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

2004-2009 Toyota Prius Prices Paid and Buying Experience

1…34689…43

Comments

  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    ALC90066, glad to hear your new Prius. Frontier is a good place to buy, because it gets so many Prii (15-20 every 2 weeks), and it's out of the way, so most of Angelinos don't make the drive. The two trips kind of sucks because of the distance, and traffic if you go during the wrong time of day.

    But don't get service there. Heard some bad comments.

    I ordered my in the same batch as yours, but I ended up canceling because I think I may be able to get a 2007 pkg #2 before Sept. 30, at Power Toyota. Keeping my fingers crossed.

    Frontier are getting 2007's starting from next shipment, but not sure if it will be before Sept. 30.

    Enjoy your car, and I will be on the lookout for a black Prius with Frontier plate frame.
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    Wood2318, Good news about the 2007 we ordered from Power. The cars are at Long Beach, and suppose to be delivered to Power sometimes between Sept 23-27. So should give us a few days before Sept. 30 tax credit deadline.

    For those who are also looking for 2007 Prii before Sept 30, I think Wood2318 and I got 2 of the 3 going to Power. Someone already got the 3rd one. But I talked to KB at Frontier Toyota and they may have a batch of 2007 (Black, Red, Silver and Blue #2's) just around the 30th. No guarantees. But might give them a shout if you want to try for a 2007 before Sept. 30. Costs nothing to get on Frontier's wait list (and you do get the VIN upfront). You got nothing to lose. Good luck.

    Will let the forum know if Power made good on their delivery dates. CK
  • chetbobchetbob Member Posts: 18
    Any one in South Jersey or south eastern penna.looking for an 06 Prius toyota of Turnersville has has 2 on their inventory for about 3 weeks, and conicelli toyota in Conshohocken, Ps has 13 listed on inventory. I bought from Turnersville N>J> about 3 weeks ago and they discounted a couple of hundred from sticker.
  • wood2318wood2318 Member Posts: 3
    ck90211, thank you so much for the tip. But I did not want to take a chance and wait until the last minute. Besides with my schedule, it is very difficult for me to drop everything and rush to any dealer at the last minute. Two days back I had a comparatively light day so I bought a 2006 pk1 that Power toyota had in stock. It was blue color...my partner totally loved that color and in leather...another thing he absolutely insisted I have (I eat while driving all the time). It wasn't pk3 but I don't think I care much about the back up camera or that smart key thing anyways. And hey, I saved some money. So I'm out of this race now. Hope you do get the 2007 car or your choice in time. Good luck. And thank you for your support.
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    Wood2318, Congrats on your new Prius. Blue with leather is a nice combo, and can't go wrong with any pkg's. I hope Power comes through with the 2007 this coming week; if not, I better I have backup plans to find a 2006 in a jiffy. Now you are out of race, hope to see you in one of Edmunds or other Prius forums. CK
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    Just read on other Prius forums, that folks in OR and Northern CA are picking up their 2007, base or touring models during the past weekend. I did not know this, but in NoCal one can buy a Touring Prius with 3 pkgs (#3, 5, 6) where as in SoCal we must buy with #6 pkg (+$6K). Don't understand why Toyota forces leather seats/NAV/Bluetooth on us SoCal folks. Why don't they just "Hummerize" a Prius for SoCal?
  • jenster1jenster1 Member Posts: 7
    Double post.
  • jenster1jenster1 Member Posts: 7
    Hi all. I'm in California and working with an auto broker to get a 2007 Prius. He's telling me that all Priuses (Prii?? ;)) come with floor mats -- to the tune of $199. He says it's part of MSRP, but I'm not convinced.

    A Toyota dealership quoted me the same $22,175 MSRP (plus additional car destination charge) and said nothing of then paying $200 more for floor mats.

    For my own peace of mind, can anyone tell me if "Floor mats requred" is True or False? And for $199??

    Thanks.

    P.S. Forgive me if I've double posted somehow. I thought I posted, but then couldn't find it. So am trying again! :)
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    Jenster, I am in SoCal, have been shopping for Prius last two months, and everything I came across has floor mats or more. I am sure if you insist you can probably get that off, and get some discounts, just make sure the car/color you want is available from multiple dealerships (so Broker can get another one in a jiffy). FI reckon you are looking for a Prius #1. Most SoCal dealers usually take #1's and load them with useless things (leather, wheels, wood dash, LoJack, etc.). So #1 without added junk is kind of rare. Good luck. CK
  • virgilgvirgilg Member Posts: 6
    Hi, Jenster.

