I’ll Show You My Prius If You Show Me Yours
Actually, I can’t show you mine yet, because I’m still on a waiting list to buy one. But I’ve got a question for any Prius-driving FrontBurnervians out there about an experience I’ve had with two local Toyota dealerships. Is someone trying to job me? Jump for details.
If you’ve bought a Prius recently, you know they are in high demand. Some dealerships ask for a refundable deposit; others just do it first come, first served. Cowboy Toyota, in far East Dallas, is one such dealership that takes a $500 refundable deposit. I’ve made that deposit, and I’m waiting for my car to come in, which might take another two to three months. Meantime, they promise to call should a Prius become available that fits my needs (lift kit, hydraulics, flame paint job, etc.).
Now I take you out to Toyota of Rockwall, in far, far, far East Dallas. No deposits. Just a call list, which I’m on. And last night I get a call from a saleswoman. There are two Priuses (Prii?) on the lot. To maintain their gold-star status, they have to have two demo models on the lot at all times. BUT special circumstances have made one of them available — NOW — if I can get out there first thing in the morning. Oh, and be prepared to pay $5,000 over sticker.
I’m itching to get this car, of course. But I ask her whether all dealers in the area are charging $5,000 over sticker. She assures me they are.
But a quick call to Cowboy, and my salesman there says no way. In fact, dealers are discouraged from charging more than sticker. So I call the saleswoman back and pass that info along, telling her I’m not interested. At which point she gets a bit huffy and tells me the Cowboy guy is lying just to get me into the dealership.
Okay, long story. But I ask those of you who’ve gone the Prius route recently: did you pay over sticker? What sort of experiences have you had with the local Toyota dealerships? Lemme hear from ya.
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I wanted to buy a highly featured orange two-door Smart car which was at a dealership off Central. They wanted $23,000 for it … used. That’s $7,000 more than a new one. So, whoever ended up buying it is not that ’smart’.
Dude, please don’t buy a new Prius:
It isn’t the environmentally friendly thing that it seems.
I don’t know that post rejected my link:
http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/16-06/ff_heresies_09usedcars
Demand isn’t as high as you’d think:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/04/prius-sales-tank-in-may-toyota-blames-battery-supply/
Plus the ‘09 (if you can wait 6 months) is rumored to go a bit longer and faster, too. And we all know that’s a good thing…
Why do you hate the earth and the trees and the flowers, Tim?
http://blog.leasetrader.com/archive/2007/08/23/Toyotas-Prius-is-Less-Efficient-and-Environmentally-Friendly-than-a.aspx
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/industry/hybrids-delaying-fuel-cells-and-other-alternative-technologies/
Why do you hate the earth, Tim?
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/industry/hybrids-delaying-fuel-cells-and-other-alternative-technologies/
http://blog.leasetrader.com/archive/2007/08/23/Toyotas-Prius-is-Less-Efficient-and-Environmentally-Friendly-than-a.aspx
You got suckered.
http://blog.leasetrader.com/archive/2007/08/23/Toyotas-Prius-is-Less-Efficient-and-Environmentally-Friendly-than-a.aspx
Earth hater.
I agree with Tim W. With all the new, fuel efficient (and low emissions) cars on the market today, the Pius is more of an environmental statement than an environmental savior.
Didn’t you tell them who YOU are? They will know by later today and it should be fun watching what they do now to get the editor’s business.
Tim W. do you not realize that the author doesn’t actually care about the environment but rather his own gas savings and public appearances? Don’t try to fool us with “science” witchcraft…Prius drivers just want the sweet sweet smugness that comes from driving one of the ugliest cars on the road.
I think you need to watch the Jeff Dunham “Spark of Insanity” special from Comedy Central on why the Prius is NOT a good idea.
Hint hint…adding more fuel to the “flames” on your tryst with Eric.
Tim, when you’re ready to buy a new house, please come to me first. When I tell you that all houses in Dallas are selling for 125% of listing price, I’d like you to believe me too.
I can’t believe you would even ask the AUTOMOBILE SALESPERSON if the price she’s asking for is representative of the broader market, then even think about relying upon the answer you get from her. Jzheesh.
