I tried RAV4 V6, I knew. That was it.
After I purchased the RAV4 and as I was taking it home, I happened to drive by a Honda dealership one block just down the road. I honked my horn as I was driving by, pressed the gas pedal harder and squeeled with my tires just a little bit. :P This vehicle will leave any CR-V in a cloud of dust, believe me.

mcswine

I live in Little Rock and bought a car from Fitzmall...could not be happier with the transaction. Did all the paperwork by Fedex, flew into Baltimore and they met me at the airport. Fitzmall came off the sticker price $2000 on our V6 Limited when the local dealers would not come off at all (keep in mind this was almost a year ago when the V6 was scarce).

Adam Goldberg was the salesmans name in he was very professional and always quick to respond to my questions. I would absolutely use them again.

captain8

Thanks for the kind and supportive words - also thanks to the other folks that gave comments - they were helpful. I don't think that the Fitzmall option will work for me because I life in San Francisco. I am not willing to drive the thing all the way home cross country. Seems like too much of a hassle for me. That said, they DO have fantastic prices and I like their approach. Does anyone know if they deliver? I guess I should just call them.

Your advice above, Banj, is spot on. In case ANYONE else is listening/reading, it's also precisely what I found because I have now test-driven all three. I am, in fact, opting for the Sport, because of the FUN FACTOR you outline above. I think your comments about long-haul trips are astute, though, and worth thinking about. That said, I don't do many long-hauls at all so I don't think it's an issue. Also, I do believe that this is an interim car for me . . . meaning that in a couple of years I think I will upgrade to more luxory and smooth ride. The fun factor of the sport is just too exciting to pass up right now, in my opinion.

Price is always an option, of course, but not as much, which is why I am opting for the sunroof and JBL - but I also life in California where the sunroof is likely to be open quite a bit when driving.

Finally, I am in the final pricing stages, so the next posts I give WILL be on price comparisons - though so far it seems competitive. I plan on doing fighting change faxes on Friday morning, buying the car on Saturday. So, I will keep you all posted.

What a great site this is - THANKS TO ALL!!

Captain

banjolaya1

Oh, two more things. Fighting chance will advise you to fax a little bit earlier so you can give the dealers a chance to give you a couple of bids by the time you're ready to buy. If you fax on Friday they don't have much time to respond or you'll just get one offer (per responding dealership) and that's it. The whole philosophy of fax attack is to make them compete for your business. So, you must give them a chance to send you a first round of bids then you respond, then they send you another round... Until you get to the price you're willing to pay.
Second thing is - it is very difficult to negotiate on Saturday. There are many people around you buying a car and you'll hear this one: Mr. Captain, look around. Many people are buying a car from us. We are very busy. We are selling them like hot cake. Why would we go any lower...

captain8

Understood and again, great advice.

I have a decent offer already, based on my research. I will send out fighting chance faxes on Wednesday then.

And, if Saturday is too busy, I can show up Monday afternoon. I want to have negotiations done by this week so I can buy on Saturday. We'll see how realistic that is.

Again, thanks for your thoughts and advice. Next . . . the price.

Tom

captain8

Hi there -

I have been posting and getting lots of feedback. It has all be VERY helpful.

This is the car I am looking at:

2007 RAV 4, Sport, six cylinder, two-wheel drive.

Option Combo C (moonroof, steering wheel controls, JBL Stereo, etc.)

Carpeted Floor Mats

Cargo Tray

Rear Bumper Aplique

Black

So, far, the best quote I have received is $24995 from Toyota of Marin (in Northern California). I have also received 25,995 and $25,500. This jibes with Edmunds pricing, too. However, I can't seem to find an exact model on fitzmall.com.

Per my other conversations (thank you RAJ and EVERGREEN!), is this a good price?

Thanks.

Tom

captain8

So, I have done a little more research . . . it seems like you could research for years. I haven't bought the fighting chance program and now wish I had. It seems that maybe I am going too fast, despite the fact that I have been shopping for weeks and have now test-driven six vehicles and all of RAV 4 models.

Anyway, am I to understand that the best time to do the fighting chance faxes is at the END of the month - and does that method RELY on end of the month quota, etc? I guess I didn't know that Fighting Chance as such a specific process - I was just going to send out a bunch of faxes when I got the lowest price (now at $800 ABOVE invoice - 24995) and see who could beat it.

Am I completely missing something - is there much more to it than that? Not trying to get something for nothing, I am just winding down this process and I want to know if I need to step back a bit and learn more.

I am not fanatical about getting the absolutely lowest price - but I don't want to get screwed either.

Thanks again - particularly to you RAJ

Captain

captain8

Okay - Still at it. Hope that someone can assist again.

The Rav 4 Sport (V6, two wheel drive) does NOT, in fact, come with option package C (even though you can construct it on the Toyota web site. This would be special order, taking two to three months.

