Now, tell me again why I have to fly 400 miles to purchase a car

[Squisher]

Went to a dealership to price a Toyota Prius (option 4 package) today and was quoted $28,378 as their lowest price. On autotrader a dealer in Maryland has the same car for $24,942 a $3400 difference. I told the dealer that I was in no hurry, I was retired and had plenty of time on my hands, I could pay cash and I was willing to go out of state to get the car and he wouldn't budge.

btw - I can get deep discounts on airline tickets with my son working for North West.

 

[novasatori]

so you can save money?

 

[kranky]

Seems like your local dealer can sell them for more than the Maryland dealer can. Doubt it's any more complicated than that.

Or, your local dealer feels someone who is retired with a lot of time on his hands will be a pain to deal with, bringing the car back in twice a week for imagined defects, and he wants $3400 more in compensation to make up for it.

 

[imported_LoKe]

Try looking at Canadian dealerships. The cars here cost more than yours, and a lot of them are made here.

 

[sandorski]

Cab company refused to quote the Fair for that distance?

 

[Analog]

My brother did that and the dealer selling drove the car to his place of work. The dealer was in Oregon, he worked in Seattle.

 

[Aimster]

Dealerships put fake ads on car sites all the time .... you better make sure they have it in stock.

Even when you call they will say they have it but then when you get there 'sorry we just sold it"

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: kranky
Seems like your local dealer can sell them for more than the Maryland dealer can. Doubt it's any more complicated than that.

I'm in Michigan, and I'd have to believe non-domestics are a much harder sale around here than the rest of the country. $3400 just boggles my mind. It'd be worth it to take a week off work and drive back from Venezuela to save $3400.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Dealerships put fake ads on car sites all the time .... you better make sure they have it in stock.

Even when you call they will say they have it but then when you get there 'sorry we just sold it"

I'm sure I can put a deposit in over the phone with a credit card or wire them cash and have a signed agreement faxed to me before I book the plane. With that big of a discount I'm sure that I won't be the first person to do this.

iamwiz82 said he did the same thing to get a good deal. I just didn't think it would that big of a discount to go out-of-state.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Get a signed sales agreement with the VIN # and then wire the deposit funds.
Also make sure that the options are listed on the sales agreement.

This will prevent a bait and switch.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Aimster
Dealerships put fake ads on car sites all the time .... you better make sure they have it in stock.

Even when you call they will say they have it but then when you get there 'sorry we just sold it"

I'm sure I can put a deposit in over the phone with a credit car or wire them cash and have a signed agreement faxed to me before I book the plane. With that big of a discount I'm sure that I won't be the first person to do this.

iamwiz82 said he did the same thing to get a good deal. I just didn't think it would that big of a discount to go out-of-state.

I told you it was.

Michigan dealers are freakin' thieves. I'll spend $500 to get a car in another state to save that much money. It's an adventure! On our drive home from getting a Prius I took so really interesting historical drives. :thumbsup:

EDIT: My sale was done completely remotely. We then flew down and picked it up. The dealer even made a big deal that we were out of state buyers, announcing to everyone over loudspeakers

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Squisher
Went to a dealership to price a Toyota Prius (option 4 package) today and was quoted $28,378 as their lowest price. On autotrader a dealer in Maryland has the same car for $24,942 a $3400 difference. I told the dealer that I was in no hurry, I was retired and had plenty of time on my hands, I could pay cash and I was willing to go out of state to get the car and he wouldn't budge.

btw - I can get deep discounts on airline tickets with my son working for North West.

Financing is a better deal for the dealership...they get 'cash' no matter how you do it though and most don't want someone bringing $20,000+ in cash on their lot. They are not equipped to handle that.

Paying cash works when you are paying Joe with the backyard used car lot.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Squisher
Went to a dealership to price a Toyota Prius (option 4 package) today and was quoted $28,378 as their lowest price. On autotrader a dealer in Maryland has the same car for $24,942 a $3400 difference. I told the dealer that I was in no hurry, I was retired and had plenty of time on my hands, I could pay cash and I was willing to go out of state to get the car and he wouldn't budge.

btw - I can get deep discounts on airline tickets with my son working for North West.

Financing is a better deal for the dealership...they get 'cash' no matter how you do it though and most don't want someone bringing $20,000+ in cash on their lot. They are not equipped to handle that.

Paying cash works when you are paying Joe with the backyard used car lot.

I didn't even mention it until he kept focusing on the financing and the trade-in on my Trailblazer. Pretty much most of the non-negotiating took place before I ever brought this up.

He brought up this $2500 fee called a regional price adjustment. I figured that if they were going to itemize something it would be in my favor. Boy, was I wrong. The salesman even got an earful from wife for the hard sell he was trying out. That guy all of a sudden did a disappearing act and his boss showed up and asked if there were any questions he could answer. I said yeah, what's your best price. That's when he pointed at the purchase agreement with the $28,378 price on it.

We said, thank you, walked out and looked into the price of an airline ticket.

 

[woodie1]

I think if you get an email commitment which includes a VIN Number you should go for it. Send them a deposit if they want. I am constantly amazed at how ignorant some dealerships are when it comes to pricing. I buy cars out of town/state and it is very painless and can save you thousands.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Squisher
Went to a dealership to price a Toyota Prius (option 4 package) today and was quoted $28,378 as their lowest price. On autotrader a dealer in Maryland has the same car for $24,942 a $3400 difference. I told the dealer that I was in no hurry, I was retired and had plenty of time on my hands, I could pay cash and I was willing to go out of state to get the car and he wouldn't budge.

btw - I can get deep discounts on airline tickets with my son working for North West.

