You'll have to mark your email in your profile "public" in order for anyone to get in touch with you by email.
And please, let's not turn this into a "tell them I sent you" discussion - promoting bird dog referral fees is a form of soliciting and frowned upon. Thanks!
We just put a deposit on a Sienna LE 8 passenger with package #7 and the jbl 10 speaker stereo. We were able to go $1000 under msrp, which I am comfortable with at this point to get exactly the car I want. Now we will se if there are any gliches along the way...Any one have any commentary on the jbl stereo? We haven't had a chance to hear it?
I was told the same, 1000 off MSRP but it has to be the van on the lot and it turned out that the van was loaded with $1800 garbage stuff; so you would end up with MSRP plus $800 fabric protection....anyway, if you know of dealer in Houston that offered $1000 off without bying any add-on, let me know the dealer. I 'll be right over to buy it today. there is no such thing as below true msrp in Houston!!!!!
floor mats and a cargo net for $26,500, that's $1,410 off msrp. There were no add-ons and no bull! I live in St. louis and bought in Danville IL. because they could get the exact van I wanted in the shortest amount of time. I e-mailed every dealer in the bi-state region asking for their best price. I also explained that I was paying cash and didn't have a trade. Most dealers were very sure they could get msrp, I just declined and went on to the next dealer. It took about a week, but I'm thrilled with what I got.
I specifically asked the dealer for LE vans without distributor/dealer options when I sent out the request. It is LE (8) with option #3, first he gave me a quote of $26,000 and later he quoted me again for $25,000. I never went to the dealer so I don't know if he is lying or not. And since I sent emails for quotes to the dealers in Houston, I got emails and phone calls everyday. I did the quote request through edmunds.com.
I asked for quote w/ Sterling McCall about two weeks ago and a lady called me and told me that they currently do not offer any discount on the new Sienna. She even asked if she could keep my name on the list and will call to let me know if any discount will be offered in future. So right of the bat, I told her I expected some discount and therefore she would not waste any time to quote me any thing. Then last weekend, I brought my Highlander in the same dealer for some service (I bought this HL there two years ago....potential repeated customer), and I casually had conversation with a salesman. That's was then he mentioned he could take off $1000 on the on-the-lot van. Then I asked if I ordered a new van without ad-ons, he said 1)price would be sticker 2)not sure if they could avoid all GST's garbage and 3)currently the dealer will not take order without ad-ons because for every van comes in, they are either pre-sold or will be sold shortly. So what he said was pretty matched with the internet lady....Can you let me know what dealer you received the quote from. I don't need the person's name because I will email them directly and hopefully receive the same quote. If they ever give me a workable quote (LE8 + option #3 for 25K too good to be true), I am fraid they will put me on the waiting list for 6 months just to take me out of the market. Thanks and Appreciate for your input. Note: FYI, it's ok to mention the dealership's name in this board.
Hello to everyone as I am new to this Forum. I Live in Central New-Jersey and based on Edumnds.com sent quote request for CE 8 PASS. WITH PKG.#(3) Which equals to LE 8 PASS.(PKG 7).I was disappointed to know that toyota has no such pkg for N. East market so I should look for Pkg.# (7) in LE which has MSRP APP. 28 k. THE Maximum I can wait is till May end and afterwards will be day to day basis. Does anyone know where I can get LE 8 pass. with Pkg. (7) at 2 to 3 % above invoice. I am Willing to travel up to Pennsylvanis, Boston etc. Since coming from a big family & cars owned by almost from every manufactured , I have tons of info. based on experiences which I will post in future messgs. Anxioulsy waiting for prices and availability info. since waited for this van since last year and DON'T want to pay MSRP. THANKS IN ADVANCE.
Is the salesperson who sold you the Highlander still at the dealership ? If so, I'd sit down and talk with him/her. If not, call a sales manager and explain that you are a repeat customer and hope to be treated that way. IMHO repeat customers are the most valuable to the dealership. I don't sell much anymore and the times I do, it's usually a repeat customer. I cut through all the red tape and just get right to it. The customer likes it and it goes much smoother. Just a thought.
