You can buy a Toyota warranty from your dealer at any time before the 36 month warranty expires. Toyota has several options some with no deductible. The least expensive I have heard about is @950-1150 for the 7 year/100k
You can get other extended warrantees from a large variety of places. When you look at them I would suggest an exclusionary policy that specifically spells out what is not covered as opposed to the type that has a long list of what is covered. Inevitably with a what is covered policy you get into debates with the warranty company over repairs.
Do you intend to keep this vehicle for longer than Toyota's powertrain warranty? As I recall that is a 5yr/60k mile for all lubricated parts of the drivetrain.
the "available" date is an estimate of when it arrives at the port. It is accurate to some extent but I wouldn't use it as a firm date. When the vehicle is reported "sold" to Toyota it expedites the delivery or it can be issued a priority process request that will also speed up delivery time. The dealer can give you more accurate info on your van then what is on the website.
Has anyone bought/leased an '04 Sienna in MO lately? I'm getting ready to start shopping for an XLE AWD or XLE Limited AWD and would like to know how much off of MSRP they are coming, if any? Also if leasing - what kind of residual and money factors are you getting? Feel free to email me at cehenke@yahoo.com or reply on this board. Thanks in advance, Chris
Thanks for the useful info. I will check out the Toyota site because if I do consider the extended warranty, I will buy it from Toyota. I am planning on keeping this vehicle a long time - well beyond the 5 year drivetrain. Thanks again.
I ordered my van from Bennett near the end of April after reading a post here. I did not receive an allocation until mid June with a July 7 build date. It ended up being built on 7/9 and arrived at dealer on 7/17. I picked it up on 7/21 and drove it back to Tampa. I ended up with a Arctic Frost XLE LTD PKG5 with Z1 for 2 1/2 % over invoice. My wife and I are very happy with the new van, we can't believe all the features it has. Thank you to everyone on these boards for the info that made this possible. I don't know why dealers are selling the Sienna at these prices but I am glad that I found one.
Modesto Toyota is the best! We are in contact and may cook up a deal. I am also looking at a similar deal at two other dealerships close to my home. This is a great place for info!
kmead, thanks for the link. I did talk to someone about them today and just in case you are interested, they will not be available on the east coast until next spring, a bit late for us. Those that have been converted are somewhere out west. We will press on. thanks again.
Did anyone see the WSJ article yesterday regarding production & pricing practices of manufacturers and dealers who have a hot item like the Sienna? It's well worth reading. However, as per our previous discussions, people are buying these vehicles for well below (1,000-2,000) MSRP.
lizacolby, I ordered the XLE with option #14, CF, PC in the SF BayArea dealer on July 4. The van is made on July 1 and it arrived on July 14. The price is about 2300 off MSRP, which is about 1400 over the invoice. I am not sure that is best deal, but it is the lowest price I can get during that time.
I would be interested in knowing which Bay Area dealership offered that price. Good to know all of the best ones in case I get pushed around this weekend!
I'm trying to buy a 8 passenger FWD LE with pack #10 in denver area. The lowest quote I got is $28000 from burt toyota and need to wait for near one month. Would like to hear any comments about this deal. If you bought a 04 sienna in this area recently, will very appreciate if you share your experience with me.
I also live in NJ and every dealer that i called up is not willing to negotiate. it's MSRP or get nothing. can you give me the name of the dealer you bought it from?
dooley that sounds like msrp to me. did you try stevinson east or west? my broker told me that Burt has the highest profit margin in the state. If you want the name of the broker post your email and I'll send it. He gets pricing on an above invoice basis.
I would greatly appreciate that info. I tried to negotiate last night with a dealer who tried to tell me they paid $599 more for the Sienna XLE Ltd than Consumer Reports' invoice shows. (As if this large dealership would pay a higher price for their minivans.) That's a great way to squeeze more "over the invoice" pricing.
Your info could help me to cut the best deal. Thanks in advance for e-mailing me the info.
Keep in mind that most of the invoice price listings do not include local/regional added costs. In the southeast region all Toyotas are distributed by a private company that adds a charge to all Toyotas. In addition most areas also have an obligatory advertising charge.
Neither CU or Edmunds delineates these added charges as they vary so much across the US. Some of them can be found at another web site that specializes in the Sienna (do a search). They also have plenty of good info on other subjects as well.
