*EDIT: It is done* I can't believe I'm creating this thread. And neither can you.

[StageLeft]

And then now first dealership is willing to beat the other by a dollar for $235/month with 18k/year and $1750 down. They say this works out to several hundred below invoice, buying the Prius II at $22242. I'm waiting on a fax of the details but according to truecar this seems right. I could keep bickering but I doubt I can get more than a few hundred dollars out of them and honestly can't be bothered at this stage.

Heck, though, I gotta recommend the phone. This last place was very "you need to come in to get good pricing" until I told them we both knew what that meant, and another dealership didn't require it. The guy's attitude on the phone immediately went to "oh snap, well I'll get them right on it and call you back stat". Phone FTW.

OK This invoice is $22 above what Truecar says is a "great price". I can do that. I need to review the fax to ensure they are not screwing me elsewhere, though. There is a very subtle tickling sensation back there and I want to know what it is.

 

[Blackjack200]

There is a very subtle tickling sensation back there and I want to know what it is.

Oh, sorry.

//backs away

 

[SearchMaster]

Screw the phone, we have this thing called email When I helped buy my neighbor's car a few months ago, I didn't actually speak to anyone until we drove to the dealership to sign the papers.

Overstock is showing the Prius II at $1500 below invoice (Prius II starts at $21,384) in my area, FWIW, but the Toyota dealers in my area seem to have huge incentives right now.

 

[StageLeft]

Screw the phone, we have this thing called email When I helped buy my neighbor's car a few months ago, I didn't actually speak to anyone until we drove to the dealership to sign the papers.

Overstock is showing the Prius II at $1500 below invoice (Prius II starts at $21,384) in my area, FWIW, but the Toyota dealers in my area seem to have huge incentives right now.

Hmm, maybe I should ask for some more then.

 

[vshah]

i just realized you're actually serious....

 

[Lotheron]

i just realized you're actually serious....

I'm still thinking hes gonna say that he has no intention of buying one.

 

[StageLeft]

i just realized you're actually serious....

Yes, I really honestly am I have pretty much decided to do it in fact.

 

[SearchMaster]

I wish you still lived in AL, I'd come pick up your Maxima for that price

 

[StageLeft]

I wish you still lived in AL, I'd come pick up your Maxima for that price

If you actually meant that I'd foot the bill for your airfare and you could road-trip down.

 

[StageLeft]

Well it's done. Almost. I went in tonight, money down, credit checked, etc. I pick it up tomorrow.

In the end it was, for a Prius II with 18,000/year:

$1750 down includes first payment
$230/month

It would have been ~$175/month if I had gone at 12k/year, which basically matches Toyota's national advertised deal except theirs is $2k down and then all taxes and crap on to (works out to about $1750), so basically I got the national deal minus the $2k down. Invoice was $22,800 or something and I got this at $22,200. I know incentives and all that muddy the waters, though, so obviously they are still making money.

 

[SearchMaster]

I hope you enjoy the car. I have several family members with Prii and they all love them. I think they're good enough cars and watching the computer display to maximize fuel economy is sorta like playing a video game.

 

[StageLeft]

I hope you enjoy the car. I have several family members with Prii and they all love them. I think they're good enough cars and watching the computer display to maximize fuel economy is sorta like playing a video game.

I hope so. I do think that will be interesting, at least for a while...

 

[RU482]

how many months is this lease?
My office backs up to a Toyota Dealership. I may walk over at lunch tomorrow and see what kind of numbers they can come up with.

 

[StageLeft]

how many months is this lease?
My office backs up to a Toyota Dealership. I may walk over at lunch tomorrow and see what kind of numbers they can come up with.

36 months. Got your PM and sent an email but maybe somebody else cars, too, so...

...it's a bottom of the line Prius II with no options whatsoever. I think MSRP is $23,500 or something. Invoice was $22,750 or thereabouts and I got this based on an apparent purchase price of $22,200, so $500 under invoice. Truecar.com says for my area this is a "great price". I see that some others have done even better in my area, though, so you can squeeze them harder probably. I put $1750 down including first payment with 35 more payments at $230.89/month and 18,000/year. Go down to 12k/year and you can pull this down by about $55/month because residual, instead of being $15,090 is now about $1800 higher.

The money factor was .00075. I didn't know what that meant at first, but basically the math works as such:

$22,200 purchase - 15,090 residual = 7110. Divide that by 36 and you get $197.50/month to cover depreciation. Now, though, the money factor (a lease's interest rate) is:

$22,200 + $15090 (yes, plus!) = 37290. Multiply that by the money factor of .00075 = $27.97/month for a grand payment of $225.47/month.

The reason mine is not $225.47 month and instead $230.89/month is because the $1750, which was used to cover tax and destination and all that also included the first month payment. And, since taxes, destination, etc. worked out pretty darn close to $1750, they instead basically spread that first payment over the remaining 35. If you multiply $225.47 * 36 it's very very close to $230.89 * 35.

 

[ponyo]

What happened to "I'll never buy a new car because it's a waste of money." ?

Never say never.

 

[StageLeft]

What happened to "I'll never buy a new car because it's a waste of money." ?

Never say never.

The lies we tell ourselves. How many people who own minivans now said they'd never own one? I was one of them.

 

[PricklyPete]

The lies we tell ourselves. How many people who own minivans now said they'd never own one? I was one of them.

From my experience, everything I ever say that I will never do/own...I end up doing/owning. I've stopped using the word...it seems to be cursed.

 

[StageLeft]

From my experience, everything I ever say that I will never do/own...I end up doing/owning. I've stopped using the word...it seems to be cursed.

I will never own a brand new Bugatti Veyron. Never, ever!

 

[SearchMaster]

I've resigned myself to never winning the lottery. Sigh...

 

[Doggiedog]

I'll wave as I blow by you in my gas guzzling 335i!

But on a serious note, congrats! That's a great deal. Gotta love crises. I negotiated my car at 0.9% financing in the fall of 2008.

 

[halik]

I hope you enjoy the car. I have several family members with Prii and they all love them. I think they're good enough cars and watching the computer display to maximize fuel economy is sorta like playing a video game.

I dont think anyone has ever said that about the prius.

 

[vshah]

so are you keeping your other cars? how much is insurance going to add?

 

[Arkaign]

Honestly, the Prius is one of Toyota's best products. It's far better than anyone would expect it to be, and I prefer it to Corollas/Camrys/Yaris/etc.

Obviously it's not a sports car or a luxury car, but it's a legitimately GOOD commuter car.

 

[StageLeft]

so are you keeping your other cars? how much is insurance going to add?

It's adding about $12/month. I'm going to sell the Max as soon as God will possibly connect me with somebody who isn't a total ass master, but then it's what I deserve for only posting on craigslist, but I haven't had a chance to do paper yet.

 

[Eli]

I hope you enjoy the car. I have several family members with Prii and they all love them. I think they're good enough cars and watching the computer display to maximize fuel economy is sorta like playing a video game.

heh heh heh

It IS like playing a video game.

I've never driven a Prius, but at least with my car.. it takes skill and a very, very sensitive foot. I can't stress this enough. Miniscule movements of the pedal, probably millimeters.. are +-10MPG on the FCD..

It's fun, and I look forward to trying to best my all time high of 78.2MPG during our vacation this summer.