Since I am new and not very good at computers I am trying to find out "How" to update my profile so I can make my email "public". I have sent email to 'townhall-help' and will see when they reply and meantime will keep trying to make my email public on my own. Also it would be nice if you could post all information as a message to this discussion as I am sure there will be many others from neighboring states looking for same Information. As per rules of this forum, I think Names and State of dealership is sufficient. However, I will definitely make my email Public ASAP. Thanks in advance
No, the old guy who sold me the HL was not there. Repeat customer: yes, I mentioned in email and during phone conversation that I will be repeat customer but no help there except a little sympathy from the internet lady. However, she politely suggested that I should wait for few months and check back with her. Anyway, I don't blame the dealer at all; why would they want to sell me for less when there are people out there ready to pay for more. I may have to buy the Odessy EX for 25K + TTL straight; but my wife likes the Siena. Besides, don't forget the $600 TDA added to the final price too!! So for the van package that I want, the money difference is 3.5K to 4.5K. Please don't nail me for these figures because these are realistic numbers I found in Houston, not some one getting 2% over invoice which I think is not available to most of the country. Just my 2 cents.
I live in Austin and made my deposit to Dallas dealer 1.5wk ago, and will pickup tomorrow for 28696 drive out! I know I could do better if I wait a bit more. But found exactly color I wanted Blue mettalic and Oak stone interior. My van have base 24920 (including des.) LE package #3 1435 running board 599 rear mudgard 89 vehicle shield 349 Extra mile package (include alloy, security upgrade, 100K-mile tires warrantee) 1548
Austin has same exact car, but they ask for 700 when I told them about this deal in Dallas.
Hislander, I spoke to an internet fleet salemen at Sterling in Houston, they have a similar one Blue LE-7 but only 7 seat, and he agree to sell for 28100 drive out since he thought mine is 7seats.
First I wanted a Ce 8pass but they found one with only 700 of MSRP but I don't like gray; keep in mind they make only 3% CE 8pass, and only 11% LE 8-pass. I found another one without Extra mile package but they give me only 500 off MSRP so this is best deal that I could get for now!!!
Leesburg Toyota in Va has 2 Sand with 8 passenger. One of them I believe has the #7 package. The salesman told me that they were not budging off the msrp. He even continued to tell me that Honda is still special order only and msrp also. We walked to the Honda dealership next door and saw two new Ex (one with L-RES).
Thanks for your information. That's a very good price for the van so far I have come across. Just out of curiosity, you said you made deposit in Dallas but you gave a link to San Marcos Toy dealer? Did they do a trade or what? May be I should contact San Marcos then...was there three weeks ago shopping at the outlet. Again, thanks. I feel like I have some thing to go with. Did you have to pay TDA too and how much.
If anyone is aware of any dealership in Michigan or northern Ohio offering LE pkg below MSRP I would appreciate the information. I checked few dealers in Metro-Detroit area and all quote MSRP pricing. Thanks
Becky, I don't see any of your messages state if $26,500 was BEFORE Tax, DOC, & MISC Fees, OR "Out the Door"... the Dealer claims "Before" (when I offered $26,500 "TOTAL") and the BEST they could do IS about $28,300.. "Out the Door" so PLEASE convey: Who has the "Rest of the Story"..YOU or The Dealer ???
After contacting Danville Toyota, I was told they only had the one vehicle. So beckyo2 did you buy their only vehicle, which was en route, not in stock?
I've now got pricing on XLE Limiteds from internet managers at two dealerships. The first said the price would be MSRP, saying Toyota didn't allow them to discount the cars (!). He also said he wasn't allowed to quote the price of any particular car over the phone (!). The second guy, one I've successfully dealt with in the past, said any cars he would be able to get would be priced at $2000 over MSRP. (He didn't have any--that would be the price if he got one from another dealer or if one came in.) Only one of the four dealers I've talked to claimed to have any Limiteds in stock. Where are all the discounts that are being talked about in this forum? I sure don't see them.
I'm another satisfied customer after my transaction with the Internet Sales Manager at the Toyota dealership in Alhambra, CA (Wondries)!! He will take orders at a guaranteed 2% over invoice and he will sell off the lot or do a dealer trade for same. I went in yesterday to place a deposit for my order and was pleasantly surprised to find he had just recently received the model/package I was going to order! It was my second choice of color -- but, hey -- it was on the lot!! You have to deal with the Internet Sales Manager at this dealership -- other sales staff will only talk MSRP.
I will admit that based on the figures listed here on Edmunds I feel I paid about $300 more than what I calculated the total should be. But, again, hey!! -- my total before tax and license was $2845 under MSRP!! This is not happening anywhere else in the LA area that I can determine!
