Nov 1 2002
Since I have been pricing and comparing the various Prius models for some time, I happen to know that there is no vehicle of the color I want with the options I want (that need factory installation) available in the state, so whatever I get will either need to be shipped in from outside the state. But that's what the 'vehicle transportation charge' of about $500 is for, right?
Toyota conveniently provides a dealer locator that can list all the dealers within a certain radius. So I plugged in the zip code in the middle of my 50-minute commute, and ran the search. I found 7 dealers that I could easily visit as part of my commute. I'll just use the first letter of their dealership names below, to keep things fair.
Since I love the idea of having businesses compete when goods or services are constant, I wrote all seven of them a form letter stating the exact color and options I wanted. As I knew that none of them had the car (or a similar one) in stock, I knew it would be fair to all.
Here is the letter I sent to all of them through the Toyota web site...
I would like a quote for a 2002 or 2003 prius, as follows:
Color: electric green
Options: cruise ctrl, navigation system, side-impact air bags, 6-disk CD,
and floor mats.
I would like to see the price you can offer for in-house financing
(including possible finance rate offers), and the price for cash purchase.
I'm also contacting the other dealers in the area, so the best deal gets a
sale with almost no work.
Bryan Wagstaff
bryanw@xmission.com.
First Reponse.
From: Mike@B
Time: Fri, 01 Nov 2002 20:43:16 -0500
Subject: RE: Consumer Lead from Toyota.com Dealer Locator
Dear Mr. Wagstaff,
Thank you for your recent interest in the Toyota Prius. Please
contact me for your requested price quote. I guarantee to offer
you the lowest price, I will meet or beat any other offer you may
get. If you would like to work with an honest salesman without
any of the runaround, please give me a call. If you prefer to
recieve your quote by e-mail, please let me know. I would like
to thank you in advance for the opportunity to serve you. Please
feel free to contact me with any questions you may have or to
schedule a demo. Thanks again and I hope to hear from you soon.
MIKE
My first thought: Is there anything there that isn't a clichè?
Parsing it a sentance at a time...
2 Nov 2002
Another response, this one MUCH better:
From: Tom@m
To: bryanw@xmission.com
Subject: Toyota Prius
Hi Bryan,
Thanks for your Internet request for a Toyota Prius. I'll address the easy issues first, then progress to the difficult one.
Our price that we would quote you is our quote no matter how you decide to pay for it. So, if you come in with a suitcase full of cash, use one of our lenders, or your own bank or credit union, our one price stands.
Toyota is offering $500 customer cash on the 2002 model year Prius, but no cash incentives for the 2003. As for a interest rate, just use the one you can get from your normal lender. If we can beat that rate with one of ours, then great. If we can't, then use your own lender.
The problem I face on my end is that there is not a single Electric Green Prius with navigation in the entire Denver region (a seven state area).
Bryan, the easiest way for you and I to communicate on what alternatives are open to you is for us to talk by phone. I understand that some people don't want to be bothered by car salesmen. I don't mind being bothered by customers. Please call me either at our main store number xxx-xxxx and have me paged, or call me directly on my cell xxx-xxxx. Truly, we can accomplish much more, and do it much faster if you and I are talking.
Tom
Well that was MUCH better.
The only clichès are the ones I can deal with. I knew there was no matching Prius in the state, but I didn't know there was none in the Region. Oh well- that's not my problem. Again, the request to talk over the phone rather than through e-mail. I'll wait until Monday to reply to both of them.
4 Nov 2002
A response from the person I finally purchased from:
Hello from Gary Walker at Menlove.com,
I received an e-mail from Toyota asking me to contact you about your request
for e-brochures. I hope you found them satisfactory and if you would like
hard copies mailed, I would be more than happy to do so on your request.
Please give me a call or e-mail if you have any questions. In addition,
please take a moment to browse www.menlove.com and if you see any vehicle on
there you like, I will send you our no hassle Internet special price quote.
Thank you!
