Toyota Prius

nod

I was shocked after visiting Seger Fusz and Feld looking for a Prius, none in stock. Thought I would try the new Jay Wolff in St Louis. After finally finding a parking space! I walked around for a while until I approached a busy gathering area near the back. The man had me sit down and fill out some paperwork,he then told me it would take 8 months to get a Prius and I would have to pay a "premium charge " of $2000.00 over sticker. WOW nobody else in St Louis is gouging people like this, then the manager came up and tried to justify the "premium charge". I dont care about marble floors new buildings free food or any of that, especially that they have 600 cars, I only want to buy one! Why should I have to pay for what im assuming is their huge overhead. I eventually put in orders on a Prius at Fusz and Feld they discounted it ever so slightly, not enough in my eyes but a darn sight better then jay wolff.

kerensky

waltkap1, I also live in Northern VA. Which dealer was it?

bjrich

dear {nod}I have been writing in this forum for about a month now and repeatedly mentioned that Fusz is the dealer that I trust and respect in St. Louis...shopping around is almost silly as it all boils down to just going to Fusz and getting the job done....no messing around or bologna...they make their profit... and you will go away happy...We were told a year wait, and we are being patient,,,,but I bet it is sooner.As soon as we hear from them, we have to sell our other car. I have been in and talked to other dealers and IMO, they all are jerks, playing the game. After you get your car you will be given excellant service....I love reading these forums, and have learned a lot about the Prius and have more faith than ever that it is the car for us.Hope you have good luck in getting your Prius...I think we should start a Gateway Prius Car Club. Any takers...?

kornklan

I just got a call from my dealer that my car will be in on or about Dec. 10. Its the color I wanted with the AI package. Quoted MSRP with no extras that I have to take. I placed the order on Dec. 18, 2003 and got four calls from the dealer for a car with the full option package, which I passed on. Connecticut is slow on getting deliveries since most of the production winds up in California and most of the cars that do come through have the full package. My dealer says he has no control over what he gets. I can't wait to get my hands on the car.

Sylvia

Ask Karen (Host) to start you a thread for a Prius Car Club in the Toyota Prius Owners Club area.

port1

I called up a toyota dealer today and was told that the price is 26,700 for package 6. Is this a good price? he said that the dealer had only one car in stock?

kornklan

That's about right. The price with Package $6 is $26480 not counting dealer prep, registration and tax and anything else the dealer tags on.
Go to Toyota's web site and you can get all the info on the Prius.

lmacklin

Picked up my 2005 Salsa Red Prius with option pkg #4 (AM) this last Saturday from Allen Nott Toyota in Lima, OH. Paid MSRP ($23,741)+ $65 license/doc fee. The dealer was very professional & helpful. Love the car! Got 51.5 mpg on 348 mile drive back home to Michigan.

My quest to buy a Prius started in September, 2004, when I checked with two Toyota dealers in Ft. Wayne, IN, while visiting some friends there. Their price was MSRP + $3,000 with 6 month delivery. I returned home and shortly thereafter, paid a $100 deposit to get on my local Toyota dealer's list the first of October. I was told I was #20 on the list, and the wait would be about 6 months. Price would be MSRP. I called a month later to check on progress, and was told I was then #25!

As it appeared I wasn't making much progress locally, my wife grabbed the phone or email and contacted over 50 Toyota dealerships within 1000 miles of where we lived. These dealers were primarily ones who advertised on the Internet. Two dealers had cars available immediately that fit our color/option choices. One near New York City, and one in Joliet, IL. The NY dealer said they normally get $5,000 over MSRP. I offered them MSRP plus $1,000 on a 2005 option 6 Prius, pointing out that it was the last sales day of the month, and they would like to make their numbers for the month, right? To my surprise, they accepted my offer! I gave them a $1,000 deposit via credit card. About an hour later, the salesperson called me back and said that the keys were missing, and determined that the car had been sold while she was on the phone with me. So no car after all. But she did agree to honor that price when they received more cars next month.
Meanwhile, the Joliet dealer wanted MSRP + $2000. I offered MSRP + $1,000, but they wouldn't accept that offer.
About a week later, I received a call from the dealer in Ohio telling me that he had a Prius being delivered in the next week that sounded like what I was looking for. The estimated delivery date was Nov. 8. Price would be MSRP. I jumped on the deal and gave him a $500 deposit. It looked like I was finally getting a Prius, although after my New York experience, I wasn't going to believe it was true until I actually had the car! The delivery took a little longer than expected, and was actually delivered the day before Thanksgiving. The dealer was able to provide me with the VIN about a week before it was delivered.
So, the story has a happy ending. The total active shopping time was about 2 months, with about a 3 week wait at the dealer where I finally found the car.
BTW- the same dealer had a 2005 Tideland Pearl with option package 6 that was not promised to anyone when I picked mine up on Saturday.