This was an XLE with package GK (17) and carpet floor mats/door sill protector. I am a very happy camper and have to say that this guy is great!!! He really works to make the deal happen (he practically stole this vehicle away from the general manager!) -- he is customer-oriented and I enjoyed working with him. Vehicle is being prepped over the weekend and we will pick it up on Monday!!! Best of luck to all of you, hang in there!
Hi. We just contacted half a dozen internet managers in our region to get quotes for a Sienna, but so far all those who responded quoted us MSRP, or, at best, a discount of two hundred dollars. One dealer also told us of people paying thousands above list, but that seems like salesman blarney to me-- a way to make paying MSRP sound like a good deal. We need a car soon, but don't like paying MSRP. Becky: did your dealer begin the negotiations by saying that 2004 Siennas were selling at list price, without discounts, and then eventually lower his price-- (in which case maybe those of us who are getting quoted list price just need to negotiate harder???) or did he quote a discounted price fairly early on in the negotiations? Also, can anyone say how much we should be willing to put down for a deposit in order for a dealer to pre-order a SIenna with our specifications. Thanks in advance for any responses....
When the dealer called I immediately asked if they were dealing on the 2004, he said they were and he'd call when he found out if he could get the vehicle I wanted. He called back the next day and gave me the price of $26,500. I didn't even try to get a better price. The mark up on a LE is less than an XLE so I think that's why other deals sound better. Hang in there, find a dealer you trust and work to find your van.
Thanks so much for the input. I thought $1,000 sounded high, as well. How does one get a "weasel clause"? I'd really like to know because I just spoke with a dealer in Atlanta who wanted me to put a $500 credit card, non-refundable deposit on an LE, and said that they would sell it for 1,000 off list, but then said they wouldn't email or fax me a written quote with the final selling price until after I had made the deposit. They also said I couldn't get my money back once they mailed their agreement to me-- that once I paid the deposit, even if there was a discrepency, or I just didn't like it, the vehicle was considered sold. This floored me!! I was very strongly pressured to put down a deposit that was non-refundable without having anything in writing!
So how do we buyers make sure that we can "weasel out" of our deposits if the dealer winds up changing his fees or prices, or the van isn't equipped as stated, or is otherwise unacceptable?
Also, are doc fees negotiable, and are they often padded by the dealer? Did those who bought their Siennas at discounts have to pay additional dealer fees? Thus far, all the dealers I've spoken with have been quoting $400-$500 dealer fees that they say are non-negotiable. Thanks so much.... Tracy
What happens if they deliver "your" van with a big scratch on the fender?
Just tell them that a reasonable deposit is fine, but it's contingent on your acceptance of the van after a test drive. And put something like that in writing.
The real reason, imho, for getting a deposit from a potential buyer, especially for a car that's not a special order, is to "take you out of the market" so you won't decide to buy that '04 Quest when it hits the dealer next month.
I'd email the Georgia AG's Office of Consumer Protection about that dealer. What they did may not be illegal but it should be!
It's just a car and they'll be making lots more of them. Be patient, and tell the jerks to take flying leaps. In a nice way of course :-)
Edmunds says $50 is a reasonable doc fee. Those other "additional dealer fees" are pure profit. Dealers justify the ADM because it's a new van, hot seller, etc. They don't mention that the economy is still in the toilet.
One way to avoid getting bogged down in all these fees is to decide on an "out the door" price, and let the dealer decide what portion to allocate to doc fees or ADM. Then all you have to worry about is your bottom line.
Hmmm.... the doc fees I was quoted were aprox. $400. And this dealer wasn't willing to put the price of the van in writing, much less a contingency clause! Dealer arrogance regarding the Sienna is running quite high right now, it seems. So it seems the "discount" I was offered by this dealer was roughly equal to the various junk fees that were then piled on top (a $450 dealer inspection fee, padded doc. fees, etc.) I sure wish buying a car wasn't such a battle.