And ditto the other comments about the Prius. It’s not a good buy, at least not anymore. Unless you’re more concerned about looking environmentally-conscious than actually being environmentally-conscious. Mileage-wise, you’d be better off buying a used Honda CR-X. Plus it would be easier to find one with all the hoop-dee bells and whistles for which you long.
While your at it, why don’t you get a cloth shopping bag and shop at Whole Foods.
Cloth bags and Prius cars
are great products for douche bags.
That thing will depreciate faster than Hillary Clinton’s political carrer. I cannot understand the fascination. Other than some sort of “green” statement (kill me) There is absolutely know fiancial reason to get one. Just thinking out loud tho.
career & no financial reason. Sorry I get temorarily insane when I hear Prius.
Man, who knew people would get so antsy pantsy about Tim wanting a car with better gas mileage.
using your own bags at the supermarket is one of the easiest ways to reduce consumption of non-biodegradable products
i’d proffer that not using them is for douche bags, but i’ve come to understand using the term douche bag is only done by douch bags anymore
and Priuseseses (maybe Prii is better) are overrated. my ‘06 civic gets about 36-38 mpg, as i drive almost exclusively between oak cliff and downtown and hardly ever north of 635 or west of loop 12
claims of the 100 mpg prius are far fetched and even 60 mpg is high. you may get 44-50 mpg in an ‘07-’08 prius, but not much more, so do the math and see what’s right for you, you, douche bag, you
Just steal one. It’s the Dallas thing to do. Just make sure it isn’t a bait car since you might run over someone.
I get similar mileage to jrp in my ‘05 Civic coupe. It jumps up over 40 MPG on the freeway. I think the Prius is a bit larger than the Civic sedan, so if that’s an issue, maybe its worth the extra bucks. Hybrid technology is great, but you can still get good gas mileage for far less (and avoid the sticker price gouging).
Ride a bicycle to and from work. That’s truly green and all the really cool kids are doing it. Prius=poser.
I agree with the others. Buying a new car may save in gas but then there is that new car payment. Compare that price to a little luxury . But you only live once and new cars are fun and the prius goes with the iphone. I would Call Barbie Kopacki at metroplex toyota or Ed Wallace at The Startlegram for the straight skinny.
Why get a prius when you can buy a used Civic for $3,000 and get almost 50mpg??? The Prius is not friendly to the environment when you have to dispose of the batteries.
Dude, get the Prius. Imagine how many times you can drive down Mockingbird in Highland Park before you have to fill up the tank?
i agree with jrp I would buy a honda civic or VW TDI before I would buy a prius.The VW is a diesel but it gets equal or better gas mileage than a prius plus it will last a half a million miles.If your hearts set on a prius,check out Metroplex Toyota in Duncanville.Any dealership that Ed Wallace has recommended to me are the most honest and helpful people I’ve traded with.They might not be the cheapest but their fare and if you have a problem they’ll take care of it.
Man I sound like a car salesman,but i’m not
I recently got a 1991 Honda Prelude for $2000 and am getting about 30 mpg. No carpayment + good mileage works for me…
Here’s a thought…maybe Tim just likes the car. Buy the dang thing if you want to.
I get incredible gas mileage taking the train to work. Do I win the smarm-off?
Get a Civic Hybrid sedan and you get the mileage advantages without having to drive around in something that screams “sanctamonious prick.” The Prius is only worth buying if your primary concern is being seen driving around in a Prius.
and to answer your question $5k over sticker is for sucks (especially for a used demo).
Math – Say Tim gets a respectable $4,000 on his trade in. Tally that against a 60-month long at 6.5% and the payment on a new Prius is roughly $400/month. That’s 100 gallons/month. So let’s go with a respectable figure here of 35 MPG city. Tim will you really be driving 3500 miles in a month? Any small gains you make in fuel economy will be completely offset by your car payment on a new Prius.
Toss in the previously linked article that points out you’re already 1,000 gallons in the hole when it comes to production energy required by the Prius and it really doesn’t make much sense.
Using Chris’ idea of getting a used Civic makes more sense unless you just have to have a new car.
See: http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/10/columnist-discovers-used-civic-more-frugal-than-new-prius/
I’m thinking about kicking tires again, too. But before I go the Prius, route, I’ve been doing some reading, since gas mileage will definitely be a factor.
