Looked at a Rav4 and liked it, just not the color on the lot(Sandy beach metallic).
The closest one he found in the color(pacific blue) I wanted was 60 miles away and has pretty much the same equipment as the one on the lot here. He said for a retiree to go pick the vehicle up “it wouldn’t cost me anything”, but if I wanted it flat bedded in, it’d cost $1.50/mile at 60 miles both ways($180).
The one on the lot is $24,118 and the one farther away is $23,964, but out the door the farther away one is more as the salesman didn’t discount it as much as the distant one($25,669.64 vs $26,376.80). He also mentioned that if I wanted leather, the dealership could install it for $1600 for heat and everything else as opposed to bumping up to the Limited and paying a good deal more.
Salesman also said the factory isn’t building anymore 09 vehicles and it’ll be September before the 2010 models start coming down the line. Plus, the 2010 models won’t have any rebates on them. Granted, the Rav4 only has a $750 rebate or 3.9% finance for 60 months.
So, questions are;
Is it true they won’t build anymore 09s or is the salesman just trying to get me to buy from him/his partners?
Should I be charged for wanting the vehicle flat bedded in instead of having someone drive it up here? Though $180 is worth piece of mind to me.
Should I wait a couple months before buying and get everything the way I want it?
And, would you trust a dealership to install heated leather seats as opposed to it being done in the factory? Even if the salesman says it’ll carry the same warranty as if they put it in at the factory?
Since it is now June 6, it is quite likely that the 09 production run is finished. I once ordered a Chrysler product which was delivered to me in June and it was the last batch built of that year.
You could ask some more dealers, but by mid summer the changeover normally takes place. If you are going to keep the vehicle for a long time, go for the best overall price, since trade-in value will be unimportant.
I’ve kept my Civic for 7, almost 8 years now. Only real reason I’m wanting to get a new vehicle is more cargo room and better entry/exit of a vehicle
The majority of '09 vehicles are built in '08 and the production run tapers off after that so they’re telling you the truth.
Should you be charged for flat bedding? They can do it if they want to. You can either accept this charge, refuse to buy the car, or negotiate it.
There’s not a problem with the dealer installing the heated seats as this is not a complicated job. However, heated seats would certainly not be worth 1600 bucks to me.
As to waiting for a while, that’s up to you. Since cash flow is everything at the dealer and the car you’re looking at is an '09 it would seem to me that with some hard negotiations you may be able to bargain them down a bit on the flat bed charge and the seats to some extent.
Dealers don’t like to have prior year models sitting around in the sun (referred to as Lot Lizards) as the new models approach.
An '09 is about to take a depreciation hit anyway when the '10s arrive.
You have to play hardball though. Offhand, I’d be tempted to wait.
I may be confused, but the current RAV4 on sale now is a new model already; and larger than the old one. Production started at the new plant in Woodstock, Canada some time back, late last eyar. I don’t think the next model will be any different than what you see now, except for some trim.
The smaller model is the 2008, and the dealer may still have some of these on his lot. Some one may be playing games with you passing a 2008 off as a 2009. Shop around some more!
Wait for the 2010 models to come out. The new 2009’s have already lost $3,000 in value. If you should decide to trade it in two years from now, you will really get killed in that deal.
Drive the newest possible car as long as you are paying new prices. You should try for at least $5,000 off the 09 model. It sounds like they want you to pay for the Limited one now. At $27,810 as the maximum price for the Limited, they are offering you the ripoff of the year- and the car is about a year old. They will get even fatter after they eat your lunch.
I don’t doubt they’re trying to rip me off. They have a leftover 08 v8 4Runner with a sticker of just over $36k and they quoted me $35k out the door.
The Rav4s are the base models with the preferred package
docnick: It’s good to know that there shouldn’t be too much change, as we all know how every company has teething problems with first runs. Which I guess kinda answers my own question and has me leaning more towards waiting and getting exactly what I want with no miles on it but my own.
One thing I’m also gonna budget for is tires, as I know most factory equipped tires are crap to begin with:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Dueler+H%2FT+D687&partnum=265HR7HT687&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=11&speed_rating=S&speed_rating=T&speed_rating=U&speed_rating=H&speed_rating=V&speed_rating=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=S#Survey
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=Geolandar+G91A&partnum=265HR7GEOHTV2&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=19&speed_rating=S&speed_rating=T&speed_rating=U&speed_rating=H&speed_rating=V&speed_rating=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=S#Survey
I’m sorry but I never understand how $200 could make or break a car deal. If you like the other one, either go down there and buy it, or have it flat bedded, period. No way would I allow someone else to put the first 60 mile on it the way I’ve seen them driving cars.
As far as the seat heaters, maybe that’s not a problem but no way would I pay for the leather seat skins and to have them installed. Either wait to order the model you want with leather, or forget the leather.
Doc–The 2008 and 2009 RAV-4 are the same vehicle, essentially. The differences from 2008 to 2009 are a revised grill, front bumper, and tail lights, plus a new 2.5 liter engine in place of the old 2.4 engine.
I have seen photos of what is supposed to be the 2010 RAV, and it is again the same vehicle, albeit with a redesigned grill and bumper once again, and reportedly with the spare tire mounting changed from the rear door to…apparently underneath the vehicle. And, once again, it is the same size as the '08 & '09, as far as I can determine.
seat heaters are available for about $20 at amazon.com…why spend the extra for heated leather seats.
Thanks VDC. When they started up the new plant last October, the vehicle they were going to build was the larger model, not sure what is was called. The plant was designed to run 3 shifts, but due to the recession it’s only running one shift.
Is this the Woodstock plant? Does Toyota still build Rav4’s for the NA market in Japan? USA and Canada seem like a good market for this type of vehicle. I hope they expand production soon. Maybe 4 shifts in 10 years.
I won’t buy one, but the market isn’t all about me. I’m a car guy, not a truck guy. And I promise, no no silly insecurity jokes concerning trucks. We’ve seen enough of those lately.
It could be worse, I could be asking about a Suburban 
I was kinda set on getting a blue G8 GT with the red/black interior, but it doesn’t seem like they are gonna make anymore for the US now. And I was torn between fun(Corvette sedan?) and utility. The Matrix/Vibe have no leg room for me, otherwise I’d probably have one right now.