Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Toyota Avalon Prices Paid and Buying Experience

1212224262731

Comments

  • skb123skb123 Member Posts: 13
    Avadoc, Congratulations on buying a new car. Will you please post the dealership name and the MSRP of your Avalon? Thanks
  • mlincoln05mlincoln05 Member Posts: 13
    I purchased my Avy XLS from Crown toyota in Ontario and got, what I would consider a pretty good deal. 27.7 before tax licence with jbl synthes sys and remote starter otd price was 29.4. They are selling XL Avy's on ad this weekend for 23,695. So if anyone has been looking, this seems to be a good deal.

    Only reservation I had dealing with them is, they suck in terms of customer service! Not rude but just not knowledgeable. If you place customer service high on your list, I wouldn't reccomend, however, if your going in to get a car at a certain price and don't care about what they have to say, they can't be beat on their Avy's because they have them on ad quite a bit. So I am passing this along if anyone has been looking. :)
  • avadocavadoc Member Posts: 5
    MSRP W/O options: $29125
    6-disc: $200
    Sunroof: $910 -sunroof is a worthless item-
    VSC: $1090.0
    Floor Mats: $199

    Delivery Fee: $580.00

    The sticker shows MSRP TOTAL: $32,104

    The second lowest price I got from Schaumberg Toyota.

    I purchased in Chicago -leaves only a few for your own due dilligence-

    Good luck.
  • havalongavalonhavalongavalon Member Posts: 460
    gws,

    I ran into similar unwillingness from dealers south of the border.

    Probably would be solved by getting a temporary US address and a US bank account, in a different state to avoid paying local taxes.

    A definite inconvenience, but could save you several thousand for the same car, or allow you to get a Limited not available in Canada.

    How come you were looking for a 2007 XLS, how is your 2005 XLS doing?
  • lofgrenlofgren Member Posts: 14
    I didn't pick a Limited, as any specific replacement parts needed might involve long waits for Canadian delivery. My 2005 XLS has only about 16,000 KM and is going to a family member (whose 2002 low-KM Camry goes to another family member). We play musical cars in this gene pool. I have not had to trade in or sell in the market any of my gently used vehicles since 1974 - there's always a relative in line and in need.
    The 2005 Avalon is an excellent car, one of the five Toyota/Lexus vehicles I have driven exclusively for the past 26 years. I considered the Lexus LS460 to replace my 1998 GS400, but decided the Avalon is better value. I was interested to learn that the 2005 Avalon 3.5 litre highway fuel consumption is very nearly the equal of that 2002 4-cylinder Camry - each well-loaded at 75 mph over 2500 KM of interstate driving.
  • finfin Member Posts: 594
    Here are some numbers for anyone in the metro Atlanta area:

    2007 Limited w/Nav, the Toyoguard package and floor/trunk mats. List was $37,550., paid $34k even plus local taxes and title fees. No trade-in. Obviously, that's a discount of $3750 from list.

    You can probably do a little better, but this dealer, Marietta Toyota, is the one that has done all my service ('99 and '03 Avalons) and is closest to my house. Negotiation is a pain as the sales department tries to intimidate the customer, using every offensive tactic you read here on these boards. But you only see them once. The service department, seen regularly, is really what's important and they have been very good with quality work and fair prices.

    Good luck in the search....... :)
  • finfin Member Posts: 594
    Make that a $3550. discount...typo...to $34k even... ;)
  • saversaver Member Posts: 4
    talk to john mason sales manager at prestige toyota in billings montana. i just purchased a rav4 there and brought it back to alberta with no problems you should be able to save big time . montana has no sales tax. saver
  • wbb56wbb56 Member Posts: 45
    The invoice for the Avalon I want (Limited w/Nav, Stability, Dynamic Cruise, XM) is 33,000. I plan to offer $34250 + $625 destination. Is this a reasonable offer?

    Thanks!
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    wbb56: Remember, the dealer gets a 3% Holdback on the vehicles MSRP. So on a vehicle with an MSRP of $30K he automatically makes $900 even if he sold it to you at invoice. Best way to figure if your offer is a good one--first take 3% of the MSRP and then subtract the invoice price from what he'll sell you the vehicle for. Example: MSRP $38500 times .03%= $1,155. Say he'll sell the car to you for $35K--the invoice is $33K----he just made $2K plus the $1,155--not to bad for the dealer!! Work the figures backward from the 3% Holdback and then see if you have a "sweet" deal or not. Work as many dealers as possible against each other. Good luck!
    Bob
  • wbb56wbb56 Member Posts: 45
    Bob,

    Thank you very much!

