How much room for bargaining with a new Prius?

[NeverlandClub23]

I'm going car shopping this weekend (which might possibly be my absolute least favorite thing to do in the world). I'm looking for a new Prius as my gas budget is ridiculous with driving 420+ miles a week. I've done a lot of research on them, but I don't know how much room there is for negotiation on the price. Anyone have any experience on this? The dealerships I'm going to this weekend have many Priuses, but I know they're still a hot commodity.

My dilemma is that the Prius' price is $24,010. Through American Express auto buying program I can get it for $23,800 (I print it out and take it to a participating dealer). Is this as good as it gets? Or should I take my chances and try to negotiate at the dealership? Thanks for any tips/advice! I've purchased a couple new cars before but it was a lot easier to get a better price.

 

[crisi]

I'm going car shopping this weekend (which might possibly be my absolute least favorite thing to do in the world). I'm looking for a new Prius as my gas budget is ridiculous with driving 420+ miles a week. I've done a lot of research on them, but I don't know how much room there is for negotiation on the price. Anyone have any experience on this? The dealerships I'm going to this weekend have many Priuses, but I know they're still a hot commodity.

My dilemma is that the Prius' price is $24,010. Through American Express auto buying program I can get it for $23,800 (I print it out and take it to a participating dealer). Is this as good as it gets? Or should I take my chances and try to negotiate at the dealership? Thanks for any tips/advice! I've purchased a couple new cars before but it was a lot easier to get a better price.

It was really easy when I bought mine a year plus ago when Toyota was in the news every day and gas prices were $2 a gallon.

Now...Give it a try. Go the end of the month when they need to move cars.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

none really Toyota is having issues since of what happen over seas. Car that they have are selling with out big discounts.

 

[swilshire]

I agree that none is likely on that model with the situation right now.

Sheila

 

[Swimalie]

I'm with the others. Chances are very, very slim. They have had to stop production due to the tsunami and earthquake. All Toyotas that use parts from Japan are or will be in short supply and chances to negotiate go way down.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Does it have to be brand new?? I don't think I'd ever buy a new car - could you find one that 2 or 3 years old...?

 

[Pigeon]

Does it have to be brand new?? I don't think I'd ever buy a new car - could you find one that 2 or 3 years old...?

My experience in buying certain Toyota models is that it really doesn't make much sense to buy a slightly used one. When we bought our Corolla two years ago, the new models were selling for slightly less than the year old ones. Crazy, but that was the truth. They hold their value pretty well, plus if you are financing part of the purchase, you may have to pay a higher rate for a used car v. a new car.

We are currently thinking about buying an Altima. From doing some research, in that case it does make sense to me to buy used.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My experience in buying certain Toyota models is that it really doesn't make much sense to buy a slightly used one. When we bought our Corolla two years ago, the new models were selling for slightly less than the year old ones. Crazy, but that was the truth. They hold their value pretty well, plus if you are financing part of the purchase, you may have to pay a higher rate for a used car v. a new car.

We are currently thinking about buying an Altima. From doing some research, in that case it does make sense to me to buy used.

Interesting ~ and I love my *new to me* previously owned Altima.

 

[sydneysmom]

we bought a used Prius last month for an excellent price compared to new. (with very low mileage) You're going to LOOOOOOOVE this car!!! I'm not even kidding, it's the most amazing thing when you're driving it.... my DH said it's like driving a video game.... you try to beat your best "gas mileage score". Go Honey !! We've been averaging 47 mpg (after some practice in the very beginning) It does take a little getting used to and some practice to get the mpg up higher.

The dealership told us that the newer models don't have alot of room to negotiate because really, they don't have to. With gas going up, more people are trying to trade in cars that get bad gas mileage. (we traded our Nissan Frontier truck before gas just got way higher than we could afford)

 

[ccgirl]

As with most things, it is the good ol' supply and demand. Given the supply has decreased and the demand has increased due to gas prices I would say the chances are not good for the haggle. But, I would still try. At least then there won't be any regrets.

 

[Earstou]

2 1/2 years ago, the first dealership we went to, the salesman laughed at us for trying to negotiate. He said they didn't need to negotiate because they were selling like hotcakes and had low supply.
Second dealer was willing to negotiate. (Don't remember how much lower he went.) So try a different dealer if the first says no!
Still loving our Prius!

 

[mrodgers]

Curious about how much usable power these cars have. My thinking is that they are pretty bad and that is what definitely would sway me away from buying one, especially at the kind of price they are going for.