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/autos/0806/gallery.cr_best_used_mpg/index.html
I’ve driven two Scion XBs for 4 years. Also a Toyota. Gets close to 40 MPG. The choice is hardly between being a gas whore or an OPEC saint. Yep, you can say it is ugly but at 3.95 per gallon I am still paying under $35 per fillup of reg. And despite being very little longer than a Mini Cooper, has the same interior cubic ft as an Explorer. (There is a reason they don’t make ‘curvey streamlined’ refigerators.) Parallel parking? A breeze. Visibility? Dreamy. Compact space at NW Hwy Container Store? No problem.
**My advice is to go to Cowboy Toyota and ask for DONNA. She’ll get you a deal and on a shorter list for what you want than anyone else. Bought from her twice. AND after the sale, any problem? She makes the Red Sea part.
Brett – Quit showing off. The only people that ride the train to work are people that want to be “seen” riding the train to work.
And you do win.
Reading all these comments makes me want to punch Zac Crain.
I decided to go Civic Hybrid rather than Prius, and my sales person at Lute Riley and McDavid said there was an “In Demand” surcharge of $3,000. He said they charge it when there is a shortage of any model, and people had been paying it for months.
I would never recommend this trip for any other purpose.
But for a Prius, go to Ardmore or Lawton OK. Lower sales taxes, less demand.
That’s odd, according to the EPA, the 2008 Prius is the most fuel-efficient car sold in the US:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/best/bestworstNF.shtml
And now that diesel is 30 cents a gallon higher than unleaded, I wouldn’t go near a VW TDI. Plus, talk with an owner of one and get the skinny on what it costs to change the oil on one. It’s not like a regular car. The first two oil changes are $80 each (5,000 mile, and 10,000 mile), then the third (20,000 mile) is $300+. Talk to a dealer and they’ll break out what additional steps have to be changed at these alternate oil change increments.
Freeman Toyota (a client of mine) has NEVER charged more than MSRP for a Prius. Their current waiting time to get one is 3-5 months.
Dont any of yuo douch bags no how to spell or youse the proper wording in yuor psots?
Know I dont caer if you are temorarily insane.
Me!
Suc it!
Is that proper wording?
jason
what does it cost to change a battery on a prius.I wasn’t basing mileage on EPA standards those aren’t real life.You can’t go near a VW TDI Jetta because more than likely you can’t find one.Prius longevity is unknown a TDI engine isn’t.
There is this thing called the internets (Thanks Al Gore) that allows me to work from home. Not only do I save on gas, I save on wardrobe as well. Heck, I can work naked if I want.
The Prius’ TCO is not worth it. At least, not yet. It’s an expensive depreciating asset.
Besides, who would want to drive car that is uglier than the AMC Gremlin and more emasculating than the Chevy Chevette?
I’ll drive whatever Marty Courtland is driving. Someone has to stay in the “we don’t care or have to care” portion of the population.
Wow. Didn’t really expect the comments to run so anti-Tim. But let me clarify a few things.
I don’t want a Prius because I think I’ll save the planet. I want a Prius because I think gas will cost $5/gallon by next summer. I want it because it’s a relatively spacious car. I want it because Consumer Reports reviews it very favorably and because I drove a co-worker’s Prius and enjoyed it. And I want a new one because I’ve been tooling around in a Jetta with 110k miles on it — and I’m ready for some new car smell.
I might be a douche bag but not for any car-related reasons suggested here.
Thanks to those who helped.
comparing a brand new car to what you “could” get on the used market is stupid. apples to oranges. sure he could just get a $1000 geo metro and save a few grand, but then he’d have to drive a fvcken GEO METRO. we could play that silly game all day. obviously he likes the overall package. personally i dont like the Prius, but if I did I wouldnt hesitate to get one – despite all the haters. screw them, they dont have to drive it.
that said; never pay more than MSRP. and why limit your search to local dealers? get on autotrader, expand your search to the rest of texas, and then the country. buying a new car that isnt local, is alot easier than you’d think, and you can usually end up saving alot of money.
oh and never EVER believe anything a car salesman tells you, ever. verify everything.
I dunno… I’m looking at that 2000 Honda Insight, with it’s 51 mpg, and thinking I might test drive one if I saw one.
