Empty dealership lots.

Random related story. Last year we needed to buy a new company car. Boss and I both enjoy a wide gambit of vehicles. We wanted something fun. We set out some Saturday morning with companies checkbook and pretty much no price cap.

We hit EVERY SINGLE dealer in our town. Nothing, nada, zilch for anything on the lots. Sure there were some cars and random truck, but nothing buying for a penny. So we thought we try the shady used car lots. Same result. We were defeated and went home with nothing.

 

Time for a road trip then. Did you have the company’s credit card too?

 

Ya, the huge backup of cargo ships off the SoCal coastline is crazy. I have lived near the beach for 28 years and have never seen anything like it.

Here is a pic from today with over 60 ships waiting their turn.

“The massive backlog of cargo ships stacking up off the port of Long Beach, California, is making headlines. It's a complicated situation, with multiple factors contributing to the unprecedented situation, including labor shortages at the docks, growing ship sizes, and COVID-safety measures slowing down the processing of each ship's cargo, as well as a big uptick in incoming cargo, among others. Well over 60 ships are awaiting their turn to offload and the massive delay there, as well as at other U.S. ports, is impacting an already rickety supply chain that has been battered by the logistical fits and starts of the pandemic.”

 

So you sell your Tacoma for what you paid 2 or 3 years ago.......WHAT do you replace it with??

 

Pretty sure Ferrari lets you order anything you like. “Shortage” and all

 

My wife brought home an almost $200 set of King sheets from Hotel Collection. I just about lost my mind.
I said wth just throw it on there, maybe it'll get her in the mood for once.

I laid down on the egyptian cotton and whoooooaaaaa! It felt so damn good on the skin.
You get what you pay for, I guess?

Anyhoo, if anyone offers me $50k for my 2018, you can have the pink slip. I'll even throw in a set of Hotel Collection sheets.

 

So here I initially thought almost paying MSRP for my 21' TRD Offroad back in December 2020 was ridiculous, seeing what is happening now makes me happy I didn't wait...

 

I got so sick of my dealer sending me emails wanting to buy I truck I added him to my junk list.

Last time I was there, for the 3rd brake light recall, there was one Tundra on the lot and it had a big SOLD sign on the windshield. Who sells when there's nothing to buy?

 

People keep saying the prices will come back down and this high inflation will go away, they are wrong.

You can't keep printing trillions of dollars without consequences.

 

Cause it's a manual.

 

funny how spaced out they are. usually they're in there tight one next to another

 

Yeah, normally you can barely get in the car; Beginning to regret not buying the 2010 Prius for $5,600 last February, because I think I could have at least doubled my money by selling it now!

 

Thats funny in February there was a 2018 Tundra off road for $32k with 38k miles on it I was looking at. I was going to buy it, I was at the lot talking to the salesman, but figured I should let the wife know where I was. So a week later we went back together to look at it and it jumped to 40k, Now way out of my price range

 

I paid $35K for my 2018 DCLB OR, and then got a $1,500 rebate. It had 30,207 miles on it when I got rear-ended two weeks ago. The insurance company totaled the vehicle and is writing a check for $41,270. Of course, there are hardly any Tacomas available now and they are all $40K or more.

 

Here is what information I received during my buying process.

Context (Prior to going and signing the contract at my dealership in socal, I negotiated over the phone and never stepped one foot onto the dealership lot).

When I got there to sign the papers, approx date: august 24th, I heard a person yelling on the phone at one of the service reps. My service rep told me the following: We(the dealer), were just notified that Toyota is stopping the production of vehicles for 6 weeks due to parts shortages. That customer on the phone was just told his vehicle will not ship for another month and a half at least.
I was told that 3 other tacomas from my allotment shipment were canceled, and mine was the only one that was shipping... whether that is actually true or not, who knows, but that is what I have heard. Parts shortage, combined with the Louisiana hurricane (which I was told is a major port for Toyota to receive parts). and covid ect. how much is Bullsh*t, who knows, but that is what I have been told.

Another interesting fact, that probably most of you know, is how tacomas are selling.

I called my dealer just to inquire about a specific one they had in stock. I read their stock number for that specific truck and the sales lady said that it had already sold, however they had one being built on the 17th of August. At the time, it was around the 4th of August. I said okay and we negotiated a price. Basically these trucks are almost all selling before they are even built. + the markup and other stuff the dealer tosses on.

A little rant, I specifically told my salesperson when negotiating the price of my truck that I did not want to pay for their ELO GPS tracker. I got my truck and the next night, I took my girlfriend to PCH for a sunset... we had just parked then she pointed out saying "what is that down by your feet"? I had no idea what it was, but after quickly texting my salesperson, and using my brain and google, I figured out it was the gps tracker. Since I had not paid for it, the dealership still installed it but then just cut half the wires and tucked it up above my feet where the wiring goes. I know its a dealer specific thing but really, if I didnt pay for it, why put it in and cut half the wires. I can see how they may be required to install it into every vehicle they get but thats poor service. I took it in the next day and they removed it. Last time they touch my truck, unless I decide to bring it in for the multipoint warranty inspections. did my first oil change a few weeks back and am learning how to service my truck. The tecs dont care about mine and they dont care about your vehicles.

B

 

I cant say Ive had either of the 2 local dealers Ive gone to for service contact me in any way asking about buying my 2019. Maybe they dont like the Cavalry Blue in my area?

 

My dealership has sent several emails, but all were regarding trading in our 2019 Prius, not the Tacoma. They have new stuff on the lot, but the Tacomas, Tundras, and 4Runners I browsed while I was in for service a couple of weeks ago all had a $4-5k market adjustment added to them.

 

I was at a dealership a couple weeks ago to get my last "Toyota Care" maintenance complete. I thought it may have shut down because there were roughly 8 to 12 cars for sale (new and used). It was strange.

This is getting out of hand.....

 

Or this.... yikes.....

 

I went to the dealer the other day to order a 2022. They offered me $27k for a 2017 TRD Sport AC 4x4 w/27,800 miles (showroom condition -they're words, not mine). Insulted my intelligence but hey, I guess they had to try....