2013 and Earlier - Toyota Sienna Prices Paid and Buying Experience

rorr · September 2004

I've heard of double posting but 5 in a row is a bit ridiculous.....

DON'T HIT YOUR BROWSER REFRESH with stuff in the text box....

rorr · September 2004

"Salespeople get paid commission only, and provide you with all their time & energy to "consult" you."

That may be one of the most appropriate usages of "scare quotes" that I've seen in quite some time.

jipster · September 2004

I see what your point is toyotasalesguy. Everybody(debateable) who buys a new car wants invoice or better. Thus, the salesperson makes little or no commission. The dealership and managers make all the money while the frontline sales people starve. Got it. But, if someone comes into your lot and wants to pay sticker on a brand new vehicle...do you tell them they could probably get it for less? Of course not.You try to get the most you can...as well the customer tries to pay the least they can. I agree that the salepeople usually get the scraps while the upper management eat like kings. If you have a beef with how the rules are set up in reguards to commission etc..then you should have a talk with the owners.It shouldn't be up to the customer to make sure the salespeople make a decent living. My beliefs on these matters come from personal experience. There are many fair/respectable salespeople out there. You may be one of them...I don't know. But, I would say the majority(over 60%)are into lieing,manipulation & game playing to make a sale. The same may be true of the customer...I don't know. I also mean this respectfully. But, I think I have a fairly good/accurate idea of how car dealerships operate.

mary5 · September 2004

I am in the market for a Sienna XLE with a leather/ moonroof package. The best prices I have found so far is using the Costco plan which is $1500 over invoice- or so I've been told. Does anybody have any recommendations for Southern California dealers that have come in with prices closer to invoice? Also, is it true that I should expect to pay 10% of the final sale of the vehicle for taxes, registration fees etc.?

wildred · September 2004

GIJO,

Mail sent. Best luck to you! Please keep me posted.

BTW, to avoid spam, don't display your e-mail in your post.

raydahs · September 2004

Mary, make your e-mail public until 9:30am or after 8:00pm tonight (let me know when you do it though) that's when I can be online. I would like to share some info with you (e-mail contact, dealer inventory list and so on). Can't post that kind of stuff here though.

rorr · September 2004

The problem I see is how much brow beating and threats to walk out it takes before one even gets down TO the $1500 over invoice number. I mean, let's be honest, it's not like you guys are likely to START at that figure.

On a side note: my wife and I have been interested in a Sienna for quite a while and have narrowed our choice down to an XLE with either pkg #12 or #14 ('04 package configurations; I don't know what the '05s are yet). I was really leaning towards the #14 configuration because I like having a sunroof and wouldn't mind having a CD changer. As far as I can tell, MSRP on this van would be about $33.8k ('04 prices).

But now the new Ody is coming out and I've been looking at the EX-L. This trim line will come standard with EXACTLY what I'm looking for on a Sienna XLE w/#14 (sunroof, leather, cd changer, and all the safety goodies). But the expected MSRP on the Ody EX-L is under $30k. And the van will have more power, better mileage, and for those rare occasions when an 8th seat would be useful....a +1 mid-row seat.

I think you guys better be prepared to settle for closer to invoice than $1500 over....

skinnytony · September 2004

"On LE's we'll go very close to invoice. On XLE's & XLE Limited's...fuggettaboutit!"

Why is this? If it's a supply/demand issue, then why doesn't Toyota make more XLE's and Ltd's and less LE's? I'm so tired of Toyota salespeople opening up the pricing conversation on Ltd's with "these are hard to find"!

Back to the advertising fees, this doesn't make sense either. Why not build advertising into the price? You like to compare to other retail purchases, so I'll point out that I don't pay ad fees at other retailers!

ctsang · September 2004

Looks like you don't do too much reading.
Let us see how many siennas will be sitting in your lot after 05 ody comes out. You better sell all you can before it comes out.
You think Toyota is better than Honda? Honda salesmen think Honda is better than Toyota.

rorr · September 2004

"The Toyota truly is the better car, the price reflects it..."