    -Billy
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    Billy---glad to help. Not surewhere you live; however, if close to a metropolitan area, go to www.toyota.com and you can get a list of the dealers in that area. You'll note that when you check a particular dealers inventory, you'll see "In Stock" and "Available." Check another local dealer and you'll notice that his "Available" vehicles match those of the other dealer! This is because all the dealers in that area can draw from the same "pool" of cars. It would be interesting to see just how much difference in the "bottom line" existed between the dealers! Good luck!
    Bob
  • airbossairboss Member Posts: 17
    I have been given access to a friend's 'fleet pricing' on an Avalon LTD. The dealer says he has to go in and look at each invoice, to give me the fleet price. Yesterday, before the local winter storm, I looked at an '07 LTD, MSRP of roughly $36,600....he said fleet price was $33,000....approximately $430 over invoice. Unfortunately, I don't have the equipment list, but hope to get it tomorrow, to compare invoice to MSRP to what he offered.

    Any ideas if this is fair, and is there somewhere you can find fleet pricing info?

    Thanks.
    Steve, excited to buy an '07 Avalon this week!
  • finfin Member Posts: 594
    My '07 Limited had an MSRP about $1k higher than the one you mention and I paid 1k more ($34k) plus local taxes, tag, etc. I thought it was fair. You might do a little better if you try as several posts indicate the dealer will get money from Toyota in addition to what the consumer pays... good luck... :)
  • zebra5zebra5 Member Posts: 47
    In Texas, there appears to be no such thing as an Avalon XL with stability control and no other options. I'd like to hear the "how to" from buyers who have successfully avoided overpaying for all the frivolous Gulf States Toyota distributor options. Anyone care to share recent prices paid for an XL in Texas, specifically Dallas area if possible? Or is that Extra Mile Option Pkg A really worth every penny of the $1280 list price, and I should just accept it as a cost of doing business with Toyota where I live?
  • steve326asteve326a Member Posts: 58
    If I may suggest:
    Don't be afraid to venture out of your area to find exactly what you want. Use services such as autotrader.com or similar. So you may have to travel a little. It could not only get you the car that "You" want but the price may be better even factoring in the travel expenses. Myself, I got a used 97 XLS with all the toys available and color I wanted. Yes I needed to do work on it. But with the work cost included, I still saved 3000.00. I paid 3100.00 for it in VA, brought it home to MA, did 1500 approx in repairs (Timing belt, cam sprockets, tensioner, water pump, 4 KYB GR2's w/ mounts, 4 tires) so 4600 lets say. The price for that car up here in New England I couldn't find less than 5000 and upwards towards 10k for the same car similar mileage (I got mine at 179k). It runs beautifully. And who's to say if those repairs haven't been done to those cars up here for 10k. So the moral is, don't be afraid to look outside your area. Sometimes it's just not there. I spent over 3 months looking for my car until I found it. As soon as I had the finances, I packed a bag, hopped into my old crap box and drove it down to Manassas, VA and traded my box in and got my baby. I'd do it again tomorrow if I found what I wanted. Trust me, it's worth it. Granted I went used but this works for new as well.

    Thanks,
    Steve
    ** 97 XLS w/ All The Toys! **
    ** My Baby! **
    ** Enjoy & Long Live Your Avalon! **
  • rpfingstenrpfingsten Member Posts: 154
    zebra5...I do not live in dallas, but I don't live that far away either.. Shreveport Louisiana and I bought an 07 XLS also out of Gulf States Toyota...my deal was pretty close to this:

    msrp $33,320
    + ttl/fees 2,300
    + ext. warr 1,595
    balance $37,215
    less trade -1,000
    balance $36,215
    less dn pay-5,000
    balance $31,215
    financed $28,000
    off msrp 3,215

    the numbers above are within a couple of hundred dollars.. hope this helps.

