Toyota RAV4 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

mjt6

I just bought a Base V6 AWD with DRL, Roof rack, two perp pack and mud guards for 22960 in Acton Toyota Mass.

mjt6

I got a 07 Base V6 AWD with similar options for 22960. I have the mud guards but not the Tonneau cover.

vncoffman

I dunno about the holdback with regard to Toyotas in the Houston area. They go through some middleman called "Gulf States Toyota," and a salesman told me they keep the holdback. I saw something on the web that seemed to confirm this also, although I don't have the link anymore.

missodo

hi, yeah that's the dealership where i'm looking...so i guess there's some wiggle room with the internet price i was quoted ($23 635)? how did you go about getting the price you did? thanks for any input!

mkums00

What would be the price for 07 RAV4 Base V6 with DayTime Light and Tonneau cover ?

Thanks
mkums

emsman1

I notice a ton of people talking about internet quotes. Do you just go to the dealer's website and request a quote? What about using this site? Do the dealers call up and hassle you if you are not planning on buying right away?

I am looking to pickup the 07 RAV4 SPORT V6 4x4 in Rhode Island. Any prices? :confuse:

mjt6

First, I visited the Boch Toyota web site and give them an offer. I offered them $50 under invoice, they immediate said yes. You should offer a lower price than me. Then, I email the salesman at Acton and asked him to match it. Acton will return said $100 more than you offered and emphasis their doc fee is only $165. Ignore it and counter offer the price you want. Remember list all the options in the email every time, Acton skipped the mudguards and I caught it and they have to looked up from the email. Good luck and you should able to get a better deal than me. Let me know how it goes, my freind is about make the first visit to Action.

percussionist

I did not realize the holdback was being "held back" in the Gulf States area, though now that you mention it, I think I have read something about it in the past.

Just because that distributor keeps it, however, is no reason for customers to pay extra to the dealer. The dealer in question had cited holdback as one of the many price increasing factors, in addition to some other unreasonable fees. I just wanted to make sure everyone is well informed on the subject. Thanks for doing the same for me!

percussionist

It seems many people are asking what vehicles should cost without doing any research on them first. So, here's the process to finding out what your ideal offer should be.

1. Find out the dealer's true cost (invoice price - holdback - any incentives). ALL this information can be obtained from the Edmunds website, and is usually accurate. If you are unfamiliar with any of these terms, do a search on Edmunds website and it will find them for you.
2. Keep in mind that not all incentives may apply to you. For example, a $500 military service cash back cannot be given to you unless you are on active duty usually. Also, low APR and cash back usually cannot be combined.
3. Advertising fees are negotiable, but I would not even mention them to a dealer, as it is a cost of doing business that they should absorb.
4. Once you determine the cost of the vehicle, offer the dealer between a 3-5% profit over that cost. That is fair to both parties. You need a good deal, they need to stay in business. Trust me, 3-5% is more than enough profit for a new car.

Good luck to all!

skip12

I live ocean county new jersey. I'm looking to buy the limited or the sport. I would like to get it with the V6. Any ideas who would give me the best price? The last 2 Toyota's I bought were from Freehold Toyota.

greeniemoo

Base 4x4 4cyl with the following options:

50-state emissions
Roof rails + crossbars
Tonneau cover
Carpeted mats + cargo mat + cargo net
17" alloy wheels
Mud guards

Got it for $21,850+TTL, in Sacramento, CA. We found that Northern California has much better prices than Southern California, and the internet sales people are more responsive too. We did all of our "bargaining" over email and called up the dealer with the best deal and most professional demeanor and did business with them. We ended up going with Roseville Toyota. Very efficient, no bs and gave us the bottom line right away. Very easy to deal with. The guy we worked with was John Gordillo.

pingping

Hi, I got a deal from Toyota city and not sure if it is a good one. I live in Saint Paul, MN. This is a FWD 4cyl base RAV with:
17"5' spoke styled steel wheels.
Cargo Area Tonneau Cover with.
Black Roof Rails&Cross bars.
50 state emissions.
Daytime Running lights.
Rear Bumper Applique
Cargo Net & Floor Mats.
I sincerely ask for your advice. The dealer said they wouldn't go any lower.

joecarnut

pingping, we need to know how much before we tell you.

flightsimmer

I live near Harrisburg, PA. Am looking at base (not sport or ltd) 4cyl AWD RAV4s which sticker around $23,700. What is a good out of door price (not including TTL)?

Thanks

maxillo

Sounds like a great deal. This is what I'm looking for.

Mind telling me which dealer you dealt with?????