So the dealer probably was not lieing to you, if they were a bit smarter knowing that you know what you do, they might have delineated what the charges were.
Most vehicles carry a legitimate advertising fee levied by either the manufacturer or by regional dealer groups. National or regional advertising fees, when charged, should not exceed 1 percent of the vehicle's MSRP. Because individual dealership advertising is a cost of doing business, you should never pay an advertising fee levied by the dealer rather than a regional dealer association or the manufacturer.
21. Why is the car I'm looking at on the West Coast or in the Southern tier of states priced differently than what's listed on this Web site?
In the Southeast, large distributors control Toyota pricing, and take advantage of this monopoly by charging more money for destination and advertising fees. They also front-load many cars with worthless packages of cosmetic items that you don't need. Similarly, in the Northeast, a single distributor, who may charge differently for fees and options than dealers in the rest of the United States, handles Subaru products.
22. Why doesn't Edmunds.com list option prices for some makes and models?
Almost all Acura, Honda, and Suzuki options are dealer-installed. Some manufacturers, like Nissan, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo, will offer both factory- and dealer-installed options. Pricing for these items can vary depending on region and dealer. Therefore, it is impossible for Edmunds.com to list an accurate price for these items. Our experience shows that these items often carry a 100-percent markup in dealer profit. We recommend that you avoid buying dealer-installed options if you can help it."
I just put 500 down on an LE w/Package 2. I got it for 5.5% above true invoice and 3% above Southeastern invoice. I'm told I'll be able to take delivery by Nov 20th. I would have loved to have that extra 2.5%,(only pay 3% above factory invoice), but checking outside my region dealers were doing MSRP, or 10% above true invoice. So I'm pretty happy when my deal...as long as my car comes in.
I've made my email address public in my profile. Actually, I contacted with the Hellman toyota last weekend, they can offer me $1200 under the MSRP. Sounds not bad to me. Hope your broker can provide a better price than that. Thank you very much for your information.
This is from a post on another Sienna board by kgnw, so thank him
Some items that can show up on a Toyota invoice:
TDA (Toyota Dealer Advertising) Is based on the Base MSRP of the vehicle. It varies from region to region, but is a legitimate fee. I don't know if a dealer gets any of this money back, but Toyota uses this for the national TV commercials, magazine ads, etc. To get an idea of the cost for your region. Goto www.carsdirect.com input your zip code. Select a trim and click on the invoice link. A window will open and you'll get the estimated TDA for your area. Ranges from $200-$800.
WFR (Wholesale Financial Reserve) also called a Floorplan Fee, is based on 1% of Base MSRP with no options. It is a charge normally used to prepare the vehicle for sale. It includes detailing, pre-delivery service and interest charges for keeping the vehicle on the lot. Most of the time if a vehicle has been sitting on the lot, the dealer doesn't make any money on this. Ranges from $229-$370.
Holdback Is the 2% profit (Base MSRP no options * 2%) that the dealer gets back from Toyota for selling a vehicle. You don't pay for this twice. Toyota just shows you exactly what the dealer will get.
Gasoline is Gas. Usually about $6.
All these costs are legitimate charges and are figured into the INVOICE 1 price on the Model/Price Guide. Unfortunately Edmund's invoice prices don't show these charges and just gives you the base cost. Other companies (manufacturers) will just show the invoice without disclosing the holdback info. Toyota chooses to show it as a line item in their invoice. It is a real cost that the dealer pays to Toyota when they buy (or more accurately finance) the cars when they get them.
Try Bennett in PA or Basil in Lockport NY. Both gave me a great price. I live in NJ but their prices are worth the trip there. E-mail me for salesperson info and the prices i got. You will do alot better than 25,000.
Compared 2003 Odyssey EX with 2004 Sienna LE. Sienna clear winner in styling, drive test, overall quality feel, seating 8, reliability record. I was also worried about NTSA posts reporting past safety problems with Odyssey's power doors and airbags. Honda dealer anxious to keep me from visiting Toyota across the street.
After we offered invoice + 5% on LE8 w/ pkg 4, they came back with the standard deal for Costco members: $1000 over invoice, on a vehicle due to be delivered mid-Aug, in our choice of color. I think AAA may have a similar deal.
Best financing I found was again through Costco -- exec members can click through costco.com to CapitalOne to get 0.5% lower than the 3.49% they are posting for the general public.