And btw, Juan, the metro gets about 40 mpg, too.
Tim understood. They only flaw in the argument is the $5 gas next year. There is absoluttely NO WAY gas is $5. There are to many people like u buying toy cars which will decrease demand, which will allow me to stay in my Toyota Land Cruiser. I love the free market!
I saw a study where they founded that the new car smell may be toxic.Think about it.
TR, here’s an observation.
The combination of posting pictures of your haircuts, writing about yourself, being a smartass and having a public profile will cause people to make judgments.
Well, at least you and Steve Blow(me) have something in common. Except for the haircuts.
On the bright side, more Tim haters = more eyeballs on your Web site, so keep up the good work.
I think the answer to the original question is yes, you probably were getting jobbed.
The extra info? There are alternatives to the Prius that also get as good or better gas mileage if that’s the determining factor.
But you guys didn’t have to be so mean about it, gosh.
Dammit, Tim. Now I have to go buy a Hummer to offset your carbon savings.
I hate cold weather.
I agree with the rest of the crowd that says buying a Prius does not make economic sense. But let me break it down with a little cost analysis with miles per gallon in mind.
Say you bought the Prius with the dealer mark-up which puts the cost at $27,000. Yeah, you’ll get 45 mpg, but you’re paying a Mercedes Benz price for a Toyota.
Let’s say you bought a used 2006 Mercedes Benz 230 Kompressor — a car my wife owned. The sticker on that was $29,000 and is now worth about $22,000 used. That car had every option imaginable and got an amazing 36 mpg on the highway.
Maybe it’s just me, but give me the lower-priced luxury car over the over-priced econobox.
prius nutjobs
cloth bag nutjobs
cfl nutjobs
global warming nutjobs
I love such suckers in the world.
Who knew these people could follow
a scam…Ha,ha,ha! Shmucks of the world.
What does the Canadian Football League have to do with this?
Back to the original question…a friend of mine is trying to buy one in Houston. He went in and told the salesguy he wanted the basic model, and they wouldn’t sell it to him. Told him only if he added a bunch of the ‘extras’ on there.
Whatever you do, don’t go to the Toyota dealership in Lewisville. I’ve had at least five people tell me their horror stories, and after going there with a friend last year and witnessing the “customer service” there myself, there’s no way.
The day we went, we actually had to sneak out. Then we went to the Honda dealership, test drove two cars, and were out the door in about two hours with a new Honda.
There’s been lots of talk about buying a used car that gets good mileage, but what about a new car? You’d have to drive thousands of miles to offest the premium you pay for a hybrid. Take the following example written when gas was ONLY $3.25. In the meantime, I’ll be happy in my MINI getting 32+….
Cost-wise, a Civic coupe getting 36mpg is going to be cheaper to own than a 45mpg Civic Hybrid unless you drive the Hybrid A VERY LONG TIME because the Hybrid costs a lot more up front.
According to Carsdirect.com, you can get a Civic LX coupe with some options for around $17,500. And EX coupe is another $1000 to $1500. The Hybrid checks in at $22,600.
That’s $3500 – $5000 in gas money you lose up front when buying the Hybrid versus the non-hybrid coupe. With an EPA estimated difference of 9mpg and an average fuel price of $3.25/gal, you’ll have to drive the Hybrid 193,500mi to break even on fuel savings versus the EX coupe (at $3500 price difference between the Hybrid and an EX coupe). Compare the LX coupe to the Hybrid, and you’d have to drive the Hybrid 277,200mi to break even on a $5000 initial price difference between the LX and the Hybrid!
Hybrids don’t make sense financially until gas costs at least $6.50/gal and even then you’d have to drive the Hybrid over 95,000 miles before you broke even on the initial cost difference between the Hybrid and non-hybrid models.
I’m on a waiting list at Toyota Fort Worth, $500 deposit and sticker price.
The math is different for each individual. My wife wants the Prius because it is the “it” car with her hippie crowd, the guy in the next office down, his wife wants a Lexus GS because it is the “it” car in her crowd. The Prius is thus saving me over $30,000 before it even leaves the lot, not to mention the money I’m saving while sitting on the waiting list.
