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2003-2008 Toyota Corolla Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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Comments

  • auyeung001auyeung001 Member Posts: 9
    just went for a test drive. Manual LE is hard to find in Chicago. Also test drive the Nissan Versa 1.8S 6M power with ABS. Got quote for 13K. The ride is comparable to Corolla but doesn't have the track record of Toyota. That will be my alternative.
  • doug52doug52 Member Posts: 25
    LE MT with ABS and sidebags are near impossible to find here in denver as well (explains the price I guess), but without the side airbags, safety a definite issue. The corolla's quality seems quite good, don't know about the versa. Still, hard to believe a $1,600 price difference (+TTL) between denver and dc and, evidently, chicago.
  • batheadbathead Member Posts: 6
    Which Chicago dealership did you go through? $15.7 is about $400 less than I paid. Sounds like a great deal. What other options are included besides ABS and side airbags?

    Mine included the following options (almost all Corolla's in Chicago include the last 3)
    BE Side Airbags,
    AB Antilock Braking System,
    VV Audio Value Package $200
    CF Carpet Floor Mats
    CK All Weather Guard Package

    Thanks,
    Art
  • auyeung001auyeung001 Member Posts: 9
    Grossinger City. Same options. Toyota is giving $500 rebate this month. Do you know anything about this dealer? And, which one you go to? have a good day.
  • batheadbathead Member Posts: 6
    I went to Bredemann Toyota in Park Ridge. I haven't heard much about Grossinger except several years back I heard some complaints about there service department. If I would have known I could have saved a few hundred dollars, I would have definitely driven the extra 10 miles.

    How much negotiating was there? I had a really hard time just getting to $16.1 (including the $500 rebate).
  • auyeung001auyeung001 Member Posts: 9
    Just got the Corolla from Chicago Northside Toyota/Scion for $15.6K sharp. Grossinger's price is from their internet manager.(No negotiation with Grossinger, starting at $15,781.) Took this price to Chicago Northside Toyota- I tell them I can get the car for $15.7K sharp and ask them whether they can beat the price. The manager initally claims $15.7K is as good as it goes. I hate buying cars. True cost is kind of a guess for the consumer. I use the target price in Carsdirect.com as a reference. I heard you can get true cost from some website if you paid $35. have a nice day.
  • jessrjessr Member Posts: 5
    Hello,

    I wrecked my beloved 7 month old Matrix last week and find myself car shopping again after such a short period of time. Since I can't get a 4WD Matrix, I don't want to spend the extra money for a 2WD Matrix and figure I'll just get a Corolla. At my dealer, there are Corolla's available with and without ABS. The cars with ABS also come with driver side air bags. These cars are about $1000 more than the ones without ABS and side airbags. I'm trying to decide by tomorrow, when the $500 rebate period ends. I would appreciate any help deciding if ABS is worth it.

    Thanks,
    Jes
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Get the ABS and the side airbags - it is worth every penny.

    Just a note - you said they come with driver side air bags - actually, they come with driver and passenger side air bags.
  • auyeung001auyeung001 Member Posts: 9
    Corolla is rated poor on side crash testing without the side airbag. Corolla buyers, like myself, are planning to keep the car for a long peroid of time and use it for daily driving purposes. i.e. you are going to drive a lot (increases exposures to accidents) and the investment is not sigificant if you are planning to keep the car for a long time. (e.g. 10yrs, 100-120s/yr with interest, 10/month.)have a nice day
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,760
    Most insurance companies used to give a discount for ABS-equipped cars.. Do they still do that? Or, if not.. do they have a surcharge for non-ABS cars?

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  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    When I got my '99 Corolla LE 5 speed manual with ABS (special ordered), the insurance did not care that I had ABS. I cannot speak for today, but I would bet there is no discount.
  • auyeung001auyeung001 Member Posts: 9
    I got some discount for having ABS with Geico
  • alpine1alpine1 Member Posts: 51
    A while ago, I asked about a Corolla from Fitz in Gaithersburg. Because I live out of state, they said that the dealership has the ability to issue a temporary tag for the vehicle to be driven to the state it is going to be titled and registered in. They would have the car ready the same day and would take my personal check. They also offered to take an additional $250 off of their website price if I bought the car within the next couple of days. Anyway, I decided to keep my old car which has served me well.
  • batheadbathead Member Posts: 6
    Allstate definitely has an Anti-Lock Break discount. It is about 10% off of Collision, Bodily Injury, Property Damage coverages.