Where did you get your deal? Can you give us break down on the numbers? I also ordered a Le 8 passenger with package number 4 in silver. My price was 25,067.00 plus dealer fees around 165 and i will take care of tax and reg. Did your price include TDA? I ordered through Bennett Toyota in PA. Any thoughts on the deal i got?
I'm interested in an LE and I'm wondering if leather is included in any of the packages or if it is extra. If its extra, how much does it cost? Thank you.
There is a 2004 Lunar Mist XLE coming in to our dealership. It has the ES package (#9) on it, and they are offering it to me for $31,136. Can someone please tell me if this is a good deal or not? I can't do the math well enough to figure it out. It does NOT include Tax, title, etc...which it would be 6.75 tax, so I think the total out the door would be $33,701. Someone HELP! I haven't priced this package and don't really know if this is worth it or not. We originally wanted $850 over invoice, but Bennett isn't offering it anymore! We were also looking for the #14, but we aren't stuck on it, if this is a good deal?!?!?!
Can anyone help? My email is ajsako@earthlink.net Thank you in advance! -April
Ok, I just reviewed the numbers to the best of my ability and it doesn't seem like a good deal at all!! If I am reading correctly, MSRP on this would be $31430, which my quote is only $300 under that, but wait, that does include tax and all that, ugh, I am sooo confused, please help! Tell me what you think! Can I get it down from here?
With the lack of inventory and push for MSRP- my new concern is the annual cost to operate. Does the 2004 really require premium gas? If you don't use it will the warranty be voided? Still can't find a good deal in Chicago and now leaning to Honda Odyssey (thanks Toyota- all show no committment) Also the postings of engine/ transmissions scare me.
Here's more detail on the LE8 deal I committed to from Toyota of Santa Cruz, CA.
The MSRP plus destination for our choices, LE 8 with pkg 4 and mats, was $26726.
As a starting point, we originally offered 5% over my estimate of dealer cost: the Edmunds invoice price for the LE8 ($21833), subtract 2% of MSRP for holdback (-$488), add MSRP for pkg 4 ($1610) and CF (mats, $196), and $510 for destination. Rounding a bit, this first offer was $24800.
They came back with the "$1000 over invoice" Costco deal, for a dollar amount of $25365 (which is $1361 under MSRP). This resulted in some confusion, as they must be using a higher amount for invoice than Edmunds has. We finally agreed to go with $1000 over the actual invoice the car arrives with. Tax, title and license are to be added separately.
It sounds like suni2 got a slightly better deal than I did (if your number includes destination), but comparable.
The car, which was slated to come to our dealer anyway, is to be built soon and arrive mid August, at which time we'll negotiate the price for our trade-in. I can't remember, either it was going to be the color we wanted anyway or the dealer ordered that color for us since it hasn't been built yet.
BTW, the large glossy brochure we got from the dealership does a good job of listing what's in each package; we were particularly interested in packages WITHOUT leather, and it narrowed the choices for us.
Using Edmunds' numbers, I price out a 2004 XLE with package 9 and mats at $32136 MSRP and $28305 invoice, including destination charges but not tax, title, license, or any other fees. So it looks like they are offering it to you for $1000 under MSRP.
Regarding the LE and leather: from what I can tell, you cannot get leather on any of the FACTORY packages on the LE.
However, depending on what region you are in, there is an opportunity to get the leather as a 'port installed' package. I've priced out on an LE8 in Texas (Gulf States Toyota region) and the leather package runs an additional $1995 over any factory packages. It includes a power lumber adjustment for the driver's seat.
I have no idea about whether or not this is the same leather interior which comes from the factory on either the XLE or XLE Ltd. Sienna's. I haven't been able to directly compare an LE equipped with the port installed leather interior against an XLE yet. I also don't know if the port installed leather interior is compatible with the seat-installed side air bags or not.
I'm in GA looking for the LE-8 w/option pkg #4...I've searched the SE inventory and only 2 fit the bill and even those have extra add-ons.
Even if the dealer can get me on, seems like we'll be paying close to if not full MSRP at Atlanta area dealers. I haven't really negotiated yet but my husband is worried that we'll just end up spending way too much and suggested waiting for a few months so possibly we can save potentially a few thou $$.
I want the car NOW or SOON so that we can take our September and x-mas road trips in a van(like just about everyone else!) - and the point is to have a safer car for our travels as we have two young children.