The closest I can get is as follows - after which come prices.

Rav 4 Sport
V-6
2-Wheel Drive

Option Package B
Tonneau cover with net, am/fm stereo/six speaker/six cd changer, moonroof w/sunscreen, tow prep package (which I don't care about, but can't avoid)

Cargo Tray

Floor Mats

Rear Bumper Aplique.

The challenge is that Edmunds doesn't seem to have all of these options - and Kelley Blue Book has way to many options so it's hard to construct it exactly.

Fitzmall quoted me $25231 and Toyota San Francisco quoted me $25,000.

Edmunds says that Invoice price is $24,238, though.

So, the question is . . . . are these good prices?

THANKS

Captain

banjolaya1

If your MSRP is $26,215 (with option and they quoted you $25,000, your actual savings is $1,215. That's not too bad but you can do better if you're ready to haggle (or if you did your fax attack and you have several dealerships bidding). I did some heavy negotiating and I got $1,761 off the MSRP. Zymas did even better - $3158 below MSRP. I don't know how he did it but that's a killer deal. You can't expect to get that kind of deal every day. So, I'd say, if you can get them down to $1,500 to $2,000 below MSRP you did good. BTW, Edmunds' TMV is way off in my opinion. Don't pay attention to that figure because again as James Bragg (fighting chance) said - that's the price people pay every day and 99% of those are people that never did any research, just walked in, said "I want this car" and opened their wallet wide. You'll notice that TMV is very close to MSRP. Don't pay MSRP/TMV. You can get a better deal.

terrytennis

I just order V6 4X4 Base, 3rd row for 24,700 at Manhattan Toyota on 11th Ave in NYC, before tax, etc

peterwu

I got 3 offers as: V6 4x4 base, 3rd for 24,400 in Missouri. The invoice is 24,2**, MSRP is 26,3**. Good Luck! Is this a good price?

captain8

My experience is this: anytime you can get CLOSE to invoice, you are doing okay. It all depends on how hard you want to bargain.

Beyond that, thanks for all of your help. Here is what I got for the following:

RAV 4, V6, Sport, Two Wheel Drive, Option Package B (am/fm radio w/six cd changer, moonroof, tow package, floor mats), rear bumper aplique and cargo tray:

I paid $24,630. Depending on what you look at on line, this is well below MSRP but still a couple hundred dollars above invoice. But, out here in northern california, there is such demand that I couldn't get a lot of interest in going lower - though I believe I could have if I really pushed it. But, saving two or three hundred more, given the time I had put into it - at some point you have to start calculating the cost of your time.

I got exactly what I wanted well below TMV and other such indicators and MSRP - so, I feel happy with the deal.

If you are being offered $200 above invoice, my experience is it's a decent deal.

Good shopping - I'm gonna go drive - the car is freaking FABULOUS!

Captain

(Thanks again evergreen and Raj)

lafortus

Hello,

I live in South Carolina and I am leaning towards the Rav4 over the CRV. Now, in SC, there is what is called "SET administration fees". It is added to the price and it is about $600. This is not a dealer fee, it is a Toyota fee. You thus still have to pay the normal dealer fees and taxes. The "SET administration fees" appears on a Toyota model when it iis time to choose the options on edmunds.com. What I would like to know, first, if there is an equivalent for Honda. If not, anyone knows why is Toyota adding that and not Honda. Any info would be helpful. This "SET administration fees" is actually imposed in the South East states.

Thank you

kyfdx

Toyotas in the Southeast are sold to the dealers through a distributor. The distributor adds these fees to every Toyota sold in their territory.

Hondas are sold to the dealers by American Honda... No middlemen involved.

lafortus

Wow, thanks for such a quick and precise answer. I just now find it a little difficult to accept that I have to pay automatically $600 just because I want a Toyota over a Honda. Is it worthed?

kyfdx

It is what it is... I wouldn't focus on the $600..

The reality is...everything you pay, except for taxes and registration fees goes to the dealer. How they distribute the money after that really has no bearing on your deal.

So.. compare your total cost on the RAV4 to the CR-V, and decide what makes the most sense to you.

Generally, it will come down to which vehicle you prefer. The prices between comparably equipped models aren't that far apart, are they?

regards,
kyfdx

banjolaya1

I agree with kyfdx however, there is one BIG difference between CR-V and RAV4. Have you driven one lafortus? That big difference is called V6 or "The fun factor"! Test drive one, take it to the freeway and hit the gas pedal. You'll immediately forget about $600, I garantee it. I took a test drive one day with my DW (CR-V EX-L). She liked it. The vehicle was okay. Next day we went to Toyota dealership. I decided to try one V6 just to confirm that I am not missing anything and I wouldn't feel any guilt when I buy CR-V. We got out on the street. My DW hit the gas and RAV4 took off. Pinned us back against the seats. A big smile covered my DW's face. I knew it. That RAV4 V6 4X4 was ours.
What? $600? That smile on her face was worth at least $1,000! So I saved $400 right there...

e_chirag

Hi All,

A dealer in Northern California quoted me $28,488 for RAV4 Limited V6 4x4. They claims the MSRP is $30,454

The options included in this price are:

1) Leather seats
2) Heated seats
3) Moon roof
4) JBL speakers
5) Tow package

Is this a good price?