I have been reading these posts for about 1 month now. Yesterday my family (three kids and husband) and I drove 3-4 hours to PA. We printed the page with post #1149 and showed it to the lady who greeted us at the dealership. She said to come on in so we could pick out which options we wanted. My husband asked "what is the price going to be?" She said, "just as it says: 850 over invoice, but can't tell you exactly until you tell me what package you want" Then she encouraged my hubby to drive their demo. My hubby is one of the few people in the world who says he does not need to drive a new car before he buys. So, the drive was actually a waste of time since I have already driven and love it. We put down $500 and signed on an Le with #8 with 3 color choices. My husband confirmed that the price was firm but the sales lady said they cannot control the little extras that Toyota puts on the vehicle (such as Z1 package). She said the price may vary by $100 or so. We have the option to decline a vehicle that comes in with the extras and wait for the next. If we choose to take the van with the small extras, she will sell those options at cost. BTW, the 500 is refundable. So, it sounds as if we did pretty good considering the best I could get down in N. Va was free acessories with MSRP and $289 processing fees. I even offered to take an AWD XLE of the lot if the dealership were to split the cost of an aftermarket DVD. The most I will pay in extras in PA is $59 dealer handeling, $55 dealer documentary fee $40 reg, title fee I will have to pay the taxes and tags for Va when I go to register. out the door :26,608 plus any small extras should we choose them. Keep trying, eventually they will budge. Thank you again, I will keep you posted
I too live in the Atlanta area and plan on getting a LE(8) during the summer. May I ask which dealership it was that treated you so harshly?
Have you tried World Toyota in Chamblee? They are suppose to have competitive no haggle pricing. I always go their first find what price they will give me then go and haggle with the other dealers. Thanks
The Atlanta dealership was Sandy Springs Toyota. I suggest all buyers steer clear!! I have bought vehicles there in the past, and was assuming from past experiences that the dealer would be respectful and straightforward, but I am still shocked at the way this salesperson handled my attempt to purchase a Sienna. When I said I wasn't comfortable making a non-refundable deposit on a credit card without their offering anything in writing, I was told that I was just "being silly." I was also told that the $400 in doc. fees was a favor to me, since they normally charge more. This dealer earlier tried to hide the fact that there were two delivery fees included in the MSRP, then when I pointed it out, admitted it was really just how they offered discounts: you could have the discount, I was told, but only if they charged us the delivery fees twice! I have not tried World Toyota, but will check with them soon. Thanks so much for the tip. Momofthree: congratulations on finding a reputable Toyota dealer who is finding you the car you want at a fair price, and who is not trying to decieve you with bloated fees and other tactics. Let us know how things work out! -Tracy
I'm not able to post the name of the salesperson ( website rules), but it was someone from the internet department. Not the manager. (He was out when I called.) Have no idea if the manager would have been more straightfoward with me, or less devious, or if this is the way their salespeople are routinely trained to handle buyers. I looked at World Toyota Chamblee's site, as you suggested, and I see that they post the invoice prices in their inventory list, which is a good sign I think, since it means that the dealership is at least minimally aware that it pays to be upfront with customers-- clearly, most people are aware of the difference between invoice and MSRP. They did have an "administrative" cost of $450 (or so) posted as part of their invoice price, though, which I think doesn't bode well--- since others here have been able to find dealerships who are not padding their prices this way. So, guess I'm going to keep looking.... Tracy
I would contact the internet/fleet manager. His name is on the web site. Regardless of the Toyota dealership web site, the prices are always the same. It must be pulling from a computer who knows where. So you wouldnt see any price difference until you talk to them or show an interest.
Out of curosity, what type of Sienna are you looking for?
I ordered the car with the options I wanted. My car is being built this week with the exact options that I requested. I did have to put down 1,000 to order it. The fine print allows me to back out of the deal and get a refund if the price goes up at all.
They were willing to add an extra clause that I required about financing approval and getting my money back.
My dealer add on is 129.00 for clerical fees. When I questioned this, they just lowered the price of the car so I wouldn't have to pay the fee. They told me there would be no other "hidden" costs (except warrantee).
We're looking for a Sienna Le. Would actually prefer a CE with pkg. 3 (so many safety features: curtain side airbags, traction control, etc., as well as many of the options that are standard on the Le, and the price is comparable with the base Le). Unfortunately, the CE with pkg.3 doesn't appear to be on any of the dealer's inventory/allocation lists I've seen. Does anyone know if these pg. 3 CE's are gong to be released anytime soon??? BTW: I saw on the Sienna vs. Nissan discussion board that the new Nissan has the side airbags, and that would be a very big draw for me. But they're not scheduled to be released till late May, and we're tired of waiting. (We almost bought a 2003 Symphony LE in January, but opted to wait for the remodel instead.)
