> Hello all,
> I wish to thank all of the posters in alt.autos.Toyota prius for some
> excellent & entertaining posts I have been viewing for the past week
> and a half. I have always thought about a prius as our (wife and I)
> next car and in reading the post have moved it up to the top of our
> "short list" of cars to go for (the others are the Camry, Honda Civic
> and Subaru Forester).
> Our present car is a 1991 Toyota Camry Dx and has given us 15
> wonderful years of service (now @ 232432 miles). Unfortunately, it's
> inspection is at the end of this month and to pass it would require
> over $,000+ in repairs to pass. We were hoping to hold on to it for
> another couple of years more but it was not to be.
> I have started my search for a prius online about a week ago & found a
> dealership in New York that is the #1 seller of hybrids but at this
> time none are available, not even for a test drive, until about a
> month from now. I have cast my net along other dealerships along the
> east coast & have found some others who also MAY have some on their
> lots, especially with the option configuration I would like (option #4
> with security alarm) with our favorite color, blue. I know, rather
> insane to seek out a car that may be hundreds, if not at least a
> thousand, miles from home.
> Did find a local dealership in New Jersey that has 2 Prius's so I will
> be going for a test drive today or tomorrow.
> Updates will follow!
You'd be surprised how many dealers have them "buried" amongst all their
other new vehicles.
It doesn't really matter where you buy one (all things being equal). Toyota
would like you to take it to the nearest dealer if it needs servicing. I
live in MA but I take mine across the border to CT. I've also had service
done in New Brunswick, Canada (oil and filter), and Nova Scotia, Canada for
the same treatment. They were very happy to see me. The service took longer
because they didn't have a Prius certified tech on hand and they had to make
some phone calls. I also had it serviced in Colorado (same thing) there too
they were happy to see me. I suppose maybe because a Prius owner is a
different breed of animal altogether.
We're cool!! hehehe
mark_
wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I wish to thank all of the posters in alt.autos.Toyota prius for some
>> excellent & entertaining posts I have been viewing for the past week
>> and a half. I have always thought about a prius as our (wife and I)
>> next car and in reading the post have moved it up to the top of our
>> "short list" of cars to go for (the others are the Camry, Honda Civic
>> and Subaru Forester).
>>
>moderate snipping<
>>
>> Updates will follow!
>You'd be surprised how many dealers have them "buried" amongst all their
>other new vehicles.
>It doesn't really matter where you buy one (all things being equal). Toyota
>would like you to take it to the nearest dealer if it needs servicing. I
>live in MA but I take mine across the border to CT. I've also had service
>done in New Brunswick, Canada (oil and filter), and Nova Scotia, Canada for
>the same treatment. They were very happy to see me. The service took longer
>because they didn't have a Prius certified tech on hand and they had to make
>some phone calls. I also had it serviced in Colorado (same thing) there too
>they were happy to see me. I suppose maybe because a Prius owner is a
>different breed of animal altogether.
>We're cool!! hehehe
>mark_
Hi, Mark. Thanks for the post!
I do intend to do my auto services at Toyota City in Mamaroneck, NY ,
but I am getting ahead of myself...
Today my wife and I went to East Coast Toyota in NJ to test drive one
of the 2 Prius's that were on hand. We left after work but arrived
later than planned due to the tremendous thunder showers that were
occurring in this area of the country (again!). Waited in the 91 Camry
in their parking lot until the rain slacken somewhat. Noticed that a
Red 2007 Camry kept going around inside the parking lot several times
(guess the Toy sales rep refused to allow the potential "Pigeon" to
take it onto a very wet, busy, rush hour Route 17 traffic flow, he
he).
The rains slacken and we went inside to do a test drive. In addition
to the 2 Prius's at the lot, 3 more were just off loaded that same
morning - or so they claimed = :-o
One of them was almost exactly the way I would like the car configured
(option 3 with VIP plus security system, wheel locks & rear bumper
application) for a price of $4,417. The Toy guy went back in to get
the keyless fob but brought the wrong fob - it was for a $2,000+ base
Prius that was on the other side of the Barcelona Red Metallic Prius
(pant, pant - sigh - that one was listing for over $8,000 - Ouch!)
the 2 other Prius bracketing the Red Menace were both silver - I guess
I should not be picky since these Prius's were available NOW...but we
do like blue...could paint it later???
Got into the driver's seat with the fob and was told to press the
brake pedal & push the "Start" button!
Well, it did not start, of course. I was told to press harder on the
brake pedal ( I have been driving for over 25 years so maybe he
thought I didn't know what I was doing?!?). We switch seats and he
tried - no luck there. Finally he inserted (?) the fob into the dash
and it finally did start!).