    The agent might not ask about it but they can figure out if your car has it based upon the VIN.
  • mikesanmikesan Member Posts: 9
    Got one today. Phantom Gray Pearl S Automatic with floor mats and Extra Value Package #1 (Alloys, Spoiler, PW, Keyless Entry, Cruise) MSRP 17,760. Bought for invoice ($16,444), plus TTL, minus rebate ($500). Added 6 yr/100k warranty for $1275. Dealer was asking $2195 for the warranty. Finance guy got my rate down from 6.9 to 6.35 since I got the warranty. Normally don't get them, but need to commute 500 miles a week in addition to regular driving. Will probably be close to 100,000 in three years. Can sell the car with 90K and still offer 10K warranty. $2000 down and $327/mo for 60 months. Without warranty, my monthly would have been $311. Figured $16/mo for the peace of mind was worth it. Sold my 03 Corolla to brother in law a couple years ago and he has 80,000 trouble free miles on it. Capitol Toyota in San Jose.
  • mikesanmikesan Member Posts: 9
    Walk in and ask to speak to the internet/fleet manager. Don't bother with any salespeople. Tell the guy you want to pay invoice on any Corolla on the lot minus any rebates/incentives. Tell him you are a serious buyer and you will buy if he agrees. Don't say this if you are not sincere. Trust me, he'll go for it. Don't get hung up on the actual dollar figure. Stick to invoice pricing. Be careful not to get gouged by the finance guy when you sign the papers. See your bank or credit union to get pre approved for a loan if you are financing. That way you'll know if you're getting a decent rate from the dealer. Good luck.
  • kzturtlegirlkzturtlegirl Member Posts: 6
    I'm trying to buy an '07 Corolla S in southern Nevada with stick, ABS, side air bags, and power window/keyless entry package, but in one internet quote and a quote from an internet salesman on the floor at another dealership, the invoice includes around $330 for TDA, over $300 for Dealer Holdback, and another $150 for Wholesale Financial Reserve. Internet Dealer offered $500 under invoice, Floor Dealer offered $100 over invoice. At the Floor Dealership I visited today, they also said I would have to pay $389 in documentation fees and $299 in Vehicle Theft Insurance (VTR). This adds about $1500 to the ~$15,500 invoice price, and I still haven't paid taxes or tags! Since it wasn't on the invoice, I'm thinking Internet Dealer will be pulling similar moves if I buy there.

    I tried to argue the point of why I should not have to pay dealer holdback or WFR, but the salespeople (two in team, of course) at Floor Dealership I visited said there's no way they can drop it, good luck finding a dealership that will.

    Let's not even discuss the documentation and VTR fees - yikes! Why do I have to pay these?

    I had some questions on various features of the car, like how DO I fold down the backseat, and what is this Security light flashing all about? But the guy they sent out with me wasn't able to tell me if it was an alarm or just some flashing red light, what this other cryptic button was, and insisted the rear seat did not fold down. Yah - nothing like knowing your fleet! Considering how ill-informed he was, I can't say that I trust their salesmen to know about what fees are bogus or not.

    So, I'm waiting for my Fighting Chance packet to see how much I should really pay for this thing, but worry that I won't find a dealership nearby that will accept *MY* reasonable offer. I'm planning on doing a "fax attack" to dealerships in NV, AZ, UT, and AZ. Hey, I'll travel if it means I can save a couple of thousand dollars! While I wait, I fret. That Corolla S I test drove today was mighty cute!

    Ah, well, gives me time to sell my Kia Sportage for downpayment money.