That's great!! Wondering if you were able to purchase at a discount?? Anyway, Ii's encouraging to hear that others are getting dealers to sell their Siennas without all the mark-ups and subterfuge. --Tracy
I am paying MSRP for my LE, but the dealer increased my trade-in price by 1,000.00. Another dealer told me 9,000 for my trade in. This dealer said 9,500 and then increased it to 10,000. They also dropped the 129 processing fee by lowering the car price.
I called around and all the dealers I spoke to said they will only sell at msrp.
I feel like I'm getting a fair deal, so I'm happy. Just can't wait for it to get here!
Sorry, I don't know how to reply to your message so had to post it this way. I just used that Sanmarcos' inventory to show the exact same color and options of the LE I was getting since Richardsontoyota dot com didn't show mine yet, because mine was coming directly from port. I were not sure what TDA is doc fee I guess. I don't think I have to pay for that. The sticker price as you see on that Sanmarcos didn't list for it and I just offered 26800 and drive out is + 6.25 tax + 0.0029% district tax + 155 license fee = 28696.16. I drove home last night and it's SUPER .... as expected. Good luck. oh.. I didn't trade in, just paid cash; although they convince and offered 3.44% rate for 5yr. So even if you plan to finance, just say you pay cash, and they will offer you lower rate!
Wow, Vimal! That's great. May I ask how you found these? I'd really love to get the CE with #3, because of all the great safety features, but I thought it would be impossible to find one at this point. I will most likely hold out for this pkg. if it is going to be available so soon. What a great site this is. Thanks so much for alerting me.. :-) -Tracy
Thanks for providing additional info-- and congratulations! It sounds like you got a good deal. I would have looked at the deal similarly, if the trade-in offer was so much higher than elsewhere. Best of luck -Tracy
The range for TDA is $300-800 depending on the region your in and the MSRP of the vehicle. Most dealers will tell you that TDA is non-negotiable. Beyond TDA and the destination charge, you should try to negotiate on any other fees.
Personally, I agree with Steve(host of this forum) that focusing on the total "out-the-door" figure is less aggravating than trying to determine which of the dealer's fees to argue over.
We took possesson of our new XLE yesterday with no surprises at time of signing final contract. Our total before sales tax and registration fees was $2845 under MSRP. Before I sat down with the salesman, I had used the figures here on Edmunds to determine what 2% over invoice should be. I was a bit confused when the dealer's invoice showed a different invoice amount for the base vehicle than what Edmund's does (25,150 for the XLE). The dealer's base invoice amount was much lower than that and then they started adding the TDA, doc fees, financial reserve, etc., etc.
I would have been at a loss over which of those things to try to negotiate over, and was told none of them were negotiable anyway. So, all I could do was to look at my estimated total including the 2% over and compare that to his "2%" over invoice total. His 2% over invoice was not my 2% over invoice!!; but it was only $322.00 more than my estimate. Had I wanted to really play hardball over $322 I probably would not have gotten the vehicle.
The $322 was not such a big issue to me as I turned in a leased vehicle a month ago and was driving a rental until I could acquire this van. The $322 may be a bigger issue to those of you who can wait it out or can work the negotiation. I felt quite lucky to have found someone who was straightforward and was not insisting on MSRP or more. The monthly fee for the rental car was $400 (basically a tuna can) -- so, there you go.
Also, if we had gone the route of ordering the vehicle --- our deposit was totally refundable and that was to be in writing. I don't know about other states, but in California they are required by law to do that and they have to say so in writing. Don't let them railroad you or use scare tactics to try to bully you!!!! It's your money!!!
I hope my experience helps one of you out there in some way!! Best of luck!
Hi Vimal or anyone has any information on CE with pkg. # 3 and 8 pass. seating for North-East Mkt. And since none found yet, Is there any discount offered wherever you found it? And in my experience LE Pkg.#7 with 8 pass. seating are hard to find as well. I haven't seen any 8 pass. yet. I have made my email public for anyone to email me. In addition, it will be helpful to others also if it is posted here. Thanks
Comments
And please, let's not turn this into a "tell them I sent you" discussion - promoting bird dog referral fees is a form of soliciting and frowned upon. Thanks!
