Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Going for Gold: Toyota dealers reportedly price gouging on 2010 Prius]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/going-for-the-gold-toyota-dealers-reportedly-price-gouging-on-2/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/going-for-the-gold-toyota-dealers-reportedly-price-gouging-on-2/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/going-for-the-gold-toyota-dealers-reportedly-price-gouging-on-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

The last time we heard about gouging on the Toyota Prius was, oh, just last summer when gas prices put the frugal flyer at the top of shopping lists. Things were so bad then that used Priuses were going for more than new models because dealers couldn't keep the fresh stuff in stock.

Cash-for-Clunkers appears to have had the same affect on some Toyota dealers this summer. Even though cars like the Ford Fusion and Toyota Corolla grabbed the top slots and headlines, the Prius was so popular as a swap-car that dealers again ran short on inventory. Daily Tech reports that the tight supply llead some dealerships to start adding a Market Value Adjustment (MVA) to the MSRP of up to $5,000.

It wasn't all Toyota dealers that took to making dough while the sun shone, of course - and the gist of the story appears to be that if you really want a Prius, shop around for MSRP and you'll probably find it. In the long run, until the Prius gets some real competition for the mantle of Greenest Thing on Earth, be ready to hear this story again.


Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius


[Source: Daily Tech]

Going for Gold: Toyota dealers reportedly price gouging on 2010 Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car buyingCarBuyingdealerdealersdealershipgougegouginghatchbackhybridmarket valuemarket value adjustmentMarketValueMarketValueAdjustmentprice gougingPriceGougingpriustoyotatoyota dealertoyota dealerstoyota dealershiptoyota priusToyotaDealerToyotaDealersToyotaDealershipToyotaPriusWed, 26 Aug 2009 16:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Trouble at the top? Toyota vehicles sitting longer on dealer lots]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/28/trouble-at-the-top-toyota-vehicles-sitting-longer-on-dealer-lot/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/28/trouble-at-the-top-toyota-vehicles-sitting-longer-on-dealer-lot/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/28/trouble-at-the-top-toyota-vehicles-sitting-longer-on-dealer-lot/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Although Toyota has recently claimed the title of the World's Largest Automaker in terms of global sales, the Japanese-giant is finding out that life at the top isn't all it's cracked-up to be. While the Camry, Corolla, Yaris and Prius sedans are reportedly brisk movers, the same thing cannot be said about Toyota's line of trucks and sport utility vehicles. Toyota has cut Tundra and Sequoia production already, but dealers are still declining to purchase them, pushing the number of unclaimed units to an all-time high. Automotive News quotes an unnamed Toyota dealer as saying, "Last month, Southeast Toyota had 9,700 vehicles that had been turned down twice by dealers and are either sitting at the port or at sea. That's a significant number." Right now, Toyota/Scion has a high 58-day supply of available inventory on hand.

Some dealers, though, see the high number of available units as a blessing-in-disguise. "We've been asking for more inventory for two years and now we finally got it. This is a great opportunity. You have to take it when you can get it," says Steve Cain, general manager of Lewis Toyota-Scion in Topeka, Kansas. Regardless of your viewpoint, we expect that Toyota will align itself with market realities in order to bring production in line with actual sales sooner rather than later. In other words, if you've been in the market for a Toyota truck, chances are good you'll get a decent deal.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Trouble at the top? Toyota vehicles sitting longer on dealer lots originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>toyotatoyota dealerstoyota inventorytoyota sequoiatoyota supplytoyota tundratoyota-dealerstoyota-inventorytoyota-sequoiatoyota-supplytoyota-tundraToyotaDealersToyotaInventoryToyotaSequoiaToyotaSupplyToyotaTundratundraMon, 28 Apr 2008 14:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota set to rectify the poor dealer experience]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/25/toyota-set-to-rectify-the-poor-dealer-experience/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/25/toyota-set-to-rectify-the-poor-dealer-experience/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/25/toyota-set-to-rectify-the-poor-dealer-experience/#commentsFiled under: ,

Toyota has one of the highest loyalty rates of any car brand, something it's earned over decades of building reliable cars and treating customers fairly. So when one of its managers hears stories similar to that of a customer of twenty years switching brands because of the poor treatment received at a dealer, you can rest assured that the carmaker's service experience will be changing, and changing fast.

The plan now is to improve the whole 'Toyota experience' of buying, owning, and maintaining one of its cars. "It's a movement, not a program," explained Jack Hollis, the corporate manager with Toyota's U.S. sales subsidiary who heads the EM2 initiative - Toyota's Everything Matters Exponentially plan.

The carmaker is rapidly expanding all over the globe, but at the same time it's facing new challenges that have the potential to tarnish its reputable image. The major issues are the growing number of vehicle recalls and a jump in the level of unscrupulous dealers that are overcharging customers for routine maintenance and simple repairs. Finally, Toyota has been slipping in the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey, and is now behind arch rival Honda.

Can EM2 turn Toyota back into the carmaker that allowed it to reach the number one spot? Only time will tell.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Toyota set to rectify the poor dealer experience originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>toyotatoyota dealerstoyota qualityToyotaDealersToyotaQualityMon, 25 Jun 2007 15:29:00 EST