Cheers

MIKE

raveeb

Hi There
I read your forum, I went to see and buy RAV4 Base model V4, 4WD with sunroof option, daylight runing and roofrack
The dealer in NJ (Dayton) is asking $24, 646.00 out on the ROAD. Is this a good price or...
please let me know from which dealer you got your dealer. you can email me on b_ravee2000@yahoo.com
Many Thanks
Ravee

raveeb

Hi tom
Your forum is very helpful and I need your help, looks like you hae done your how work pretty much when you wetn to buy your toyota RAV 4
I am looking to buy rav4 base model(MSRP $23764) with Daytime runing lightd, sunroof and 50 state emmision, roof rail. the dealer is giving me for $24646 on the road which includes TTL. I offered him $24k out of the door.
please email me on b_ravee2000@yahoo.com
I would appreciate your ALL help
ThankS
Ravee

wavegrl

I got an internet offer here in coastal southeastern Massachusetts for a 07 RAV4 Limited V4 AWD with the following options for 26,636 plus TTL, doc fees (dealer says their MSRP for this car is 28,700):

~ JBL AM/FM 6-Disc In Dash CD Changer with
Hands-Free Phone Capability via Bluetooth
Wireless Technology, Satellite Radio
Capability, MP3/WMA Playback Capability
and 9 Speakers In 7 Locations (Includes
Subwoofer)
~ Seat Heaters
~ Leather Seats
~ Daytime Running Lights
~ Power Tilt/Slide Moonroof w/Sunshade
~ Mudguard
~ Carpet Floor Mats/Cargo Mat
~ Body Side Molding

A best I can figure, the invoice for this car w/these options is $25459. Does that sound right? Does an offer from me of 26200 seem reasonable? This is my first time buying a car so I want to be fair but I don't want them to eat all of my lunch either!

My other option is to get a sport model with moonroof and do after-market heated leather seats. It brings the price just under 25k but that seems like a lot of fuss for the small savings.

Any advice is appreciated

raveeb

Hi ..Please HELP
I am loking to BUY base rav 4 2007, 4wd with following options:
Daytime running light
AM/FM/6 cd changer
Carpet floor mats.
Whats should i pay on the road (incl all ttl, tax etc). I live in NJ
Please help
Thanks
Ravee
PS:I also read you can get the approx dealers cost from edmunds and stay between 3-5%. let me know where to find that too

percussionist

PS:I also read you can get the approx dealers cost from edmunds and stay between 3-5%. let me know where to find that too

You can't find dealer's COST directly, but here's how it works.

1. Get INVOICE price from edmunds.(be sure to include options)
2. Subtract HOLDBACK from INVOICE (you can find out about holdback by searching on edmunds' site - just search the word 'holdback'). This equals dealer COST.
3. Determine your OFFER by multiplying dealer COST by 1.03 (for 3%) or 1.05 (for 5%) depending on what you want to offer.
4. Add tax (multiply OFFER by 1.xx. xx is tax rate. For example CT has 6% sales tax, so multiply OFFER by 1.06)
5. Add title and reg. fees (these are set by DMV, not dealers, so they should be the same everywhere)

If you have a trade, the formula gets trickier and so do the salesmen.

Good luck!

kyfdx

2007 Toyota RAV4: Pricing

ou5603

Here is in IN, base 07 rav4
daytime light, carpet floor, styled wheel, roof rack, net holder?, 22000+tax+title+89+1.5-400(college graduate credit).

easy2t2

well, I also purchasing a RAV4 with lots of options, really high-end, and one local dealer is offering invoice price, as per carsdirect.com prices.

so yours is not a bad offer, but 700 over invoice seems high these days. More like $100...

eddy3

base model, 2wd, all SET base RAV4 with these options
DR Roof Rack
DJ AM/FM/6 CD Changer
CD Tonneau Cover
RL Daytime Running Lights

20700 OTD, including 340TTL (SC state)
Possibly 1000 more than Mitsu outlander .

jonturk

2007 RAV4 V6 4x2 Limited (4451)

Option Package C which is:
JBL
50 State Emissions
Sun/Moonroof
Tow Prep Package

+All floor mats
+Cargo tray
+Cargo net

$25,494 + TTL in northern California for a total around $27,900.

wavegrl

thanks, easy2t2, I went to carsdirect, did some research, lowered my offer a bit based on an average of invoice prices from several online sources and this forum, plus a little extra for them to make a profit. we'll see what the dealer has to say...I'll come back with specifics when the dealer replies. I've had an easier time buying houses than buying a new car. I've had six root canals in my life and yes, I would rather have another one than buy another car. At least they give valium for the anxiety.

wavegrl

Here's an update:

Dealer refused my offer and said their offer was their best price. I couldn't really go any higher. This was for a RAV4 Limited 4WD 4cyl with leather, heated seats, moonroof, JBL sound system stuff and the other little bells and whistles listed in my earlier post.