    Priuses sounds cute. Prii should be correct, given the Latin nature of the name. I use Priuses :-)

    Print out a page off www.toyota.com's website which shows the car you want, with the options (if any) you want. Print out the options too. If they're part of the MSRP, then they're included in the MSRP and you don't have to pay extra for them, right? If not, they should be listed under Options or Accessories at their website. The only mats on their website are the all-weather type (made from rubber) @ $87, and not the carpeted ones that come with the car. Most likely one of the dealers is trying to double-cross you and the other does not.

    Hope this help,
    Virgil
  • jenster1jenster1 Member Posts: 7
    Thanks, CK! I'm in NorCal, and was told that only package #2 is available. That's #1 plus Vehicle Stability Control. I don't want any junk either, especially not outrageously priced floor mats. I asked the broker already to take it off; he says that's the way the car comes from the manufacturer. I'll ask him again, not so nicely this time, if I have to.

    Unclear whether he's being straight with me. Why would MSRP be listed as $22,175 and THEN there be an additional $199 on top of it? I'm all confused. :(
  • jenster1jenster1 Member Posts: 7
    Thank you, Virgil. I'm getting that sense of crookedness from the broker fer sure, and unfortunately I've already signed up with him and there's no going back. Other co-workers have had a pleasant time with the broker, so I'm a bit disappointed I'm having to negotiate with him like I would with a dealership. (Avoiding negotiations was the whole POINT of going with him!) Argh.

    Yeah, on Toyota's site, the MSRP doesn't list floor mats, so I don't understand what the deal is. Good idea to print it all out and pay the broker a little visit.
  • cruising7388cruising7388 Member Posts: 125
    Well, unfortunately that is the case. The carpets are added at the port of entry as a CF option, only there is nothing optional about the option and you can't delete it. You can only refuse to pay for it. I have a Prius and I like the vehicle but Toyota's marketing ploys are nauseating compared to the very straightforward marketing by Honda. So, it is an unoptional option and it is not a part of MSRP. They cost $186 in 2006 and apparently they have been bumped to $199 for 2007. The other options that you could not unoption in 2006 was the rear bumper applique and the locking wheel nuts. What is annoying about the carpets is that they are of mediocre quality. Consequently, I made the dealer supply free Toyota black rubber mats that are designed for the Prius and are of excellent quality. They run about $100 at the dealer parts desk if you order them subsequent to the purchase.

    So, the bottom line is that it's a scam, but as scams go these days, it's a relatively benign one. Grin and bear it.
  • jenster1jenster1 Member Posts: 7
    Ahhh, thanks for the insight, cruising. So this is a Toyota scam, not one being perpetrated by my local auto broker? Strangely enough, that makes me feel better. :) I'll make a bid for some extras then, to make up for the insane mats. I appreciate all the help in getting the true info!
  • jonathansullivjonathansulliv Member Posts: 5
    Ok...I'm confused.

    In my research I have found that the matts, window tint, toyoguard, interior lighting, etc. are NOT included in BASE MSRP, but are added to MSRP just like the broker said.

    If I search inventory on Toyota, I can find them with certain accessories from the factories, others without. The basic matt ($199) seems to be on a large percentage, some including the trunk matt (MSRP $249).

    Check out the Toyota page and you'll see that the 100 or so vehicles that come up in your region on a certain package level vary several hundred in MSRP.

    Am I missing something???
  • jenster1jenster1 Member Posts: 7
    Now I'm confused too, Jonathan! When I "build a Toyota" on the Toyota Web site, the base MSRP is consistently $22,175. How do I check inventory on vehicles coming into my region?

    I've been told by one dealer that Toyota just sends them all cars, of various types and packages and colors. It's up to the dealer to find buyers. In other words, it's not like the dealers can specifically tell the company what orders they have. Maybe Toyota randomly puts accessories in vehicles and tells the dealers, "Take it as it is. That's what you're getting." And then the dealerships have to, well, deal with it.

    Thanks!
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    I second Cruising's opinion on Toyota marketing, especially in CA. In SoCal everything has floor mat (some with added Cargo net), but in NoCal just about every Prius has floormats and bumper applique built into the price. I also tried to price a 2007 (on Toyota website), and noticed SoCal buyers must buy higher pkgs than NoCal buyers.

    For the hack of it, I plugged in different zip codes, and found that Toyota drew a line somewhere between Bakersfield and Visalia. If you are north of it, you get screwed with more mandatory options, but cheaper package cars. If you are south of it, you get stuck with less mandatory options, but more useless BLING's.