Will supply go up or will Toyota keep a lid on production to keep demand high? Will it raise the price since the car is so "hot"?
I just don't know what to do - buy for safety NOW and spend MORE or wait to save (or not)....
On sunspot.net today, this story makes it sound like manufacturers are playing hide the ball with new car production to keep demand and pricing up. hmmm.
Buyatoyota.com was unhelpful in giving specific inventory numbers for Northern California; "Limited" was all it would say about the LE8 I wanted (heck, I only need ONE!)
DealerNet.com did not show much from Toyota dealers; I don't think they participate very much.
More informative was the Santa Cruz dealer, who pulled out a printout for his dealership's expected deliveries and searched the computer for vans at other dealers.
You can save your money and wait till supply catches up to demand. There are other vans coming (Nissan Quest, new Ford/ Mercury) You might consider renting a mini-van for your upcoming trips. There are deals on renting a mini-van if you do a search. Just an option to consider.
I don't think toyota is keeping production down to keep prices up, since TMS gets the same $$$ for a van if the customers are paying invoice or MSRP. The dealers are the ones FINALLY making some $$$$ on this 04 sienna. WHY??? It is the most advanced van on the market now. The reason for the supply issues are probably b/c TMS is testing the market to see wich models will sell the most. thats why there are sooooo many different packages as well.
Because the dealership I'm talking to now wants $1000 non-refundable deposit for a silver shadow LE-8 w/option #4--exactly what I want. Basically, if they deliver that car that I now have a proposed buyer's order for - I have to buy it, assuming no defects, etc. I wouldn't have signed any paperwork though - everything would be financed and signed when we pick up the car. Is this how it's supposed to go?? So if I find a better deal elsewhere I can't walk from the first deal...that deposit really holds me down - I have to wait to see if they can deliver - and if they can't, the salesguy said of course I'd get my money back.
I have a bad feeling about this even though this internet sales guy is super nice. He won't move off MSRP and his idea of a concession is me paying invoice for floormats!! He's disclosed all the line items and there's no dealer prep or added markup...but I MUST be able to get a better deal somewhere, right?
I really really really should wait and not give into instant gratification...I just want my kids in a van, not an Explorer!!
arrgh! I've done so much "homework" and research but it doesn't seem to matter in this Sienna market. Maybe I should take my husband's advice and wait for negotiation room when the 05 Siennas come out or the (yikes!)2005 Ody. I just can't stand how the Ody looks now, unsure they can really improve appearance for me...
I have to agree - I wouldn't want to do a non-refundable deposit. It takes you out of the market if you find a better deal, dealer or even happen upon a different car/van you like better. I'd keep looking and waiting myself. Of course, I'm not in the market, so that's easy for me to say!
There is no reason they should demand a non refundable deposit, if you walked away from this deal the day the car came in, a very happy other customer would be driving it out within a few hours. Believe me I know.
Last fall my Odyssey finally came in, after waiting 4 months, that exact day my employer sent notices to warn of impending layoffs. I took the letter to the dealer and said hey sorry but I am not buying right now. They gave me my deposit and the van was gone to some other very happy buyer by 9am the next day.
So I would just walk away. Until things normallize (supply to demand) the Sienna market is too hot to get a decent deal in most cases. Though there is the Costco deal delineated on the page before, if one was near my I would join in a minute for the savings.
I have been trying to get a Sienna through the Sams Club Auto Buying Service since April to no avail. I have been through 4 dealers locally, one of whom had the Sienna at 2% over invoice, but once I got there would not honor it.
I tried again this week and recieved a reply:
Thank your for your recent inquiry through Sam's Club Auto Buying Program.
We received information that indicates your interest in the new 2004 Toyota Sienna.
The way the program works is, Sam's Club and Sunshine Toyota have pre-negotiated pricing for automobiles for Sam's Club members. Based on invoice plus a percentage, depending on the vehicle.
Please be advised that the only vehicle exluded for the moment is the Sienna. Availability of this new model is very limited, and our sold orders are waiting anywhere from 12-16 weeks.
However, we are more than happy to price a unit for you, providing we know which models and options you would like."
I guess it will be a while until things calm down. So watch and wait.