I will summarize my impressions as follows:

1. There are new Prius's (Prii?) available from dealers if you are willing to spend time on the phone & Internet, be flexible with the color/option choices, and be willing to fly/drive to dealers in other states.

2. Some dealers maintain formal lists, while others simply follow up on inquiries that they receive, attempting to match a buyer's preference with the vehicles that they have coming. Most dealers that had a formal waiting list quoted delivery times of 4-6 months or longer. I had better luck with dealers that did not maintain lists.

3. Many dealers charge more than MSRP, while others are content to sell cars as quickly as they can at MSRP. The highest surcharge I encountered was $5,000 over MSRP. Average surcharge seemed to be $2,000-3,000. A small fraction of the dealers I talked to sold them at MSRP.

4. Dealers in smaller towns tended to have shorter lists, if any, and were more likely to sell close to MSRP. But, they don't get as many cars delivered to them each month, either.

5. Beware of the asking price for a used Prius. I test-drove a used 2004 with 4,000 miles, and NO options- strictly a base Prius. That dealer was asking $29,995 for it! Nearly $9,500 over the MSRP when the car was new!

So, happy hunting. So far, the car is definitely worth the effort it took to find it.

gagrice

This Prius sold on eBay. It is the first 100k mile Prius that went through the auction. According to the Toyota dealer in Washington DC it was in excellent shape. Final winning bid was $9101. According to Edmund's that would be a steal. Suggested price off of a dealer's lot is over $15k even with the 100k miles. What makes this sale even more special is that few ever reach the reserve the dealer sets on them.

If you are looking for a Prius there are 20 2004/2005 listed on eBay. 8 of them brand new with full factory warranty. One of them may be at a dealer near you.

spfotey

I am thinking of getting a hybrid vehicle and Prius seems high on everybody's list but wondering if you guys looked at other alternatives -- such as passat diesel, etc???

also -- can u give me some feedback on the driving experience of the prius??

appreciate it.

pjyoung

My decision to by the Prius was the Toyota reputation for quality. The first thing to I noticed about driving it is how quiet it is. The second thing is how smooth it is. And while earlier posters have said that "percieved" power isn't the same as real power - I have percieved that I haven't had any troubles merging into 70 mph despite being behind a car on the entrance ramp who felt that 30 mph was an adequate speed at which to merge. In other words, the performance is good.

rpgolfer

Hi gang,
   Now that it's nearly winter and I'm using the heater alot, I have a question: I know that A/C usage cuts into mpg but does heater usage also affect mpg the same way? I noticed when I use the heater the "A/C" symbol seems to be indicated. I'm currently averaging 47.5 mpg on this current tankful and most of it is with heater on.
Thanks,
Rich

electrictroy

Yes.

Also the EPA mandates a "winter fuel" which contains more oxidants & less energy.

gmusic7

i have around 8600 miles on my prius. i am averaging only 40 mpg on my current tank of fuel. i think it's because of the colder weather and the winter blend gas. Part of lower mpg is also due to lower tire pressure. as the weather gets colder, tire pressures go down. i didn't check mine until recently and was down to 32 psi for the 4 tires.

yerth10

http://www.toyota.com/about/environment/technology/hybrid_sales.h- tml

http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/news/industry_news/news-57522kac4d

1999 End - 33,000
2002-Mar - 89,091
2004-Dec - 250,000

wwest

Most modern day vehicles, certainly those with automatic climate controls, operate the A/C all year 'round, unless the OAT drops below about 34F.

On the new RX330 you can have the dealer set c-best options to prevent A/C operation unless YOU turn it on. There are two settings for this, the second one is used to unlink the A/C from operating automatically, without your knowledge (no idicator) during defrost/defog/demist mode.

On the RX there is also a c-best setting which will prevent the system from going into cooling mode, COOL system outlet airflow from the dash outlets, once the cabin temperature has risen to your setpoint.

The danger is that in this cooling mode no system airflow is routed to the interior surface of the windshield to keep it warm and thereby hopefully above the dewpoint of the cabin atmosphere.

