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Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

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Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#51

Post by dragonwriter »

wing-_-nuts wrote: post #44
chrisseaton wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Presumably it's reasonable because it's supported by market conditions?

You seem very intent on defending this sort of behavior. I wonder why? In my not so humble opinion, while the used market can do what it may, MSRP is MSRP. This goes for GPUs as much as it goes for cars. I understand shortages. I am ok with waiting lists. I do not appreciate profiteering. Any dealership that tried to stick me with such a markup not only would blow the sale, but would not get my business in the future…

> In my not so humble opinion, while the used market can do what it may, MSRP is MSRP.

The S stands for “suggested”, and that suggestion is based on an inherently fallible prediction of future market conditions.

> I do not appreciate profiteering.

Capitalism is profiteering. The MSRP is profiteering. The only difference is who is profiteering, and when.

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#52

Post by JakeAl »

gweinberg wrote: post #25
chrisseaton wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Presumably it's reasonable because it's supported by market conditions?

Market conditions explain the higher price, but why does the extra money go to the dealership rather than the manufacturer? I think something other than the market is at work here.

People are also buying up all the inventory of available cars and flipping them at CarMax for a profit. Look on CarMax and you see loads of brand new cars with 3-6K markup. That's who the dealerships are competing with.

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#53

Post by syntaxing »

For those looking for an alternative, I highly recommend the Ford Escape PHEV. It’s about 12K cheaper with the federal incentives. You lose out on some stuff like AWD and one recall, but overall the compromises were worth the 12K difference. The car handles very well and remote app is free. With the electric range and my habits, I would need to get gas every 6 months. I get over 40 mpg if I run on gas (in the summer).

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#54

Post by scottyah »

sethammons wrote: post #49
smilekzs wrote: post #35

Supply and demand, yadda yadda, sure. I can accept that the observed behavior on my end is "pay up or wait". What I cannot accept is that the dealerships are pocketing all the markups.

> What I cannot accept is that the dealerships are pocketing all the markups Why?

I can’t speak for the quoted, but the dealerships are not creating the value that makes the cars desirable. They simply are in the right place at the right time and none of the extra money they get is going to improve the car in the future.

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#55

Post by deelowe »

sethammons wrote: post #49
smilekzs wrote: post #35

Supply and demand, yadda yadda, sure. I can accept that the observed behavior on my end is "pay up or wait". What I cannot accept is that the dealerships are pocketing all the markups.

> What I cannot accept is that the dealerships are pocketing all the markups Why?

Because it's enforced via regulatory capture. Ford, as an example, has had a hell of a time fighting with it's own dealer networks over behaviors they do not condone. It would be different if Ford could sell direct to consumer.

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#56

Post by Tade0 »

highwaylights wrote: post #20
kingrazor wrote: post #6

I was hoping to buy a new car this year but frankly, there's nothing wrong with my 2012 Nissan Altima right now. I'm going to wait and hope that this craziness subsides soon.

Likewise. Toyota Auris 2011 owner here. Does what I need it to do. Not even sure what I’d replace it with, but there’s nothing I’m looking at that comes close to justifying it’s cost versus just keeping this running.

Also Auris here, but somewhat younger. The car is boring, but that's because it's supposed to be.

My previous Auris got stolen so I shopped around for a while, but couldn't get the proper price/getting out of my way ratio out of anything else.

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#57

Post by [deleted] »

hedora wrote: post #39
subpixel wrote: post #9

I bought one last Fall for sticker price and as the commute to my daughters school is 50 miles rt we fill the tank once a month or so. Basically a great gateway drug to fully electric, which is what I want when I can get an F150 which is not taking orders atm.

The pricing on the RAV4 is nuts. For that commute, you could sell it and buy a used low-range EV, like a 2018 BMW i3: https://driverbase.com/research/vehicles/bmw/i3/2018 and end up with ~$42K in pocket. (It is particularly inexpensive because they significantly improved the range in 2019. However, the 2018 would easily do your commute.) We ended up buying one in lieu of trading in an ICE pickup truck for a backorder…

[deleted]

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#58

Post by AceJohnny2 »

AceJohnny2 wrote: post #12

Funny, when I tried out the range of hybrid Crossover SUVs (like the RAV4) in late 2020, I found the RAV4 Prime felt like driving a boat. It had a kind of inertia I didn't feel in other cars. I ended up getting a Ford Escape Hybrid (not plug-in) instead, which I really like (then again, I guess it's a different kind of product, not being a plug-in hybrid)

Perhaps the RAV4 Prime just defaulted to a more tame "Eco" driving mode, whereas the Escape was tuned to behave more aggressively by default. I tend to always switch the Escape to Eco mode anyhow. Now that I think of it, I'd be curious to compare them again with this in mind.

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#59

Post by mechagodzilla »

We tried to buy one in fall of 2020, and we weren't able to get one until June of 2021, although we did actual buy it for MSRP (and after state and federal incentives, I think it was ~$34k total). It replaced a 2005 Honda CRV, and it's been great so far. We pretty much only buy gas on road trips (in hybrid mode it gets ~40 MPG), the car has crazy acceleration and is very fun to drive, and the final price was great. We had also considered a Model Y, which we would have wound up paying at least $30k more for - at its MSRP, especially with incentives, the value was great.

Re: Toyota RAV4 Prime hybrid SUV now selling for 48% over MSRP

#60

Post by BobLaw »

sethammons wrote: post #49
smilekzs wrote: post #35

Supply and demand, yadda yadda, sure. I can accept that the observed behavior on my end is "pay up or wait". What I cannot accept is that the dealerships are pocketing all the markups.

> What I cannot accept is that the dealerships are pocketing all the markups Why?

In many states car dealers are either the single largest or one of the largest groups that donates to state and local politicians. They use those markups to make massive donations to politicians ensuring there are middle men laws on the books guaranteeing they can continue to charge more markups in the future.

Many people would rather their money go to the people actually designing and building the product their buying, ideally maximizing the value of their purchase.

From many consumers perspective they're just paying extra for someone to rip them off in order to be rip them off again later.

If dealership provided an genuine value the should be able to charge what they charge in fair competitive market conditions.

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