    Are documentation fees and TVR valid? They aren't even on the invoice, I just asked if the price they gave me was the out-the-door price, and then they told me about the added $700+ (there's also a $29 title fee, which I can see as valid... I think. I mean, at least it's under $100!)
  • mikesanmikesan Member Posts: 9
    The $500 below invoice sounds great, but they are trying to hit you for $389 doc fees and $299 VTI. Both are bogus adding $688 to your deal. Really they are selling at $188 over invoice. The TDA is the fee Toyota charges the dealer for advertising. I don't squabble over it. IMO, it's a legit cost the dealership has to pay. Holdback is money Toyota gives to the dealer once the car sells. It's extra money in the pocket of the dealer. I usually don't even squabble over this either. I figure it's the dealer's profit on the deal. They gotta make something to pay the electric bill and to pay for the free hot dogs. It's only a 2% profit. Now the dealer pays for the car and finances is from a bank just like you do. They pay interest on the car. The longer it sits, the more they pay. Not exactly sure what that $150 charge is, but I think it's related to the interest the dealer has to pay to finance the car. Here's my take. Have the internet manager print you the invoice. Offer the total invoice price. Tell him you won't pay doc fees or any other fees other than tax, title, and registration. Finally, don't trade in your KIA. They will at best give offer you 80% of the Trade in Value. Sell it on your own first. Corollas are always on the lot. Good luck.
  • alamocityalamocity Member Posts: 680
    You should be able to get that vehicle for $15,581.00 plus TT&L. Some states regulate the maximum document fee others don't however $389.00 sounds excessive. Keep in mind this is the last year of the current generation of Corolla's so prices have come down as have the Civic prices.
  • psustatpsustat Member Posts: 1
    I bought my corolla LE automatic -2007 in Harrisburg,PA faulkner toyota
    It includes
    FE -50 EMISSION
    BE - driver and passenger side curtain airbags
    CK - All weather guard package
    AB -ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
    W - Audio value package am-fm-indash cd (6)/6
    speakers CRUISE CONTROL
    DK -- Preerred owner's porfolio
    Z1 -- carpet floor mats cargo mat cargo net

    $ 16,372 BEFORE tax is it too expensive???
    I paid too much ?
    Thanks for your reply.
  • dchevdchev Member Posts: 38
    You did great!
    You paid Invoice price for your car!
    Now if you got 0% APR for 3 years or 1.9& for 3 years, it would be even sweeter!
    Enjoy Your new ride!
    :)
  • kzturtlegirlkzturtlegirl Member Posts: 6
    I just arranged a deal for a new 2007 Corolla S manual with ABS, side-curtain airbags, and the EVP #1 that includes alloy wheels, power windows, remote keyless entry and cruise control AND those stupid carpet mats. (I think this means at least AB, CK, Z1,BE... I don't really know all the codes, just the features - edited, I found the codes: FE, BE, CK, AB, VP, CT).

    Price out-the-door, including $750 cash-back, all fees and our hefty 7.75% tax in southern Nevada: $16,500.

    I pick it up tonight!

    Story: I wasn't all that sure that I really wanted to buy a new car, vascillating all this month. I had contacted the dealer earlier this month for a quote, getting a quote of $15,395 (including $750 cash back), without fees and taxes. More vascillating, more angst, I often woke up thinking about the car. A different dealership (Findlay Henderson) quoted me $16,000 (including cash back), plus an additional $700 fees (VTR and documentation), and then I'd have to pay taxes on top of that. Hem, haw, fret fret fret. So today, I totally low-balled the first dealer (Centennial Toyota - Las Vegas) at $16,000 out-the-door, taking advantage of the end-of-the-month sales quota frenzy, almost hoping he would tell me to take a hike and make my decision for me. They came back at $16,500... I can't pass it up. Dealer invoice alone is $16,645. Taking into account our taxes and the exhorbitant documentation fees Toyota adds on here, that's close to $1,000 BELOW dealer's invoice, PLUS my cash back. All done by e-mail and phone calls.

    Yippee!

    Now I just have to sell my Kia Sportage. 2001. Excellent condition. Any takers?
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Congratulations! Not only is the price good, you got a manual transmission, which is a big plus in my book!
  • kzturtlegirlkzturtlegirl Member Posts: 6
    That and ABS. Which is a hard combination to find. I feel much better having the side airbags, too. We've had a few cars with automatic, and everyone (including a Toyota - Celica - what a waste of a sporty car to put an automatic in it!) eventually ended up with debilitating transmission problems. Our manual '88 Toyota 4WD truck, however, with 265,000 miles on it, just needs a new clutch every 70 - 100k miles, which we can do ourselves. With front-wheel drive, and a much lower clearance, the Corolla may be more difficult to do a clutch job on than the truck, but it's still better than finding myself 100 miles from anywhere, in the desert, with a failing transmission.

    It's also peppy! I loved driving home in it at 65 miles per hour, with the tach at only 2200. 40 miles later, my fuel guage was still pegged at the top!

    We're planning on this lasting a long time - in just ten years my oldest will be driving (eeeeks!) - it will be a good car for her to learn stick on. Every driver should learn how to drive stick, IMHO. You never know when you'll need to know!