If these options exist for the new Prius you can even leave the A/C off during moderately cool summer days and conserve fuel that way.

rpgolfer

I learned long ago that "air conditioning" meant to remove some of the moisture out of the air. A/C doesn't specifically mean "cold". We all use it for cooling, but there have been many days when I wanted the air "conditioned" but not meat locker cold. I asked that because in addition to the colder air lowering air pressures, heavier air and blended gasolines everyone's mpg will decrease. I get jealous when I hear people saying that they're averaging 58 mpg. I, too, need to get out there and check my tire pressures, it's been a couple of months.
Thanks,
Rich

dmathews3

I was told years ago when manufacturers started hooking the air cond. compressor into the defrost cycle was because there was a big problem with them freezing up in the northern states due to the many months of non use in the fall, winter, and spring.

wwest

I've been disconnecting A/C compressor clutch circuit since about 1968, typically for the entine NW winter. Never had an A/C failure, NEVER.

Yes, A/C can be used to lower the relative humidity. Studies indicate that the human body at rest and with a comfortable air temperature and absent radiant heating effects is most comfortable at about 40% relative humidity. Now if you can find an A/C system that measures humidity and does not lower it below this level then you might have a real winner.

And, also Yes, the A/C can be used, has been used, and is used to help defog the windshield and windows of your car. The problem is that its efficiency in doing so is a function of local atmospheric conditions.

Starting at about 47F, and then as the outside air get closer to the minimum cooling temperature of the A/C, ~34F, the ability to dehumidity the incoming airflow declines quite rapidly. At those low temperatures the only time the A/C will be very efficient is if the relative humidity is unusually high.

COLD air is DRY air, that's why we get electrostaic shocks mostly only in the wintertime.

bjrich

Hi plyoung; Glad to see you are still posting for the rest of us/ excellent note about performance, and Toyota quality...This is the reason we have ordered ours.You have also posted about your trip to the football game and the excellant performance and economy and over all driving pleasure you are having from your Prius Please keep up these, so that my waiting time will be more enjoyable.We are telling all of our friends about the Pruis...mostly they ask how often do you have to plug it in and what if the battery goes dead while you are away from a plug in????? best wishes. bjrich

Sylvia

Long-Term Test: 2004 Toyota Prius
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/toyota/prius/100326481/roadtestar- ticle.html?articleId=101393&editorialpage=page003

tempusvn

Edmunds needs to talk to their Dealer about TSB EL010-04 which fixes the Fuel Guage Issue.

Sylvia

Passed along - and thanks for reporting it!

rpgolfer

tempusvn-
   What will that Technical Service Bulletin do for fuel gauge accuracy? I can never really trust the bars for accuracy.
  Is this something we should be asking the dealer about?
Thanks,
Rich

tempusvn

The TSB has two parts, depending on the Build Date of the car.

Older ones get both parts (VIN Range 00001-57579), newer ones only get the second part (VIN Range 57580-78361). Of course this is only for '04s

Part One is replacement of the "Combination Meter" Computer that handles the Fuel Guage. This cures the accuracy and repeatability issues of the dash display.

Part Two is a replacement Filler Tube on the Fuel Tank. This is for people who are only able to get 7-8 gallons in the tank after the Fuel Guage shows one bar or flashing. Apparently it's related to the Bladder and back pressure shutting off pump nozzles.

ian721

Hi all. I don't own a Prius but I've driven around 8 or 9 of them that are part of my office's fleet, both old and new. Let me just say they are great cars. Lots of acceleration, great brakes and handling and you can make a u-turn inside a phone booth. Tons of fun to drive in NYC traffic too (if that's possible). And I had one up to 90 mph and it cruised along with no problem.

The only complaint I have is with ergonomics. The 1st generation Prius had radio controls all over the place, with some controls on the touchscreen, some on the left side of the dash and some on the right side. And the left side of the dash is blocked by the crooked gear shifter.

The second generation Prius has that ridiculous ignition system where you have to insert your little black box in the dashboard and then put your foot on the brake (even thought you're already in park!) and press the button to start. (The itty-bitty gear shifter I can get used to.) And the radio is just as bad, with almost all the controls on that stupid touchscreen, which forces you to take your eyes off the road just to change channels, unless you use the steering wheel controls, which are a nice addition.

Anyway, we should all be driving Priuses. It would help the environment and keep us from being dependent on terrorist oil.

little_pogi

The Combination Meter also contains the odometer readings. A replacement requires the dealer to order it directly to the manufacturer (Yazaki) so the current odometer reading can be programed into it.