Their best price 26634--OTD here in MA 28250
My offer was 25800--OTD 27375

Invoices for this model with these options on the internet ranged from 24979 to 25459, edmunds TMV came in at 26213. My price was invoice less holdback multiplied by 1.03. Is that so mingy?

They didn't even counter. I am dealing with an internet sales person. I don't want to go in until we're really close to a good deal because I got burned really badly twice in a showroom and I can't bear the thought of the sales manager dance. I also just don't have hours to spend in showrooms.

Any ideas that might help me? I like my dealer, I hope this works out. If my dealer is reading this, hello to Sherry!

wavegrl

I'm very close to settling on a deal for my RAV4, this is a first time buy for me. Once we've settled on the financials of the deal and it's time to take the car home, what do I check for? Any special questions? I know to get in the car and turn it on, try all the knobs, check the interior etc...but what else should I do. I'm going tomorrow so any speedy advice is appreciated.

easy2t2

the main thing I would check is that ALL options you are paying for are there installed, and also for car condition inside & out (more out, like scratches, etc)

raveeb

I finally did buy a New Base RAV4 4wd with few options of:
Roof rack
17inches alloy wheels
Toneau Cover
DRL
CARGO MATS

The dealer is in NJ, the invoice was $21,899.00 and he told me that he will add $600.00 his profit on this to make this deal happen + TTL. I calculated my numbers keeping $21000.00 invoice price in mind and end up paying him $21450.00 OTD. The TMV on edminds came up $22000.00
Is this is GOOD buy, I know that I have ALREDY bought the SUV but still checking with you ALL.
Thanks

easy2t2

wavegrl, how/where did you find the dealer holdback amount for the rav4?

wavegrl

I found it on this message board a while back and also by typing in "Toyota RAV4 holdback" in Google. Several sites said it was either 2% of base vehicle price or around $400.
Sorry I can't be more specific. I've done so much research on this car that everything is starting to blurrrrr.

So I purchased today:
07 RAV4 4WD 4cyl Limited Everglade Aftermarket heated leather seats.

Moonroof
AM/FM CD MP3 Stuff(not JBL)
DRLs
Cargo Net
Cargo Tray
Tonneau Cover
Wheel locks
Mudguards

Paid 24339 for car plus 1600 aftermarket leather/heat plus 199 doc fee plus 1296.95 tax plus 65 for title transfer.

Total OTD 27499.95

Did all my work through internet sales people and went in to dealership only after we agreed on price in writing. They had very few RAVs on the lot. Took about 1 hour to test drive again and do paperwork. I pick up the car on Tuesday.

Phew, glad that's over, could have pushed harder for a few more hundred off but I had to move on in my life. Thanks to all for their advice and input.

haewalli

This is the response I got to an email quote request I sent - the vehicle I am looking for is a 2007 Toyota RAV4 Limited 4dr SUV 4WD (3.5L 6 cyl). I said I was flexible on the color.

This is the response I got:

Although I do not have this vehicle in my dealer stock, I do have one incoming within 7 – 10 days. This vehicle is silver.

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT

CF *CARPET FLOOR MATS-4PC SET FE 50 STATE EMISSIONS

RL DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS TO TOW PREP PKG/CONVERTER

WL *ALLOY WHEEL LOCKS.

We will sell it for 26,054.

*****

How does that look for an initial quote?

Running the Edmunds.com TMV Pricing Report, it shows other are paying $25,783. for this.

Would be interested in hearing what others think, and what my possible response could be.

Thanks.

wavegrl

Is that quote with cloth or leather seats?

haewalli

I guess that is my next question.

Personally I don't *need* the leather seats. I'm just looking for the best deal.

Lets say (until I find out) that it is *not* with the leather seats. How does that number look?

If you go on the Toyota.com site and "build" this car the exact same way, they show an OTD price of $27,364. Of course that is way too high, and based on MSRP.

What kind of prices should I expect to pay in the New York area?

Thanks!

"Wheels"

wavegrl

It seems a little high, it depends how much your time spent for haggling is worth to you ...there does come a point where one gets so sick of going back and forth on price and settles on what I call my po'd price...at what number will I be po'd if I have to go any higher? I'd try to get down in the 25300 range. For a model with cloth and not much else in terms of bells and whistles,

This is how I got my target price: Invoice less 400(holdback approx.)then multiply by 1.03 as a starting point. That signals the dealer that you are serious and recognize they need to make some profit off the sale. I'd also try to go to the dealer with the most RAVs on the lot in your area, they seem to have more room to negotiate.