A journalist with a major daily newspaper is looking to talk with people who recently bought the Toyota Sienna, the Mini Cooper, the Nissan 350Z, and the Hummer H2, who found ways to circumvent waiting lists and who did not pay more than the sticker price. Please respond with your daytime contact information to Mamayn@aol.com as soon as possible, no later than Tuesday, August 5. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact Edmunds.com PR Director Jeannine Fallon at jfallon@edmunds.com. Thanks!
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
folks, o4 Sienna production is way up over the previous model. You can track the numbers on autonews.com
toyota is cranking out over 3200 Siennas per week. Can you imagine. 5 day work week that is over 600 cars per day off the line. With well over 1500 toyota dealers that is only 2 per day on average and some dealers are big some are small. However, the annual rate should be near 150000 units which the Honda Odyssey only recently could attain. So Sienna will not command high prices as long as Odyssey since Toyota and make so many right now. REmember Odyssey was limited to 70000 units per year for first two years. Now we have 150000 Odyssey and 150000 Sienna on the market. INKY
Wait for your Sienna. I just ordered the same exact van (LE 8 passenger with package #4 in silver) for 25,067 so shop around. I got mine from Bennett Toyota in PA. You can e-mail me for salesperson name and number. Also try Basil Toyota in NY. They can even have your van delivered to you on Flatbed truck for a fair price. They also gave me the same price as Bennett.
Atlanta is still a rough place for a Sienna buyer. I looked at the last production order and there were 14 LE 8 passenger vans allocated on the last run which means you can get the exact van you want without any additional options if that is what you want to do. MSRP isn't a bad price on this van but if you are willing to drive a few hours there are good discounts and lower clerical fees then what is offered in your area. I don't mind giving you a breakdown of the combinations available to you in Ga for the next couple of weeks if you choose to email me. Try Atlanta Toyota or Toyota Mall of Georgia if you haven't already.
It is still a slow progress on Sienna shopping. My dealer now only offers $1000 off $27861 MSRP on LE 7-seater with BW and CF. That's $26861. But they only offer $500 off on 8-seater also with BW and CF. And that's $27511. I think the 8-seater should be only $200 more. Anyone in MA think this is a good price? I feel OK on the discount rate on 7-seater.
Comments
http://www.siennaclub.org/rampvan.htm
http://www.ims-vans.com/sienna.asp
Given the nature of this market, I suspect that something specific can be had for a wheel chair passenger only. Good luck with your future purchase.
You can get other extended warrantees from a large variety of places. When you look at them I would suggest an exclusionary policy that specifically spells out what is not covered as opposed to the type that has a long list of what is covered. Inevitably with a what is covered policy you get into debates with the warranty company over repairs.
Do you intend to keep this vehicle for longer than Toyota's powertrain warranty? As I recall that is a 5yr/60k mile for all lubricated parts of the drivetrain.
An online place to buy the Toyota warranty is:
http://www.toyotawarranty.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamMa- n=7&txtsearchParamCat=19&btnSearch.x=9&btnSearch.y=11- &iLevel=1&txtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSea- rch
Although definitely an ad, its points are good:
http://www.automotivehelper.com/eawarranty.php
Remember, a warranty is insurance and is only as good as the economic stability of the insurer. Good luck.
Steve, Host
I ordered the XLE with option #14, CF, PC in the SF BayArea dealer on July 4. The van is made on July 1 and it arrived on July 14. The price is about 2300 off MSRP, which is about 1400 over the invoice. I am not sure that is best deal, but it is the lowest price I can get during that time.
Good Luck.....
They were a pleasure with whom to do business.No surprises . Everything up front. Price was $1,480 under MSRP. No hidden or unexpected charges.
If you would like the name of my salesman e mail me and I'll be happy to let you know.
:-)
that sounds like msrp to me. did you try stevinson east or west? my broker told me that Burt has the highest profit margin in the state. If you want the name of the broker post your email and I'll send it. He gets pricing on an above invoice basis.
Your info could help me to cut the best deal. Thanks in advance for e-mailing me the info.
Neither CU or Edmunds delineates these added charges as they vary so much across the US. Some of them can be found at another web site that specializes in the Sienna (do a search). They also have plenty of good info on other subjects as well.
So the dealer probably was not lieing to you, if they were a bit smarter knowing that you know what you do, they might have delineated what the charges were.
Most vehicles carry a legitimate advertising fee levied by either the manufacturer or by regional dealer groups. National or regional advertising fees, when charged, should not exceed 1 percent of the vehicle's MSRP. Because individual dealership advertising is a cost of doing business, you should never pay an advertising fee levied by the dealer rather than a regional dealer association or the manufacturer.