Thanks
Chirag

captain8

There are several things you can do to figure this out. It looks like they are giving you Option Package B, which comes with the Tow Package and Moonroof. Go to toyota.com, then go to the "build your RAV4 section" and put together your model for MSRP verification. REmember, the toyota site is always on the high end for price. Then, do the same with Edmunds.

That said, this SEEMS like a good price to me, based on what I can remember during my recent searches for the Sport version in Northern California.

Just so you know, I got the best prices in Northern California from two dealers: Hanlee Hilltop Toyota (Richmond) and San Francisco Toyota (on Geery).

You are getting virtually all of the perks (heather seats, leather seats, JBL, 4x4) so I think it's a pretty good price but you can probably go lower.

Finally, see what they will offer you for the two-wheel drive version. With the V6, I couldn't tell the difference between 2-wheel and 4-wheel and you don't need it out here (unless you are going to Tahoo a lot).

Good luck.

Captain

banjolaya1

$1,966 off the MSRP sounds good to me. Yes, you can negotiate for more but if you don't get much more off, I wouldn't be too worried. It's a nice discount as it is. They'll probably make $2,000+ on that deal but that's okay. Dealership should make some money too. But watch your behind! Make sure they don't lowball your trade in which they do sometimes when they give you big discount on a new car.

lafortus

My wife and I were initially thinking of a CR-V. But, as everyone knows, the Cr-v is selling very fast and none was available. We went to the Toyota dealer and they had several RAV4 on the lot. This enabled us to have a lower price. We did not hit the rock bottom price but we got 500 under TMV (I know a lot of you can do better). We liked our experience at the dealership. We had the car for a few days only and we really like it. I would like to thank kyfdx and banjolaya1 for giving me feedbacks earlier.

If you are waiting for the Cr-v, I suggest to give a visit to the Toyota dealer. My opinion is that there is no need to wait all that time for a Cr-v if the RAV4 is available and, unlike the case of the Cr-v, the law of supply and demand plays in your favor there.

banjolaya1

So, what did you get? Base, Sport, Limited? V4, V6? 4X4? Tell us about it. And how did the negotiations go?
Congratulations! I hope you enjoy it for years to come. If you got a V6 - watch your speedometer. You get from 0-60 mph in no time flat. Now there is only one little thing left. You have to pay for it...

moe16

After hours of research I decided on the Sport V6 4x2 with Sunroof and tow prep option. I paid $24,600 plus TTL at Elgin Toyota-

Despite having stiffer shocks, the car handles like a dream and sticks to the road like glue. It's quiet, roomy, powerful and a beauty with the flint mica paint.

Is the V6 worth it? Every penny!

wolfzr2

I finally broke down and test drove a loaded 4x4 V6 Limited in Red. ( The only options missing are 3rd row, leather and DVD ). Holy speeding ticket, that V6 is nice!

The sticker was right at 29,000 ( Haley Toyota in Roanoke, Va ). What should I be able to get them down to?

moe16

Wolf-

If you check the previous posts on this forum you should be able to determine a fair selling price for the model you want. I presented the lowest price from this forum to my salesman and worked from there.

Are you buying the 4x4 for resale value? I only ask because it disengages after you reach 25mph-

Also- unless you have to have power seats- the $$ spent on the limited vs. the sport is questionable IMO.

Good Luck and happy motoring!

captain8

Hey there -

I just wanted to add my two cents to wolf's. I drove all three models (Base, Sport and Limited) and actually liked the Sport model better. The power seats actually DETRACT from the space on the driver/passenger side. I also drove the 4-wheel AND the 2-wheel and noticed no real difference.

Finally, the sport comes with a 4-wheel feature in case you get stuck - you can engage it for short periods of time.

In any event, if you take the Sport, not the limited, and if you take two-wheel, and don't care about JBL (which is a VERY nice system, by the way), you can shave $5K off of the price and still get a great drive.

I paid 24,740 for my two-wheel drive, v-6 sport (option package B, with the cargo tray and rear bumper aplique) and I think I could have gotten a little lower if I had worked harder, but that's still a good price.

T

wolfzr2

I prefer to have the 4wd since we get some pretty nasty weather here during the winters, and my wife works in a hospital where there is no such thing as "calling in due to bad weather". Front-wheel drive is fine 95% of the time, but I've always had 4wd on my trucks and won't drive one without it. The "true" 4x4 disengages at 25, but the AWD is full-time.