Steve, Host
Good luck, Becky
I specifically asked the dealer for LE vans without distributor/dealer options when I sent out the request. It is LE (8) with option #3, first he gave me a quote of $26,000 and later he quoted me again for $25,000. I never went to the dealer so I don't know if he is lying or not. And since I sent emails for quotes to the dealers in Houston,
I got emails and phone calls everyday. I did
the quote request through edmunds.com.
I Live in Central New-Jersey and based on Edumnds.com sent quote request for CE 8 PASS. WITH PKG.#(3) Which equals to LE 8 PASS.(PKG 7).I was disappointed to know that toyota has no such pkg for N. East market so I should look for Pkg.# (7) in LE which has MSRP APP. 28 k.
THE Maximum I can wait is till May end and afterwards will be day to day basis. Does anyone know where I can get LE 8 pass. with Pkg. (7) at 2 to 3 % above invoice. I am Willing to travel up to Pennsylvanis, Boston etc.
Since coming from a big family & cars owned by almost from every manufactured , I have tons of info. based on experiences which I will post in future messgs.
Anxioulsy waiting for prices and availability info. since waited for this van since last year and DON'T want to pay MSRP.
THANKS IN ADVANCE.
Please, no all caps - it's like shouting in our faces. Thanks!
Steve, Host
I have sent email to 'townhall-help' and will see when they reply and meantime will keep trying to make my email public on my own.
Also it would be nice if you could post all information as a message to this discussion as I am sure there will be many others from neighboring states looking for same Information.
As per rules of this forum, I think Names and State of dealership is sufficient.
However, I will definitely make my email Public ASAP.
Thanks in advance
Anyway the dealership is : Bennett Toyota ,Allentown,PA $850 above invoice
Del Toyota, Thorndale,PA: 2% above invoice
Pottstown Toyota,PA: 4% above invoice
I dealt with their internet division... I cant give the sales people name as its against the rules on these boards!
Good Luck..
I live in Austin and made my deposit to Dallas dealer 1.5wk ago, and will pickup tomorrow for 28696 drive out!
I know I could do better if I wait a bit more. But found exactly color I wanted Blue mettalic and Oak stone interior. My van have
base 24920 (including des.)
LE package #3 1435
running board 599
rear mudgard 89
vehicle shield 349
Extra mile package (include alloy, security upgrade, 100K-mile tires warrantee) 1548
total = 28965, bought for 26800+TTL = 28696
http://www.sanmarcostoyota.com/NewInventoryRO.asp?VIN=5TDZA23C74S- - 004975&SiteName=sanmarcostoyota
Austin has same exact car, but they ask for 700 when I told them about this deal in Dallas.
Hislander, I spoke to an internet fleet salemen at Sterling in Houston, they have a similar one Blue LE-7 but only 7 seat, and he agree to sell for 28100 drive out since he thought mine is 7seats.
First I wanted a Ce 8pass but they found one with only 700 of MSRP but I don't like gray; keep in mind they make only 3% CE 8pass, and only 11% LE 8-pass. I found another one without Extra mile package but they give me only 500 off MSRP so this is best deal that I could get for now!!!
Becky, I don't see any of your messages state if
$26,500 was BEFORE Tax, DOC, & MISC Fees, OR "Out
the Door"... the Dealer claims "Before" (when I offered $26,500 "TOTAL") and the BEST they could do IS about
$28,300.. "Out the Door" so PLEASE convey: Who has
the "Rest of the Story"..YOU or The Dealer ???
My vehicle was scheduled to be shipped on 04/21, I believe they did a dealer trade to get the exact van I wanted. It was not on the lot.
Hope this helps, Becky
I will admit that based on the figures listed here on Edmunds I feel I paid about $300 more than what I calculated the total should be. But, again, hey!! -- my total before tax and license was $2845 under MSRP!! This is not happening anywhere else in the LA area that I can determine!
This was an XLE with package GK (17) and carpet floor mats/door sill protector. I am a very happy camper and have to say that this guy is great!!! He really works to make the deal happen (he practically stole this vehicle away from the general manager!) -- he is customer-oriented and I enjoyed working with him. Vehicle is being prepped over the weekend and we will pick it up on Monday!!! Best of luck to all of you, hang in there!
We need a car soon, but don't like paying MSRP. Becky: did your dealer begin the negotiations by saying that 2004 Siennas were selling at list price, without discounts, and then eventually lower his price-- (in which case maybe those of us who are getting quoted list price just need to negotiate harder???) or did he quote a discounted price fairly early on in the negotiations?