I jumped into the driver's seat and away we went (no, we did not go
around in the lot!, shame on you!). The A/C was on (It WAS cold at
start up!) so I didn't really hear any engine noise. Even when we were
on Route 17 I didn't hear anything other than the a/c.
BTW, the a/c was causing the driver and front passenger windows to fog
up with condensation on the outside of the car and I was having a hard
time seeing the outside mirrors. Also, the view outside the rear
window was rather small (well, compared to my 91 Camry, all subsequent
Camry's I have driven had ever decreasing views outside the rear
window - haven't had the pleasure of driving the 2007, though).
Did a couple of clover leafs and was back at the dealership (about a
few miles). Stopped the car and was told to position the dashboard
shift (! weird !) up for park. He opened his door but the car started
to move forward! (I guess "park" is not up on the shift! - but that is
what he told me!!!) Tried again and put it into neutral and this time
the car was rolling backwards! I put a stop to this nonsense and
engaged the parking brake and we all leaped out of the car, where the
Toy sales guy asked another "younger" Toy guy to park it (he he).
He asked me how it was (it was kind of exciting) and wanted to write
me up for a sale as soon as we got back inside. I reminded him that I
have told him earlier that I also wanted to look into 3 other cars
(Camry 2007, Honda Civic 2006 and the Subaru Forester - with all that
rain I should have driven the Subaru first!) I guess he was kind of
flabbergasted that I did not insist on seeing the manager of the place
and offering one of my kidneys to hold da car!
We talked some more (after he calmed down) and told me that in all
likely hood all of those Prius's in the lot would be all gone by
Sunday (I believed him, especially after reading some of the "waiting"
posts in this group). I did put down a "good faith?" credit card
deposit of $,000 after he came back from the "manager" who wanted him
to ask if it could be raised from $00 to $,000 when the Toy guy
asked me the first time. Filled out some paperwork and prepared to
leave. The Toy guy thanked us and did tell us that we could still take
the Silver Prius tonight. I said no (!) and would come back tomorrow
morning to finalize the deal, If we were still interested (!!). He
asked what time (!!!), I said, maybe early - what time does the
Dealership opens? (8:30am). He said he could come in earlier than that
(!!!!). I told him that I would call in the morning before I come in.
Sheesh!!!!!
To be fair, the Toy guy (not the one that I was originally going to
see) is somewhat older than I am (I'm 49) and most of the other staff
are mostly YOUNG (It's not a very old dealership). He was not shown a
lot of respect from one of the "Young Thugs" who bitched about leaving
the licence plate on his desk with us instead of returning it to where
it belongs.
Sorry for the long winded tale...to be continued!!!
> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I wish to thank all of the posters in alt.autos.Toyota prius for some
>>> excellent & entertaining posts I have been viewing for the past week
>>> and a half. I have always thought about a prius as our (wife and I)
>>> next car and in reading the post have moved it up to the top of our
>>> "short list" of cars to go for (the others are the Camry, Honda Civic
>>> and Subaru Forester).
>>>
> >moderate snipping<
>>>
>>> Updates will follow!
>>
>>You'd be surprised how many dealers have them "buried" amongst all their
>>other new vehicles.
>>It doesn't really matter where you buy one (all things being equal).
>>Toyota
>>would like you to take it to the nearest dealer if it needs servicing. I
>>live in MA but I take mine across the border to CT. I've also had service
>>done in New Brunswick, Canada (oil and filter), and Nova Scotia, Canada
>>for
>>the same treatment. They were very happy to see me. The service took
>>longer
>>because they didn't have a Prius certified tech on hand and they had to
>>make
>>some phone calls. I also had it serviced in Colorado (same thing) there
>>too
>>they were happy to see me. I suppose maybe because a Prius owner is a
>>different breed of animal altogether.
>>We're cool!! hehehe
>>
>>mark_
> Hi, Mark. Thanks for the post!
> I do intend to do my auto services at Toyota City in Mamaroneck, NY ,
> but I am getting ahead of myself...
> Today my wife and I went to East Coast Toyota in NJ to test drive one
> of the 2 Prius's that were on hand. We left after work but arrived
> later than planned due to the tremendous thunder showers that were
> occurring in this area of the country (again!). Waited in the 91 Camry
> in their parking lot until the rain slacken somewhat. Noticed that a
> Red 2007 Camry kept going around inside the parking lot several times
> (guess the Toy sales rep refused to allow the potential "Pigeon" to
> take it onto a very wet, busy, rush hour Route 17 traffic flow, he
> he).
> The rains slacken and we went inside to do a test drive. In addition
> to the 2 Prius's at the lot, 3 more were just off loaded that same
> morning - or so they claimed = :-o
> One of them was almost exactly the way I would like the car configured
> (option 3 with VIP plus security system, wheel locks & rear bumper
> application) for a price of $4,417. The Toy guy went back in to get
> the keyless fob but brought the wrong fob - it was for a $2,000+ base
> Prius that was on the other side of the Barcelona Red Metallic Prius
> (pant, pant - sigh - that one was listing for over $8,000 - Ouch!)