    Roland..
  • airbossairboss Member Posts: 17
    I ended up getting a pretty good deal, I think ($100 under invoice). 07 Limited, with VSC and floor mats, MSRP $35534, I paid $31652, plus doc fee (which I hate, but I was about to get divorced if I didn't give in and buy the car) and title/tire fee, plus state taxes.

    According to the flakey dealer invoice, that's $100 under invoice. According to Edmunds, etal, it's $400 over invoice.
  • geo123geo123 Member Posts: 33
    Is it best to buy the 07 Limited with or without the VSC? I have been reading the posts regarding the transmission hesitation problem with 07 Avalon and wonder if it has anything to do with the VSC? My daughter will be buying this car and I am trying to steer her away from as many mechnical and electrical problems as possible. Her goal was to find an 07 Limited with just the mats, but most of the ones we have seen in inventory have at least the VSC. From what I have read on this Forum is to stay clear of the Navigation System and Remote Start. I would appreciate any comments!

    Thanks,

    George
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    George: I have both nav and Remote Start on my 06 limited--WASTED $$$$--buy a Garmin GPS for about $700-$800!! Remote Start is a JOKE--only works fgrom about 100 feet--then when ya open the car dorr the motor quits--duh--makes no sense to even have it--car can't cool or warm in the time it takes ya to walk to it. VSC has nothing to do woth the tranny problem----VSC and trac Control are GREAT! Regarding the tranny--I just slide the ger shift over to the "manual" mode and after stopping or slowing down, once going I slide it back to the manual mode--NO tranny hesitation. Hope this helps and good luck with the Avalon!!
    Bob
  • geo123geo123 Member Posts: 33
    Bob,

    I really appreciate your comments! I remembered what you had said about the navigation system and remote start, but did not know about the VSC. I guess people were having hesitation problems with and without the VSC. The decision to buy an 07 Limited is a big deal for my daughter. Now, I think the problem will be finding one that is not loaded. She has a 96 Avalon with 230K miles and still loves it. She is also planning on keeping the new one for a while so we are trying to eliminate potential problems on the front-end.

    Again, thanks so much for your help!

    George
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    George---go to EBAY--there are many good deals--I just put my 06 Limited on there--w/7 year/75K mile Toyota Bumper to Bumper warranty--she can certainly save $$$ versus what a dealer will charge--and have a MUCH better warranty than the standard 3 year/36K miles. Just a thought.
    Bob
  • geo123geo123 Member Posts: 33
    Bob,

    What vechicle are you planning on replacing your 06 Limited with? I will look at EBAY but I know my daughter will want a new one.

    Thanks,

    George
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    George: Just bought a "toy"--an 01 Vette with 13,344 miles--it is a beauty! My plan was to sell the Avalon on EBAY and then get either a Honda Pilot or the new Highlander which is due out in July. Then sell wife's Jeep--but, she loves her 4 WD Grand Jeep Cherokee--so, guess I'll just keep looking. I was trying to get down to just 2 vehicles. We need a 4 WD or AWD here in the Ozarks. I do miss my F-150 truck I traded on the Avalon. I need a "versatile" vehicle--we have grand kids that stay with us for 4-5 weeks during the summer here at the lake and then we travel back and forth to Ft Worth and San Antonio. We'll see what happens. I'll let ya know!
    Bob
  • rpfingstenrpfingsten Member Posts: 154
    Hello Bob, Roland here... where in the world did you find an 01 vette with that kind of mileage.. details please.. like what's under the hood, hp, color, etc... you said she's a beauty so I can assume that that body is in excellent condition.. Sorry to see you sell your avy though...you mentioned the ozarks..Im originally from St. Louis.. lived there til I was in my early 20's, then moved to a little town called Mtn. Grove. Believe it's southwest of Rolla.. My wife and I still go to Branson or as I refer to it, geriatric vegas quite often.. planning to go again in June. btw, if you havent read it, check out my post from the 24th on noises and rattles...it's just the latest in my ongoing struggle to believe that Toyota is all that it's hyped up to be.