Has anybody out there had their Prius service under this TSB?

jprice

>Of course this is only for '04s.

Does that mean the '05 already has this TSB included?

jprice

rpgolfer

Are we all eligible for these upgrades, or do you have to have an existing problem? When I fill up my tank I let it shutoff and then add one more. This way I refill with a consistent method. I show all the bars when done. I really don't care to stand there for 5 mins waiting for the gas tank to breathe (pollute), just to add 1 more gal.
Thanks for the info
Rich

tempusvn

All '04s past the last VIN I quoted, and all '05s in theory have the fixes already.

Anyone within the VIN range is eligible, but it's a TSB, not a SSC. That means you have to ask about it. They aren't going to send you a card telling you to go get it. They basically only do TSBs if the problem exists.

Fortunately, the way they determine that this problem exists is if the "Customer Reports" it (as opposed to looking at diagnostic codes or something).

The exact wording from the TSB is:

Some 2004 Prius Customers may complain of the following:

1) Fuel gauge is not accurate

and/or

2) Fuel tank volume is not close to stated capacity

So, if you are having these problems, report them to your dealer. If you get a blank stare, ask them to check the TSB

alnvilma

I had this work performed. The fix took 1 day (computer & tube) with a loaner and it is now accurate. I did have to ask for it. They did not seek me out.

13 months w/ the '04 now, in Portland

little_pogi

I went to my neighborhool dealer and asked for this fix. They said that not all cars within the VIN group are affected are they would have to do some form of diagnostics first. I knew right away they were not interested in doing this TSB repair. I went to another dealer and they immediately told that the TSB applies to my car if I am having this fuel gauge problems. The only thing is that they would have to hold on to my Prius for about 5 days while they order the combination meter and filler tube. They pointed out that Toyota does not want me to rake up all those miles while the meter is being programed to the mileage at the time the order was written. This is some form of technical tampering on the odometer which is against the law. They would provide for a loaner though.

darube

We just picked up our new '05 2 days ago. Didn't buy the extended warranty at the dealership because I wanted to research it further. I've read the earlier debates about the extended warranty, including the ability to get it cheaper through other dealerships. If I go for it I will go that route.

My particular twist on this is that 1) we live on a dirt road, so ours receives a little bit rougher use than the average, 2) we will be putting a minimum of 500 mi/WEEK on this one. So we will hit the 36K on the warranty after 18 months .... and 100K would get us to 4 years, 3) we tend to keep our cars until they are on deaths door. I hope to get 200K or more out of this new Prius, and 4) I am not mechanically savvy.

Should any of these factors shift the argument over whether an extended warranty is worth the cost?

trehgr

I just picked up my 2004 Salsa Red Prius at Romano Toyota in Syracuse, NY. It came with 15,300 miles, and before tax/title it sold for $20,500. This was a Toyota fleet vehicle, which I'm told was used internally by Toyota personnel, used as a rental, or offered as alternative transportation during Toyota warranty repairs.

Toyota fleet vehicles for 2004 did not fit any of the standard options packages... and this fit me very well. I wanted VSC and a security alarm, but I didn't want to pay $26,650 for the entire BC (package 6) in the 2005 model. So, this particular car came with VSC, Alarm, and standard stereo - but no GPS / Bluetooth /Smart Entry / Homelink /cd changer or cassette/...or, strangely, the rear intermittent wiper! (?!)

A _major_ bonus of purchasing the fleet car was that it came Toyota certified used, which upped the standard powertrain warranty to 8 years/100k miles... the same level as the hybrid system. The bumper-to-bumper remains, however, the standard 36k miles.

Funny you should mention the Joliet dealership, lmacklin! I nearly walked off the lot there after stumbling on an available 2005 Salsa Red Prius and even had money down on it... but they started their bargaining at $4000 over list and the best I could get them to take was $3000 over list. I just couldn't do it, so I walked away. Two months later I am finally in the right one, with $8000 more in my pocket.

I had lived on eBay watching Priuses go daily for ridiculous prices, and I was on several dealers' lists for many months. It was just the right car at the right time... finally!

It appears that there are quite a few fleet vehicles coming out around now. I have already seen one on eBay.

So for all of you who are waiting on lists out there, definitely consider the fleet vehicles as an option - but keep in mind that some of the bells and whistles (and windshield wipers...) might be missing. If you can live without them, it's a great alternative! Plus... you're RECYCLING!