Smug comes in all forms.
I’d just as soon drive a Yaris, and they’re more environmentally responsible.
I was recently looking at a new Chevy Tahoe vs new Chevy Tahoe Hybrid and the difference in price with the cost of gas being $4. I would need to drive 80,000 miles before I would break even on the price difference between the two.
For smaller cars it is an even wider margin. 100,000-120,000 miles to break even assuming gas is $4.
I live within Loop 12 and don’t drive excessive distances. My commute is 4 exits down Central. I could not care one bit about gasoline prices.
If you want to have fun with your far flung living fellow office workers, tell them with what many of them are wasting on higher fuel costs commuting could have been spent on used on a larger(more expensive) home closer to work.
Get a horse. Better mileage, and the best part is that you can throw its “carbon footprint” at people you don’t like. Uber-Texan, too, and you won’t get people sneering at you for being a pinko-symp commie.
two words… Honda Fit
and they have a hybrid coming soon.
Tim,
Might be?
Ooh…good call Wes! I’ve always wanted a pony!
What about the best part of owning a hybrid — the ability to scare the crap out of people in the parking lot as you creep up right behind them with nothing but low-speed tire noise?
lol spamboy. it happens to me daily from one of my neighbors. Only thing worse is the neighbor with an remote start car. freaky. Combo? Fabulous!
Thanks Bethany. I’d bet that Tim’s horse would even be exempt from the HP Mockinbird tolltag tax. Plus, Tim could rezone his abode agricultural and get a property tax break. I really see no downside here.
okay folks time for a little free market economics lesson here.
1. there is a high demand for these ‘hybrid’ cars
2. high demand means that the dealership can raise the price to whatever the market will bear. some loon (no offense Tim) will jump at the price
3. eventually the price will come down when folks find that there are better cars out there with a better TCO.
Please feel free to, at no charge, pick out a Prius, Civic, Geo Metro, or other small vehicle from the grille of my big arse Hummer. It’s not one of those pansy H2 models either (don’t even get me started on the type of person that would buy an H3).
Buy any $40-50K luxury car and people could care less, buy a Prius and you had better figure out the cost/savings ratios from now til you die. Because everyone is going to tell you how overpriced and not worth it it is.
God, I hate Tim.
Tim… While everyone else is ripping you a new one while texting from their Hummers, let me give a little tip you can take to the bank for your new Prius.
Google Prius EV switch. It’s available in Japan and many other places, while not available factory in the U.S. It’s perfectly legal and it turns your Prius into 100% electric any time you wish. Which will easily get you from Old Lake Highlands to D and back every day. With no gas.
We now return you to the great unwashed.
Ps… I should have said “almost get you there and back.” The hills may kick in the engine, but not mearly what it normally does.
And don’t pay more than MSRp.
Overpriced. It’s BS. I like the Prius, but it’s not doing mother earth any favors.
Get a SmartCar.
You’d be able to fit into those tiny spaces at Old Monk everytime.
If the budget is up to $25k, consider buying a 914 and having someone do an EV conversion.
PS- One of my favorite sites in response to Justoneheckofa Smallqock (JS): http://www.FUH2.com
I’ve driven a prius for two years now and love it. I realize it’s not perfect (nor the long-term answer to global warming), but it’s a great car, fun to drive, and has super low emissions. I can squeeze into almost any parking space and happen to think it’s a pretty cool looking little car. I consistently get at least 45 mpg both in the city and on the highway and feel like it’s much better for my wallet and the environment than the Pathfinder that it replaced.
I’m a bit surprised by the hostility to the prius (and their owners) on this site. I had good intentions in buying mine, as I think many who buy the prius do. However, I think buying any car that gets better gas mileage than a hummer or a typical SUV is a step in the right direction and applaud it.
I’d like to point out that the black text DM is not the blue text DM. thank you.
I run everywhere.
I’m still reeling at the “cloth bags are for douche bags” comments. I can assure you that when I stroll into Krogers with my bright green Half Price Bookstore cloth bags, feeling cool is the furthest thing from my mind.