Gary Walker
Internet Sales Director
I replied to all of them:
I included a paragraph with something specific about each message, and stated that they DID NOT answer my original request. Then I sent the message:
To summarize the original message, I am looking for a 2002 or 2003 Prius:
Color: Electric Green
Options: Cruise Control, Navigation system, Side-impact airbags
Accessories: 6-disc CD, floor mats
I would like to make a purchase before the month is out. I do not care
which of the 8 dealerships (including yours) actually sells me the vehicle,
because I pass by all 8 several times each week.
I would appreciate an accurate and low price. I will disclose the best
price to the remaining dealerships until no dealership is willing to beat
that price. I am not seeking to hurt any business's profit, merely
minimize my own costs. Half of the dealerships that have responded have
stated they would 'meet or beat anyone else's price', but I will go to the
first dealer who offers the lowest out-the-door price, and delivers the
vehicle at or before the Thanksgiving weekend.
If the first price you offer is a price that none of the others willing to
beat, I would sign the paperwork with you this week. If it takes 50 rounds
and an extra month before we reach that price, that's great too -- I'm not
in any particular hurry. I would advise against the second one though, as
it takes a lot more time and costs every dealership more money and would
reinforce the stigma of some car dealerships.
The MSRP for the vehicle described is about 24,000; I would like to see the
price you would sell that particular vehicle for. As there are no major
manufacturing differences between the 2002 and 2003 models, I am
indifferent to which you present.
Again, thank you for your candid and prompt response.
Bryan Wagstaff
bryanw@xmission.com
Ten minutes later, I got this message:
I will sell you a Toyota Prius for $1 over cost. If you accept that
price, I will continue to find the exact vehicle and fulfill your purchase
request and when I do will request a $1,000 deposit to secure the vehicle.
Our tax rate is 6.5% and our fees are listed on www.menlove.com. My only
question is if you were told that the vehicle is not available in the Denver
Region, what are you hoping to get from the Denver Region dealers? Thank
you.
Gary Walker
Internet Sales Director
It took three more emails to Gary to get an actual dollar figure. I knew that the nav system would just be something more for my own whims and less for usability since I can just use my old GPS system.
When I got the price from the dealer ($20023) which is considerably below what Consumer Reports lists as the invoice price, I sent it to the other dealerships. THe ones that didn't e-mail me back I called. All of them said either "Nobody quoted you that, that's below cost." or "Sorry, I can't even match that price."
The nice guy above sent a good message:
A bid of $20,023 is below invoice. If they can truly sell you a Prius
configured as I have listed above, then that's the best deal you'll find out
there.
If, on the other hand, you get there and something changes in the finance
office, then you'll know that they "bubbled" you - gave you an artificial
number that evaporates. My guess is that they're subtracting the $500 that
would be available if the Prius was a 2002.
If you want to deal with someone who's up front and totally honest, and
who'll take good care of you long after the sale, then let me make an
honest amount over invoice, and we can do business.
Tom
So at this point I went in to Menlove to see if they would go for the price... They didn't have EXACTLY the options I wanted, but he showed me the dealership costs, and said they were getting some discounts. He told me that I could add any other options in the store at costs (and that he would show them to me if I didn't believe him). He also said they had 6 on their lot and needed to get rid of some, that's why the low price. He gave me a week to think about it and check with other dealerships, just so I felt comfortable.
So Tom at Mark Miller Toyota wrote back:
Hi Bryan
I gotta tell ya, I'm real curious. How did things shake out? Did the dealer stand
behind a lowball bid of below invoice on a 2003 Prius? I can't imagine anyone
doing that, but I could be wrong.
Tom
So I checked around. I told Tom at Mark Miller about it and he gave me some comments... And I made the purchase and picked up the vehicle on November 9, 2002.
I recommend both Menlove Dodge\Toyota and Mark Miller Toyota if you are purchasing a Prius in the Salt Lake City area.
Further, based on the attitudes of the other dealerships, I would recommend AGAINT going to the other 6 along the wasatch front. As always, your experience may vary.