> the 2 other Prius bracketing the Red Menace were both silver - I guess
> I should not be picky since these Prius's were available NOW...but we
> do like blue...could paint it later???
> Got into the driver's seat with the fob and was told to press the
> brake pedal & push the "Start" button!
> Well, it did not start, of course. I was told to press harder on the
> brake pedal ( I have been driving for over 25 years so maybe he
> thought I didn't know what I was doing?!?). We switch seats and he
> tried - no luck there. Finally he inserted (?) the fob into the dash
> and it finally did start!).
> I jumped into the driver's seat and away we went (no, we did not go
> around in the lot!, shame on you!). The A/C was on (It WAS cold at
> start up!) so I didn't really hear any engine noise. Even when we were
> on Route 17 I didn't hear anything other than the a/c.
> BTW, the a/c was causing the driver and front passenger windows to fog
> up with condensation on the outside of the car and I was having a hard
> time seeing the outside mirrors. Also, the view outside the rear
> window was rather small (well, compared to my 91 Camry, all subsequent
> Camry's I have driven had ever decreasing views outside the rear
> window - haven't had the pleasure of driving the 2007, though).
> Did a couple of clover leafs and was back at the dealership (about a
> few miles). Stopped the car and was told to position the dashboard
> shift (! weird !) up for park. He opened his door but the car started
> to move forward! (I guess "park" is not up on the shift! - but that is
> what he told me!!!) Tried again and put it into neutral and this time
> the car was rolling backwards! I put a stop to this nonsense and
> engaged the parking brake and we all leaped out of the car, where the
> Toy sales guy asked another "younger" Toy guy to park it (he he).
> He asked me how it was (it was kind of exciting) and wanted to write
> me up for a sale as soon as we got back inside. I reminded him that I
> have told him earlier that I also wanted to look into 3 other cars
> (Camry 2007, Honda Civic 2006 and the Subaru Forester - with all that
> rain I should have driven the Subaru first!) I guess he was kind of
> flabbergasted that I did not insist on seeing the manager of the place
> and offering one of my kidneys to hold da car!
> We talked some more (after he calmed down) and told me that in all
> likely hood all of those Prius's in the lot would be all gone by
> Sunday (I believed him, especially after reading some of the "waiting"
> posts in this group). I did put down a "good faith?" credit card
> deposit of $,000 after he came back from the "manager" who wanted him
> to ask if it could be raised from $00 to $,000 when the Toy guy
> asked me the first time. Filled out some paperwork and prepared to
> leave. The Toy guy thanked us and did tell us that we could still take
> the Silver Prius tonight. I said no (!) and would come back tomorrow
> morning to finalize the deal, If we were still interested (!!). He
> asked what time (!!!), I said, maybe early - what time does the
> Dealership opens? (8:30am). He said he could come in earlier than that
> (!!!!). I told him that I would call in the morning before I come in.
> Sheesh!!!!!
> To be fair, the Toy guy (not the one that I was originally going to
> see) is somewhat older than I am (I'm 49) and most of the other staff
> are mostly YOUNG (It's not a very old dealership). He was not shown a
> lot of respect from one of the "Young Thugs" who bitched about leaving
> the licence plate on his desk with us instead of returning it to where
> it belongs.
> Sorry for the long winded tale...to be continued!!!
Care to share what your wife had to say about the experience?
mark_
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> I wish to thank all of the posters in alt.autos.Toyota prius for some
> excellent & entertaining posts I have been viewing for the past week
> and a half. I have always thought about a prius as our (wife and I)
> next car and in reading the post have moved it up to the top of our
> "short list" of cars to go for (the others are the Camry, Honda Civic
> and Subaru Forester).
> Our present car is a 1991 Toyota Camry Dx and has given us 15
> wonderful years of service (now @ 232432 miles). Unfortunately, it's
> inspection is at the end of this month and to pass it would require
> over $,000+ in repairs to pass. We were hoping to hold on to it for
> another couple of years more but it was not to be.
> I have started my search for a prius online about a week ago & found a
> dealership in New York that is the #1 seller of hybrids but at this
> time none are available, not even for a test drive, until about a
> month from now. I have cast my net along other dealerships along the
> east coast & have found some others who also MAY have some on their
> lots, especially with the option configuration I would like (option #4
> with security alarm) with our favorite color, blue. I know, rather
> insane to seek out a car that may be hundreds, if not at least a
> thousand, miles from home.
> Did find a local dealership in New Jersey that has 2 Prius's so I will
> be going for a test drive today or tomorrow.
> Updates will follow!