What's a reasonable price to pay for the Toyota Prius Hybrid in CA (Bay area)?

Question

Edmunds lists the invoice price as $20,006, and the MSRP as $21,725. Many car dealers list a huge mark-up price, up to $5900. I know that the mark-up price is negotiable but I want to know the extent to which I shd negotiate for a good deal. If there's anyone in the bay area, who has bought one recently, please let me know the base price you paid (and the mark up price). Advice and tips highly appreciated! Thanks

Answer 1

Avoid any dealer that marks up above MSRP, for an "availability surcharge" or "market adjustment."

Most dealers are sticking to MSRP. A few will go below MSRP, but are hard to find.

To find the MSRP for the option packages and accessories, go to http://www.toyota.com/prius and use the "Build and Price your Prius" link on the left and fill in your ZIP code to see your local regional options. (Different regions offer different option packages, so if you are looking for something specific you may have to go out of region. Don't worry - all US Prius are 50-state certified so you can bring one into CA from another US state, and they are currently SMOG exempt in CA.)

Also beware of added accessories or dealer add-ons that you don't want (like the overpriced ToyotaGuard that the Southeast/Gulf States region likes to add to every car, or scotchguarding, or VIN etching, or paint protectant, or leather, or...)

You may want to ask on a more local owner's list:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bay_Area_Prius_fans/

or on some other owner's lists that have more traffic:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-prius/
http://www.priusonline.com/
http://www.priuschat.com/

Just be aware that the US Federal income tax credit of $3150 for a Prius purchased after Jan. 1, 2006, will be dropping 50% to $1575 on Oct. 1, 2006, so get that purchase in earlier rather than later!

Answer 2

Uhm yeah. Is that "mark-up" price, or priced with options? There's a lot of difference. Also, dealers, for the most part, get AT LEAST pkg 1 (side air bags, but will be standard on 07's), and most are pkg 3 or 5, which brings the sticker price to around 23.5. My dealer puts "Toyoguard" (a Southeast Toyota thing) and mats on every one of them, which adds another $845 and can't be priced on Edmunds.

The only thing you need to look for on the window sticker is the phrase "Adjusted Market Value". That's the dealer's markup. If they have the AMV stickers, just leave. Don't even try to do business with them. They are crappy dealers from the stone-age trying to do business in the 21st Century. Screw 'em!

You are not going to get a Prius at 5% over cost.

The civic and accord hybrids do not offer near the fuel savings.

Answer 3

You may have seen the Tesla electric sportscar http://www.teslamotors.com
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You may have even seen the T-Zero electric sports car http://www.acpropulsion.com/ACP_FAQs/FAQ_cars.htm
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These two cars show that it is now possible to build electric cars that can out-accelerate a Ferrari, and go 250 - 350 miles on a single charge. But both these cars are very expensive.
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So who else is working on electric cars?
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Would you believe China? They have to work on EVs. There won't be enough oil to support China's future economic growth.
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I drive an old electric vehicle. I also have friends with electric vehicles. Some of them have recently been able to buy some amazing, cutting-edge EV batteries from China - example:
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http://www.everspring.net/product-battery.htm
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These batteries are better, and cheaper than the ones in those $100,000+ sportscars above. If you look at the chart, you'll see they are as cheap as lead-acid batteries, and they hold up for 1100 charges, twice as many charges as the other LI-Ion batteries on the chart.
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Now, look at this car:
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http://www.milesautomotive.com/products_xs200.html
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It's a Chinese electric car, which will be imported into the USA next year. The driving range is almost as good as those sports cars above. But it only costs $28500. And that price could get a lot cheaper.

Answer 4

Give them DEALER COST plus 5 percent. This is not the "invoice price", because that is not indicative of what the dealer paid for it.

By the way, $20 grand buys a lot of bus tickets.

Answer 5

Why would they negotiate if they can get a sucker to pay the $5900 markup?

I'd rather get the Civic or Accord hybrid at that price.