Also, can anyone say how much we should be willing to put down for a deposit in order for a dealer to pre-order a SIenna with our specifications. Thanks in advance for any responses....
Peace, Becky
Make sure there's a weasel clause so you can get that money back if you don't like the van after it comes in.
my .02.
Steve, Host
So how do we buyers make sure that we can "weasel out" of our deposits if the dealer winds up changing his fees or prices, or the van isn't equipped as stated, or is otherwise unacceptable?
Also, are doc fees negotiable, and are they often padded by the dealer? Did those who bought their Siennas at discounts have to pay additional dealer fees? Thus far, all the dealers I've spoken with have been quoting $400-$500 dealer fees that they say are non-negotiable.
Thanks so much.... Tracy
Just tell them that a reasonable deposit is fine, but it's contingent on your acceptance of the van after a test drive. And put something like that in writing.
The real reason, imho, for getting a deposit from a potential buyer, especially for a car that's not a special order, is to "take you out of the market" so you won't decide to buy that '04 Quest when it hits the dealer next month.
I'd email the Georgia AG's Office of Consumer Protection about that dealer. What they did may not be illegal but it should be!
It's just a car and they'll be making lots more of them. Be patient, and tell the jerks to take flying leaps. In a nice way of course :-)
Steve, Host
Edmunds says $50 is a reasonable doc fee. Those other "additional dealer fees" are pure profit. Dealers justify the ADM because it's a new van, hot seller, etc. They don't mention that the economy is still in the toilet.
document fees
One way to avoid getting bogged down in all these fees is to decide on an "out the door" price, and let the dealer decide what portion to allocate to doc fees or ADM. Then all you have to worry about is your bottom line.
Good luck!
Steve, Host
Dealer arrogance regarding the Sienna is running quite high right now, it seems.
So it seems the "discount" I was offered by this dealer was roughly equal to the various junk fees that were then piled on top (a $450 dealer inspection fee, padded doc. fees, etc.)
I sure wish buying a car wasn't such a battle.
One more vote for public transportation....
-Tracy
Yesterday my family (three kids and husband) and I drove 3-4 hours to PA. We printed the page with post #1149 and showed it to the lady who greeted us at the dealership. She said to come on in so we could pick out which options we wanted. My husband asked "what is the price going to be?" She said, "just as it says: 850 over invoice, but can't tell you exactly until you tell me what package you want" Then she encouraged my hubby to drive their demo.
My hubby is one of the few people in the world who says he does not need to drive a new car before he buys. So, the drive was actually a waste of time since I have already driven and love it.
We put down $500 and signed on an Le with #8 with 3 color choices. My husband confirmed that the price was firm but the sales lady said they cannot control the little extras that Toyota puts on the vehicle (such as Z1 package). She said the price may vary by $100 or so. We have the option to decline a vehicle that comes in with the extras and wait for the next. If we choose to take the van with the small extras, she will sell those options at cost. BTW, the 500 is refundable.
So, it sounds as if we did pretty good considering the best I could get down in N. Va was free acessories with MSRP and $289 processing fees.
I even offered to take an AWD XLE of the lot if the dealership were to split the cost of an aftermarket DVD.
The most I will pay in extras in PA is
$59 dealer handeling,
$55 dealer documentary fee
$40 reg, title fee
I will have to pay the taxes and tags for Va when I go to register.
out the door :26,608 plus any small extras should we choose them. Keep trying, eventually they will budge. Thank you again, I will keep you posted
I too live in the Atlanta area and plan on getting a LE(8) during the summer. May I ask which dealership it was that treated you so harshly?
Have you tried World Toyota in Chamblee? They are suppose to have competitive no haggle pricing. I always go their first find what price they will give me then go and haggle with the other dealers. Thanks
Vimal
When I said I wasn't comfortable making a non-refundable deposit on a credit card without their offering anything in writing, I was told that I was just "being silly." I was also told that the $400 in doc. fees was a favor to me, since they normally charge more. This dealer earlier tried to hide the fact that there were two delivery fees included in the MSRP, then when I pointed it out, admitted it was really just how they offered discounts: you could have the discount, I was told, but only if they charged us the delivery fees twice!
I have not tried World Toyota, but will check with them soon. Thanks so much for the tip.