You can always go to fitzmall.com, if you're in the NY area you can see if driving down to Laurel, MD makes sense. I was going to do it from Mass. but my local dealer gave me a good price.

Good luck!

haewalli

Thanks for giving your opinion wavegrl. Your advice is sound.

So, you've picked up your new car now? What are your impressions? Are you satisfied with it?

Right now my email leads have gone cold. I am not getting any responses (to my follow-up response) back. Do you think this is because of the date? That its currently so early in the month and they don't feel any sense of urgency.

They all keep trying to get me to call them - its clear they want to change the playing field and turn the negotiations to their advantage. But I would rather follow the "negotiations through the internet" plan.

Or - should I call them?

What do you think?

easy2t2

No luck or buying experience for me. I have been searching for a LTD V6 4x4 Blizzard White with 3rd Seat (and some other options), for the past 3 weeks and there is none in the South East of USA (even contacted Fitzmall). Why are they so hard to find? Toyota has hundreds of Rav4s in stock, but not mine.

wingman47

Anyone know who is THE volume dealer in the Northwest? I am reading mostly east coast postings which seem to have way more competitive pricing than here. :mad:

Thanks in advance.

lisajohnson

Hi. I am in the process of buying a 2007 Limited RAV4 V6 and I wonder how much I should be paying. I probably want to get the upgraded sound package and a sunroof, and maybe heated leather seats. Anyone have any idea how much this would cost?

etbull1

Hi I am looking at a 07 base RAV4 4WD. Options are third row, 17" steel wheels, roof rails. MSRP is $24,275 and invoice is $22007. Trying to figure out what I should offer. If I use the INV - holdback x 1.03 I come up with $22,255. Is this a fair offer?

How do Toyota rebates work? We were planning on paying cash but, if we finance through Toyota we are eligible for both the college grad and military rebates ($800 or so). So would Toyota send this money to the dealership to reimburse them? If so, should we subtract the $800 from the initial offer making it $21455? Does Toyota financing allow you to pay off your loan early (we did this with Nissan to take advantage of their rebate -- paid off the loan with first installment).

sidious6688

I'm a professional buyer, though not of automobiles specifically. I'm in this forum as I'm in the market for a Rav4. I have a few suggestions for some of you as far as what to pay. Some of you have mentioned dealer invoice, holdback, etc -all sound advice. However, the best strategy in buying almost anything commercially is to solicit bids; you don't propose a price, you send out a written request for pricing given your extremely specific specifications. The request for bid must make it very clear that there are multiple bidders on your list. Don't blast out requests to 100 dealers, but by all means get a least half a dozen. To be sure, some will not respond, but most will. Once you have the bids, following previously mentioned (in others' posts) methods of arriving at dealer cost, you are now ready to make an offer. The dealers' bids are the starting point of negotiation. The carsdirect price is another benchmark. In my experience, negotiations can be conducted over the phone or internet. There is no need to waste your time doing so at the dealership. Additionally, A) car salesman negotiate for a living, most people buying do not and "Negotiating" with a salesman who is not empowered to actually make the sale is a total waste of time. The showroom negotiation stacks the sales process heavily in the seller's favor, conducting negotiation there weakens your position.
The seller certainly is entitled to make a profit. However you don't need to worry about protecting his interests - he can take care of himself.
I'm giving a rough overview here. In my experience the dealer bids received tend to be very competitive and further downward negotiation tends to be short as the dealer doesn't have much more room to reduce pricing.
Keep in mind that psychology plays a role. Being unreasonable or determined to get the last dollar and "win" will generally get an otherwise professional at the dealer to lose his composure and rob you of the deal you might have had. While getting the best possible deal is the goal, when you're talking a total price of 20k plus, once you are within less than $500 from the best possible price, the time invested to improve the deal probably isn't worth it.
Finally, once you have the price, get a signed purchase agreement from the dealer before even physically going there to sign anything. The only additional fees you should pay are sales tax and Department of motor vehicle fees. These fees are unique to each state. If the dealer has a conveyance fee or documentation fee, ignore it. You should be clear in your request for bid that aside from sales tax and DMV fees, the price proposed includes all fees. The "doc" fee and conveyance fee are simply a dealer effort to add profit back in after the customer has completed negotiation. You also should be saying "No" to all efforts in the finance room. I could go on, but I'm getting carried away. Hope this helps.