I bought my Prius from Calvin Brown at John Eagle Sport City Toyota (NW HWY & 635) about three years ago after plodding through just about every dealership in Dallas. We were put on a “waiting list,” but it only took about a month to get one in exactly the way I wanted it and we only paid sticker: no deposit, no markup, nothing. After we had that deal all set up, Toyota of Dallas called us back saying they could get us one in about 2 months for about $6K over sticker. When my wife told the salesperson/manager that we already had a deal he got really belligerant and proceeded to cuss her out. Talk about some top notch service.
Another thing to consider about the Prius – some fire departments aren’t trained in rescuing people from wrecked hybrids:
http://www.priusownersgroup.com/?p=2130
My theory is to drive what you want, as long as you can afford the gas. We have a paid off Suburban in the driveway that isn’t going anywhere simply because the money going toward a $400+ car payment buys a lot of gas. If I was looking for a more economical car, I’d probably look at the Honda Fit – spacious, good mileage, and can haul almost anything.
I agree, Andrew. I’ve been using the cloth bags because I actually found that the plastic bags are a pain in the ass. What the hell do you do with them after? They’re not big enough to hold a reasonable amount of trash. They’re too flimsy for storage…
New car smell gave me a headache for about 4 months. Or, until it was no longer… new. So, I’ll buy that it’s toxic. I also buy gas will hit $5 gas by Christmas. World demand will continue to soar. $200/barrel in 12 months. What I don’t/won’t buy is a vehicle above MSRP. Shop around.
tried to buy a Prius. put on waiting list. called Honda. could get a civic Hybrid almost immediately. called back to Toyota told them to take me off list as I was going to buy Civic. They then “found” me a Prius. BUT it had an accessory package packed on that took the price to about 29K. told them to stick it. Civic was 22K. Had the civic since 2006 love it. 46 MPG. so call John Eagle Honda, talk to Rethea and get yourself a real deal.
Tell me, does a Prius come with a cactus juice holder?
Only sissy Americans
go into a grocery store
with a cloth bag. It looks like a purse!
You idiots you use the plastic bags for
lining your trash can in the restroom.
Stupid city people.
If you weren’t so wrapped
up in your stupid eco issues, you’d know this.
What a bunch of dumb-asses.
OK…all the Prius bashing is just spin from folks who don’t know what they’re talking about.
So, it’s claimed in one of the links listed that it takes more energy to *make* a Prius than a Hummer?
What stupid comparison.Let’s talk about the energy it takes to DRIVE ONE.
We have a Prius and a Jeep. Every time we fill up the Prius, if we had another Jeep instead, we’d have to use 26 more gallons of gas to go the same distance. (You can do you own math on how much $ that saves us…) How many gallons, and energy, are expended every time you fill up your Hummer?
The Prius surely overtakes the Hummer, energy-wise, on about the second tank of gas.
As for mpg, My wife routinely gets between 45 and 52 mpg when she drives. I get less, but I always get less from her because I have a lead foot.
As for other the claim that other kinds of high mileage cares being good options….sure, they are better than low mileage cars. And if that’s all you’re going on –mpg–than you can argue that Hybrids aren’t much better.
The problem is that this is a reductionist argument that fails to acknowledge the true genius of Hybrid technology…
Even if you take a Hybrid and a regular car, and assume that they get the SAME mpg, THE HYBRID IS STILL BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
I have had this discussion over and over with ignorant folks who think they’ve uncovered some great Hybrid-flaw just because the mpg may not be much better than some other high mileage cars.
Hybrids are still better BECAUSE OF HOW THEY BURN GAS. Yes, they USE gas, but they do not use gas when the car is idling….which cuts down on the time when a gas engine pollutes the most. Think of how often your car idles in Dallas. Gas engines are the LEAST efficient, and pollute the MOST at lows speeds. Even a car that gets MORE mpg than a Prius would still likely be WORSE for the environment, because of how it burns gas at low speeds.
These are the facts, not the spin.
Open your mind, and learn when you are being spun by simpletons and those who have everything to gain be tearing down Hybrid technology.