    I had thought Toyota dealers are the only slime. Now I think Toyota marketing is slime too.
  • mikenadelmikenadel Member Posts: 2
    Hey, folks. First, thanks to all the posters. I am a newbie and learned a lot reading this stuff over the last couple months. I just today picked up my '07 Barcelona Red Pkg 2 from Grossinger City Toyota in Chicago. Paid MSRP minus $200 Costco discount. They gave me very fair value for my trade. Didn't try to stick me with extras. They knew I wanted it by Sept. 30 and they busted their humps to get it for me. Red was my third choice but now that I have it in my garage, I really like it. I'm looking forward to applying all of the mileage "tricks" folks in the forums have talked about.

    Anyway, just letting everyone know it is possible to get an '07 by the "deadline."
  • jonathansullivjonathansulliv Member Posts: 5
    Let me reproduce what I am seeing...

    Go to http://www.toyota.com/prius/index.h..._TN_PRIUS_INDEX
    Click Build & Price and use 33781 as ZIP
    Click Top Right 2007 Prius (Bottom is touring)
    Next Step
    Leather
    Package 6
    View Inventory

    At this moment I see 26 cars in the SE USA.
    Notice the spread on MSRP...click into each and see that the reason is the features...
    Some have matts, some don't. If they do, they are an addition over base MSRP.

    See what I mean? Seems Toyota predetermines what accessories it will have from the factory...(or at least some of them)
  • virgilgvirgilg Member Posts: 6
    Hey, Mike

    Congratulations on your '07! Is it a Touring? It sounds you got a fair price for it; good to know about the Costco discount. Thanks for sharing that. Can you recommend the person who you have closed the deal with? We are also in Chicago and are looking for a Red Prius with navi.

    Best,
    Virgil
  • riposteriposte Member Posts: 160
    South East Toyota is the distributor for the south east (obviously, right?). They are allowed to offered different option packages, and even different brands of wheel upgrades than non-SET zones. I believe the pricing is even different in some cases.
  • guestguest Member Posts: 770
    This is an excellent example of why you have to be cautious with the Edmunds TMV figures on what people are paying for their vehicles. Their TMV for the Prius shows anywhere from $1500 to $2000 over MSRP. But you sure don't see anyone involved with these forums paying that inflated price.
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    Mike, Congrats on new car. Red is gorgeous, and more visible on windy, wintery day in Chicago. You are the first one I have seen who got a 07 in Midwest. Most others who gotten 07 are in OR and CA. So it's an encouraging sign for others hoping to get an 07 before 9/30 east of Mississippi.
  • librarychick94librarychick94 Member Posts: 4
    All:

    AFter compromising on both package and color, I finally have my Prius. I ended up going with a local dealer who gave me the best deal on my trade-in. I know the salesman too. I also got the car in time to beat the Sept. 30th deadline. Yay!

    I dropped by the dealer on my way back from an appointment on Monday and he had one, but it was marked sold. We put an '07 "on hold" for me (arriving in 6 to 8 weeks), but then he called me that afternoon and said the 2006 was now available if I wanted it. It was red and one package higher than I wanted, but I was sick of waiting and really wanted to beat the Sept. 30th deadline.

    I picked it up Tuesday night and so far it has been perfect. I've never had a car with so many cool features. It is the Barcelona Red, package HI. I got it for $27,462.13. That includes the sales tax. The MSRP was $26,321.

    I believe the car mats that everyone is talking about were fairly non-negotiable. I didn't even try. They gave me such a good deal on my trade-in, I didn't figure it was worth it for a couple hundred dollars. :)

    So far, the only annoying thing is the backup beep when the car is in reverse. It is pretty loud. I'm hoping there is a way to turn it off, or at least down. I'll be checking my manual when I get a chance. Still haven't programmed my garage door opener into the rear view mirror controls yet either. Way cool.

    I'm still learning, but so far the controls seem pretty intuitive.

    LibraryChick_94
  • librarychick94librarychick94 Member Posts: 4
    All:

    Just wanted to add that this is what one of the dealers told me when I was complaining about the availability of colors, packages, some dealers having alot available, others having none.

