Ask the Toyota dealer and maybe you can get a different perspective??

Toyota uses invoice pricing to control dealers advertising through what they call a covenant. Dealers are fined for advertising below invoice yet capable of selling below invoice. Sales people are typically paid more for above invoice deals vs below invoice deals to motivate sales people to sell value vs numbers. $10 above invoice would pay $200 mini vs $10 below invoice would pay $150.00 example

My girlfriends dealership pays a large bonus off the positive review % they get which is why I don't work with her anymore.

 

Best guess. Very few 4Runners are ever discounted deeply into dealer holdback territory.

 

I had a 2006 Rubicon Unlimited for seven years. Fun vehicle - great 2nd vehicle / non-daily driver! I was scared to death about having an road accident with the kids in it. Garage kept with the top off from May to Nov in Maryland - good times! My favorite was my 1977 Ford Bronco!

I am really grappling with the intrigue of the Pro and thus tying my hands with the thought that it does not need modifying, and makes no sense to modify; versus the more prudent TRD ORP choice which is a great platform for modifying as one sees fit. Modest modifying - I am 59 and want to travel the country in a variety of seasons with my mtn bike or skis, and fishing pole or bow! No hardcore 4 wheeling necessary!

 

Dealers deal on the core line up Camry, corolla Rav4. These three we sell the most of and stk the inventory to sell at discounts (Mass Marketing).

The 4runner should always be sold above invoice.. The 4runner is badass, limited quantity, made in Japan, holds its value, and lasts a long time so it sells at a premium.

Bargain hunterS only hurt themselves with resale..

 

"The 4runner is bad ass, limited quantity, made in Japan, holds its value, and lasts a long time so it sells at a premium."

Once those facts are accepted by a potential purchaser it makes the buying/selling process a whole lot easier for everyone.

A reality that took me a while to grasp.

 

Yup, people always ask, "is this is a good deal?"

People often ask the internet if they got a good deal, but you should be able to answer this question for yourself before you spend that money, or you haven't been thoughtful about how you spend your money.

 

This is a question you should never ask. If you're not happy with the price you're gonna pay or the vehicle, don't buy it. You need to be happy with what you're going to pay and once it's done, it's best to forget about it and move on. Can't do anything after the fact and knowing you got screwed or did really well isn't gonna do anything for you. Especially if you paid too much.

 

I think either would fit your needs the Pro does give you everything plus the factory warranty on it all.. I just did a spacer up front (2" ) to level it out with different rims and 285/70/17 tires. I highly recommend the Duratrac tires in the slick stuff my favorite dual purpose tire.

 

it's the waiting that's hard.

 

Funny thing about buying a Pro is that you feel like you have a good deal / fair deal if you paid MSRP. You know what the bottom line is going into the transaction. Makes the thought process easy if buying a Pro. Despite the fact that you know you really over paying for that vehicle if you consider the cost basis of the Pro features in comparison with TRD ORP features. With the TRD ORP or other trims, you never really know what the dealer's bottom line is and then the dreaded games begin! Did I get a fair deal or not? How much below MSRP is a fair deal for the other trims? What to ask for and hope for without being a prick!

 

Seriously. Ask yourself, what out the door price, works for 'you'. If you can find someone that matches it, you're gold. If not - you have a choice - pay more or don't buy a 4Runner. Not being harsh but realistic.

 

The only thing most dealers don't want to consider is the holdback. But who cares? You can get a "deal" in other ways. As far as being a prick when asking? Idk. Polite and respectful works but don't be afraid to ask-you don't get what you don't ask for.

 

I think you are missing the point. I don't want you to talk about what your dealership would do. I want you to admit that the company you ultimately represent is crooked. I don't need your free oil change. This is about principles. But, I see that you side with Toyota, based off your original response.

I'm glad to hear that your workplace is supposedly a cut above.

"Life is too short to be upset." Sounds like someone who doesn't care to better the world. Do you think that's what African Americans / people of color said to each other when they were being held in slavery in the United States 200 years ago? This isn't about an oil change. It's about systemic dishonesty and a society which gladly accepts such practice. Sometimes being upset is what motivates change for the better. I appreciate the engineers and honest working people who made the 4Runner into the great automobile that it is. I loathe the ass-holes that work in conjunction with them and only "add to society" by soiling the engineer's good product via shady peddling practices.

