toyota internet shopping experience so far.

First time posting so hello! I've decided to start making contact with my local dealer and a dealer 90 miles away. I'm going through the websites but i'm finding that the internet sales teams doesn't like talking about there vehicles through e-mail even though i've exchanged 2 e-mails with one dealer already and the second doesn't indicate he'll be changing his ways either. Its more along the lines of hey nice to meet you look forward to seeing u in person and i'll give u a call or call my cell phone. I reply send me the info requested please with a vin number that i found on that vehicle. Reply i look forward to hearing from you i'll give u a call or u can reach us at blah blah blah. I though this was suppose to be online sales. Hect i just wanted a freaking quote! Can they give a quote?

SO does everyone else experience this?

 

I have been working with the Fleet Department at my dealer from afar and have had no problems at all. The internet department on the other hand was lacking and I have yet to hear back from my inquiry to them through the Costco site for pricing either and that has been about 3 months ago. Good news is that my build did come in and my wife is taking delivery tonight...bad news is I won't be home for at least another week so I have a new Taco and can't even sit it in!!

 

I used the Toyota site, built my Taco, asked for a quote...you have to give your zipcode and pick a dealer...but I got a quote and some follow up emails, even a phone call making sure I got the email quote. No complaints from me. Maybe going through the corporate site gets you connected to dealers with internet sales departments...

 

yeah i don't know, i went directly through the dealer's websites. I found the vehicle i was interested in and asked for a quote through the internet website and i also gave them the vin from there inventory. What more do they need.

 

Consumer Reports Bottom Line price report...spend the $14.95, well worth it.
Then build your truck online, figure out what it will cost the dealer, then contact your dealer and tell them you won't pay more than "x" for said truck with options, etc. They will rarely give you a quote and you really need to pay them a visit to get the best experience.

The key to any new vehicle purchase....P A T I E N C E......if you can excercise a little patience, you will get the right deal.

There are other sites out there that have price break downs as well, Edmunds, KBB, and most reports you have to pay for, but it is well worth it.

Good luck

 

I did the same thing. Drove up to the dealer once to test drive an auto model to get a general feel for the truck, look at the papers for auto and manual "twins", put $500 on the manual, and did all the rest via phone, fax, and email. Drove up a second time for the $2,000 down and to take delivery.

 

i got internet price from dealers before

u can use to compare it to other dealers!

 

I've test driven a 2008 dc 4x4 sport already. They have 25 at one dealer and 8 at the other. I"m not going to build one online and don't want an 09 which they have a lot of already. I've had the dealer ultimate customer salesperson experience when we bought a solara a year ago. I just assume do it over the net for the most part. I'm just trying to get a few quotes without having to drive 90 and 100 miles!

 

I have the best solution for you. This worked very well when I bought an 03 Tacoma. I used carsdirect.com (the free version). It hooked me up with 4 dealers internet depts. I got quotes through the email. I went to each dealer to check them out. A couple of dealers didn't want to sell a vehicle that day. They were jerking me around. So I just went to the next on my list. They didn't have the vehicle I wanted. They had a better one. So they pulled the carsdirect price for the vehicle & the options I added were also the carsdirect pricing(which was way below retail). I added a trailer hitch w/wiring, bed extender, floor mats, & tailgate lock(kept the bed extender from being stolen). Then I haggled the price down some more from the carsdirect price. I remember the sales person telling me that I got a much better deal with carsdirect than if I walked in off the street.

I traded my 03 DC Tacoma for an 05 DC Tacoma. After owning it a year & a half, they gave me $2500 more than I owed!

My 03



My 05



By the way, I like the 2nd gen better. 90,000 miles & still going strong.
Good luck!
Sean

 

Good looking taco and thanks for that advice!

 

I'm in Canada, and I don't know if our dealerships work any differently here, but I sent in an online request to schedule a test drive a while back. Got a reply within minutes. The guy was great, said right up front that he'll show me the truck, let me take it for a spin, go over the features, but that he won't keep calling me, or try to pressure me into anything. He's been true to his word. I'll hopefuly be calling him this week to try to work out a deal.

The Ford salesman on the other hand was very high pressure right off the bat. Wanted me to make a decision right then and there, with the usual "this truck won't last" speach. He has been calling about once every two weeks, and it's been two months since I took the Ranger for the test drive. Incidentally, I go past that Ford dealer every day on the way home from work. The Ranger I test drove two months ago is still sitting there.

That said, I've tried to make online contact with two other Toyota dealerships since then, and have received no replies.

 

Probably calling because he's desperate for a sale!

 

That's kinda what I figured. I could probably use it as leverage to get a great deal. I only wish the Toyota salesman was this desparate.

 

Where are you located? Are you in Tx?

 

Located in Missouri, I'm finally starting to get somewhere with the knuckle heads.

 

Find another dealer. The Fleet person where I got my truck was excellent. Did a special order and everything over the internet in email without even putting any $$$ down. Waited 4 months for the truck to be built and she emailed me as the truck was being rolled off the ramp of the car carrier. I picked it up that night.

 

update
so my local dealer has a 08 crew cab trd off road 4x4 lists at 31062. He initially offered 28500. I said work on it after he asked if he could do anything else
He shot an offer of 28000 today before the rebate. With rebate thats about 4562 off msrp. What do you guys think. haggle some more...LOL!

 

did you ask or have them show you what the invoice on it was? they dont have to... but you should pay at least the same as invoice, if not a little less.

 

Check out cars direct like the above poster said and Edmunds to get a good idea on pricing. Shoot for what these 2 show as list price.

 

Never trust a dealer showing you the "supposedly invoice price". They can make those up all day on their PC's. I know someone that worked at a dealer. If a customer wanted the invoice, they would create one with a jacked up price. Always do your own legwork. Use Edmunds.com,carsdirect.com,or kbb.com. I use all 3 to get the best idea.