    BTW, price for the car, without tax, doc, VTR, etc was about $14,300. We did buy the extended warrantee, adding about $1200 to the price, but since we drive our cars to the ground (except this Kia we want to get rid of), it's worth it to us.
  • slhmslhm Member Posts: 1
    Just bought a new 2007 Corolla LE automatic today in Savannah, GA, and thought I would post the price in case it would help someone else:

    For the car (includes audio value package / cruise control):

    $16,000

    PLUS $369.00 fees, and tax, tag and title. $16,500 OTD, with 3.9% APR financing. They offered a price of $16,000 OTD, but I would have had to finance at a much higher interest rate. Hope this helps someone!
  • dandragonwudandragonwu Member Posts: 1
    I am looking to buy a corolla LE or S with same options as KZTURTLEGIRL, what was your MSRP and OTD price? I will buy the car tomorrow.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    I currently have a '99 5 speed Corolla with 105K trouble-free miles. My youngest daughter will be turning 16 next year and wants this car as her first. Our office secretary informed me that she would probably be looking to sell her '03 Corolla 5 speed around that time as she will be looking to purchase a new Civic. I need to know if there's anything about the '03 model I should know about that would be of concern to a '99 owner. I don't know much about the current Corollas, but I sure see a lot of them on the road.
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    The only thing I have ever heard bad about the '03 was something about the serpentine belt tensioner. I think I remember something about a TSB to correct a problem.

    Good luck from one '99 5 speed Corolla owner to another!
  • catalina56catalina56 Member Posts: 18
    Did that price include front and rear side bags and front and rear side curtain bags. Thanks
  • vacantvacant Member Posts: 1
    I bought the car from Koons Tysons Toyota for $16186.30 OTD. The car includes the following options: BE, CK, AB, VV, DK, Z1. VA state tax is 3.17%.
  • mkennardmkennard Member Posts: 1
    I am wanting to get a 2007 Corolla S very soon. It sounds like you got a good deal. Which dealership did you get it from?
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Today, I purchased a

    Silver 2007 Toyota Corolla
    Automatic Transmission
    Power Windows and Locks
    Audio Value Package
    Floor Mats
    $13,950 plus tax and title
    $58 doc fee.

    Pauly Toyota, Crystal Lake, IL (NW Chicago)
    Ad in 3/17 Chicago Tribune

    I went in expecting that the ad was a screamer ad never thinking that I would get a vehicle under $15k Plus tax and title. The sticker on this vehicle was $17,100.

    The salesman took me out and showed me a dozen cars that were part of the special. No pressure.

    Sure beat the $17k Focus that I was offered yesterday.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    That's a screaming deal if I say so myself! Congrats on a great price on a good car. You should enjoy many years of hassle free service. Thought you only drove beaters though. In any case, job well done!

    The Sandman :)
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    I don't usually drive beaters ... I just keep my cars for a good long time. If you have a vehicle and it is giving you NO problems, why get rid of the vehicle? How many times on these message boards do you see people who trade in a great car on a lemon?

    Personally, I waited to check out the deal because I did not thing the deal was legitimate. I expected to hear "we sold that one on Saturday and let me sell you one for $15.5k." Instead, I heard "what color do you want ... we have 20 cars at that price."
  • badpokerbadpoker Member Posts: 6
    hey guys i'm a first time buyer (college student). this will be my first brand new car so tryign to do my homework. i just want to make sure this is a good deal as my friend referred me to his cousin who works at the dealer, so therefore i have the idea im getting some sort of "hook up" but who knows right? they said i could have it for invoice since i know his cousin, however invoice was higher than i saw online, turns out becasue of holdback and other fees. here is the breakdown of their MSRP / invoice prices:

    LE base model - $16,215 / 14,188
    BE Airbag option - 655 / 563
    VV Audio option - 200 / 180
    C1 and CF Floor mats - 171 / 114

    total so far: MSRP 17,241 / invoice 15,045

    so far so good right? but then down below are added to "invoice" price:

    destination - 620 (ok everyone pays this right)
    TDA - 177 (advertising i think)
    Gasoline - 10
    Dealer HOldback - 324 (ouch... umm dont they get this after the fact??)
    Wholesale Finance Reserve - 162

    Total cost of this below the line stuff is 1,293, and makes my total invoice price 16,338.