    He said that for the Midwest "region" for the next quarter, only a little over 1,000 Priuses have been allocated. Only about 136 of those have the HG package I was looking for. I also originally wanted Seaside Pearl. Don't know how many of those were that color. He also said that Toyota customers were mostly conservative (really?) and blue was the least popular color. He was probably just trying to talk me into a different color. He also said that dealers have to "earn" allocation of Priuses. This particular dealer had just been allocated 20 and he said that was more than any other dealer in the area. He also said the people were coming from Chicago to buy at their dealer. Don't they all think they are #1? LOL.

    Just thought I'd throw that info out there.

    LibraryChick_94
  • lynsamlynsam Member Posts: 5
    HI! I just bought my first brand new car, and its a silver 2006 Prius with the Navigation/Bluetooth package. I must say, as my first new car buying experience, I am now extremely disappointed. I am in the Baltimore/Annapolis area. The salesman was very nice to me the day I came in to look at a used prius on the lot, then pressured me into putting a sizable deposit down. The car came in and they were very pushy about how I should buy the extended warranty and lojack, even though I insisted beforehand I didn't want it. Anyway, although I have called with several phone calls since, with questions, the original salesman is now cold and rude!

    If I loved the car, this would not matter so much. But, I am embarrassed to say, I think I made a mistake. I know every one loves these cars, and I am very much concerned for the environment, but I do not feel comfortable driving this car. I would really like some feedback on this.

    I find this Prius does not handle well at highway speeds, the steering seems extremely loose, some of the dash lights seem to go on mid-drive for no apparent reason. In addition, I have to have the air conditioning on non-stop because the air inside the car is always humid! It has been i the 60's down here lately, not hot. I can't figure it out!

    Conclusion: I am unhappy with this Prius, and I wish I had not bought it. After only 150 miles, I want to either return it to the dealer, where I will probably lose 5,000$, or sell it with an ad.

    Any suggestions, advice, comments? Please??

    LynsaM
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Sell it yourself. Give a sob story about being shipped overseas for 3 years. You may get your money out of it. You will lose the tax credit. There is some stipulation in the tax code about keeping the car for 3 years I believe it is. Maybe you can trade it for a Camry Hybrid and not take such a big loss.
  • lynsamlynsam Member Posts: 5
    Gagrice: Thanks for the input! I'll put an ad up today. Re the tax credit: If you have to keep the car for three years to get the tax credit, does that mean you have to wait three years to report it as a credit? If not, how would they know that you are going to keep it for three years into the future, you know?
  • cruising7388cruising7388 Member Posts: 125
    Gagrice: Thanks for the input! I'll put an ad up today. Re the tax credit: If you have to keep the car for three years to get the tax credit, does that mean you have to wait three years to report it as a credit? If not, how would they know that you are going to keep it for three years into the future, you know

    Precisely... although there is a requirement on paper that you retain ownership of the vehicle for three years, you receive the tax credit when you file your CY2006 return and unless they put a tickler question on your subsequent returns, there is no protocol in place that would feed subsequent sale information into the Infernal Ripoff Service.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    It would be difficult for them to know if you sold the hybrid before 3 years. One of those things to not get caught doing.
  • mikenadelmikenadel Member Posts: 2
    Oh, and by the way, it is NOT a Touring model. It does have the non-optional floormats option, but I knew it would. They're horribly overpriced but they are nice.
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    Finally found ride to pick up my 2007 Silver Prius (non-touring) in SoCal. I turned down 3 2006 because I was hoping to get a 2007 before Sept. 30, and succeeded. Was thinking about flying up to NoCal for a Touring #3 but it costs $2.5K more (and I did not really need all the electronic toys, fancy wheels, other than the tighter suspension). Just in the drive home (and some joyride afterward), I was already amazed at the mileage. After 80 miles fuel gauge is still Full. Wish my other cars are like this. I also think I made the ride choice going with the base, since most SoCal driving is congested surface streets or highways, having a softer ride (instead of Touring's tighter ride) is probably better. I did not get a chance to drive a Touring (none in SoCal yet), but a few NoCal sales person told me about it (Touring being tighter, bumpier due to tighter suspension and bigger wheels, but handles better at high speed).

    Only thing left is to get HOV sticker. I read that one can apply for it, once he gets the plate number (not the actual plate). But I was wondering, how do I get the plate number? Do I call DMV ahead of the time (base on registration number from dealer)? Or did most people just wait until actual plates arrive, then apply for HOV?