    Roland
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    Hi Roland: I got mine at D & M Corvette in Downers Grove, Il go to www.dmcorvette.com once open, click on the Skip Intro once open cliok on Showroom--once open you can see all their Vettes by year. They are a FIRST CLASS operation. If you click on the C5 picture, mine is the 5th one down--Black with Black interior--it has EVERY OPTION--owned by a 79 year old man and his 69 year old wife--it was her car and she died and he didn't want it nor did his son!! It is SHOWROOM new! I can vouch for the 2 04's (the 1st and 2nd pics) and the 4th pic. I didn't want a convert nor did I want silver. The Blue with the saddle interior is BEAUTIFUL!! They'll treat ya right!! Believe it or not, there are plenty of LOW mileage Vette's out there--just need to take your time and look. Mine has the 350 CI engine and 350 HP--I added a Corsa Exhaust--nice and mellow idling--but--a great ROAR when ya put the pedal to the metal! Love the Vette--I got 24MPG returning from Chicago!! We live at Lake of the Ozarks--about 2 hours from Branson. I'll be in Canada fishing until around 16 June. Try this email address for more Vette info fishing9209@aol.com and be sure to include your ph #. I'll read your Post about rattles--I've never had any body integrity problems.
    Bob
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    Roland---didn't ralize ya needed to "wash" the speakers to get a "Clean" sound--sorry buddy--I couldn't resist! What a mess---I know I'd have gotten the District Mgr out to see that. And they think we're crazy when we talk about their "quirky" tranny!! The guy who puts on the "water tubes' was on break or sick--maybe ya got a "Wednesday" manufactured car---I've heard that's the WORST day to have a car built. Gues absenteeism is the worst on that day?! Good luck!
    Bob
  • iamknottiamknott Member Posts: 82
    I received lease quotes from a dealer in major metropolitan area of Ohio on both an XLS and a LTD. Options on both cars are VSC, JBL Synthesis radio, and floor mats (no Nav). The same leasing company on both (local bank) and same lease terms (length, money factor, etc.). The quote details were:

    XLS: MSRP $33,874 Invoice 30,378 Residual 18,969 (56%)
    LTD: MSRP $35,534 Invoice 32,004 Residual 18,478 (52%)

    I am surprised and disappointed that the residual is lower on the LTD because this naturally makes the monthly payment much higher vs that of the XLS. I assume that this is set by the bank. Any ideas about why they are doing this? Are the banks' programs for calculating residuals so detailed that they might be penalizing the LTD for lack of Nav on the assumption that most future buyers of a used LTD would want that option? Or do they believe that the LTD's additional standard equipment (over the XLS) are not worth the differential in MSRP between the two models?
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    jamknott: Go to www.cars.com and you can find the Residual Value for any car. American Leasing Group (ALG) shows a higher Residual Value for the XLS than the Limited--they have many factors that determine the RV. They're a "benchmark" in setting RV's as they are a huge leasing company. The JBL radio is standard in the Limited. The Limited does offer heated and ventilated seats--and they're great! Either car is a great machine! Just depends upon your wallet! Did you consider buying an 06 Avalon XLS or Limited---not sure of your lease payments--but--worth a look! Bob
  • iamknottiamknott Member Posts: 82
    Thanks for your response, Bob. I went to cars.com, but couldn't find the residuals. I did stumble upon the website of Toyota Finance and they have a lease payment calculator which yielded a much smaller differential in lease payments between the XLS and LTD than what my dealer quoted me, indicating that at least they think the residual should be higher for the LTD (no surprise). However, their money factor is too high, so their monthly payment is higher than what the dealer quoted.

    I thought about trying to find a leasing company that would use a higher residual, but then how would I marry them up with the dealer? I think the leasing company would have to evaluate the dealer and vice versa and I don't have time for that. I guess my only alternative would be to contact dealers in other cities who might deal with a different set of leasing companies. As you imply, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I ended up with the XLS.
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    jamknott: Try using Google first--I think I put Vehicle Residual Values and some sites came up. Never liked leases--too many variable--low yearly mileage limits---don't buy or lease again from the dealer they find something wrong with the car--I just feel the field is totally tilted in the dealers favor. Good Luck! Bob
  • 4xpy44xpy4 Member Posts: 6
    going out this week to look at used Avalons and wanted to be armed w/ the best info. I am looking at Limiteds only (memory seats are a non-negotiable option for wife)

    the ones i see so far on dealer websites near me are:
    1) 2006, 18k mi, $28977 Certified, No nav, no laser, etc.
    2) 2005, 16k mi, $27488, No nav, no laser, etc.
    3) 2005, 30k mi, $26995, with nav

    looking for guidance on prices to shoot for, maintenance items or things to watch for, etc.