    Any opinions??? I thought holdback was a way for them to get money after the sale directoyr from Toyota not a fee I had to pay?? Comments on paying TDA or other fees? At first i was excited to hear from my friend I could get it for inovice but this seems to bump me way up there. The prices do not include the 750 rebate so i would be looking at 16,338 - 750 = 15,588 + doc and DMV fees. I want to make sure his cousin is actually giving me a deal, or do i need to start visiting other dealers. Of course I dont want to see unapreciative either if he really is getting me a deal.

    your input is greatly appreciated..
  • kzturtlegirlkzturtlegirl Member Posts: 6
    Toyota invoices seem to be different in different parts of the country. I recently bought a new Corolla S in southern Nevada, and was confused with similar invoice listing of WFR and dealer holdback. Everything I had read was that was included in the invoice, so why are they essentially double charging me for it?

    Well, I finally payed attention to where the charges were, and realized that those "extras" are actually part of the dealer invoice "cost", and they are detailing it on the invoice, not hiding them in the base price.

    TDA is a Toyota advertizing fee, I've heard most dealers are not willing to cut that out of the price tag as Toyota charges them that for each car they sell.

    Destination is also non-negotiable, pretty much. Dealer has to pay that to get the car to the lot.

    Gas - ah, ten bucks. Hey, I got a full tank on that ten bucks - such a deal!

    Holdback - two percent, if I remember correctly? of the base price. Built in profit, definately negotiable if your dealer is desperate enough to make quota.

    WFR is an interest payback to the dealer to pay for interest on the first two or so months of the loan that the dealer took out in order to "buy" the car to put on his/her lot. A built-in profit until the dealer has had the car for too long, then he/she looses that and has to start paying interest.

    Which leads me to this: I bought my car for about $1,000 below invoice, PLUS the $750 cash back. Despite what the invoice shows you, the dealer makes other money you don't see in the form of dealer incentives to sell a set quota of cars, set sales dollar, set *something* from the manufacturer. Even though it appears as if the dealer lost bookoo bucks to sell to me, he still sold to me, which means he's not losing any money. You won't know what the incentives are, but they're there. Best buying tactic is to buy at the end of the month. Get a few quotes from competing dealerships and play them off of each other. Invoice price plush cashback is not the best deal for Corollas, at least, where I live.

    Watch out for the closing costs, too. In my county, doc fees are outrageous! Funny, it's only been a month since I bought, but I can't remember what it was - somewhere in the range of $400 to $600 dollars. THEN they add on VTR, which, depending on the dealer I talked to, is either gap insurance should the car be stolen (pays the difference between the replacement value of the car and the loan), or just simply window etching. NOT worth the $200 - $300 dollars they charge for it here. You can get your windows etched at most police stations for free if you so desire, and with the engine imobilizer, I just don't see the car being stolen aside from car jacking. I negotiated an out-the door price, which included sales tax (which can be significant depending on where you live - hopefully you're in Oregon or somewhere else without sales tax!), just so I wouldn't have to hassle with trying to get them to drop all those fees they insist on charging. So, they included all that crap on the bill of sale, but just dropped the base price dramatically. All came out to what I wanted in the end.

    I think your biggest concern right now is telling your friend to tell your cousin you appreciate his help, you'd like to buy a car from him, but you also will be shopping around for the best price, so it's not going to be an easy-peasy deal for him/her.

    Have fun with your new car!
  • civic702civic702 Member Posts: 3
    hey guys i too am a 1st time buyer graduate from college. i talked to the internet dept via email/phone for a 07 corolla s auto, they would let it go for $15,487 before the $1k cash rebate. so i'm looking at $14.4k before TTLFs. this vehicle would only include the

    PV and CT package.

    on edmunds they got it going with the same setup as follows: $15799invoice and then TMV $16,849 but with the $1k rebate it wind down to $15,849. am i actually getting a good deal if so then i'm gonna head down to the dealership. thanks in advance.
  • njresidentnjresident Member Posts: 6
    2007 Toyota Corolla LE
    Auto
    ABS
    Side Airbags
    Audio Value Package
    All Weather Guard Package
    Cargo Mats
    Trunk Mat

    Price = $15,617 + Tax, Tags + Doc Fee ($129)
  • kawautarkawautar Member Posts: 8
    2007 Corolla CE
    $16682 out of door in Florida including the rebate assigned to dealer, side airbags, power doors/windows, abs brakes, carpet/trunk mats. Our sales tax is 6%+$50. Tag/title is about $200. Both these are included in the $16682. Looks I paid more than other people, but getting side airbags was a pain in our area.