It's plain and simple. Toyota shouldn't say that ToyotaCare covers normal maintenance but then deny to cover maintenance that is required for circumstances that they present (clearly through advertising) as normal. It's normal or it isn't. They're enjoying their cake and are eating it, too.

 

I have found walking out of the deal tends to help change the price in my favor some.

 

Wow? Kinda heavy, but it's still early where I live.

 

Best deal I could find on a Pro was in Temecula 4K over MSRP. My local dealer charges 7k over MSRP, but they add a lift and a tire and wheel package.

 

All good - not viewed as harsh at all! Pretty much expect to pay full MSRP for a Pro or hopefully $2,000 to $4,000 off a TRD ORP. My internal quandary is do I want a Pro or a TRD ORP!

 

In all my contacts, which were many to say the least. The markup ran from 8 to 20K. And, only one moved off of that. They got my business. So, I'm 5K lighter now, but hey, at my age I can't take it with me.

 

Any update on when it will arrive?

 

Nah, they told me at signing it should be the 18th, with the caveat it could be sooner or later. Sooner works.....lol

 

Guys, I got my Pro for nearly $4K off of MSRP. You need to find a smaller, non-corporate dealer that wants to form a long-term relationship.

Admittedly, I waited from September to December 2020, but it worked.

 

At my age the term long term is laughable

 

It will probably depend on your area. It is just supply and demand. I'm sure that if you live in a more affluent area, or an area in which overlanding / off-roading is very popular (CA, WA, CO, for example), you will pay more. But most dealers aren't so stupid that they'll sit on a vehicle when they have more than one available. In my area, about 6 months ago, there was a dealer willing to negotiate on a TRD Pro, but I didn't want the Pro that badly, so I was only willing to pay $49,000, period. They acted like they'd sell it in the 50-51 range (MSRP), but I didn't care as the Pro wasn't worth much more than a TRD ORP to me. I also, personally, will not pay MSRP on a vehicle, well, at least not a Toyota. But everyone has different wants there, and different funds, and that's fine. I also had a personal budget that I wanted to stick to. These are "out the door" prices, and the tax rate in my state on vehicles is 4%, so feel free to do the math.

Like has been said here, it comes down to what you want to pay, and what they are willing to let go for. Car sales is a perfect monopoly.. it is their job to squeeze every penny possible out of you. It is your job to get the vehicle as cheaply as possible. A transaction will only be made where supply and demand intersect. If your demand is lower than how they view supply, move on.

 

. Its 400 plus years JUST FOR THE RECORD..
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/aug/15/400-years-since-slavery-timeline

 

That’s basically what I said to the last car sales person when I bought my Tacoma. Walked in, sat at the desk and said, it’s your job to get as much out of me as you can, and mine is to keep as much as I can. Let’s figure this out. I got under invoice and was happy as invoice was my target.

 

Reminds me of a Tom Petty song "The waiting is the hardest part"!

 

So true. Tho I've been using the wait time wisely shopping for kit(that's me speaking not my banker)

I will say, getting vendors to return calls leads me to wonder if they need our business? It's certainly not the way I ran any of mine.

Not complaining - just shocked.

 

"My favorite was my 1977 Ford Bronco!"

Feast your eyes on this jewel. It's a near carbon copy of the one I had back then.

https://www.autoblog.com/2021/02/12/1979-ford-bronco-ranger-for-sale/#slide-endcap

 

You have choices where to buy. You also have choices how you buy. How could that be a monopoly?

 

In today's information rich society, you should always get a fair deal. Fair has many facets, but if you get killed, that is on you. I negotiated every inch of my deal (albeit used) online with 3 dealers, and that was trading a 2020 Rubicon in for a 2018 4Runner. Numbers change, but principle is the same. Get your data, validate your data, and work using a fair baseline (new/used & trade). I got quotes from Carvana, Carmax, and Vroom, and bumped up my trade by 3K, and by market consensus knew I was getting a fair deal. I wasn't going to trip over dimes to save nickels, just wanted fair and a true win - win for everyone. A dozen emails, and maybe 2 were snarky.., but feel great about my deal because I did the work. Dealer and I are on good terms for the first time ever...... Do the work up front, then be fair to yourself first, and expect your dealer to do the same, or move on.... Great OP, and thanks for doing this. I am in business for me first, but also know my dealer has overhead to cover and an expectation (actually need) for profit too.., my job is to just make sure it is fair for me.