Momofthree: congratulations on finding a reputable Toyota dealer who is finding you the car you want at a fair price, and who is not trying to decieve you with bloated fees and other tactics. Let us know how things work out! -Tracy
Have no idea if the manager would have been more straightfoward with me, or less devious, or if this is the way their salespeople are routinely trained to handle buyers.
I looked at World Toyota Chamblee's site, as you suggested, and I see that they post the invoice prices in their inventory list, which is a good sign I think, since it means that the dealership is at least minimally aware that it pays to be upfront with customers-- clearly, most people are aware of the difference between invoice and MSRP. They did have an "administrative" cost of $450 (or so) posted as part of their invoice price, though, which I think doesn't bode well--- since others here have been able to find dealerships who are not padding their prices this way. So, guess I'm going to keep looking.... Tracy
I would contact the internet/fleet manager. His name is on the web site. Regardless of the Toyota dealership web site, the prices are always the same. It must be pulling from a computer who knows where. So you wouldnt see any price difference until you talk to them or show an interest.
Out of curosity, what type of Sienna are you looking for?
They were willing to add an extra clause that I required about financing approval and getting my money back.
My dealer add on is 129.00 for clerical fees. When I questioned this, they just lowered the price of the car so I wouldn't have to pay the fee. They told me there would be no other "hidden" costs (except warrantee).
Good Luck
Bev
Good Luck,
BTW: I saw on the Sienna vs. Nissan discussion board that the new Nissan has the side airbags, and that would be a very big draw for me. But they're not scheduled to be released till late May, and we're tired of waiting. (We almost bought a 2003 Symphony LE in January, but opted to wait for the remodel instead.)
--Tracy
I called around and all the dealers I spoke to said they will only sell at msrp.
I feel like I'm getting a fair deal, so I'm happy. Just can't wait for it to get here!
bev
Went looking for the 7 passenger but did not see any.
Vimal
I just used that Sanmarcos' inventory to show the exact same color and options of the LE I was getting since Richardsontoyota dot com didn't show mine yet, because mine was coming directly from port. I were not sure what TDA is doc fee I guess. I don't think I have to pay for that. The sticker price as you see on that Sanmarcos didn't list for it and I just offered 26800 and drive out is + 6.25 tax + 0.0029% district tax + 155 license fee = 28696.16. I drove home last night and it's SUPER .... as expected. Good luck. oh.. I didn't trade in, just paid cash; although they convince and offered 3.44% rate for 5yr. So even if you plan to finance, just say you pay cash, and they will offer you lower rate!
I will most likely hold out for this pkg. if it is going to be available so soon. What a great site this is. Thanks so much for alerting me..
:-) -Tracy
BTW My wife likes Sienna better too.
We took possesson of our new XLE yesterday with no surprises at time of signing final contract. Our total before sales tax and registration fees was $2845 under MSRP. Before I sat down with the salesman, I had used the figures here on Edmunds to determine what 2% over invoice should be. I was a bit confused when the dealer's invoice showed a different invoice amount for the base vehicle than what Edmund's does (25,150 for the XLE). The dealer's base invoice amount was much lower than that and then they started adding the TDA, doc fees, financial reserve, etc., etc.
I would have been at a loss over which of those things to try to negotiate over, and was told none of them were negotiable anyway. So, all I could do was to look at my estimated total including the 2% over and compare that to his "2%" over invoice total. His 2% over invoice was not my 2% over invoice!!; but it was only $322.00 more than my estimate. Had I wanted to really play hardball over $322 I probably would not have gotten the vehicle.
The $322 was not such a big issue to me as I turned in a leased vehicle a month ago and was driving a rental until I could acquire this van. The $322 may be a bigger issue to those of you who can wait it out or can work the negotiation. I felt quite lucky to have found someone who was straightforward and was not insisting on MSRP or more. The monthly fee for the rental car was $400 (basically a tuna can) -- so, there you go.
Also, if we had gone the route of ordering the vehicle --- our deposit was totally refundable and that was to be in writing. I don't know about other states, but in California they are required by law to do that and they have to say so in writing. Don't let them railroad you or use scare tactics to try to bully you!!!! It's your money!!!
I hope my experience helps one of you out there in some way!! Best of luck!
And since none found yet, Is there any discount offered wherever you found it?
And in my experience LE Pkg.#7 with 8 pass. seating are hard to find as well. I haven't seen any 8 pass. yet.
I have made my email public for anyone to email me. In addition, it will be helpful to others also if it is posted here.
Thanks