    Based on TMV price, I should have paid 16995 out the door. Based on invoice I should have paid 16651 out the door.
  • crowmamacrowmama Member Posts: 4
    I was looking for a 2007 Corolla LE with the following options:

    Manual Transmission
    BE -Side Curtain Airbags,
    VV -Audio Value Package,
    CK - All Weather Guard Package,
    CF -Carpeted Floormats.
    AB - Anti Lock Brake system
    SS - Alloy wheels

    After dealing with several dealers in the Cleveland Akron area, I only found one that would order the LE in manual for me ("have you considered buyinga Camry?" I was asked countless times, LOL!). The others dickered around for a few days, and now they leave messages, what a pain!

    My dealer that I went with was found through CarsDirect, and is in Akron Ohio. I didn't get as good of pricing as the rest of you, but I feel good about the price and the fact that I got what I wanted.

    $17,018 price, and $18,588 out the door (7.25% tax in my area, plus tag/title) before the incentives kick in. The April incentives are the same that Toyota has had for the past month or so, $500 off or lower APR financing .

    As I said, I know I probably could have fought for a better price... how low do you guys thing I COULD have gone? Edmunds TMV pricing report says MSRP Invoice for this car is $18,120 , Invoice is $16,310, and TMV is $17,448 .

    Thanks, and happy trails!
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Personally, I think you seriously overpaid. In Chicago, I could have sourced the same vehicle through Carsdirect for about $15.5 with Auto transmission (an $800 option). By the way, the Carsdirect price was about $1200 more than what I was able to get from my local Toyota dealer WITHOUT much haggling.

    Since you paid so much, you need to make sure that you auto insurance policy will pay 100% of what you paid for the vehicle in case it is totalled in the first year or two of ownership. Some insurers like Metropolitan do this. Others do not.

    For $18k, you could have had a Camry CE. When salesmen start asking you if you would like to upgrade to the next model up for an insignificant amount (like $1k), it generally indicates that they think that the model taht you are buying is not worth what you are paying.
  • crowmamacrowmama Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for your input. I think you're right in the amount I overpaid for the Corolla... but I really didn't want a Camry, particularly for the fuel economy.

    One thing I tried to do what to get whatever Cleveland regional experiences from real buyers that I could, before I decided to buy. Maybe Cleveland is a higher priced market? I don't know... my price seemed good compared to what others around here get. Maybe we just don't know how to haggle here!

    What I should have done was haggled more and waited longer, but I have to admit caving to the one dealer who would order my Manual LE, rather than continue getting stonewalled by the other dealers who continuted to persist that manuals were no longer being built at the plant.

    There are at least 12 dealers within 30 miles, and you would think that competition would be tight. Or that salesmen wouldn't continue to try to negotiate and sell me something that I didn't want off the lot.

    I'm still happy, though -- I got the options I wanted, and none of the ones I didn't.

    I hope that my message and posted price helps other shoppers be more firm, more assertive in their negotiations.

    Happy Trails!
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Maybe Cleveland is a higher priced market? I don't know... my price seemed good compared to what others around here get. Maybe we just don't know how to haggle here!

    I live in Chicago (and lives in Cleveland)but I generally buy my cars in Cincinnati. Why? That is where I know the dealers and have gotten the best deals. I woudl rather deal with someone who has sold me good cars than shop around. I may pay a little more but when you need a post-warranty adjustment, it comes in handy.

    When you go into a dealership and say I have to have option A,B,C, and R but I do not want X and L, you are going to pay a lot more for the vehicle.

    I went in with an ad and bought what the dealer had in stock for $13.9. $15k was my top. If I couldn't get the Corolla for $15, I would have bought a 2004 Impala off-lease for $8.5. Would have paid $240 more in gas a year but $100 LESS in insurance costs.
  • crowmamacrowmama Member Posts: 4
    JLawrence, thanks for your comments, which I find very helpful. This is only my second experience buying a car from a dealer -- the last time was nearly 20 years ago, and things sure have changed alot since then!

    My husband will need to replace his truck in 3 or 4 years, and we'll be better prepared next time to get the car and price that we should!