If we are talking only about the '04s, I would have to agree (although the two vehicles are both very highly, and very closely, rated by most publications). So yes, I can certainly agree that the '04 Sienna should cost more than the '04 Ody. A bit more. But with blowout sales prices, many many people felt that the '04 Ody represents a better value.

And now the '05 Ody is on it's way and though it may lag the Sienna in some areas, in other areas it is clearly ahead. Is the Sienna still a 'better' car? Perhaps yes, perhaps no. But as close as I can tell, the Sienna XLE w/#14 is more than $4k (close to $5k) more expensive than the very comparable Ody EX-L. Is it $4k better? Not is my eyes.

Unresolved mechanical problems on the Ody? I hope you aren't referring to the transmission issues because these HAVE been resolved. And from what I've read here on Edmunds, the Sienna transmissions have been behaving a bit flakey themselves.

TMV on Edmunds simply are not numbers to really expect.

I'm sure the folks here at Edmunds will be glad to hear that. Actually, I've read many, many posts, right here in this very thread, from individuals who were able to gets deals on Siennas, including XLE's and Ltds. which were better than Edmunds TMV.

Apparently not at your dealership however.

ctsang · September 2004

If you think higher price means better, you are really way off. Why don't you sell something more expensive?

williamcar · September 2004

My family is looking for a 2005 Sienna LE 8 Passenger , what is invoice price now in the market ? I live in tri-state , NJ
I do apprecite your guys' help

William

jipster · September 2004

Hey toyotasalesguy...is Edmunds charging you an advertising fee? If not, they should.

Sylvia · September 2004

Obviously - salespeople aren't allowed to solicit in here - and some DON'T READ the rules!

Therefore - posts have been deleted. Sorry for the disruption folks!

rorr · September 2004

wow

That really cleared away a lot of posts. What the heck are we supposed to talk about now?.....8^)

rorr · September 2004

I think your post may have been lost in the shuffle.

I don't think invoice prices are available yet on the '05 models. All of the info commercially available right now is on the '04s (although I would imagine that '05 info should be available any day now since the '05s should be hitting the lots by next week).

It might help if you included which package/options you were interested in on the LE-8. Also, are you trying to determine what the actual invoice is, or what they are typically selling for in your area?

dreasdad · September 2004

yes you do pay advertising fees at other retailers but they don't have a federal law that requires Toyota to break down the fees that the dealer has to pay for. Ever wonder why a Bigmac is 5 cents more at a Franchisee store than a company owned McDonalds? The Franchisee has to pay 5 cents in to the ad co-op and the company store doesn't.

skinnytony · September 2004

Read my post again. I asked why they don't build the ad fees into the price, just like they build it into the price of the Big Mac you're talking about. Don't BS me and tell me the car costs x but when I go to buy it say I also have to pay y. Add y into x and tell me that's what it costs so you don't waste my time. Got it?

prasannavs · September 2004

I'm looking to buy a 2004 Sienna LE, Pkg #7(bw) OR xle and base package . I live in NJ. Willing to travel 100-200 mils to get a good deal.

Someone suggest me good deals please...
Need it pretty quick.

Thanks
email : prasannavs at yahoo.com

cablekc · September 2004

Is it that I should go into the Toyota dealership with a price ( including options ) inbetween the invoice price and the Edmunds TMV price?

I am considering on getting a 2004 Sienna LE or XLE with Leather and DVD Entertainment system. Is it reasonable to expect something close to the invoice or Edmunds TMV price?

mary5 · September 2004

I spoke with a salesman today that encouraged me to add leather to the Sienna LE (with package 9) to avoid the mark up of the XLE's leather package options. He quoted me around $1700 to add leather,(through a company they work with) which will be under warrenty for three years. Of course, he insists that it looks as good- if not better- than the factory leather.