21. Why is the car I'm looking at on the West Coast or in the Southern tier of states priced differently than what's listed on this Web site?
In the Southeast, large distributors control Toyota pricing, and take advantage of this monopoly by charging more money for destination and advertising fees. They also front-load many cars with worthless packages of cosmetic items that you don't need. Similarly, in the Northeast, a single distributor, who may charge differently for fees and options than dealers in the rest of the United States, handles Subaru products.
22. Why doesn't Edmunds.com list option prices for some makes and models?
Almost all Acura, Honda, and Suzuki options are dealer-installed. Some manufacturers, like Nissan, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo, will offer both factory- and dealer-installed options. Pricing for these items can vary depending on region and dealer. Therefore, it is impossible for Edmunds.com to list an accurate price for these items. Our experience shows that these items often carry a 100-percent markup in dealer profit. We recommend that you avoid buying dealer-installed options if you can help it."
link
Steve, Host
dooley822
The lowest quate I got is $25000
Will very appreciate for any information.
Some items that can show up on a Toyota invoice:
TDA (Toyota Dealer Advertising) Is based on the Base MSRP of the vehicle. It varies from region to region, but is a legitimate fee. I don't know if a dealer gets any of this money back, but Toyota uses this for the national TV commercials, magazine ads, etc. To get an idea of the cost for your region. Goto www.carsdirect.com input your zip code. Select a trim and click on the invoice link. A window will open and you'll get the estimated TDA for your area. Ranges from $200-$800.
WFR (Wholesale Financial Reserve) also called a Floorplan Fee, is based on 1% of Base MSRP with no options. It is a charge normally used to prepare the vehicle for sale. It includes detailing, pre-delivery service and interest charges for keeping the vehicle on the lot. Most of the time if a vehicle has been sitting on the lot, the dealer doesn't make any money on this. Ranges from $229-$370.
Holdback Is the 2% profit (Base MSRP no options * 2%) that the dealer gets back from Toyota for selling a vehicle. You don't pay for this twice. Toyota just shows you exactly what the dealer will get.
Gasoline is Gas. Usually about $6.
All these costs are legitimate charges and are figured into the INVOICE 1 price on the Model/Price Guide. Unfortunately Edmund's invoice prices don't show these charges and just gives you the base cost. Other companies (manufacturers) will just show the invoice without disclosing the holdback info. Toyota chooses to show it as a line item in their invoice. It is a real cost that the dealer pays to Toyota when they buy (or more accurately finance) the cars when they get them.
After we offered invoice + 5% on LE8 w/ pkg 4, they came back with the standard deal for Costco members: $1000 over invoice, on a vehicle due to be delivered mid-Aug, in our choice of color. I think AAA may have a similar deal.
Best financing I found was again through Costco -- exec members can click through costco.com to CapitalOne to get 0.5% lower than the 3.49% they are posting for the general public.
Here's hoping everything works out as planned!
Can anyone help? My email is ajsako@earthlink.net
Thank you in advance!
-April
Ok, I just reviewed the numbers to the best of my ability and it doesn't seem like a good deal at all!! If I am reading correctly, MSRP on this would be $31430, which my quote is only $300 under that, but wait, that does include tax and all that, ugh, I am sooo confused, please help! Tell me what you think! Can I get it down from here?
The MSRP plus destination for our choices, LE 8 with pkg 4 and mats, was $26726.
As a starting point, we originally offered 5% over my estimate of dealer cost: the Edmunds invoice price for the LE8 ($21833), subtract 2% of MSRP for holdback (-$488), add MSRP for pkg 4 ($1610) and CF (mats, $196), and $510 for destination. Rounding a bit, this first offer was $24800.
They came back with the "$1000 over invoice" Costco deal, for a dollar amount of $25365 (which is $1361 under MSRP). This resulted in some confusion, as they must be using a higher amount for invoice than Edmunds has. We finally agreed to go with $1000 over the actual invoice the car arrives with. Tax, title and license are to be added separately.
It sounds like suni2 got a slightly better deal than I did (if your number includes destination), but comparable.
The car, which was slated to come to our dealer anyway, is to be built soon and arrive mid August, at which time we'll negotiate the price for our trade-in. I can't remember, either it was going to be the color we wanted anyway or the dealer ordered that color for us since it hasn't been built yet.