Financing is a better deal for the dealership...they get 'cash' no matter how you do it though and most don't want someone bringing $20,000+ in cash on their lot. They are not equipped to handle that.

Paying cash works when you are paying Joe with the backyard used car lot.

LMAO. Do you seriously think the OP is talking about bringing actual cash to the dealership to buy the car? I think we can all assume he meant that he didn't need financing and would actually bring a bank check drawn from his bank account to buy the vehicle.

 

[Svnla]

I am surprise that the OP local dealer didn't price matched. When I bought my brand new crossover SUV, I bought the newspaper ad from a large Dallas dealer and asked the local dealer to match it. They did and 5 minutes later, I had a brand new vehicle.

I was in the same boat as the OP. I told the dealer that I didn't need any finance or trade in, just gave me the lowest price. Certified check FTW.

 

[FoBoT]

just buy a different car

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: Squisher
Went to a dealership to price a Toyota Prius (option 4 package) today and was quoted $28,378 as their lowest price. On autotrader a dealer in Maryland has the same car for $24,942 a $3400 difference. I told the dealer that I was in no hurry, I was retired and had plenty of time on my hands, I could pay cash and I was willing to go out of state to get the car and he wouldn't budge.

btw - I can get deep discounts on airline tickets with my son working for North West.

I think it's kinda fun personally. Think of it just as a road trip for your new car. Now, if I could only afford to go to Europe for the BMW European Purchase program....

 

[DarkThinker]

400 miles is a big deal now?
There are people who sometimes go as far as Europe to pickup their cars (through European delivery programs).

I for instance am decided to go Germany and pickup a BMW in a year or so and take a tour of Europe in it that's in addition to visitng some relatives too over there.
I will be saving good deal of money and making a trip out of it. The savings are just about how much you will be saving if not less by a little, and with you being retired and able to get ticket savings through your son, I am wondering why did you even need to start this thread.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: DarkThinker
.........I am wondering why did you even need to start this thread.

Because everyone seems to think this a global economy except the people that set the regional pricing structure at Toyota. Do the powers that be think that someone isn't going to look into all their options?

I mean, where is this coming from? Here is a progressive auto company like Toyota making their customers jump through hoops to get the best deal. How stupid do they think we are?

I'm sure other car-makers have some inequities in their regional pricing structure, but it's probably not so glaring as a $3400 price difference for every 400 miles traveled. Heck, maybe I'll fly to Florida and they'll pay me to take the car.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Squisher
Went to a dealership to price a Toyota Prius (option 4 package) today and was quoted $28,378 as their lowest price. On autotrader a dealer in Maryland has the same car for $24,942 a $3400 difference. I told the dealer that I was in no hurry, I was retired and had plenty of time on my hands, I could pay cash and I was willing to go out of state to get the car and he wouldn't budge.

btw - I can get deep discounts on airline tickets with my son working for North West.

Financing is a better deal for the dealership...they get 'cash' no matter how you do it though and most don't want someone bringing $20,000+ in cash on their lot. They are not equipped to handle that.

Paying cash works when you are paying Joe with the backyard used car lot.

LMAO. Do you seriously think the OP is talking about bringing actual cash to the dealership to buy the car? I think we can all assume he meant that he didn't need financing and would actually bring a bank check drawn from his bank account to buy the vehicle.

it really does not make a diffrence if he brings in cash, check, cashiers check or monopoly money (ok maybe monopoly money).

most dealers would rather deal in credit.

 

[Pepsi90919]

it's the stupid tax for buying a prius

 

[DAPUNISHER]

My question is: Being retired, will you drive enough to make the purchase of a Prius worthwhile? Or is it just a personal choice/statement to get a car that is a good gas sipper?

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Squisher
Went to a dealership to price a Toyota Prius (option 4 package) today and was quoted $28,378 as their lowest price. On autotrader a dealer in Maryland has the same car for $24,942 a $3400 difference. I told the dealer that I was in no hurry, I was retired and had plenty of time on my hands, I could pay cash and I was willing to go out of state to get the car and he wouldn't budge.

btw - I can get deep discounts on airline tickets with my son working for North West.

they don't *need* your business that's why. the Toyota dealer near me is a very standup place, but you can forget trying to strike a deal with them. they won't even budge on a $500 difference even if it means it will cost them a sale. why? because the next person through the door will buy the vehicle for the stated price.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
My question is: Being retired, will you drive enough to make the purchase of a Prius worthwhile? Or is it just a personal choice/statement to get a car that is a good gas sipper?

I imagine between the wife and I we will be putting about 8K mi. a year on the car. The wife is making a statement, I'm just thrifty.

Originally posted by: moshquerade
they don't *need* your business that's why. the Toyota dealer near me is a very standup place, but you can forget trying to strike a deal with them. they won't even budge on a $500 difference even if it means it will cost them a sale. why? because the next person through the door will buy the vehicle for the stated price.

That doesn't say much about the intelligence of "the next person through the door."
I would be willing to give up a couple of days for a $500 savings, for $3400 I'd give up a couple of weeks.
I guess we're all sheep and Toyota knows it.