Has anybody heard of this? Do they literally just recover the seats? Any advice????

williamcar · September 2004

rorr :
I got a quote in NJ dealer ,
Invoice is around $24,100, and he can sell me $24,600. Also I received help from toyotasalesguy , he checked his system and told me it is $23,391 for 2005 SIENNA LE 8 passenger.

Is it possible that dealers get diffenert invoice price because of area ?

stever · September 2004

TMV reflects (with some tweaks) what the average person is paying for a Sienna in your area. This is one time you don't want to be above average, so start near invoice and work up to TMV.

Anything over TMV would be my walk away price, especially since the '05 models are on their way and the '05 new Odyssey arrives in force next week.

Steve, Host

skinnytony · September 2004

williamcar, where in NJ? Di you also get pricing on XLE's and/or Limited? $500 above invoice is better than I have found...

dreasdad · September 2004

because the add fees will change depending on the area. As I stated in my post there is a federal law that requires Toyota to break down the fees added to the cost of the car the dealer is invoiced on. I believe edmunds (and Kelly,etc) buys ther invoice info from the Dept of transportation. That is not the invoice the dealer recieves, but just what the car cost to make not sell. If you look at the disclaimer on the bottom of Kelly's site it tells you their invoice does not include any fees need to advertise and bring the vehicle to market to sell. I did read your post, but you didn't read mine.

dreasdad · September 2004

also have you ever asked the kid at McDonalds to see his invoice? With your tone in these messages I know why you are finding it hard to get a deal on a Sienna.

Kirstie_H · September 2004

This issue has already been discussed extensively in our Inconsiderate Salespeople.... topic. No need to re-hash it here.

Steer clear of personal attacks - life is too short and so is my hosting patience

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

rrg1 · September 2004

I found LE8 FWD Invoice 22,390 before all the dealer options, ad fees, transportation fees, etc.
MSRP is 24,880 found this on a list at siennaclub.org 2005 pricing sheet. By the way that is $250 more than the 2004 MSRP.

heywood1 · September 2004

Seems to me, then, you should eliminate 'Buying Experience' from the name of this forum, if you're going to re-direct people who have complaints about their salespeople.

Kirstie_H · September 2004

This discussion is for specific experiences related to the Sienna - what I meant was, we're not going to discuss whether, in general, a salesperson should show you their invoice. General discussions are what our Smart Shopper board is all about!

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

prasannavs · September 2004

where is this deal at ? i'm looking at pkg 12, fr

thanks

cablekc · September 2004

steve_HOST,

Thanks for getting back to me. I guess its a good starting and ending point for my "walkaway" price.

I was looking more for a LE or XLE with a GL and C7 package. Should I expect a much smaller inventory towards the end of the year now for a 2004 Sienna?

stever · September 2004

My guess is that Toyota is ramping up the '05 production or will soon, and the '04 inventory is shrinking.

Anyone know?

Steve, Host

mary5 · September 2004

Raydahs,
Got your message and would love to receive any info. pertinent to purchasing in So. Cal. Unfortunately, I am not sure what you mean by "making my email public." Can you either be more specific or at least direct me to any particular dealers?
Thanks!

stever · September 2004

You can make your email public in your profile (the profile link is at the upper left). Clicking on someone's name will open their profile, and if they don't mind being contacted, the email will be public.

Posting your email in the discussion itself is a sure guarantee of spam.

Even better is sharing info for everyone to benefit from - we don't spend all this time and effort maintaining an email clearinghouse!

Steve, Host

raydahs · September 2004

Steve, my dealer will start receiving the 05' 2wd Siennas on 9/22, the AWD versions start coming in @ 2-1/2 weeks later.

stever · September 2004

9/22? - that's supposedly the official release date for the '05 Odyssey.

Funny how that works :-)

Steve, Host

dreasdad · September 2004

we had our first 05 in a week ago

papowell · September 2004

I'm in the market for a 2004 Sienna and I'm trying to get the best deal I can. I would think the dealers would sell at or below invoice in order to clear out 2004 inventory but my experience is showing dealers still want $800 - $1000 above invoice. What deals are others getting?