BTW, the large glossy brochure we got from the dealership does a good job of listing what's in each package; we were particularly interested in packages WITHOUT leather, and it narrowed the choices for us.
However, depending on what region you are in, there is an opportunity to get the leather as a 'port installed' package. I've priced out on an LE8 in Texas (Gulf States Toyota region) and the leather package runs an additional $1995 over any factory packages. It includes a power lumber adjustment for the driver's seat.
I have no idea about whether or not this is the same leather interior which comes from the factory on either the XLE or XLE Ltd. Sienna's. I haven't been able to directly compare an LE equipped with the port installed leather interior against an XLE yet. I also don't know if the port installed leather interior is compatible with the seat-installed side air bags or not.
Even if the dealer can get me on, seems like we'll be paying close to if not full MSRP at Atlanta area dealers. I haven't really negotiated yet but my husband is worried that we'll just end up spending way too much and suggested waiting for a few months so possibly we can save potentially a few thou $$.
I want the car NOW or SOON so that we can take our September and x-mas road trips in a van(like just about everyone else!) - and the point is to have a safer car for our travels as we have two young children.
Will supply go up or will Toyota keep a lid on production to keep demand high? Will it raise the price since the car is so "hot"?
I just don't know what to do - buy for safety NOW and spend MORE or wait to save (or not)....
Steve, Host
Buyatoyota.com was unhelpful in giving specific inventory numbers for Northern California; "Limited" was all it would say about the LE8 I wanted (heck, I only need ONE!)
DealerNet.com did not show much from Toyota dealers; I don't think they participate very much.
More informative was the Santa Cruz dealer, who pulled out a printout for his dealership's expected deliveries and searched the computer for vans at other dealers.
The reason for the supply issues are probably b/c TMS is testing the market to see wich models will sell the most. thats why there are sooooo many different packages as well.
I have a bad feeling about this even though this internet sales guy is super nice. He won't move off MSRP and his idea of a concession is me paying invoice for floormats!! He's disclosed all the line items and there's no dealer prep or added markup...but I MUST be able to get a better deal somewhere, right?
I really really really should wait and not give into instant gratification...I just want my kids in a van, not an Explorer!!
arrgh! I've done so much "homework" and research but it doesn't seem to matter in this Sienna market. Maybe I should take my husband's advice and wait for negotiation room when the 05 Siennas come out or the (yikes!)2005 Ody. I just can't stand how the Ody looks now, unsure they can really improve appearance for me...
DC
Steve, Host
-April
ajsako@earthlink.net
There is no reason they should demand a non refundable deposit, if you walked away from this deal the day the car came in, a very happy other customer would be driving it out within a few hours. Believe me I know.
Last fall my Odyssey finally came in, after waiting 4 months, that exact day my employer sent notices to warn of impending layoffs. I took the letter to the dealer and said hey sorry but I am not buying right now. They gave me my deposit and the van was gone to some other very happy buyer by 9am the next day.
So I would just walk away. Until things normallize (supply to demand) the Sienna market is too hot to get a decent deal in most cases. Though there is the Costco deal delineated on the page before, if one was near my I would join in a minute for the savings.
I tried again this week and recieved a reply:
Thank your for your recent inquiry through Sam's Club Auto Buying Program.
We received information that indicates your interest in the new 2004 Toyota Sienna.
The way the program works is, Sam's Club and Sunshine Toyota have pre-negotiated pricing for automobiles for Sam's Club members. Based on invoice plus a percentage, depending on the vehicle.
Please be advised that the only vehicle exluded for the moment is the Sienna. Availability of this new model is very limited, and our sold orders are waiting anywhere from 12-16 weeks.
However, we are more than happy to price a unit for you, providing we know which models and options you would like."
I guess it will be a while until things calm down. So watch and wait.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
toyota is cranking out over 3200 Siennas per week. Can you imagine. 5 day work week that is over 600 cars per day off the line. With well over 1500 toyota dealers that is only 2 per day on average and some dealers are big some are small.
However, the annual rate should be near 150000 units which the Honda Odyssey only recently could attain. So Sienna will not command high prices as long as Odyssey since Toyota and make so many right now. REmember Odyssey was limited to 70000 units per year for first two years. Now we have 150000 Odyssey and 150000 Sienna on the market.
INKY