    thx in advance for ideas
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    4xpy4: I just sold my 06 Limited, 8,376 miles--nav (joke), laser cruise (love it) VSC & Trac Cntrl (GR*), Remote Start (joke), 7 yr 75K Mile Zero Deductible Bumper to Bumper Warranty, Rear Spoiler, Body Side Moldings, Door Edge Guards, Wheel Locks, Pin Stripe & Splash Guards--i sold it for $29,500. Look at Ebay--Avy's bring a high price--but--they hold their resale value. Don't buy a Toyota Warranty unless its from Crown Toyota in I think Manhattan or topeka KS--they discount them--same warranty--just go to www.toyota.com and you can find the dealers location. Good luck!
    Bob
  • dreasdaddreasdad Member Posts: 276
    Call one of the dealers an ask for the Fleet manager,

    Richardson Toyota or Plano and tell them you want an avalon with out the port install options. They can get one in usaully in about 1 to 3 weeks depending on color and options. that way you don;t have to go through middle man
  • iamknottiamknott Member Posts: 82
    I just leased a new Avalon and this was the first time that I tried soliciting offers by e-mail.

    I sent e-mails to three local dealers in Columbus and to one in Cincinnati, each of whom claimed to have an "internet sales department." I told them the exact model and options I wanted as well as the lease term, miles needed, and zero down payment. I asked them to provide me with the monthly payment, money factor, residual, and fees.

    Two dealers never responded, one gave me just the monthly payment, and one asked me to come in for a visit, promising to be seriously aggressive in pricing. Fortunately, the last salesman was true to his word and provided me with his finance guy's worksheet which listed everything that made up their offer. I used the information from that sheet when I then visited two more dealers in person. Since I already knew the dealer invoice price, all I really needed was the dealer's money rate and residual in order to determine whether his suggested monthly payment was indicative of his desire to lease a car to me. In addition, by just asking for those two bits of information, they knew I was serious and we eliminated a lot of the b.s. from our discussions. I eventually struck a deal with the dealer who gave me the worksheet because I appreciated his openness and because nobody else could beat his price.