3pinfever · September 2004

It does seem that way. What invoice are you working up from? Which model and packages? Lets take a 7 psgr FWD XLE. Invoice with holdback and resale built in is $25,150 with tda maf doc $26,188 msrp is $28,260. Seems dealers want to work from the 26188 price which includes all these fees. Then they want to take on an above invoice price on top of that. Holdback + Wholesale is about $850, so really the starting invoice should be more like $24300. Has anybody been able to work from the invoice price without the tda and maf? Even further down without the holdback? I can understand the dealer wanting to get paid back for those fees, despite them being additional revenue generators in my opinion.

momstruck1 · September 2004

I went to the toyota dealer in SI and got the best deal . Go through the on line guy if you need his name and e-mail let me know he was wonderful . i got an xle ltd with the works except the nav for far less then any other dealer in the area at the time everyone was paying sticker or better he came down to 34,400 which everyone said was a steal. Don't just walk in there they tell you do everything on line it is the best place to get a deal.

prasannavs · September 2004

I'm currently negotiating a deal with a dealer for the sienna. This van has extra's like spoilers, alloy wheel locks, paint charges (white). Is it factory installed ? Can i ask them to remove it ?
Help me

papowell · September 2004

I'm shopping for a LE with package #4. I went to a different dealer today and he had one 2004 LE on the lot with package #4. It had leather which I didn't want. I haggled a bit to see if I could get the leather free but no luck. It's been my experience that buying a 2004 Sienna isn't going to save me much over a 2005 like I thought it would.

beginerbuyer · September 2004

I just bought a 05 Sienna LE today. It has power driver's seat,
rear audio system, and side airbag. The price I paid is
$23,4xx+Doc+title+TAX. $23,4xx included the destination fee.
I thought it is a good deal because the 04 does not save that
much money as I expected. Your experts can comments on
the deal, and any suggestion on finacing. The dealer offer 5.5.
I paid $2000.00 deposit, and need to find a loan in five
days. Further, I wonder whether I should buy the extended
warranty with $1000. Wait for suggestions.

One thing is for sure, the 05 Sienna hit the lots few days ago.
05 Odyssey was on the lots. This is ture for Atlanta area.

My negotiation follows the experiences posted here. Great
appreciation to this forum.

saini · September 2004

Bought today 2004 Toyota Sienna CE 7 Passenger + CE Package #2 (PM, Cruise, roof rack etc) + floor mats. I paid $21750 + Tax + Doc Fee. Did I get good price or I over paid as 2004 model year is ending?

Thank you.

jsvanguy · September 2004

I negotiated a price of $32,400 for a 2004 XLE AWD with options FE and GK. Sticker price is $35,369. How did I do?

Also, any feedback on the following:

1. Dealer wants $400 for license fee. What amount is typical after negotiation?

3. I may lease from TFSC, but would expect to negotiate the lease rate, waive acquisition fee, and obtain an early buy out option at simple interest rate. Have others had success with negotiations?

Thanks

heywood1 · September 2004

If, by 'license fee,' you mean document or other paperwork fee, $400 is outrageous. $40 would be more appropriate. Don't pay it.

My '04 XLE AWD stickered for $35,106-- equipped with FE, GK, V2 (glass breakage sensor), & WH (a pair of wireless headphones). Salesman gave me wheel locks for free. I paid $33,106 six months ago, so I was pleased. Your deal seems similar, considering there's been a price increase since then, and (I assume) yours lack V2 & WH. XLE AWD's aren't easy to find, and winter's coming....

beginerbuyer · September 2004

one correction, it does not have side airbags, but advanced airbags, front and head side for front seats.

papowell · September 2004

Good buy, I tried offering a price in the upper 23K range for a 2004 LE and the dealer never called me back

riccardo · September 2004

look for a 2005
i just paid $778 above invoice
for that i got the power seat and the newer model
shop around
chicagoland here

2013 and Earlier - Toyota Sienna Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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