I would like to buy a Toyota Prius, but . . .

Myron_2

I am doing my home work and wrestling with my conscience of buying this car or not. My reason is I want a very reliable and energy efficient car where I don't deel like a sardeen in a can and I do actually have the requirement for a 5 door hatchback. If it was just for me I would buy a super-mini, like a Smart. The car I'm gunning for is the Prius T3 as I have no real interest for all the extra gizmos and gadgets.


I've been fishing about on how I can drop the list price of one of these cars down from £17545 and so far have found a site, who's address is `http://www.drivethedeal.com/`. I've run through this site and it tells me that I can have £1606.38 chopped off the on-the-road price. A discount not to be sniffed at.


Now keeping in mind that I'm one of the worst hagglers on this planet, and apart from telling me to get another car, anyone got any clues if this can be bettered?


I'm even curious to go to the local Toyota dealer, ask for a test drive and then hit them with this information to see if the local dealer can actually match the discounted price that I can get from `drive the deal.com`?

The other thing that sort of makes it worth while is the mention of reliability and the fact that for the price, there is a 12-year corrosion warranty and 8-year electric systems warranty, or 100,000 miles. Which ever arrives sooner.

I'vre not yet decided. I'm still researching the idea. What's brought it on is that my Rover is aging and the cancer called rust is slowly eating away at the body shell and also a desire of contributing to the survival of us humans. Also the fact that on my list of things to do before I die is to own a brand new and reliable car.


Any positive advise, hints, tips would be received with open and welcoming arms.


PS: This purchase would not be done on finance. I've saved up enough to take the sharks out of the loop.

Myron_2

Just transferring the advise that was given to me by fatboyonadiet.

Most dealers will match the internet price, search some other online retailers to see if anyone has it cheaper still, don't agree a price on your first visit, go and have a test drive and say I've seen it for X amount will you match and they'll probably say yes, ask them to better the deal and they'll offer you various stuff and say I'll have a think about it, don't fall for the we'll only give you this offer if you sign today, leave your number and they'll probably call you back with the same or better offer, BUT also visit other dealerships and say what the other dealership offered it and get them to better it, might work, might not!

If anyone else has any wounderful tips and tricks, please DO let me and anyone else that reads this discussion know.

Middlers

My sisters partner works for Toyota and he brought one of these cars home and I was quite impressed. I would certainly not try to put you off buying one. Have you thought of buying through a broker? These brokers will source the car at the best available price and they are paid by the dealer and not yourself - can't really lose can you?

Myron_2

Broker? Is http://www.drivethedeal.com/ a broker, but based on the Internet?

My success as purchasing cars usually ends in a disaster, as the only second-hand car I purchased myself ended up being a death trap and this would be my first ever new-car purchase where I don't want to be viewed by the dealer as a walking wallet, as the money I have saved up over the years in my savings account is also my pension suppliment and I'm still about three decades away from being classed as a pensioner.

On the Toyota site there is a link to the UK toyota forum where I have also participated in a duscussion, and also got some useful tips and tricks. This drive the deal, so far, one of the best which I didn't know about.

To help all that participate in this discussion, here is a item I posted in that Yahoo group discussion forum that will best describe my mentality regards this subject. It was in reply to a geezer (or gal) named `Willy` on that Yahoo group discussion forum.

I will not allow myself to `go broke` in trying to do the same. If the issue here is saving the planet then really, all the stops need to be pulled out to make energy efficient technology to become as cheap as possible to the masses can get hold of it.

Really, I don't want to be the only Prius driver in the town. I would love to see loads of these types of car, regardless of manufacture, all over the place. Putting the price so high discourages those on the lower income bracket from getting one.

Say I didn't have the funds available, have a family and the banks and credit card companies are snapping at my heals, like they do with everyone that's in debt with them. In this case a new car that costs £8000 is a hell load more tempting and financially reachable than a `£17575` base model Prius.

I'm not saying that Toyota should go broke introducing environmentally friendly technology, but then if the Prius was released in 1997 and then I belive introduced in the UK about 2000(?) when why don't I see a Toyota Prius where I live? When Form release the likes of a Escort or Fiesta then within the years, just about everywhere you turn there is one of these new buggers, zooming past, parked up or trying to run you over!

Willy, I do understand your argument, but where I live the argument does not hold too much water simple because of hard facts and evidence. I've not yet seen a Prius moving on a road or even parked up since they were introduced in the UK.

