Ask for dealer swap OR negotiate directly with remote dealer?

Which is the better approach if you're looking for a color/trim/option combination that you can't find on local dealer lots? I've never done either one. Maybe it's a crap shoot and you never know? Anyone who has a list of pros and cons, that would be helpful.

Also, on either one of these options (relative to a 2025), are you likely stuck at MSRP or a minimal discount? Would it be better to wait a few months into the 2025 deliveries before attempting this strategy, in hopes of a better discount after the 2024s are mostly flushed out of inventory?

PS, on dealer swaps, is it best to only try for swaps between dealers in the same toyota distribution region (I'm in the western region)?

Edit: One other factor related to different toyota regions: if I identify the truck early enough in production and weeks before it has reached the port at Long Beach (let's say it was destined for a southeast toyota dealer), so that the paperwork for the truck has it going to my local western-region dealer from the get-go, does that nullify all the Southeast Toyota add-on charges as if Southeast toyota was never involved?

 

how many vehicles have you bought from your local dealer? i was able to have my local dealer swap allocations before they were made for my TRD OR hybrid. i have bought 2 other vehicles from them. i told them id just drive the 5 hours to get it if they didnt. they didnt seem to worried and i got what i wanted without driving.

 

I've bought two from one local dealer, and one from another. My preference is to work with the dealer I bought the one from (although I don't hate the dealer I bought the two from). I don't have reason to believe my preferred dealer is opposed to swaps (I presume only as long as in same region), I just kinda expect I'll have to pay MSRP because they probably consider it like a special order or they are doing you a favor (I suppose they are, but only because of toyota's bizarre allocation where dealers have no input into the process).

 

What are you looking for?

 

I watch some of Lil Kenny’s videos on YouTube and he visits an Oregon dealer to showcase Tacoma and other Toyotas. Last week they had $5,000-$7,000 off MSRP and $3,000 off TRD Pro. For that kind of savings I’d find one that has the equipment you like and drive/fly there and drive it back. Especially if your local dealer is trying to charge MSRP and make it seem like it’s some rare truck.
They make 100k + Tacomas a year, no truck is rare.

 

When I was shopping back in 2006 for my old Ford, I had my local dealer do an exchange (he traded away a truck he had on his lot for the one I wanted on another lot ~75 miles away). That was 18 years ago, and a different car company / economic climate.

When I was shopping for my Inferno Taco back in 2021, it had to be my color. I'm a bitch like that. I had to buy used, so my choices were even more limited. There were two Infernos for sale on Long Island at the time, and phoned dealer #1 up (a Jeep dealer, nonetheless. They took it in on trade off a lease, and it sat for the pandemic, and had only 21k miles on it at 3 years of age; they almost sent it to auction... so I got VERY lucky), asked him if they still had it, and went to see it (and buy it).

The bottom line is, if you want your truck, go get your truck. Your local dealer *may* not be into doing dealer swaps, although it never hurts to ask. I know Ford did it 18 years ago. Not sure how Toyota dealers work. I know I'd hate to lose my dream truck because I failed to act...

 

Now is a perfect time to buy, and there's no reason to limit your search to a local dealer.

Whatever you do, don't settle for MSRP. That's Toyota's suggested price. I got $1500 off MSRP in August, I see the same dealer is marking them down $3,000 below MSRP.

When dickering, use the term, Toyota's suggested price, not MSRP.

And don't wait for the tariffs to kick in.

 

Its all a crap shoot...
You reach out to the dealer that has it & if you dont like the price negotiated...
Then you reach out to your local dealer to have them do a dealer trade & the other dealer may be hesitant cuz they think they have a party interested...

Your dealer will still negotiate even though it was traded....
Ive been through this & had a local dealer, dealer trade 4 trucks if I remember correctly & paint was crap on all of them at the time....
Well one was ok but not equipped how I wanted & wasnt aware until after the fact...

 

If you cannot find one on the lot they are usually more than happy to do a dealer trade.

 

Something that involves more of the dealer's time that is labor or cost to shuttle usually cuts your chance of a best discount.

I kept using the Toyota site, searched up to 500 miles, and used the Kiss My Grits online app to see landed vehicles. When units I liked were not sold and inbound I started negotiating. It seemed pretty common that biggest cities and some outlying dealers where most competitive on price.

The other advantage of the way I played the game is I in essence met the Tacoma coming off the carrier so it was broken in with appropriate care by me instead of a shuttle driver scooting it back fast.

@ingot there is a lot more inventory now than mid-summer when I bought but unlike many I got a discount then. My pickup was an allocation trade from different regions so that is also how I got a long bed and features as I wanted.

 

I have done dealer trades on several. Same $$$$ dollars.

 

When my truck was bought back, my local dealer was dealer trading left & right trying to source me another truck....
At one point during 1 trade, they have to give-up 2 vehicles for 1 to get what they needed...
& they did it...

 

Dealer trades have become easy with the super store. I am in southern Indiana and my Taco
Was a dealer trade from Chicago.

 

This. Find the truck right before or right as it lands - negotiate directly - and fly and drive.

 

The only thing I like about my dealer trade is they will go where and pick it up no charge. Or least mine does as compared to internet sales.

 

Southeast Toyota does not do trades outside of their area of operation.

 

I saw those videos as well prior to purchasing. I reached out to an Oregon dealer and they told me that they would NOT honor the price that was listed on Car Gurus and Auto Trader (it was a fair price according to Edmunds as I built the exact model since the Monroney label was available). It was shady AF and definitely false advertisement. @ingot it goes without saying, if you choose to fly out somewhere just make sure you get the price and everything squared away before doing so. I bought my truck in Missouri and drove it back to Texas after all the dealers in Texas told me they couldnt do a dealer trade for a manual transmission truck for me. They said that there werent any in Gulf States Toyota.

 

I was about to buy a GX 460 in Las Vegas, unsold, less than 100 miles, almost $15,000 off sticker. Deposit paid. Then they decided that maybe they can sell it for more locally so they literally sold it the morning I was boarding my flight.

 

Should have taken them to court.

 

it’s a little known fun fact, but even if you have a sizable deposit with a dealership, there is fine print that they do not have to sell to you.

My dad ordered a 718 4.0 MT Cayman from Porsche in a very funky signal yellow custom paint.

When it landed at the dealership, some whale customer saw it being unloaded and offered them 15 K over whatever my dad was planning on paying them, and they were about to sell to him and refund my dad’s deposit and tell him to get stuffed making up all sorts of bullshit reasons as to why they can do it.

Suddenly the guy making the bigger offer backed out and my dad got the car he ordered.

My mom jokes that my dad showed up at the guy’s house threatening him or something.