Mike

stephie1

Mike, that is tremendously helpful advice, thank you!!! Please add additional info if you have time. I am also in the market for a RAV4 at this point...what you shared will help me immeasurably. I was planning on using a buying service referral from my credit union, but I find that the two I have contacted thus far with my requests have been offering savings that are disappointing to me, like only $1000 or so under what the dealers have initially quoted me. I think I might be able to get a good deal on my own using the advice you gave. Thank you!!

stephie1

Here's what I am trying to get with an initial dealer quote of $30,594. Any advice on what I should be aiming for?

2007 Toyota RAV4 V6 Limited

MECHANICAL & PERFORMANCE
3.5 Liter DOHC V6 w/Dual VVT-I Engine
5 Speed ECT Auto Trans/Elec On-Demand
4WD/4WD Man Lock/Elec Pwr Steering Sys
Fr&Rr Stabilizer Bars/4-Whl Disc Brakes
Hill-Start Assist Ctl/Dwnhll Assist Ctl
17" 6-Spke Alloy Whls w/P225/65R17 Tires
& Full Size Spare Tire on 17" Steel Whl

SAFETY
Star Safety System Includes:
Vehicle Stability Ctrl w/Traction Ctrl
Anti-Lock Brakes w/Brake Assist & EBD
Dr & Fr Pass Advanced Fr Airbags (SRS)
Dr & Fr Pass Seat Mounted Side/Fr & 2nd
Row Roll-Sensing Side Curtain Airbags
Direct Tire Pressure Monitoring System

EXTERIOR
UV Reduction Glass Wndshld/Rr Priv Glass
Clr-Kyd Bmprs,Rr Spoiler,Dr Handles,Pwr
Htd O/S Mirrs,Spare Tire Cvr/Chrme Grll
Rf Rack/Mlti-Rflctr Halogn Auto-Off
Hdlmps/Fr Var & Rr IntWipers/Mas Antena
LED Tail and Stop Lamps / Fog Lamps

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE
Dual Zone A/C w/Clean Air Fltration &
Micro Dust/Pollen Removal/Info Display
AM/FM CD 6-Disc In-Dash CD Chgr w/6 Spks
Mn-Plg/Mn Tlt/Tlspc Ltr Str Whl Aud Ctls
Dual Glove Box/Digital Clock/Cruise Ctrl
Power Windows/Door Locks/Keyless Entry

Vehicle Base Model ........................ $ 26520.00

JBL AM/FM 6-Disc In Dash CD Changer with ... 640.00
Hands-Free Phone Capability via Bluetooth ..
Wireless Technology, Satellite Radio .......
Capability, MP3/WMA Playback Capability ....
and 9 Speakers In 7 Locations (Includes ....
Subwoofer) .................................

Seat Heaters ............................... 440.00
Leather Seats .............................. 1050.00
Daytime Running Lights ..................... 40.00
Power Tilt/Slide Moonroof w/Sunshade ....... 900.00
Towing Prep Package - V6 3,500lb. Towing ... 160.00
Capacity - Includes Upgrade Radiator, Fan ..
Coupling, Alternator, and Pre-Wiring ......

Carpet Floor Mats/Cargo Mat ................ 199.00

Total Accessories ...........................: $ 3429.00
Destination Charge ..........................: $ 645.00
Total .......................................: $ 30594.00

etbull1

Mike, you mention that a buyer should make it clear that they are seeking multiple bids.

Should I send out one email with the specific vehicle request with all of the dealers in the "TO:" field so that they can see who else was sent the email?

highfashionlad

What state did you buy this in. I'm looking for a Rav4 and the dealer is telling me that these prices aren't available in New England

highfashionlad

sidious6688

Stephie1,

If you are inexperienced at negotiating, a buying service will definitely save you money vs paying the dealer's initial offering. That being said, aside from factory rebates and special financing, "sales" advertised by dealers are really just cases of the dealer starting their price lower than they otherwise might. The ultimate best price you can acquire the vehicle for is pretty constant, regardless of sales or buying service prices. The timing really only matters with regard to the factory special deals and model year close-outs (or cooling off from high demand for a new model). If you are not trading in a vehicle, I'd check out carsdirect.com. I've never bought through the site, but may this time depending on my ability to beat their price. You can definitely beat the buying services prices on your own.

highfashionlad

I could really use some help. The dealer tried to rip me off! He was only willing to give me $5,000 for my 2004 Kia Sedona with 30,000 and Kelly book says around $12000. He had my payments at $650 for 72 months which I feel is absolutely ridiculous. Can someone please help!

highfashionlad

Can you tell me more about your experience. We are looking for the same vehicle but live in New England. What did you end up having to pay for it?