The suggestion of knocking off ?3000 is a good educated guesstimate. Even just knocking off ?2000 would make more heads turn. Actually, why don't one of two things happen . . .

Either:
1. Toyota pays the UK V.A.T. as that automatically lops off a little over ?2000 of the price. A few car manufacturers have done this recently.
2. The U.K. government lowers the V.A.T. energy efficient cars in the `Prius class` from the usual 17.5% to something like 5%.

At the moment the only incentive I see that is available is a VED of ?65 a year. Granted that will save a little cash in regards to servicing costs, but that's about it.

Real world mate.... The majority are just way to scared to be lumbered with a debt what will still not be paid off once the Prius is long and gone several years later.

Still, this has not yet put me off examining the possibilities of getting one. As I keep saying, I still need to get round to arranging a lengthy test drive and put it through it's paces.

Anyway, this particular topic has really been thrashed to death and back to life again, and it's archived for all to see and think about. Maybe it's time to give it a rest. Willy, if you wish to continue, you have my e-mail address. If anyone else wishes to add to this in public or private, well, I'm not this list's moderator.

People are strange animals. I could identify quite a few people which could not afford a Prius, and because of the environment they live in could not give a toss about the planet as they see the planet as already screwed.

The solution to the problem is very clear cut. Make getting a environmentally friendly vehicle a lot more `financially` affordable and attractive to the masses and not just to those who are classed as being in the medium-high to top bracket of the social ladder.

Still, I don't want to cloud the issue. Being able to go to a dealer with the ammo to knock off just over £1600 is impressive. Anything more would be better and/or a bonus.

wazza

have driven a pirius and was very impressed. considered buying one but could not justify the cost of one. the toyota hybrid has won awards from the engine technology magazine for a number of years

did u know honda also do a hybrid car? insight and a civic. i believe civic only comes in saloon version http://www.honda.co.uk/cars/newcars/whatIs.jsp?yearId=2005&modelId=10413&bodyId=10730&bodyDescription=Saloon&engineId=&badgeId=&transmissionId=&colourId=&colourAllocationId=&wheelPartNo=

southernscouser

If your buying brand new ask them if they have any pre-registered cars. All this means it that when they aren't going to meet their monthly sales target they buy the car themselves and register it in an employees name (along those lines). This car is then stored with no mileage on it but as it has had a previous owner it is effectively a second hand car. Therefore you can quite often get ££££'s off just because someone else has "owned" it before you. Still has almost 0 mileage and will come in the same condition as a "brand new" car. Also play the different dealerships off against each other!

abomb1969

In my opinion the interior is horrid. Unless you go into the congestion charge everyday dont bother, you can buy a far better car for £16k.

MarkyMarkD

Hybrids are a very complex (and expensive) way of achieving economy which is not much better than a decent turbo-diesel car. If you use it in town all day, the hybrid will win; if you drive on the motorway all the time, the diesel will win as the hybrid doesn't save any fuel over a standard petrol car.

The congestion charge is the ONLY sensible economic reason for running one, as abomb says.

Drivethedeal is a very reputable company, though, as an aside and I've only ever read good things about them.

blue_haddock

Untill a couple of months ago i worked for Toyota dealing with internet brokers so have a fair bit of knowledge on this subject.

You will not find a pre-reg'd prius out there, they are too much of an oddball for a dealer to order on the off chance. They also take up to 6 months to be built and delivered so it's not a vehicle that could be pulled out from a compound to be registered to meet a sales target.

Most dealers will not give much if anything of a discount on a Prius, the discounts from a broker are very strong considering the type and availabilty of the vehicle.

Personally i would go for a 1.4 D4D diesel Corolla over a Prius, the corolla will give better miles to a gallon and be a hell of a lot cheaper than the Prius for initial purchase and also for servicing.

wazza

i will also recommed a diesel corolla. diesels are economical and durable and also you will have a large queue of people wanting to buy the corolla compared to pirus. pirus although a good car will be harder to sell on afterwards.

Myron_2

abomb1969 wrote:

In my opinion the interior is horrid. Unless you go into the congestion charge everyday dont bother, you can buy a far better car for £16k.

I would apply the well known mantra; "horses for courses" for this one. If I'm anything to go by, I don't really care that the inside of the Prius does not look like the inside of a Lexus. I just want it to work and from the official Prius UK forum there has also been quite a bit of useful information. While my trusty steed is still working buys me quite a fair bit of time to think.

I now have to consider test driving a Honda as well as a Toyota.