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View Full Version : Thinking of Buying a Yaris, Help Please!!!


Just Do It
07-07-2009, 06:46 PM
Hey everyone, I'm new here so nice to meet everyone. I'm interested in purchasing a new hatchback and I'm torn between the Yaris, Versa and Fit. I'm on a tight budget so it looks like I'm more likely headed down the Yaris or Versa route. Also, the reason I'm looking now is because I want to take advantage of the Cash for Clunkers program and hand in my old clunker for $4500 towards a new gas saver! :biggrin:

So I know what most of you will probably say, considering this is a Yaris forum, but what do you think in the battle of the big 3 in the hatchback market (Yaris, Fit, Versa)?

Also, I'm tight on money as I'm going back to college so how much could I realistically get off the Yaris MSRP? I really like the 5 door S Yaris which carries a $15,500 price tag.

Any other comments, suggestions and opinions will be welcomed, thanks in advance! :headbang:

Crims0n5
07-07-2009, 07:48 PM
If you go to edmunds.com you can check out what people are paying in your area. I'm waiting for my local Toyota Dealer to get registered for the CARS program so I can get my $4,500 credit towards my future Yaris sedan. Hopefully, that will happen around July 23rd. You can still take advantage of special rebates and/or financing from the dealer. If it's possible you can take advantage of AAA car buying service, which will give you a pre-negotiated price that is below MSRP.
For the sake of fairness, try and test drive all the cars in your price range. See what you like or don't like. If you choose the Yaris, I hope to see you around the forum more often. Good luck and I hope everything works out for you! =]

Treyz
07-07-2009, 07:48 PM
Depends on the transmission you want for the Yaris .. as sweet as 5 doors are, they haven't been releases in manual yet.

Two years ago, I was in the same boat as you looking at the three subcompacts because cash was tight. Being that I won't touch a Honda (unless it's an S2K), the Fit was out of the question. Now I'm a Nissan fan (being that I had 2 240SX's prior), but the Versa wasn't doing it for me style wise and was a bit more than the Yaris. I went with the Yaris because of the styling as well as the price and the fact that it was a Toyota. My only regret was that I didn't buy it in manual because I did have my 2nd 240SX still which was my weekend track car so I wanted to be lazy during the week.

Gas wise on the Yaris is awesome. only spent $80 to drive to FL and the same back rather than getting plane tickets since there was my ex as well. I believe the 1.5 beats out the 1.8 Versa in that category.

Now to present day, I just traded in my 2007 for a 2009 3dr manual whcih is barely a week old in my possesion with all the parts from my previous Yaris.

I like the Yaris, but if they reface the Versa as they're doing with Japan counterpart (Tiida), then I would wait till the 2010 models come out. Depends on also how fast you need a car.

Astroman
07-07-2009, 07:53 PM
Get the yaris. :biggrin:

Just Do It
07-07-2009, 08:04 PM
Thanks for the replies so far. I've never purchased a new car before and never planned on it (always believed used was better) considering money is tight for me. But considering I'm basically getting the same price for my truck that I paid for it 6 years ago (:eek:) this Cash for Clunkers program may be too good to pass up! So it's either buy a new car now or not at all (my truck is worth $1300 trade). I'm definately leaning towards the Yaris right now which is why I came to this forum first.

I guess my main issue is how do I get the price as low as possible? I'm going to go to all the Toyota and Nissan dealers in the area and whoever offers me the best deal wins. Do I go into each dealer telling them that in hopes of them not wanting me to leave and offering me a great deal? Like I said, I've only owned one car in my life and I bought it used for $5k lol. I'm very new to the world of new cars, rebates, negotiating, financing, etc. Once again, thanks for all the help!

p.s. Also I understand the 5 door only comes in auto but I actually prefer auto since I have a rough commute. :wink:

Kal-El
07-07-2009, 08:51 PM
All three cars are fine cars and you wouldn't be making a "bad" decision either way if I'm being unbiased.