    So, what did I learn? First, contrary to what I have read in these forums about other areas of the country, in Central Ohio you can't expect to send out some e-mails and have a bunch of dealers fighting for your business overnight. Secondly, in spite of the fact that they all talk a good internet game, the dealers still want you to show up in person in order to hammer out the deal and that takes time. Finally, I am grateful for these forums. The information I gained from them helped to at least shorten those in-person meetings.
  • jaygee2jaygee2 Member Posts: 1
    I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this forum. I have study it keenly for the past few months and believe it is a prime example of the old saying that "knowledge is power". I certainly think that the knowledge I got in this forum was invaluable in my recent car buying experience.
    Just bought a 07 Avalon Limited, blizzard pearl with light gray interior. Car has VSC, Nav, and Carpet/mats. MSRP is $37654. Got car for $4000 off sticker price(no trade). Dealer includes free pickup,delivery and loaner for servicing within 30 miles, free PA state inspections, and free pinstriping with purchase. Also got Toyota 7year/75K miles/$0 deductible warranty for discount price of $695. So all things considered I feel I got a very good deal.
    Bought car from Freedom Toyota, located just outside Hamburg, PA. Everyone was very pleasant and easy to work with. It was the best car buying experience I have ever had, and I am 66 years old.
    Hope this little bit of new information added to the forum can be of help to someone else in their future car buying experience.
  • 66gman66gman Member Posts: 12
    Hi I spied your posting about your favorable dealings with Freedom. We live in Lansdale, Pa and do not want to deal with local dealer, so I e-mailed Freedom a request for a quote, I was called several hours later by a pleasant female. She's going to try to see if she can get our preference in stock to drive.
    We hope to get a Phantom Gray/Blizzard white w/o Nav. I am anxious to see what they have to offer and at what price. Our local dealer has a policy to match any deal, But I don't care to deal in that manner.
    Thanks for the posting.
    the66gman@yahoo.com
  • 66gman66gman Member Posts: 12
    Awaiting our new 2007 Avalon Ltd, now I'm sure they are going to have a sales pitch for the warranty. How do you deal for the best price? The stated price is $695.00 for the 70mo.-75000miles. I remember seeing some posting about buying from Toyota Dealers who discount the prices via internet. How safe is this? Anyone want to inform me about a source they had used?
    Thanks Much
  • bobwileybobwiley Member Posts: 241
    66gman: It's a Toyota Warranty--issued from the same place in Cedar Rapids, IA---just as if you'd bought it from your dealer at a MUCH inflated price! Crown Toyota in Lawrence, KS or Greenfield Toyota in Greenfield, MA---both do discount warranty's. I know that next time I'll wait until I've almost used my 3 yr/36K Mile factory warranty before I buy the 7 Yr/75K Mile one. Remember, no matter when you buy, the years and miles start form the in-service date. Why not invest the money for 3 years instead of giving it to Toyota? Dealer's hope to sell the warranty's and include the price in the finacing--along with fabric guard (blah), paint sealant--duh--use Turtle Wax!! The discounted warranty's will always be there.
    Bob
  • zebra5zebra5 Member Posts: 47
    I thought this was interesting: Avalon sales are down 14% from prior year, and certainly lagging the performance of Toyota's total passenger car division.
    Feb YTD Feb
    2007 2006 %CHG 2007 2006 % CHG
    YARIS 5,702 0 — 11,572 0 –
    COROLLA 28,321 25,088 12.9 53,840 49,975 5.5
    CAMRY 32,148 27,354 17.5 63,609 54,794 13.7
    AVALON 5,583 6,900 -19.1% 12,112 13,846 -14.3%
    PRIUS 12,227 6,547 86.8 20,526 14,201 41.6
    SCION xA 1,722 2,285 -24.6 3,480 4,343 -21.5
    SCION xB 2,868 4,074 -29.6 5,701 7,910 -29.4
    SCION tC 4,366 5,048 -13.5 8,779 9,855 -12.7
    TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. PASS.
    CAR 92,938 77,304 20.2% 179,620 154,942 13.6%
    ES 350 5,286 3,223 64.0 10,606 6,556 58.5
    LS 460 2,423 1,015 138.7 5,429 2,205 141.2
    SC 430 282 446 -36.8 584 851 -32.8
    GS 300 1,388 1,771 -21.6 2,756 3,470 -22.2
    GS 430/450h 175 278 -37.1 358 557 -37.0
    IS 250/350 3,937 3,882 1.4 7,332 7,955 -9.7
    TOTAL LEXUS PASS. CAR 13,491 10,615 27.1% 27,065 21,594 22.8%
    TOTAL TOYOTA PASS. CAR 106,429 87,919 21.1% 206,685 176,536 14.7%

    Could better incentives on Avalon be coming soon to a dealer near you?

    Also, I wish more of those >5000 Avalon purchases per month would post their "prices paid" details in this forum... These forums can be such a valuable consumer tool, but, truthfully, I've found that this particular forum is relatively thin on new Avalon purchase details - just a few postings per week on average. Maybe it's just me.
  • rpfingstenrpfingsten Member Posts: 154
    Zebra 5

    All you had to do was ask.. :-) Bought my 07 Avalon XLS in Sept of 06.. details are as follows:

    Msrp sticker price $33,320.00
    less trade in - 1,000.00 ( 15 year old oldsmobile )
    Balance.......... $32,320.00
    down payment..... - 5,000.00
    Balance.......... $27,320.00
    ext. warranty.... $ 1,595.00 ( yeah, got hosed here )
    Balance.......... $28,915.00
    tt&L + other fees + 2,311.00
    Balance.......... $31,226.00
    dealer discount.. - 3,389.14
    amount financed $27,836.86
  • goateegoatee Member Posts: 51
    I bought my 06 Av xls in 11/05 - added the 5yr/75000 mile Toyota wraparound bumper to bumper warranty. I honestly dont remember what I paid but it was a lot less than the dealer was asking. When I closed my deal - the finance guy hit me up for the warranty with the inflated price. I made the check out for the car and then told him that I would make another for the warranty and this is what I was willing to pay right now - he squealed and said how he was loosing money but then gladly accepted the check as payment in full because I was a "loyal customer." Go figuire... Hold your ground. Goatee...
  • user2user2 Member Posts: 1
    Can anyone tell me if it is possible to get the 2007 Avalon (Touring or XLS) in a base configuration (ie with no additional factory, port or dealer) options ?

    I keep being told that several of the option packages are mandatory (ie the dealers HAVE to order them). Beyond the obvious oxymoron of a "mandatory" option, it seems to me that this is simply another way for the dealers to inflate selling prices and push features on buyers that (at least some of us) don't want to pay for.

    Does anyone have a success story buying a (IMHO) perfectly adequately equipped BASE level Touring or XLS ?

    Thanks in advance.
  • zebra5zebra5 Member Posts: 47
    You may have better luck where you live, but I live in Texas, where Gulf States Toyota is the exclusive distributor. I've yet to find an Avalon on any dealer's lot which didn't have some configuration of distributor-installed options. Extra Mile Package, Vehicle Shield Package, optional carpeted floor mats - give me a break. So I hear you can request one from the Internet or fleet mgr at many dealerships. If what you want is not in dealer inventory, it is unlikely you will get the kind of price point that would lead you to come back to this forum, bragging about the great price you got.

    That's part of my theory as to why this Avalon forum gets so few postings of new car purchase details. With the multiple trim lines and various factory, distributor and dealer options, the "price to beat" is just not very clear-cut to most buyers. What you get is a pricing market that is far from "commoditized". That's good if you're the seller, but confusing if you're the buyer.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    zebra5-
    GST (in Houston) and Sotuheast Toytoa, are the only 2 remaining independent Toyota distributors and as such control to a very large degree what the dealers get and what is 'included'. Every Avalon I've seen down here in Texas (for the last 2 years), is marked up an additional $1500-2500 for what amounts extra profit for the distributor. It apparently is cheaper to buy the cars outside of the Gulf Coast and/or the Southeast areas - a situation that Toyota needs to fix, it may save you some money to buy the car in Chicago and drive it back, although I wonder if you won't take a double sales tax hit if you do.
  • zebra5zebra5 Member Posts: 47
    This forum could be the place where potential buyers could get the information to prove or disprove theories like that: would it be cheaper to buy in the midwest or east, than in a territory served by the regional Toyota "cartels"? Yet, it is very infrequent that I find practical information here, especially relative to other car models' "Prices Paid and Buying Experience" forums. Are Avalon purchasers, as a group, that price-insensitive that few of them search sites like this in an attempt to gauge the market?

    Host, do you have any thoughts on this, or suggestions how to improve this forum?
  • sargeantsargeant Member Posts: 1
    I will test drive a 2005 "Certified" Avalon XLS tomorrow. No nav. It is white and has factory tinted windows. Looks real nice. Dealer has $27,000 as "internet" price. Doing my research on KBB, NADA and Edmonds, around $25,000 seems to be an average price. Does this seem like a decent deal? Thoughts please.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    I guess the demographics of shoppers of certain models don't lend themselves to the internet.

    The biggest reason is probably number of sales.. The Avalon is a relatively low volume unit.

    We have around 250 Prices Paid discussions for various models... There are quite a few that don't have any posts this calendar year. I'll let someone else decide why.

    Buick LaCrosse
    Cadillac STS
    Chrysler Sebring
    Dodge Caliber
    Hyundai Tiburon
    Saturn Sky

    By contrast, the Avalon discussion has 20 posts in the last month.. though, I'll admit... not a lot of useful information..

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • zebra5zebra5 Member Posts: 47
    Wow, I suddenly feel 20 years older after your post. :cry: You know, I never bought into that line of thinking that Avalon is really a Buick marketed to people who thought they were too young or too cool to buy a Buick...but now your post has got me thinking.

    Hmmm... what do Avalon, Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac CTS all have in common? That's right, they are all driven by people who haven't heard about the internet yet. That, and none have Bluetooth (but lots of blue hair).

    Signing off. If you need me, I'll be over at the Corvette forum shopping for my mid-life crisis.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    LOL.. please note... I never stated any of those things.. My main point is that the Avalon isn't a high volume car.. So, less people to report on prices..

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

Sign In or Register to comment.