Sue

dmathews3

It's kind of like whether you need car insurance/home insurance or not. Only time you need it is when something goes wrong. Me, I just look at it as the price for doing business. Cars nowdays are so expensive to repair that it's it's not worth the chance. I remember when the story went around when I was younger and a Chevy costs $3000 new, but if you bought each part to build a new car from the dealer, and have it painted you had almost 30K in it.

ceric

About ext warranty...
as long as you buy it before your original manufacturer' warranty expires, there is no penalty in price. i.e. no hurry in deciding now. You have 3yr/36K miles to decide where to buy it from and when to buy it. Remember that hybrid components are covered under 8yr/100K already. For some states (CA, NY included) the battery is covered under 10yr/150K. Personally, I wouldn't worry about non-hybrid components made by Toyota.. but, that's just me.

timber104

I have bought 5 Toyota's in my life, 3 of them were 4Runners. I have always been very happy with the vehicles, but never cared very much for the dealers. They all seem to be trying to cheat or steal from the buyer. I live in Westchester County, in New York State, and have several Toyota dealers with in 30 miles to help me. In April I bought another Toyota 4ruuner (SR5), from my local dealer here in town for $28,000. I am very happy with the vehicle, but my wife feels it is to large, and at only 16 MPG locally & 21 MPG on the highway she wanted to trade it in, knowing that we would take a big hit on the trade in. We contacted our local dealer and he agreed to take it back since we both were not happy with it. I asked about the Prius and wanted one, The Toyota dealerships Manager told me they were on National Back order, and he gets about 2 a month, one that has been ordered for someone & one extra for doing such a large amount of sales for Toyota, but the only way you can get them is with option #6 (fully loaded) and I could not order one with less at this time. I spoke to several Toyota dealers in Westchester, and was told you only can buy with options #5 & #6 in the Metro NY area, and test drives were out of the question. After several months of attempting to contact my original sales person & that Toyotas manager, no one will call me back in regards to the Prius or trading in my 4Runner.

 

I hit the internet and found a great Toyota dealer ship, more than 200 miles away in Cherry Hill, NJ. They could, would & did order my Prius with all the options I wanted or did not want (option package #4 with all weather floor mats). And they had a 2004 Prius there with 20,000 miles for test drives. Agreed to review my 4Runner and it seems to be worth more than I owe on it to them. There sales staff was outstanding, all in uniform type shirt & pants, All very willing to help in many ways.

 

So, even though I live in NY, and it seems I will have to go 200 miles to buy the car I like. I dont think I will be going back for service.

doodoo

I have ordered a 2005 Prius with pkg #1 for 24,236.41

There are other charges that I feel are unnecessary.

They are going to charge me $299.50 for Administrative Handling,$ 75.00 for license plate transfer. Are these charges legit? Does everyone pay the same thing? I would like to talk to a dealer that might give me a better price. I don't mind the wait.

gagrice

Welcome to the forum. That is the TMV for So. California. It is about $2200 over MSRP which seems kind of high. I would be shopping around for sure.

backy

The license fee sounds legit. The "admin handling fee" sounds outrageous, as in mostly pure profit. I know of other dealers in CA who charge $40, so you might try negotiating it down or look for another Toyota dealer who doesn't charge as much. Here in Minnesota, $50 is more typical for that fee (but we pay a lot more for license fees--the state gets those, though--not the dealer).

Kirstie_H

Please check your e-mail before posting again.

 

kirstie_h

Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

alnvilma

Yeah, it would have been a 5 day loaner for me too but I went in the previous week to talk about it and they must have pre-ordered the parts cuz it was done in a day. Nice surprise.

kornklan

I just picked my 2005 Pruis today. Paid MSRP for package "5". The only extra's that came with the car were the floor mats, cargo net, wheel locks and first aid kit. The dealer said that most of the cars were coming in that way so I said OK.

Drove it home (about 30 Miles). Ride was very smooth and quiet. The car handles very well. Now I'll see how much mileage I get after a few hundred miles. Oh, another plus... in Connecticut there is no sales tax on Hybrids!!!

little_pogi

I finally checked-in my car to the dealer for a TSB EL010-04 service. They also said that they will be doing the brake light switch recall. I haven't gotten a notice in the mail but their computer shows my Prius is part of this recall.