    Happy trails!
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    I paid $18,000 for a '07 Camry CE with a manual transmission and floormats. Side airbags, ABS, etc. are standard. If you consider the fuel costs for 100,000 miles, the Camry will be only about $1,300 more. This assumes 6 mpg lower on the Camry, at $3.00 per gallon.

    I also have a Corolla LE manual transmission that was special ordered. I had similar problems getting one, but I just keep going to different dealers until I found one that would order a manual LE for me, and I offered them 2% over invoice. It took a long time to find one willing to order one at that selling price, but it was worth it.

    The problem is if you tell them that you want a LE manual, they know that you want a very rare car, so they know they might be able to charge you more.

    With my manual Camry purchase, I searched for a dealer that had one, and went there. I knew that a manual Camry was EXTREMELY rare, so I was not even going to attempt to order one.

    However, the important thing is you got what you want!
  • slamtazslamtaz Member Posts: 55
    hi kzturtlegirl,

    i'm in vegas and currently looking for a great deal on the corolla S A/T with the extra value package (i.e. power windows, keyless entry, alloy wheels, etc.) and ABS.

    i think you got a great deal! what options did you have? can you please share the name of the dealership where you got your corolla S? what's the OTD price you got from a base price of about $1,750 below invoice(i.e. $1,000 rebate plus $750 cashback)? will you please share the price & package details so i can have something to compare and work on during my purchase. sorry for so many questions, we're first time buyers and would like to make a great deal as well.

    thanks a lot!!! :)
  • tom5304tom5304 Member Posts: 3
    Walnut Creek Toyota ran an ad this week featuring all the Corolla CE's on their lot for $12,988. Most of the Toyota dealers here in the S.F. Bay Area are running the same price for one or two CE's. I went in with my credit union pre-approval, and said I'm ready to buy a CE for the ad price.

    Everything was smooth and easy. I wish the whole process didn't take two hours for such a simple deal, but what the heck, it's a car...

    The finance guy was cool, and he offered to match my credit union's finance rate, and I said that's fine because my dealings with Toyota Financial Services have always been positive. They did try pretty hard to get me to buy the fabric protector and the clear coat sealant, but I can understand that because they couldn't have been making much money on the car for $13,000.

    So, here's the breakdown:

    MSRP: 15,815
    W.C. Toyota Price: 12,988 after 1,000 rebate.
    Sales tax: 1,160
    Documentation fees: $55
    DMV registration fees: $155

    Down Payment: 1,600
    60 monthly payments of $249
  • leeray75leeray75 Member Posts: 3
    I just wanted to see what people thought about the price that was settled on, but not finalized on a Corolla S. We settled on $17400 plus an additional $750 customer cash rebate. The price I paid OTD came out to be about $18328. Currently, I placed a $400 deposit on it so that the Sales Rep can search for the color I wanted. I wanted Indigo Ink Pearl and all he had in stock was black and other more expensive models that included a sun roof that I didn't really need.

    Anyway, the Options that was equipped with it were:
    AB - Antilock Breaks
    CF - Carpet Floor Mats
    CK - All Weather Guard Package
    EV - AM/FM 6 CD Changer
    FE - 50 State Emissions
    PV - Enhanced Power Package
    SP - Sports Plus Package

    Yes, I know the PV & SP is equal to VP ("Extra Value Package") and took that cost in consideration, since VP cost less than PV+SP combined. I am just interested on people's thoughts.

    Thanks.
  • auyeung001auyeung001 Member Posts: 9
    AT or MT for transmission? 17400 before 750 rebate seems a little high. Check with carsdirect.com. 07 Corolla is at the end of its production and from what I heard, other people are getting better and better deal lately.
  • crowmamacrowmama Member Posts: 4
    I think that the prices that folks are paying, in part, depends on if you are willing to take what's on the lot, or if you want some specific features.

    I paid more than what you paid, but the rebate here in Cleveland is only $500, not $750. However, just like you, I paid (by some counts) $1k more than I could/should have, but I had specific features I wanted in a Corolla, was not willing to go up to a Camray, and it was terrible trying to find a dealer who would get me two important features: side air bags, and manual transmission. Even the salesreps who knew I wad serious about buying would not volunteer that I could get what I wanted, but it would cost more. Sheesh.

    As another poster said, you got what you wanted, and paid probably less than many people, so drive and be happy! If we fret about always getting the best deal, we don't enjoy what we've haggled for.

    Happy Trails!
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