Some quick points...

Price? Well, we all know that a Fit Sport is as pricey as a subcompact gets and it sounds like you can't go that high which leaves the boring, plain looking base Fit. It's up to you but I just wouldn't get a Fit unless it was the Sport. The Versa is a great value like a low end Yaris is but many people can't get past the questionable styling.

How important is optimal gas mileage to you? Yaris wins hands down especially over the bigger, heavier Versa.

Quality/longevity? Well, I'd predict that the Yaris and Fit would compare closely in long term dependability with the Versa trailing behind (although it is still a quality car).

Driving dynamics? The Fit Sport handles well but is a rougher, noisier ride over the Yaris. The base fit is less sporting. The Versa is more comparable to the Fit but sits between the two in driver feel. The Yaris is tuned for better comfort and noise isolation but still handles well.

Compare all three on Edmunds and weight your needs.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

Crims0n5
07-07-2009, 09:13 PM
Thanks for the replies so far. I've never purchased a new car before and never planned on it (always believed used was better) considering money is tight for me. But considering I'm basically getting the same price for my truck that I paid for it 6 years ago (:eek:) this Cash for Clunkers program may be too good to pass up! So it's either buy a new car now or not at all (my truck is worth $1300 trade). I'm definately leaning towards the Yaris right now which is why I came to this forum first.

I guess my main issue is how do I get the price as low as possible? I'm going to go to all the Toyota and Nissan dealers in the area and whoever offers me the best deal wins. Do I go into each dealer telling them that in hopes of them not wanting me to leave and offering me a great deal? Like I said, I've only owned one car in my life and I bought it used for $5k lol. I'm very new to the world of new cars, rebates, negotiating, financing, etc. Once again, thanks for all the help!

p.s. Also I understand the 5 door only comes in auto but I actually prefer auto since I have a rough commute. :wink:

The best way to figure out if you are getting lowest possible price is to do your homework. The internet is a great resource. You can find out what other people are paying in your area, calculate how much your monthly payment might be, or if the dealer you're dealing with has a bad BBB rating.

The best advice I could possibly give you is to not go to the dealer unprepared. Research the pros and cons of the vehicle you want to buy and have an idea in your head of what you want to pay for the car. If you're not comfortable with the negotiations, bring someone who is. Once again, good luck.

KRAZGRL
07-07-2009, 09:54 PM
If you're torn between the Yaris and the Versa, just think about this with everything else... Toyota is MUCH more reliable than Nissan. :D

Just Do It
07-07-2009, 11:17 PM
WOW, once again thanks for all the replies. This forum is very helpful and very quick to reply as well! :smile:

So I'm going to start researching local prices, incentives, etc. I still need some help with the actual dealer meeting. This will be my very first time and I don't want the dealer to work his magic so to speak and sucker me in to something. I'm hoping to sucker them and save as much as possible. :cool:

How should I approach this though? Should I tell them up front what my plans are... that I plan on visiting other Toyota dealers for a better price, that I plan on visiting a competitor, etc? What's the most I can realistically get a 5 door liftback S down to as an out the door price without having the dealer laugh at me? I'm willing to put as much as necessary down if that makes a difference? Basically, what did all of you do to get the price down in your negotiations?

Thanks again (and sorry for all the newbie questions)!!!

Crims0n5
07-08-2009, 12:15 AM
WOW, once again thanks for all the replies. This forum is very helpful and very quick to reply as well! :smile:

So I'm going to start researching local prices, incentives, etc. I still need some help with the actual dealer meeting. This will be my very first time and I don't want the dealer to work his magic so to speak and sucker me in to something. I'm hoping to sucker them and save as much as possible. :cool:

How should I approach this though? Should I tell them up front what my plans are... that I plan on visiting other Toyota dealers for a better price, that I plan on visiting a competitor, etc? What's the most I can realistically get a 5 door liftback S down to as an out the door price without having the dealer laugh at me? I'm willing to put as much as necessary down if that makes a difference? Basically, what did all of you do to get the price down in your negotiations?

Thanks again (and sorry for all the newbie questions)!!!

I'm still doing my research for my upcoming Yairs purchase so I can't help you out too much.
If I'm wrong about anything please feel free to correct me.:smile:

It's a good idea to shop around and not to buy impulsively. You don't necessarily have to tell a dealer you are going to a competitor. It's not like you're working for them. Quotes from other dealers are good bargaining tools. (provided they still stay valid once you leave the lot.)

If you want to save the most money, you may wanna try to get outside financing from a credit union, or other financial institutions. If you are pre-approved by someone other than Toyota, you'll know how much you can spend, what you're interest rate is, and what your monthly payment might be. You can negotiate like a cash buyer. A bigger down payment will always make a difference if you are looking for financing. It lowers the amount you are actually financing for. For example if the price you negotiate is $14,500 and you have a down payment of $4,500, you are only financing $10,000. This translates to a smaller monthly payment.

If you aren't too sure about negotiating with the dealer just bring someone along who has done it before.

Once again good luck and I hope everything works out for you.

kmf123kmf
07-08-2009, 12:21 AM
I'm also waiting for Cash for Clunkers to kick in and am probably going to go with a Yaris. I'm quite fond of Honda's but the Fit is just too expensive and probably overkill for my needs. I can't get over the Versa styling so much that I didn't even bother test driving one.

Right now Toyota is offering 0% financing for 60 months in my area which is a no-brainer really. I also have a local dealer advertising a $15865 MSRP 5-door for $14288, which is supposedly $500 below invoice. Not sure what they're doing there but I called them and confirmed the price so I guess it's legit.

As far as buying advice the only thing I'd really look out for are add-ons that they try to sell you, usually when you're in the finance office. These are things like fabric protector, extended warranties, gap insurance, rust protection, etc...

Generally, you shouldn't buy any of these things, but the dealer will pull out every stop imaginable to try to convince you otherwise. Often times a dealer will give you a great selling price and even lose a little money on paper because they're absolutely betting on their ability to sell you these add-ons, which by the way have a huge profit margin attached. I got taken for a ride on this stuff when I purchased my first new car, don't let it happen to you! If you get to the finance office and the monthly payment ends up being more than a few bucks from what the sales people told you then something is up. Stop right there and review everything and make sure that nothing got snuck into the bill that you didn't agree to.

Remember that the only products you are required to purchase are the vehicle itself and the included factory warranty.

TinyGiant
07-08-2009, 12:29 AM
lol i got gap ins, and the fabric and exterior protector .. not the extended warranty though.

Crims0n5
07-08-2009, 12:30 AM
I'm also waiting for Cash for Clunkers to kick in and am probably going to go with a Yaris. I'm quite fond of Honda's but the Fit is just too expensive and probably overkill for my needs. I can't get over the Versa styling so much that I didn't even bother test driving one.

Right now Toyota is offering 0% financing for 60 months in my area which is a no-brainer really. I also have a local dealer advertising a $15865 MSRP 5-door for $14288, which is supposedly $500 below invoice. Not sure what they're doing there but I called them and confirmed the price so I guess it's legit.

As far as buying advice the only thing I'd really look out for are add-ons that they try to sell you, usually when you're in the finance office. These are things like fabric protector, extended warranties, gap insurance, rust protection, etc...

Generally, you shouldn't buy any of these things, but the dealer will pull out every stop imaginable to try to convince you otherwise. Often times a dealer will give you a great selling price and even lose a little money on paper because they're absolutely betting on their ability to sell you these add-ons, which by the way have a huge profit margin attached. I got taken for a ride on this stuff when I purchased my first new car, don't let it happen to you! If you get to the finance office and the monthly payment ends up being more than a few bucks from what the sales people told you then something is up. Stop right there and review everything and make sure that nothing got snuck into the bill that you didn't agree to.

I would think that they applied the $500 rebate to the price they are advertising.

If you go to http://www.toyota.com/compare/ you can compare and see the advantages of a Toyota over the competition.

kmf123kmf
07-08-2009, 12:38 AM
I would think that they applied the $500 rebate to the price they are advertising.

Yeah, that's what I thought too. But they told me that the $500 rebate is no longer available but that they are still offering the advertised price. I guess I'm really not in any position to argue with them. :smile:

kmf123kmf
07-08-2009, 12:43 AM
lol i got gap ins, and the fabric and exterior protector .. not the extended warranty though.

The products themselves may actually be of value depending on your situation. The only thing I'm warning about is if they try to sneak them into your deal without really giving you a chance to decline them.

Crims0n5
07-08-2009, 12:57 AM
Yeah, that's what I thought too. But they told me that the $500 rebate is no longer available but that they are still offering the advertised price. I guess I'm really not in any position to argue with them. :smile:

Hmm, I could of sworn that I saw it ended on 8/3/09. I could be wrong though.:iono:

Just Do It
07-08-2009, 09:52 PM
Thanks, I will definitely be on the lookout for the sneaky add ons and make sure to review everything before I sign. I'm going to bring my dad who's a mechanic along with me just for the heck of it. I'll be visiting dealers this weekend so I will keep you all posted on how it goes.

Once again, thank you all! Your help has been very informative and helpful! Wish me luck!

EasyDriver
07-08-2009, 11:35 PM
Some car companies give a discount if you are in college. Wouldn't hurt to check and see if this is the case on a Yaris. If it is, you might get an extra discount when you get your student ID. Just a thought......

R2D2
07-09-2009, 02:18 AM
Here's a few of the principles I follow when purchasing a car.

1. Do your homework and know as closely as possible what you want before you get to the dealership, right down to the color. Supplement this with what you see on the lot and what you learn during your test drive. I have "built" vehicles on manufacturer websites, printed them off and taken them to the dealer with me. Make it known to the salesperson exactly what you want and be firm. They can and will get you exactly what you want if you know what that is and make it known. They can dealer trade for it, they do it all the time.

2. Be patient. Car dealers love impulsive people who buy the same day they test drive without shopping around. The ball is in your court and you have nothing to gain by being in a hurry.

3. After you have decided exactly what model/equip/color you want get prices from at least 2-3 dealers and start a bidding war. Municipalities and companies buy this way all the time and you should too. Besides, they're bidding on the exact same car with the same equipment. Chances are one of them will want to sell a car more than the others and they will be willing to go lower on price than the others. Don't tell them the other dealer's prices, just tell them another dealer is offering a lower price and give them a chance to beat it. It can take quite a few phone calls back and forth as this process plays out, but in a recent purchase it worked out to saving me about 500 dollars an hour, which is a lot more than I make at work. In my experience the bids keep getting lower and lower until one or two cry uncle. It's amazing how much lower than msrp you will be when this happens. Reward the low bidder with your business.

4. Negotiate based on actual price of the car, including all fees, taxes, etc. Make sure they understand this. I always tell a salesperson this up front so it's easier to comparison shop. I always make it known that if the price is 1 cent higher when I arrive to close the deal that I'm going to walk. So far I've not had to do this.

DON'T base your negotiations on x dollars per month.

4. Refuse to talk about your trade until you have already agreed on the price of the car. This way they can't play smoke and mirrors and manipulate what you're actually getting for your trade by working it into the price of the car. Research book value on your trade and decide what your willing to take for it before you start negotiating.

It's not necessary to be rude while doing this you just have to be firm. It's not a process I enjoy, but it is a necessary one. After all, it's the dealer's job to get your money and your job to keep it and a happy arrangement can be reached.

Good luck,

R2

yaris-me
07-10-2009, 04:01 AM
Good luck.:smile:

scape
07-10-2009, 08:05 AM
If you're torn between the Yaris and the Versa, just think about this with everything else... Toyota is MUCH more reliable than Nissan. :D

i also want to say, nissan sucks in business politics (hate to name bash but...): www.nissan.com check out the lawsuit against this poor guy, been going on for years. i'm sure toyota is no saint, but still..i love my toyota too much to care haha

Just Do It
07-10-2009, 01:34 PM
lol thanks. I guess the only thing worrying me is how do I start off the negotiations? Do I go in and say "listen I'm just here to find out the lowest price I can get on this car, I'm interested in X amount of cars and plan on visiting X amount of dealers, whoever offers the best price is the one I will buy from." Or should I go in like I researched the car like crazy and only tell the dealer my plan to visit other dealers for the lowest price once negotiations stall? It's kind of like a poker game, do I lay the cards down on the table from the start or wait?

p.s. The Versa is starting to fall out of the running. The more I see them on the road the less I like them. It seems it only looks good in the blue color to me and looks like a taxi van in other colors lol. I've also read it's a pretty boring ride although I'll still probably test drive all three cars. I think it's going to come down to the Fit vs Yaris but I'll still let the dealer know I'm "interested" in the Versa. Thanks again everyone for all the help!

R2D2
07-11-2009, 04:48 AM
Just Do It,

After you have had a test drive and know exactly what you want for a model/equipment tell the dealer you want their best price because you will be getting prices from other dealers. They will give you a better price if they know you're shopping around. Make sure you've had a test drive and know what you want before you tell them because they might not be quite as helpful after you make it evident they aren't going to be able to dictate the price you pay.

After you get prices from all dealers (remember to get "out the door" prices as I mentioned in my previous post) contact the two highest bids (by phone is the most efficient manner) and tell them you got a better price and give them a chance to drop their price. This usually will go around 3-4 times before someone bows out. It's well worth the effort involved.

It is like poker but you hold all the cards- you just have to play them right. Just remember if they don't sell to you and someone else does they make 0 money. Don't let them intimidate or rush you. No need to be in a hurry. This technique allows you to determine whose the hungriest for a sale if you work it. I'm thinking right now there are a lot of hungry dealers out there.

Happy Hunting!

R2

Just Do It
07-12-2009, 09:53 PM
Anyone know if I can combine rebates/incentives with coupons/incentives offered by the actual dealer???

For example, the fine print usually says you can only apply one rebate/incentive. However, lets say I use the Toyota incentive (which is currently 0% APR on the Yaris for 60 months) and the dealer that I am planning to purchase from has one of those $1,000 off checks/coupons off of any new car. Would I be able to combine these two deals or will they tell me I can only use one?

Also, lets say I print out one of those $1,000 off dealer coupons but dont bring it up in negotiations until we reach a final OTD price. Can the dealer and I agree on the price and then I throw down this coupon to get an extra $1,000 off of the already agreed upon price?

R2D2
07-13-2009, 12:56 AM
I wouldn't mention the coupon until the negotiation is over, otherwise they can manipulate the price in their own favor knowing you have the coupon. As far as combining offers if the dealer coupon you have does not disallow it's use in combination with factory incentives in the fine print, it should be fair game.

When I bought my Yaris they were offering 500 cash back OR 0% APR. I made all competing dealers aware I'd be taking the 0% so there would be no "confusion" on pricing.

R2

kmf123kmf
07-13-2009, 09:09 AM
Those coupons usually have some fine print that says something like "must present coupon before the start of negotiations". Bottom line is that you'll be dealing with a person, not some automated system that can be tricked by manipulating coupon codes and such. You're free to try whatever you'd like, but as the seller the dealer is always free to refuse to do anything until the purchase and sales agreement is signed.

Just Do It
07-13-2009, 11:54 AM
Turns out the coupon is only valid if I buy the car at the MSRP price. Oh well, worth a try.

With that said, I took both the Yaris and the Fit for a test drive this weekend and loved them both! The Fit, as small as it is, seemed a lot bigger than the Yaris to me. I guess that comes from years of being an SUV driver. :laugh:
The Yaris handles amazingly well. I'm so used to even a simple turn becoming labored and with the Yaris I was whipping around with the slightest of ease, like I was at the arcade. The Fit is also a great ride but not as easy to drive as the Yaris. The Fit's interior is >>>>> greater than the Yaris though. I really love both cars and will honestly be happy with either/or. I think it's going to come down to which side gets me the better deal. :thumbup:

kmf123kmf
07-13-2009, 02:51 PM
I was kind of in the same boat as you. I think that the Fit has more to offer but it's just too pricey. Similarly equipped, the Yaris ended up being cheaper (by about $1000) while still being sufficient for my needs. 0% APR financing sealed the deal.

R2D2
07-13-2009, 03:31 PM
I was kind of in the same boat as you. I think that the Fit has more to offer but it's just too pricey. Similarly equipped, the Yaris ended up being cheaper (by about $1000) while still being sufficient for my needs. 0% APR financing sealed the deal.

Very well said-the Yaris was just too good a value to pass on with the 0% and for me the "smile factor" was greater to boot.

TheRealEnth
07-13-2009, 03:58 PM
I really think you should reconsider, but whatever makes you happy. In my opinion, if you want a smoother, more luxurious ride the versa is the way to go... Its also quicker on the straightaway. Way Quieter in the cabin, and just feels smoother on the road much more... Yeah it looks kinda funky sometimes, but if you get the dark blue and do a little bit of modding it changes drastically... Hitup cardomain and check them out.

kmf123kmf
07-13-2009, 04:54 PM
I really think you should reconsider, but whatever makes you happy. In my opinion, if you want a smoother, more luxurious ride the versa is the way to go... Its also quicker on the straightaway. Way Quieter in the cabin, and just feels smoother on the road much more... Yeah it looks kinda funky sometimes, but if you get the dark blue and do a little bit of modding it changes drastically... Hitup cardomain and check them out.

Wait! Did someone on this forum just suggest a Versa over a Yaris?! What's the world coming to?

roxy1
07-13-2009, 05:28 PM
I really think you should reconsider, but whatever makes you happy. In my opinion, if you want a smoother, more luxurious ride the versa is the way to go... Its also quicker on the straightaway. Way Quieter in the cabin, and just feels smoother on the road much more... Yeah it looks kinda funky sometimes, but if you get the dark blue and do a little bit of modding it changes drastically... Hitup cardomain and check them out.

-unless they changed something, the Versa really screwed up with the back seats. even the yaris hatch without the fold flat rear seats folds fairly flat ( i always loaded my 2 large dogs in there). the versa back seat folds forward, leaving a big drop down to the floor, not even remotely flat. when shopping the small hatches, i found this an unacceptable feature for a hatchback. having a fairly flat load area has so many advantages.

-it is really unattractive. imo, they looked dated when i shopped them in 2007, like something Renault had built in 1987.

-the gas mileage for a car that small is awfully disappointing, almost Dodge Caliberesque. you wont be seeing 40 mpg's in a Versa. in fact, looking at some real world drivers, you will have difficulty seeing 35 mpg's. with the yaris, these are VERY easily achievable with no real effort.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorSelectEngine.jsp?year=2007&make=Nissan&model=Versa

-reliability: Nissan's arent consistently reliable.

if i paint a bag of crap dark blue, it is still a bag of crap.

Just Do It
07-13-2009, 10:10 PM
ok so I stopped by Nissan today and took the Versa for a whip around. It's a solid car but was a bit boring. It was kind of like driving my SUV except in a much smaller form. The interior looks great! Definitely the most luxurious of the three and probably my favorite followed by the Fit and then the Yaris. It also only looks good from certain angles which is another thing that I didn't like. The Versa is the type of style you either you like or you dont and I don't like it too much. Another thing is, a properly equipped Versa costs much more than the Yaris and is on par with the Fit Sport. I'd much rather go with the Fit or save the money and go with the Yaris.

p.s. It does surprise me, however, that between the three, I see the Versa most out on the roads.

ellenbetty
07-15-2009, 07:46 PM
I love how I can mount my navigation system behind the steering wheel of my Yaris. To me the liftback version has the best designed dash I ever seen in a small car. The after market navigation system is less expensive than the TomTom Toyota offers as OE. Plus the Yaris gets 1 mpg (EPA) highway more than the Versa and 2 more mpg (EPA) city than the Fit. If you can afford it, get the Yaris with side impact air bags and leg impact air bags. Better crash test ratings.

Just Do It
07-18-2009, 03:43 PM
Cash for Clunkers officially kicks off this coming Friday so I will be making the rounds between Honda and Toyota this week in search of the best price I can get. Hopefully I will be the owner of a new car by this time next week. Depending on what I get offered, is what I will go with. I test drove both cars again yesterday (back to back since dealers were down the road from each other) and I love both cars. The Fit has the nicer and roomier interior while I love Yaris exterior. Both cars are great rides and I feel I really cant go wrong with either one. All of the other intangibles are very close between both cars. So the best offer will win my money! :biggrin:

Crims0n5
07-18-2009, 05:40 PM
Well you can always rent a Yaris from the dealer. I'm not sure if Honda does the same, but spending 24 hours with a car will do more than a test drive.

2+2
07-18-2009, 05:58 PM
I just bought a Yaris. But if the salesman plays any more games maybe I didn't. I'll find out next week.

I'm doing cash for clunkers too. I fought hard for a good price on the Yaris with just the "Convenience Package" - rear window defroster and wiper, radio, floor mats etc. I got my local dealer to match the best price I could get from the 5 closest dealers. $14311 out the door (doc fee, tag, 6% Michigan tax etc). (Btw, that's before $1000 cash back or 0% financing)

I thought I might do better. I think cash for clunkers has these guys thinking they're in the driver's seat (at least compared to a month or two ago). When you do the math, they might be right. $1B for the program divided by $4500 a pop (of course some might only do the $3500 deal) = 222k cash for clunkers deals. That's a pretty small number when you consider that there's around 1000 times that number registered vehicles in the US. If 1 in 1000 vehicle owners is planning to do cash for clunkers that would exhaust the supply of $ pretty quickly. So I figured I'd better jump on it and if the dealer is just a little less negotiable that's ok. Someone with bigger nuggets might try waiting til Nov 1 and when the funds are exhausted they might extend the program and then again they might not.

So the dealer agreed to match the best price I had ($14311) and then when they let me know that they had ordered the car (was sitting 250 miles away) they told me my price would be $98 higher. We had some unfriendly words and I had to speak to his boss and then his bosses boss but finally they saw the light.

BTW, TELL YOUR SALESMAN TO ACTUALLY READ TOYOTA'S INSTRUCTIONS!!! THE YARIS 0% OFFER ISN'T TIER 1 ONLY. TIER 1, TIER 2 AND TIER 3 ALL QUALIFY!!! I think Toyota's "tier 3" translates to a 650 fico score, so tell your salesman to actually read his computer screen! Another thing that's interesting here is my credit union told me they match dealer's offer but only down to 3%. But with a car this cheap it was $5.10 a month cheaper for me to take the $1000 cash back from Toyota and finance the rest at 3% than go with the 0% Toyota financing.

So out the door I'm looking at around $159 a month for 60 months with no money down. I'm going to have just a little buyer's remorse for not getting full power but hey, this forum will help alleviate that. Check out the Roll-Your-Own_Cruise_Control thread. Pure genius I tell ya.