 

The recall involves about 540,000 units in a 12 model Toyota lineup assembled in Japan. Failure on these switch will cause the brake light not to turn on everytime you step on the brake. Anybody following behind you may have inadequate warning that you are about to slow down or stop.

jas1

It seems that often my engine does not shut down during deceleration, braking or at a full stop. When stopped I often feel the car shutter once, twice or more as the engine shuts down. This is quite annoying as well as contrary to the concept of the hybrid system. Any ideas if this is common? It can happen when car is warm or cold. The Energy Monitor gives no indication that this is occuring. What does this say about the display? A tool or a toy. The car is a 2005 w/ 2000 miles, bought in September in Houston.

larsb

for $19,324 - only a few have done that....:)

 

Glad your reasons were Hypothetical !!!

rfruth

No hybrid here yet, not sure if the shutter you describe is the power split device doing its thing or something else, whats the dealer think, who did ya buy from (Joe Meyers, Fred Haas) do they know the score ? As for the display being a tool or toy it depends on how its used. rfruth in Houston

pjyoung

We've been "blessed" with cooler than normal weather in Kansas City since I got my Prius in November. The only time I notice this is when the car is cold - it seems like it wants to shut down, but stays running since it's still too cold. After about 3 miles, it will shut down a few seconds after stopping. By about 5 miles, it's shut down by the time I get stopped at a light. I don't know why yours would do it when warm...has it been warm (or humid) enough in Houston to require the AC compressor to run? I haven't had the AC running since I've owned it, and I'm not sure what the behaviour would be when stopping with the AC on.

sljbfam

I just read little pogi's message on brake light recall, and looked up on nhtsa.dot.gov web site (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). The 2004 Prius was in the recall and said to call the Toyota 800-331-4331 to see if your vehicle is in the recall, be sure to have your vin#. Unfortunately my Prius is part of the recall, they gave me a Case # so I would not have to wait for the letter in the mail and even notified the dealer where I would bring it to so they could give me a call to schedule an appointment. But I didn't wait for the call, and call my dealer myself and he just heard of it and was checking on parts and to call back in a few days. Then I realized my wife's has a 2004 Sienna and that it said passenger vehicles, and was hoping it was not the van also, and said no not vans. For I just brought the van there not more than a week ago for check engine light. It was a vacuum leak.

The recall said:

 

Recall Number: 04V558000

Summary:

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH AN IMPROPERLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. A SILICON OXIDE BUILD-UP OCCURS ON THE CONTACTS INSIDE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, WHICH CAN MAKE IT INOPERABLE.

Consequence:

IF THE SWITCH IS INOPERABLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE AND CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

 

Well another trip to the dealer. Everything else is great about the Prius, Smart Entry the greatest.

paulhlee316

So I was thinking about buying a car in February and started to think about a Prius. Knowing that the car was in high demand, I discounted the notion that I would actually buy one.

 

BUT, I decided to call around to see if it would be worth my time to put my name on a wait list. I live in the Chicago area and looked up the dealers on the Toyota website. I called the first three on the list (which I believe were Bredemann, Grossinger, one other). The salesmen I spoke to basically stated that the wait list was about 6 months and I could put my name on but they would need a $500 deposit.

 

Well, I'm not a big fan of commitment so I passed. The fourth dealership I called was Libertyville Toyota. I checked their website before I called and they said 2 prius(es?) available. Not being too excited (as the previous dealers also showed availability), I called the dealership. The salesman I spoke to immediately stated, "no, we don't have them."

 

Not sure why, but I asked him to double check, he seemed annoyed - I reminded him that the website showed availability, he replied that it was an automatic feed so it probably wasn't accurate. I asked him to oblige me and take a look. So i'm on hold for about 2 minutes (he asked me if he could call me back but i said i wouldn't mind holding). Anyways, just as I'm about to hang up, he gets on the phone and says "you won't believe it." I didn't.

 

I asked him the price, he says MSRP. I ask him the options, he says Package 1 (I think 1 - it's the one with side airbags). They also had some prius floor mats for a $150 or so included. Anyways,

 

Car Price: $22,251.00

Doc Fee: $53.52

Taxes: $1449.79

Lic.& Title: $143.00

 

Total: $23,897.31

 

Well he says he can hold it for me with a credit card deposit of $500 and that I would have to purchase it today. Not having given the car purchase much thought, I balked and told him to give me 15 minutes to talk to the wife.

 

So I call the wife and fifteen minutes later, we decide to buy the car. On top of the sales price, I qualified for a recent grad rebate ($400) and got 3.9 financing for 5 yrs. Not bad eh?