What kind of power do they have compared to say, a Honda Civic? I mean, the price difference between what you could get a Civic for compared to the slight improvement of MPG of a more expensive Prius really doesn't make sense. It would be even less sense since the Civic is pretty useless in power (living where there are hills.)

I drive a torque monster of a car, a 1.8L turbo and even though I drive in a spirited fashion, the thing accelerates like mad (happens often with me behind the wheel), can climb any hill you throw in front of me without having to drop a gear, pass any JoeSlow in front of me with ease without dropping down a gear and still get 30 mpg, it would take quite a lot to get me back into a little anemic car like a Honda Civic, let alone a Prius if it was even weaker than a Civic.

 

[Lanshark]

A few years ago when gas was high, I believe it was after Katrina, we were in the market for a Prius. There was a markup of 5000 dollars over sticker in the Atlanta area. I checked Chicago (where I'm from), NC, SC and FL and every dealership had markups on the Prius. DH and I figured that 5k would buy a lot of gas.

I've bought Toyotas my who life, Celica, Supra, Sienna, Camry and now an Avalon but will NOT pay that type of markup for any car. I was so ticked off I decided not to purchase. I called corporate and they said they don't condone the markups but it is up to each dealership.

My guess is that with gas prices escalating they won't budge off of sticker. I rented a Prius for a day and was really impressed with it. I would also check a gas powered car with good MPG like the Civic. That way you don't have to worry about every replacing a battery pack costing several thousand

 

[ceecee]

Two years ago, the Prius could not be found! DH decided on the Camry Hyrid instead and still we had to wait 3 months for them to get one in. I bought my Honda CRV a year ago and also looked at the Rav4, the Toyota dealers didn't deal as well so I went with the Honda which I love, not with the parts not being available and the gas prices rising I doubt you will get much if any discount.

 

[horseshowmom]

Anybody have experience with the Volkswagen Jetta? My daughter is considering one with a diesel engine. She'll have about a 45 minute commute and knows a couple of other people with similar commutes who own that particular car and seem to love it.

 

[crisi]

Curious about how much usable power these cars have. My thinking is that they are pretty bad and that is what definitely would sway me away from buying one, especially at the kind of price they are going for.

What kind of power do they have compared to say, a Honda Civic? I mean, the price difference between what you could get a Civic for compared to the slight improvement of MPG of a more expensive Prius really doesn't make sense. It would be even less sense since the Civic is pretty useless in power (living where there are hills.)

I drive a torque monster of a car, a 1.8L turbo and even though I drive in a spirited fashion, the thing accelerates like mad (happens often with me behind the wheel), can climb any hill you throw in front of me without having to drop a gear, pass any JoeSlow in front of me with ease without dropping down a gear and still get 30 mpg, it would take quite a lot to get me back into a little anemic car like a Honda Civic, let alone a Prius if it was even weaker than a Civic.

To make a Prius work, you have to be willing to drive a Prius (or any hybrid). Otherwise, you are WAY better off with an ordinary high milage ar. If you accelerate like mad, and brake quickly, and pass Joe Slow, you'll only get 30 MPG - or worse.

It won't do those things well, and will get lousy mileage doing it.

The Top Gear guys got better gas mileage in a huge Mercedes than they got in the Prius, driving the Prius like an ordinary car.

 

[crisi]

Anybody have experience with the Volkswagen Jetta? My daughter is considering one with a diesel engine. She'll have about a 45 minute commute and knows a couple of other people with similar commutes who own that particular car and seem to love it.

I had a Jetta. Back when they weren't importing diesel's, mine was not diesel. I liked it fine.

 

[ccgirl]

Anybody have experience with the Volkswagen Jetta? My daughter is considering one with a diesel engine. She'll have about a 45 minute commute and knows a couple of other people with similar commutes who own that particular car and seem to love it.

Has she seen the price of Diesel?

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I greatly appreciate it. I think I may be going used as I found one that's 3 years old with 30,000 miles on it for a great price.

10 years ago I definitely would not have been a Prius owner. Now that I'm a right-lane-driver, conscious-of-gas-prices kind of girl, it's right up my alley!

 

[horseshowmom]

Has she seen the price of Diesel?

Valid point!

Yeah, as "horse" people (on our side and horse and cattle on her husband's side), we have had very positive experiences with diesel engines (longevity and dependability). Oddly enough, when we first bought a diesel truck, diesel was actually cheaper than gas. Alas, no more!