Tim, I can understand your frustration and your ignorance by your story. I would think that someone of your supposed stature in the community would have something better to talk about than a silly visit to a dealership. Things must be slow in Dallas these days. I will surfice that your ignorance in your experience is also your ignorance in life. Demand is demand and that is it. If demand did not dictate prices then someone please tell me why we are paying $4 per gallon of gas. Demand has been going up, will continue to go up and unitl supply is more available it will stay up. Gas, Cars…..hummmm same difference. Its a little thing we normal people call Supply and Demand. Your ignorance in buying something shocks me though. If you will believe anything anyone tells you, then I have some oceanfront property in ARIZONA to sell you. But I guess we all should not expect anything different from you, because then again you are a journalist who can always take one thing, spin it to a completely seperate thing and make it a big deal when it isn’t. If I were Cowboy, a competitor to them and you told me that they were charging what they were charging, I would tell you whatever you wanted to hear to get you to never talk to them again……FUNNY THING IS IT WORKED! Wow the incompetence of some people. Grow Up Tim, Research Supply and Demand, Learn the way of Life and welcome back to reality. You aren’t anyone special because of what you do, you don’t deserve any better treatment than anyone else. And all those people that say they bought a prius a year or so ago and didn’t pay over sticker for it……AN EPITHANY IS COMING WATCH IT……gas wasn’t $4 a gallon then, it is now!
I have a Prius. I like it. We put a refundable $500 deposit at the dealer at 635 and NW Hwy. Were scheduled to wait 6-9 months, but one came in after 6 weeks.
Before we bought, Toyota of Plano (Tammy) called up and said “We have a Prius. It’ll be gone in an hour. Come check it out before someone else buys it.” It turns out they were trying to create an auction with bids starting $2K over.
In Nashville last month, they had a $3000 “market adjustment” for Prius’s coming in not for the waiting list.
We get 42-46 mpg. It’d be better, but our trips are really short. It gets about 25mpg during the first five min while the engine is warming up.
Check what it costs to get a used Prius. Depreciation is not bad.
The Prius hedged our bets against gas too. It’s fun hearing people whine about gas prices while we’re mostly insulated from it.
Hopefully they’ll come out with a sedan version of the Aptera Typ1.
The mining of nickel for the batteries in the Prius is more harmful to the environment than all the gas a Hummer burns. Get over it.
Prius is not better for the environment.
Prius is better at fuel economy.
That’s it…until they come out with the next generation lithium batteries.
FYI- COSTS PER MILE:
To compare, the Toyota Prius involves $3.25 per mile in energy costs over its lifetime, according to CNW, while several full-size SUVs scored lower. A Dodge Viper involves only $2.18 in energy per mile over its lifetime. The Range Rover Sport costs $2.42, and the Cadillac Escalade costs $2.75.
For you highbrow-burners and hip-hop moguls, your Maybach tops the list at $11.58 per mile in energy costs over its estimated lifetime.
Forget the SmartCar…get a Viper Tim.
While not a recent purchase, in 2004 there was a long waiting list and many priced over sticker.
I went to Charles Maund Toyota in Austin, via phone and internet. They sold at sticker price only. A one way Southwest flight down and a break-in drive back was perfect.
4 years later and 4 round trips to California and back and I continue to love, love, love my Prius.
I drive a CapMetro Prius in a carpool. As primary driver my monthly cost is $0.00. I win.
Bought mine two years ago, Toyota of FW.
Paid just under the sticker price and drove the car off the lot that afternoon because I was okay with the color, features, of the car I tested. No special order needed.
Funny that the Prius is supposedly in such high demand now. I don’t think the demand has really changed in two years, just the coverage of the demand.
ph
I bought a Prius three years ago and got it real cheap, cause it’s a weird goldish pewter color. Apparently, some woman wanted the light blue, but after waiting three months, she told them to stick it where the sun don’t shine and signed off her deposit. Well, I was in the dealership when this happpened and had my trusty check book in hand, so I got the car and since her deposit was forfeited, they gave me that as a discount. My sister was with me and she had an old Ford with her, so we tried to get the minimum $3500 they were paying for all trade ins and guess what? Yep, They let us trade the old ‘88 in for $3000 clams and I got my Prius at $800 off the sticker price, cause I did not finance it. I got that lady’s deposit of $250 off and the big whopping $3000 off for a car I didn’t even own and gave my sister $500, for later. So yes, you can buy a Prius under sticker price, you just have to show up at 8 PM on the last day of the month when someone else decides not to take the ugly color.