Trying to Stay Patient But...

Why even put on your pants? USAA online baby! The dealers they work with give you the lowest prices you'll find (dictated by USAA, they meet the price point or they go screw), and the dealers come to you.

 

You shouldn't compromise. I got a pre runner instead of a 4x4, I wish I gotten the 4x4. I love my truck, and I intend to drive it till it breaks down. I bought my truck down here in VA, and the Toyota dealership here gives you a LIFETIME engine warrantee. Only thing they ask for is to conduct all schedule maintenance at a certified Toyota mechanic.

 

I bank and insure with USAA. They're great

 

Interesting, when I bought a 2011 I said Black or dark gray they did find a black one a state way but could not make a deal with them. I wanted a ex cab 6 speed SR5 with a tow package and it was the only black one they could find in their network so I'm happy with my gray one runs just the same as a black one even gets the same mileage.

 

I got onto the USAA website from the dealership and built the truck I wanted. My purchasing dealership wasn't a USAA dealership, but they did match the pricing off the website. The truck was not on the lot, so they had to locate me a truck in our sales region. Luckily the truck was at a dealership a little over a 100 miles away. i had to wait for 3 days (Thanksgiving) and I had my truck. It even had the 3M shield and upgraded security alarm that I got as a bonus.

 

Thank you all for the valuable feedback! Well a (pleasant) update is that I spoke to Jay Toyota (in Columbus, GA) and the salesman located the exact truck I want, in both black and mica pewter (a color I hadn't considered but actually looks really nice). So I now have the truck in my crosshairs and can purchase it tomorrow if I want!

I would much rather get the truck in NJ because it would prevent my first trek being a 1000+ mile ride on the interstate, which I would really like to avoid with a brand new truck. So I can now put some heat on this NJ guy to find what the hell I want or I can leave and get it from another dealer.

 

See if you can find what you want here. I used zip 08085.

http://www.tristateeast.buyatoyota.com/inventory/Results.aspx?series=tacoma#

 

I was looking for the exact same truck back in 09. The dealership pushed a silver one on me and after a few days I had to take it because they "still hadn't found one in black" and I needed the truck right away after totalling my vehicle. I was running out of options for transportation. I think in the end they told me it would take at least a month to get one in black. I eventually sold that silver truck and now I have one in black

 

I used the USAA car buying service as well. The dealership had the exact truck I wanted delivered from 300+ miles away. The dealership you are dealing with in NJ might be unwilling to secure a car that is farther away. The dealership in Columbus GA that you are referring to is a decent dealership. However, I ended up buying from one that is just south of ATL because they were over $500 cheaper than the one Columbus..... just my .02

 

I hate to be rude to salesmen but this is too big of an investment to worry about hurt feeling. I told my salesman that I was buying a truck, not a friend. Some will lie to your face to stall your purchase from somewhere else so watch out. They'll say its on a truck getting delivered so they can buy a few extra days to keep looking. I like to believe e everyone I meet is honest but you never know.

 

EXTREMELY odd that you mention that.. the last my salesman told me was that he needed until August 26th to get any headway because that's when the truck is coming off a freight and he should be able to secure it...

And you're absolutely right. I did feel a decent connection with the guy being a "friend" because of the advice he gave me being a prior service Army guy. I am always suspect when I meet someone who claims to be prior service but from "my experience" (CAREFUL WHEN AN LT SAYS IT) being enlisted and now commissioned he seemed to know his stuff. But then again it's easy to lie about something like that because a lot of it is easy to look up on the internet.

I think by me putting some heat on him saying I don't mind going to another dealer (who has given everything to me in writing already about the truck) will get him moving. And worst case scenario, I get the truck from somewhere else.

 

Sounds like you have a good plan. Buy from who can get you the deal. It's hard faking prior service. Who wants to be the lowlife getting caught doing that right? You probably found a good guy but to him your business. If you see them in the same way, you'll get a good deal.

 

The dealer had my truck, no problem. But my wife's Scion was a different story when she bought it a month later.

She wanted a black FRS, no spoiler. They didn't have one. She made the salesman drive from Carlsbad to Temecula to get it for her that night. They tried to sell her the silver one about three times; the last time she got up and walked out. She almost made it to her car before they caught up with her and offered to drive one out for her that night.

(I wasn't there, I was working. My wife is awesome!)

MORAL, as taught to me by my wife: hold out for what you want.

 

OP,

Hopefully the dealer in NJ isn't Liberty Toyota....if so, I'd recommend going somewhere else.

 

Also it might be worth looking into GA sales Tax vs NJ sales Tax. I'm betting GA is more tolerable. Going back to my post above, Liberty insists you "Have" to pay NJ sales tax, even though you're military and possibly registering your vehicle out of state. I had a deal on my wife's 2011 Sienna all but made and was about to sign the dotted line, when thy added in $3K in NJ sales tax, which by law I was exempt from paying since I lived in VA at the time and was going to register the car there and being military. I even pulled the rule up on my Iphone, and their response was that I would still have to pay and apply for a refund at the end of the year on my taxes....no Thanks!! I walked out after 2 hours of salesman, finance and General Manager BS. I had emptied out my wife's Equinox we agreed to trade in and moved all the items to the Sienna, what a PITA.

 

Spoke to him today on the phone, basically laid all my cards on the table. I told him I had the exact truck I wanted on hold in Columbus, GA. I will be there in a week and a half.. I told him I did like him and wanted to give him as much time as possible to give him the business BUT it would be a terrible business decision on my part to pass that up when my apartment is 3 miles from the dealership. I also told him that if he was able to give me something in writing with a VIN# of a truck in the style I want i was willing to work with him. He seemed eager to try and get what I want. So hopefully this will get the ball rolling. Worst case scenario is I get the truck in GA.

 

Just bought my new truck there a few weeks back, best dealership experience so far. Definitely buying from them from now on (plus they REALLY take care of Veterans too). Worth the trip as I saved a shit ton using them.

 

If you are looking at Shore Toyota in Mays Landing, New Jersey...run from there!!

 

OK! So here's PART THREE of this roller coaster ride of a truck purchase...

Still hadn't received a call back from my Flemington, NJ dealership and decided enough is enough! I called another Toyota dealership, Muller Toyota in Clinton, NJ. Spoke with the salesman for a little bit but this time I wasn't a deer in the headlights. I told him I have ONE color, ONE model, and ONE package that I want and I need it by September 1st; if you can't get it don't waste your time because I won't buy anything else. He offered to put it in writing to have the truck by the end of the month or he'll give me a full refund. So it looks like I'll at least be meeting with this guy tomorrow to talk turkey. He was very confident that he will get the truck from the other dealership, so much that he gave me the number of the dealership to contact with the truck on the lot in the event that they do not make a trade.

As for the Flemington dealership, I said I wanted my deposit back and after a little encouragement of a complaint with Toyota.. they agreed to give it all back. Also ripped into the sales manager, because two weeks without a single call is UNACCEPTABLE. All our communication was from ME calling HIM and asking for a sitrep. Let the sales manager know that it was entirely their fault they're losing the sale because I WANTED to do business with them, but they gave me the runaround. They can shove their silver truck up their ass as far as I'm concerned.

I will update again tomorrow after speaking with the salesman in Clinton! And thanks for everyone giving me the nudge I needed to tell this dealership where to go!


'MERICA!

 

FINALLY DONE. Got my new truck today: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/292654-finally-got-my-new-tacoma.html