    Thanks Cruising and other posters for their suggestions, opinions and ideas. Even though I did not get a car $$$ below MSRP, I found a car I (and my kids) will enjoy for many years to come. And with good mileage like this, rediscovering the joy of driving and roadtripping again.
  • cruising7388cruising7388 Member Posts: 125
    Do NOT rely on the digital fuel gauge for an accurate fuel status. Like most amalog fuel gauges, the Prius fuel gauge is slow to drop down from the full mark. Instead, rely on your miles per gallon indication and miles driven to determine what actually remains in the tank. BTW, as the engine breaks in and you develop the economy technique for maximizing mileage you will see your MPG go up. One of the ways to accelerate this learning process is to have competitions over a measured driving distance with your spouse and kids (assuming they're old enough to drive!). Another thing you will learn is that except for really flat terrain, you will lose mileage with the cruise control on. Most vehicles do, but with a gas guzzler, it doesn't make much difference. IMO, the touring model is a pricey solution to a non-existent problem. The regular model sports a skid pad coefficient of .82 which beats the figures for 1990s vintage Corvettes. If you've got kids and/or pets I would invest in some waterproof and washable seat covers made by GT covers. I bought a set and they look really nice. You have to do some pulling and tugging to get them in place, but they are form fitting.

    Any, congratulations on your game plan. You got the best of both worlds which is a full tax credit + an undepreciated 2007 model.

    Reminder: The front end is really low on these critters and if you drive up into the curb type stops in parking lots, you will scrape the underside of the vehicle. Avoid doing it. No significant damage, but the sound makes the hairs stick out on the back of your neck!

    Because of the additional 10,000 stickers authorized, I think you will have no problem getting the HOV stickers.
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    Cruising, thanks for the headsup. I know no mileage is real until a fillup. By the way, any ideas on how MFD (ECU) calculates mileage?

    The only negative thing I encountered so far is lack of Prius knowledge at dealers. Sales people know little about them, so are the guys who do the delivery checklist. They are courteous and friendly, but really does not know enough about the car's features and operations. And Toyota's owner's manual is not too helpful either.

    In regards to toys for Prius, I was going to get some suspension or body strengthening parts, because I read a lot of comments about bad handling. But so far it is better than I thought. The velour texture seats do concern me; so I will look into nice seat covers.

    Thanks again cruising.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    " Only thing left is to get HOV sticker. I read that one can apply for it, once he gets the plate number (not the actual plate). But I was wondering, how do I get the plate number? Do I call DMV ahead of the time (base on registration number from dealer)? Or did most people just wait until actual plates arrive, then apply for HOV?"

    Bad news, I don't think there are any HOV stickers left. It was limited to 75K. Please let us know if you get one!
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    Stevedebi: I think Gov. and CA state legislators passed the 10K extra stickers and extended HOV usage to 2011. But I won't know until I get mine (I will post when I get it).

    Interestingly some dealers have been calling me with available Prii since Sept 30. I think they are finally coming down from their high perch, due to halving of tax credit, and recent cheap gas. I would not be surprised if one can find a Prius for $K's below MSRP, even in CA now. It's probably going to be bad for Prius sales until gas prices comes back to $3/gallon again. Hope someone will find some good buys.
  • guestguest Member Posts: 770
    With earlier carburators, fuel consumption measurement was mechanically determined by an inline impeller in the fuel line. This wasn't feasible with later carburation that uses an in-tank fuel pump and much of the fuel pumped out is returned. In modern fuel injection, the computer knows both how much fuel it is metering to the injectors and compares it with the distance traveled. I've done some testing and found that the MPG figure presented by the computer is dead accurate.

    I myself wouldn't opt for any suspension improvements because I have found the handling characteristics to be perfectly satisfactory for the vehicle it is. If I was going to add anything it would be the aftermarket EV mode which permits you do force the vehicle into a lengthier electric mode. Peculiarly, this extended EV mode is included on the Prius sold in Europe, but not in the U.S.

    The GT seatcovers fit very well. Read the instructions before installing them to save yourself extra work. I recommend the waterproof models. The material is a little stiffer than the velour covers but that's a minor tradeoff for having bullet proof covers. GT also supplies a cover of the same material as the seats for the center console for no additional charge.

    I'm delighted that you were able to finesse this. You did your homework and you got the best of both worlds.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Peculiarly, this extended EV mode is included on the Prius sold in Europe, but not in the U.S.

