Question on purchasing Toyota Prius

[montanacowboy]

Dealers are telling me they are selling these cars at MSRP and NOT sticker price because they are so scarce and that they Can

Anyone confirm this for me? is this salesman bullshit?

On a sticker price of $21,750 for a 2005 zero package, they want $24,000.

I have never bought a car at sticker price let along MSRP

Help with info please

[Beaverhausen]

1. I bought mine in California for sticker price in May

they are still trying to charge over sticker in some states but you can get it at sticker. You can't get any lower though...they are in demand.

But I love my PRIUS!!!

go here for tons and tons of info:

http://www.priuschat.com

:hi:

[BlueEyedSon]

2. Isn't MSRP the same as sticker price?

FYI the wait here (NJ) is 18 months.

Look outside your area (like in a red state) and be prepared to go pick it up. A guy here got one in a week for sticker.

[montanacowboy]

10. NO

MSRP is what they call "Market Value" or whatever the price will bear

if you check out the used prices they are sometime higher than the sticker price on new ones and that is what they are basing this market value on

its that old Econ 101, supply and demand

[BlueEyedSon]

16. No, MSRP means Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price

which is printed on the sticker

after that, the dealer can do whatever

[K8-EEE]

3. Last Year I Had The Same Problem.

Literally every Toyota dealership (I really CHECKED) WAS CHARGING $5,000 OVER STICKER!

I really wanted a Prius, but ended up getting a Saab wagon because I got $5,000 UNDER the sticker...the were closing out the year-end models.

My friend flew to the Sacramento area (we're in LA)and got a Prius at sticker price & drove it home. I kind of wish I had thought of that! There are less buyers up there I guess.

[thoughtanarchist]

4. I have heard this...

due to high demand the prius sells at a premium.

I'd suggest visiting edmunds.com as they can get you dealer quotes from a number of sources to help you find the best deal.

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2005/toyota/prius/100454051/prices.html

[montanacowboy]

8. I did go there

they put me in touch with my local dealers who either have no inventory at all and won't even return my calls or the one dealer who wanted the MSRP price

They had lots of the 2006 Highlanders which I totally will NOT pay $40K for -

With such a demand I wonder why Toyota is being so stingy with inventory

I checked the Honda hybrids - don't care for them

[BushCheatey]

5. I guess I was Lucky

Sort of I paid $2700 over sticker for pkg 5. Glad I did it though.

[northzax]

6. if they won't come down on the price

then obviously they think they can sell it to someone else for that price.

or they'll lose money.

[Touchdown]

7. Get metallic smoke blue!

...What was your question?:dunce:

[montanacowboy]

9. I would settle for ANY color I can get

just was blown away when they wanted MSRP instead of sticker

[Beaverhausen]

11. MSRP is sticker.

and that is just the reality right now with these cars.

Toyota is sending so many to California that they don't charge the premium here anymore.

I suggest getting on the "list" of all dealers nearby. sometimes you can get lucky in that someone who ordered one will decide against it or will get another one in the meantime and you can slip in and take the one they didn't want.

Good luck!

Again...I love my PRIUS!!!

Don't forget - you will get a nice tax break and probably a break on your insurance, a break on your loan and if you work for a good company like I do you could get money back each month under their carpool incentive program. So really...it isn't that much more money at all.

[peacebird]

13. we got one in under a month, for sticker price

someone else had ordered and cancelled a package5 so we took it. and we absolutely LOVE it!

there is no "bargaining" but we only paid sticker price for ours (in May)

[SCDem]

12. They told me the same thing so I bought a Honda Civic Hybrid

below the MSRP and I am very happy with it.

[Taverner]

14. This is partially true

However if you buy in a place with other dealers (like the bay area or LA in California) they pretty much have to stick with MSRP.

Supply and demand

[linazelle]

15. Carbargains.com

This company is recognized by car dealers everywhere. You pay them under $200, tell them what car you want including options, they solicit firm bids from local dealers. You go in with the papers they send you, and pick up your car. There are other sites that do this, but I found when researching a car purchase that Carbargains is taken more serious than any other company of its type.