Power seats are just nice. Besides, all of the Limiteds I've seen so far have them, so it would be a hassle to get one without.

As far as the Sport vs the Limited, the ride on the Limited seems a bit softer due to the suspension tuning and higher tire sidewalls.

banjolaya1

It is a very nice option, that V6,for a little effect on mpg ratio. It is well worth it. I love it.
Anyway, reading this post who can tell me:
1. What is the difference between 4X4 and AWD?
2. There is a button on the dashboard that has 4 wheels on it(right behind the steering wheel). The salesman told me I can press that button and it splits the power 50-50% front to rear). Now are you saying that would automatically turn off after a while or...? How does that work?
I didn't do too much reading about that (obviously) but I did do my research regarding the price toroughly. Here is how you do it:
Get the fightingchance.com package. Or join Consumer Reports - New Car Buying Package. They give you the invoice price for the vehicle, holdbacks, incentives AND invoice price for all possible options for all possible trims. So, you sit down at home and you email your salesman to send you the printout on that vehicle you're considering. The printout contains all standard and add-on options with MSRP on all of them. Then you pull out your package and start writing invoice prices right next to it. When you're done you'll have the total MSRP and total invoice price for the vehicle. Now you subtract holdback and that the Invoice-Invoice (rock bottom) price (what the dealer really paid).
When I started negotiating the salesman came with his first offer - full blown MSRP. I countered with Invoice-Invoice. He says - What is that? I way - Invoice price. But we're not going to sell it to you for invoice. I know. But I will not pay MSRP either.
So, in the end we found a middle ground, he was happy with that, I, oh well, a little bit less, but it was FAR from MSRP. So, in general, since we're talking about a very nice vehicle RAV4, demand is still great, if you can get the price somewhere between invoice and MSRP, you did fine.
So, it's a lot of work. Be prepared to defend your numbers. They'll be questioned, believe me.

wolfzr2

Are you saying the invoice price on Edmunds isn't the "true" invoice? From various sources I've looked at, a RAV4 with the options I want usually carries a MSRP of 29,000 with the invoice coming in around 26,300. If I could get them down into the 27,000 range I'd be thrilled.

Also, AWD does not have a locking differential, and there is no "LOW" range or granny gear. 4WD is more suited for off road use, where AWD is mainly useful on pavement in slippery conditions.

banjolaya1

Invoice price on Edmunds is the Invoice price. But that's not what the vehicle cost the dealer.
Let's say the vehicle you're looking at is MSRP $29,000 (Edmunds invoice $26,300). Some dealers will even show you that invoice gladly if you ask for it. However, there is 2% holdback (for Toyotas) or 3% Honda, etc. So, the actual cost to the dealer is $26,300-$26,300*0.03=$26,300-$526=$25,774. Of course, when you mention holdback salespeople usually get feisty. (Look in Honda CR-V "Prices paid and buying experience" thread). They say that's for overhead, that for this or that, that's not meant for the consumer etc. If that weren't the case they would never be able to sell you a car at or below invoice. They wouldn't be making any money. Some people claim that's how company's circumvent the salesman so they wouldn't have to pay him/her a fair share of the profit etc. No matter what holdback is meant for it still makes it's way back to the dealership. So, when you negotiate and YOU make an offer, you should know how much the dealership is making at that time with that particular deal. Say you offer $27,000. The dealer stands to make some $27,00-$25,774=$1,226. So, when you are asked to substantiate your offer and defend your numbers, you know where they came from. Now, when you make your final offer, let's say $27,600 and before your salesman goes back to his sales manager you can mention something like - this is my last offer, I think it is a fair one. If you tell me that the dealership will not be happy with $27,600-$25,774=$1,826 (of YOUR hard earned $$$) on this deal, then I have nothing else to say here. Note that you are paying 7% over Invoice-Invoice or about 5% over Edmunds Invoice which is a decent offer indeed. For example, if I were to buy a domestic car, I wouldn't go anywhere near 3% over Invoice-Invoice just because of the quality, depreciation etc. But when you deal with a good car that's in demand you have to go a little bit higher (talking from my own experience).
BTW, if you want to know more about the subject, I'd recommend you go to Amazon.com and search for "Buy a car" book or something like that because I don't know if I am allowed to mention a few good ones in this forum but you can check out reader comments and decide if you want to read any of that.
So, just keep in mind - on RAV4, there are no killer deals. Just don't get totally taken and you did good. In the end, you might not be happy with the price but you will be with the vehicle (provided you get a V6).

chili3

Just negotiated a price on a 2006 RAV 4, 6 cyl, 4wd sport, moon roof, 6 cd, etc. for 23,000.00 tax included. Has 8,000 miles, owned by dealer employee...is this good deal?
Any caveats? Thanks