    The last I read Toyota only demonstrated a plug-in Prius in the EU. The only difference is a few added standard safety features to the European Prius. Toyota was trying to get some interest with the 97 MPG Prius they were showing in the UK. I don't know if it worked or not. With all the high mileage cars available over there the hybrids are just another choice.
  • ck90211ck90211 Member Posts: 159
    After driving my Prius a few days, I agree that EV mode is probably the best modification for the money, because it is way too easy to activate gas engine even at grandma speed. And I think I can build my own EV kit for $2-3 from Radio Shack. Suspension so far is better than I read (no steering wobble at highway speed, no rear sliding from solid axle rear suspension). At least I have not noticed yet from LA driving.

    97 MPG Prius and barely any pollutions???!!! I know what my next car is.
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    jenster1,

    Thank you very much for the informative post. I couldn't have figured it out without your inciteful input.

    MidCow
  • riposteriposte Member Posts: 160
    Actually, when you plug it in for a recharge, you're probably causing more pollution than letting the engine charge it. Remember, SOMEWHERE, there's a power plant generating the electricity. There is power lost in the power transmission lines, too.

    It's more of a "Pollute Somewhere Else" mode.

    Just something to think about. :-)
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    riposte,

    You are absolutely right and I like you have quit using electricty in my house. The windows are open and all elctricity is off. I also found that nay fire for cooking is soo polutting i quit Cooking altogether. I have taked to eating plants, grass and wild fruits. I cgather all day like our nacestors did long, long ago. Even the Hybrid car is too polluting to drive. So now I only walk or bicycle. I still have water but soemtimes the showers are too cold so i use a solar water heater. Riposte, I am willing to bet you and I are the only two so dedicated to being green.

    Completely Back to nature, no poultion,

    MidCow.
  • riposteriposte Member Posts: 160
    MidCow -

    I grow increasingly weary of both the tone and nonsensical content of your posts.

    My point regarding recharging a vechicle via a connection to the conventional power grid is that it is not only NOT "zero pollution", but that it probably causes MORE NET POLLUTION than generating the same electricity via the on-board ICE.
  • cruising7388cruising7388 Member Posts: 125
    Is it MidCow .... or MadCow?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,830
    Please....

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

    Edmunds Moderator

  • cruising7388cruising7388 Member Posts: 125
    Of course, you're right, the power has to be generated somewhere but quantifying the pollution factor for the power grid is difficult because of the multiple generation sources: coal, oil, hydroelectric, wind, nuclear etc. But even in the worst case situation - a soft coal power plant, I still hazard the guess that for the energy produced, a large power plant is less polluting than millions of petroleum burning internal combustion engines. Power plants operate under very stringent air quality regulations. However, your point is well taken that the Prius ICE is a very clean burning engine. It would be interesting to see some hard numbers developed to make a comparison.
  • matsfmatsf Member Posts: 3
    My first post :) Anyway I had a good buying experience getting a 2007 Touring, pkg 3 at City Toyota in Daly City, CA. Got it for MSRP (26.444) with floor mats... just before the end of Septemeber. Like the car so far. I just cannot see why they did not put in a hight adjustable driver seat. And maybe a telescoping steering wheel.

    I do have a question to other "touring" owners. What do you think of the wheels? I do not understand why Toyota chose to put allow wheels with wheel covers on this car? I have never seen anything like it. I just think the "normal" silver alloy wheels looks so much nicer than these darker allow wheels with the wheel covers...

    I also noticed that on the doors there is some black plastic strip on the edge. Probably to lessen any impact of opening the door into anything. Is this supposed to be there or is it only maybe for dealer transport and they forgot to remove it?

    Happy driving!
  • hotflashyhotflashy Member Posts: 6
    I'm trying to decide whether to get the touring edition or a regular Prius. What is 'tuned suspension'? Does it give it a firmer(aka less comfortable) ride? I'll be sure to check out the wheels when I go. For anybody else reading this, Walnut Creek Toyota (CA) has been honest with me about availability while other dealers have outright lied. They do not require a deposit and don't sell over MSRP.
  • hotflashyhotflashy Member Posts: 6
    I'm a three time Honda owner and have been shocked at the sleazy business practices of some Toyota dealerships in the San Francisco bay area (my neighbor had the same experience). Selling a Prius is about as close to a 'sure thing' as a car dealer can get. They don't need to operate this way to sell them. If I wasn't trying to do my part to get us off of Middle East oil...I'd run right back and buy another Honda.
  • jenster1jenster1 Member Posts: 7
    Yeah, hotflashy, I'm going from Honda to Toyota and feel similarly. I'm not sure where you are in the buying process, but I heard (after the fact, for me) that getting a Prius through a fleet manager is the way to go. Hassle-free, no broker's fee, etc. Good luck!
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles