View Full Version : So I guess we won't be driving a Yaris...
In January we ordered our 2012 Yaris SE 5-speed in Blazing Blue Pearl. Filled out the paperwork, paid the deposit, etc.
We had to special order because, according to all the dealers we spoke with, Southeast Toyota only orders automatics for the dealers to have on the lot. Dealer said it typically took 3 months to submit the order to Southeast Toyota (they batch orders quarterly to Toyota corp) and then it would be about another month to deliver the finished product to our eager hands.
Today we get a call from our salesman stating Southeast Toyota REFUSED our order. He apologized profusely and stated the only manual transmission Yaris they would allow the dealership to order would be the 3-door base model. Great way to do business!
Although this dealership has been excellent, this overall experience along with our own experiences with other Toyota dealers in this area has really given us a bad taste for the brand. Toyota is making a great car but the company's network of dealers makes it impossible to buy the trim level we want. Very frustrating to say the least.
So we are taking our money to purchase our second choice...2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ with the turbo 1.4l.
that sucks. I almost bought a 5 door with the 5 speed but it would have had to be ordered and it was right around the time of the earthquake and tsunami.
I ended up with a used 3 door 5 speed.
I can't get how the REFUSED the order. that is nuts. you'd think they wanted the money.
Probably for the same reason SE Toyota makes all of the dealers add in another $500 "Southeast Toyota admin fee" on top of dealer fees. It is all about the bottom line. Part of me thinks they saw the deal we were getting on the car and felt there wasn't enough profit for them to bother submitting the order for production.
skuzzlebutt5
03-05-2012, 02:24 PM
man, that sucks. sorry dude. it's a great car though.
I'm bummed since I really like the new Yaris.
Interestingly enough my wife was starting to get cold feet about the car and was thinking about cancelling the order. So I guess this is working out for the best for her...
fnkngrv
03-05-2012, 02:47 PM
Best of luck with the Sonic...looks like a hot little hatch coming from the GM stables for a change. Serious bummer on the Yaris though. The stealerships really are the weak point in the chain unfortunately and that is the part of the chain that is customer facing.
Kal-El
03-05-2012, 02:56 PM
Although I also prefer a manual, I would have settled for an auto.
IMO, the car choice is more important than what transmission it has.
Are you that much against automatics?
Transmission is part of the car choice. I am not a fan of that 4-speed auto...particularly paired with that motor.
CTScott
03-05-2012, 04:53 PM
Looking at a dealer inventory listing it looks like there are only two 5 door blazing blue 2012 MT SE's in the US. One is in Palo Alto, CA and the other in Greenly, CO. A "good" dealer would be able to get one from another area for you.
skuzzlebutt5
03-05-2012, 04:58 PM
Magnussen Toyota in Palo Alto is whack:thumbdown:. They didn't even consider matching or lowering the price of the SE I bought at Maita Toyota in Sacramento. Good luck trying to have them do anything for you!
Altitude
03-05-2012, 06:04 PM
Ya. The way they structure their sales and what's available where sucks big time. Some dipshit in corporate decides what models will sell the best in a given region and then limits availability in said region only to those models.
It's practically not worth the time and effort to get a special order because they really don't want to do it. I had to settle for less than my optimal choice when I bought mine, but I really wanted a Yaris and figured I could add on the extras I wanted afterwards so that's what I did.
chriskizi
03-05-2012, 06:08 PM
yeah that really sucks... :-/
JumpmanYaris
03-05-2012, 06:08 PM
Chevy? What's that?
Get you a Honda
kimona
03-05-2012, 06:22 PM
Transmission is part of the car choice. I am not a fan of that 4-speed auto...particularly paired with that motor.
By far the most intelligent little automatic transmission (paired with that motor) I have ever driven!
Jason@SportsCar
03-05-2012, 06:43 PM
It is amazing how poorly some dealers will operate when they believe they have a hot new item... And then a year down the road they wont be able to get them off the lot.
Gearhd79
03-05-2012, 07:06 PM
well from what i know (not that much..lol) they only offer the 5spd in the base trim levels and I have been told that Americans do not want clutch vehicles. It is the younger demographic that overwelmingly buys automatics. I am a bit older (40's) and would only buy a small car with a 5spd but thats just me. The Fiat 500 will sell to the ones that have to have a 5spd with options. European market buyers love 5spd cars.
Thirty-Nine
03-05-2012, 08:28 PM
The Yaris SE is available with a manual transmission. I've driven one for a week. It is not, however, available in all markets. I cannot get one here in Oregon. I can, however, get one in Sacramento, CA for whatever reason. I believe that is the closest place I can get one.
The Sonic with the 1.4t is a great little car. I've reviewed that one as well. Honestly, if I had to buy a car tomorrow, it'd be between a Yaris SE and a Sonic with the turbo.
FYI:
Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Review
http://www.subcompactculture.com/2011/12/review-2012-chevrolet-sonic-ltz-great.html
Toyota Yaris SE Review
http://www.subcompactculture.com/2012/01/review-2012-yaris-se-surprisingly.html
And Kal-El, to me a transmission makes a huge difference. I won't buy a car with an automatic; it's a deal breaker.
skuzzlebutt5
03-05-2012, 08:36 PM
At Maita Toyota right? Their prices are awesome!
Aw... I just checked. They use to have a manual SE for $15,488... now it's $17,488. Bummer.
Chevy? What's that?
Get you a Honda
Not a fan of the Fit. Overpriced in my opinion.
The Yaris SE is available with a manual transmission. I've driven one for a week. It is not, however, available in all markets. I cannot get one here in Oregon. I can, however, get one in Sacramento, CA for whatever reason. I believe that is the closest place I can get one.
The Sonic with the 1.4t is a great little car. I've reviewed that one as well. Honestly, if I had to buy a car tomorrow, it'd be between a Yaris SE and a Sonic with the turbo.
FYI:
Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Review
http://www.subcompactculture.com/2011/12/review-2012-chevrolet-sonic-ltz-great.html
Toyota Yaris SE Review
http://www.subcompactculture.com/2012/01/review-2012-yaris-se-surprisingly.html
And Kal-El, to me a transmission makes a huge difference. I won't buy a car with an automatic; it's a deal breaker.
The Sonic was a HUGE suprise to both of us. I have been anti-Chevy since I can remember so us going to the Chevy dealer was me pretty much humoring my wife. We drove a base 1.8 with a stick and I was very impressed with everything about that car (except the seat material...that base cloth is funky). Chevy has come a long way and that car is a game changer for the segment. I wish we could hold out for the RS but we really need a car ASAP.
As far as transmissions go if I run across a deal on a used car that is way too good to pass up then I will forget about my dislike of automatics...but I'll still complain about how much the automatic sucks. ;)
Kal-El
03-05-2012, 08:59 PM
Transmission is part of the car choice. I am not a fan of that 4-speed auto...particularly paired with that motor.
And Kal-El, to me a transmission makes a huge difference. I won't buy a car with an automatic; it's a deal breaker.
Absolutely. Just saying that for me, if the Yaris was THE car I wanted, and it couldn't be had with my preference for a manual, then I'd happily settle for the auto. The overall car far outweighs the transmission for me.
But if the Sonic was a very close second, then good for you, enjoy it. It's no doubt a good car.
As for the 4 speed auto in the Yaris mated with the 1.5, it is one of the most bullet proof combo's on the market today. And even for a dated 4-speed, it performs soundly.
J_Lynn
03-05-2012, 09:01 PM
Looking at a dealer inventory listing it looks like there are only two 5 door blazing blue 2012 MT SE's in the US. One is in Palo Alto, CA and the other in Greenly, CO. A "good" dealer would be able to get one from another area for you.
They sure would ..... when I got my LB, they didn't have what I wanted on the lot - my salesman said, "Oh sweetie - I'll find you that car, I don't care where we have to get it from - but if you want it, as long as Toyota is willing to make it we will get it here for you"
That dealership is lame-o :thumbdown: I wonder if Toyota corporate would like to hear your story about how they not only passed up a sale, but made you turn to a Chevy.
(I'm not saying anything bad about a Chevy .... I am 100% a chevy fan, it's either Chevy or Toyota for this girl - but I'm just saying, as a company I wouldn't be happy with that dealership)
J_Lynn
03-05-2012, 09:02 PM
Not a fan of the Fit. Overpriced in my opinion.
And ugly :barf:
JumpmanYaris
03-05-2012, 10:05 PM
Alan I never mention the word FIT lol yes they suck, I'd get a nice civic tho
Gearhd79
03-05-2012, 11:35 PM
one thing I must have...A 2 door hatch. I can not stand looking at the b pillar every time i look to the left (with the seat where I need it to be) so the SE is out of the question (heard that it is only aval as a 5 door). I owned the ScionXB and had the same issues with that vehicle and got rid of it bec it was a bit too small for me. A 2 door Yaris however is just big enough.
Kal-El
03-05-2012, 11:56 PM
Alan I never mention the word FIT lol yes they suck, I'd get a nice civic tho
The new Civic is even worse. One of the worse redesigns in history. There's almost a universal consensus that it's worse than the 6 year old model it replaced.
DJYojimbo
03-06-2012, 12:19 AM
I would get the new chevy too congrats no hating on my end!
DJYojimbo
03-06-2012, 12:20 AM
I just want a little more power with the automatic though. Stupid suvs on the highway always wanna hit me haha
JumpmanYaris
03-06-2012, 12:28 AM
The new Civic is even worse. One of the worse redesigns in history. There's almost a universal consensus that it's worse than the 6 year old model it replaced.
And ur entitle to ur opinion
CanIHazYarisHatch?
03-06-2012, 02:21 AM
Probably for the same reason SE Toyota makes all of the dealers add in another $500 "Southeast Toyota admin fee" on top of dealer fees. It is all about the bottom line. Part of me thinks they saw the deal we were getting on the car and felt there wasn't enough profit for them to bother submitting the order for production.
Bingo.
But to be fair, the Turbo Sonic was my second choice. It is also as I understand it, a fantastic drive.
You could do a hell of a lot worse.
As for the 4 speed auto in the Yaris mated with the 1.5, it is one of the most bullet proof combo's on the market today. And even for a dated 4-speed, it performs soundly.
No argument that transmission is tough and proven...for me I just think that motor with that transmission kills the fun driving character of the car. Plus I just really like manual transmissions. On a new car it is one of those things I won't compromise on.
That dealership is lame-o :thumbdown: I wonder if Toyota corporate would like to hear your story about how they not only passed up a sale, but made you turn to a Chevy.
(I'm not saying anything bad about a Chevy .... I am 100% a chevy fan, it's either Chevy or Toyota for this girl - but I'm just saying, as a company I wouldn't be happy with that dealership)
The dealer was great and the sales manager signed off on the order to be submitted to the regional Toyota distributor (Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC). SE Toyota is to blame and I am livid. If anyone has any contacts to Toyota Corporate please send them my way. The number we called in the past for assistance with ordering the car directed us to SE Toyota who, big suprise, did nothing to help the situation.
This would have been my third Toyota product and I was honestly considering another in about a year. As it stands right now...as long as I live in the southeast US I will NOT buy another Toyota. Feel like they just wasted a ton of my time with this. If they would have rejected it up front then I would still be unhappy but not to the degree in which I am right now.
The new Civic is even worse. One of the worse redesigns in history. There's almost a universal consensus that it's worse than the 6 year old model it replaced.
YES! Honda is reportedly working on a redesign already as well due to the negative reviews from pretty much all the critics.
You could do a hell of a lot worse.
A VW? ;) All kidding aside I'm pretty stoked about the Sonic the more I look at it. I think it has a lot of potential. The only thing that worries me is that it is a first year US made car. Hopefully we don't end up helping GM work out the bugs for the first year of production..
J_Lynn
03-06-2012, 10:01 AM
Here is from the Toyota website; I don't know how far it will get you ... but it's a start :)
How do I contact Toyota's Corporate Headquarters?We would like to hear from you. We built Toyota.com to serve you and we value your input. So, please, tell us what you think.
If you have specific questions or comments about Toyota*, a Toyota dealer, or any of our vehicles, please contact the Corporate Headquarters.
Brochures:
800-GO-TOYOTA
Mailing Address:
19001 S. Western Ave.
Dept. WC 11
Torrance, CA 90509-2991
Email:
Email Us
Phone:
800-331-4331
800-443-4999 for TDD
5:00 AM - 6:00 PM Monday - Friday and 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM Saturday, Pacific Time
For calls originating outside the United States:
310-468-4000
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday
Contact your local Toyota dealer. To find contact information for the nearest dealer to you, please use the Dealer Locator.
For additional services available to Toyota owners, please visit the Owners Section of Toyota.com.
*Note: Toyota.com is the official Web site of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (Please note that Lexus and Scion have separate web sites. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. only conducts business in the continental United States of America and Alaska. So, if you live in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, another U.S. territory or a different country -- or have questions or comments about Toyota's operations in those areas -- please use our International Directory to visit our other sites. There, you'll find links to Toyota Canada and Toyota Mexico as well as other Toyota web sites from around the world.
ROCKLAND TOYOTA
03-06-2012, 10:38 AM
CALL 1-800-331-4331
EXPLAIN in detail your problem
CPALK719
03-06-2012, 12:29 PM
I'm sorry to hear about that.. the dealerships here in florida are pretty shady. when i was looking for mine. they all have almost a $2500 to $3000 markup just for the area i see. i noticed you were deadset on a blazing blue, you didnt' consider other color SE models ?? when i was looking i recall a dealership had a white one that was somewhere around my part of florida.
Remember if you wanted one that bad, you might have had to travel abit. i was almost ready to travel to tampa even lakeland to go pick up a 2012 yaris for the right deal of course and that was more then 300 miles away from me.
Either way good luck with what you purchase whether it will be the Sonic or you still consider getting your yaris SE. please do keep us posted. and in case you havent owned a turbo car before they are a hell of alotta fun !
We were willing to travel a bit but at the time we ordered the only manual transmission SE we found was all the way over in CA. No dealer was willing to transfer it due to cost of transport (can't blame them for that). Right now it still looks like only CA, CO, and I think we found one up in NC but it was a color my wife wouldn't consider.
Will keep you updated on what Toyota has to say about the matter. Something tells me they will file my complaint under misc.
This will be the first new turbo car. My last one was an 86 SVO that I sold about 7-8 years ago. Great car and it was hard to keep my foot out of it.
J_Lynn
03-06-2012, 01:54 PM
I was living in Minnesota and got my LB in Tennessee lol I was going to get it from a dealership in the Twin Cities, but they didn't have the LBs in anything but base models at the time :/ So I was in the process of moving back to TN anyway, and they were willing to do anything. It's really weird how vehicles in general differ in different regions.
CPALK719
03-06-2012, 04:29 PM
We were willing to travel a bit but at the time we ordered the only manual transmission SE we found was all the way over in CA. No dealer was willing to transfer it due to cost of transport (can't blame them for that). Right now it still looks like only CA, CO, and I think we found one up in NC but it was a color my wife wouldn't consider.
Will keep you updated on what Toyota has to say about the matter. Something tells me they will file my complaint under misc.
This will be the first new turbo car. My last one was an 86 SVO that I sold about 7-8 years ago. Great car and it was hard to keep my foot out of it.
i recall seeing a white SE somewhere around my area in the south florida region. have you checked cars.com at all? that is unless your sort of dead set on getting the sonic now.
At the time our dealer gave us the news on the Yaris order they stated they couldn't find any with a manual in FL. The ball is rolling on the Sonic. We already wasted over two months of our time/energy/efforts on that Yaris so we aren't going to invest any more for a car built by a manufacturer with distributors/dealers that don't seem to want our money.
Waiting to hear back from our dealer to see if they were able to locate the 1LZ in the color we want. If not we are looking at a 6-8 week order time.
47_MasoN_47
03-06-2012, 05:22 PM
Finding a manual in anything but the base model 3 door is practically impossible. I tried to find a manual sedan with all the other options and they just couldn't even figure out why I'd want that.
IMO the automatic in the yaris sucks. I've been able to resolve a lot of my problems with performance parts, but mine was HORRID about gear hunting while going up hill. I hate that when you put the brakes on it drops to 3rd, how when it's cold it's stuck in 3rd, etc. The transmission is really the only complaint I have about the Yaris, but it's a big one. That automatic is horrible.
If I have my way, I'll never own another fucking automatic ever I've gotten so fed up with this one.
I'm completely dumbfounded by this being a car that Toyota obviously makes but have to do all the leg work to get it by flying to the other side of the country, locating for the dealer, paying to have it transported, or whatever. I understand the distributor argument that manual transmissions don't sell like the automatics, but this is an order from a paying customer who put money down to get it. It is a friggin guaranteed sale to get money in their pockets so it isn't like it is going to sit on the lot. Ugh. I'm so pissed right now at how stupid this whole thing is.
J_Lynn
03-06-2012, 06:50 PM
Finding a manual in anything but the base model 3 door is practically impossible. I tried to find a manual sedan with all the other options and they just couldn't even figure out why I'd want that.
IMO the automatic in the yaris sucks. I've been able to resolve a lot of my problems with performance parts, but mine was HORRID about gear hunting while going up hill. I hate that when you put the brakes on it drops to 3rd, how when it's cold it's stuck in 3rd, etc. The transmission is really the only complaint I have about the Yaris, but it's a big one. That automatic is horrible.
If I have my way, I'll never own another fucking automatic ever I've gotten so fed up with this one.
My sedan was a manual - it was fullllly loaded, and that was of 3 manuals they had on the lot - they had a white one and a red one and I didn't want to wait on anything, and I sure as hell won't ever own an automatic (they had one of those in black - seexxxyy) so I took the blue one I test drove :) That was in Minnesota too of all places, I do believe it was October of 2006 when my exhusband bought it for me. We test drove it because I needed to get rid of my Denali (I was sick of paying to put gas in that sucker....but I sure miss it now....lol) and the salesman said, "We have got the cutest little car - I'm sure you'll love it" and at first I was like "You've got to be kidding - is that even a legal size to drive?!" bawhahah
Anyway - yeah, they had plenty of manuals with lots of options in Minnesota back when they first came out. Maybe it was because it was the first time they were in the US? idk. That's weird they had them up there but not down here.
J_Lynn
03-06-2012, 06:54 PM
I'm completely dumbfounded by this being a car that Toyota obviously makes but have to do all the leg work to get it by flying to the other side of the country, locating for the dealer, paying to have it transported, or whatever. I understand the distributor argument that manual transmissions don't sell like the automatics, but this is an order from a paying customer who put money down to get it. It is a friggin guaranteed sale to get money in their pockets so it isn't like it is going to sit on the lot. Ugh. I'm so pissed right now at how stupid this whole thing is.
If it was a Camry or something that you'd spend more on, I bet they'd find it. Dealers are just lazy when it's not a super high dollar they're making. I was told when I bought my LB that they don't make as much on the Yaris as the other toyota models .... so maybe that's why they just don't care. It's sad ... you'd think you'd want to build a relationship with someone - because eventually you're going to need a new car, and when you do if you're treated right you'll go back to the last place you bought a vehicle at. But that dealership lost that chance, and made you go away from Toyota completely. Sad :frown:
Gogogordy
03-08-2012, 01:08 AM
By far the most intelligent little automatic transmission (paired with that motor) I have ever driven!
Its a smooth package, and still fun to drive.
CanIHazYarisHatch?
03-08-2012, 02:19 AM
Its a smooth package, and still fun to drive.
That's what she said. :tongue:
Hi, there seems to be a ton of confusion here.
SE Toyota is a wholly separate company from Toyota NA, fully owned by someone else. They own Toyota sales in the Gulf States, all of them.
Toyota NA can't do anything about them, the deal was made a long time ago, and someone took a gigantic risk when no one would buy a toyota.
Regardless, that really stinks. But that is how they operate. There are many truly insane stories like this floating around about SE Toyota making bad decisions.
ROCKLAND TOYOTA
03-09-2012, 09:40 AM
Hi, there seems to be a ton of confusion here.
SE Toyota is a wholly separate company from Toyota NA, fully owned by someone else. They own Toyota sales in the Gulf States, all of them.
Toyota NA can't do anything about them, the deal was made a long time ago, and someone took a gigantic risk when no one would buy a toyota.
.
:clap: THANK YOU
i was tired of all the ignorance and hopefully this will end this discussion. look forward to seeing the NEW chevy shots....
J_Lynn
03-09-2012, 10:39 AM
Hi, there seems to be a ton of confusion here.
SE Toyota is a wholly separate company from Toyota NA, fully owned by someone else. They own Toyota sales in the Gulf States, all of them.
Toyota NA can't do anything about them, the deal was made a long time ago, and someone took a gigantic risk when no one would buy a toyota.
Regardless, that really stinks. But that is how they operate. There are many truly insane stories like this floating around about SE Toyota making bad decisions.
That's crazy! I had no idea that it would be different .... I'd never heard of that. Huh, guess you do learn something new every day :)
That is super crappy that this isn't the first horror story involving them, that's sad because they're putting a bad taste in peoples mouth about Toyota in general if they operate like that on a regular basis :(
CALL 1-800-331-4331
EXPLAIN in detail your problem
:clap: THANK YOU
i was tired of all the ignorance and hopefully this will end this discussion. look forward to seeing the NEW chevy shots....
Yes, because you were right there to be the first to let us all know about that information - I can't believe we didn't listen when you told us about how they aren't involved with Toyota NA in any way :rolleyes:
I completely understand SE Toyota is the distributor for Toyota in my region. My issue is with them, not with the manufacturer or the dealer (and I thought I made that pretty clear).
I already went down to the dealership to get my deposit refund. I spoke with the sales manager a bit to see if I could get a reason why it was rejected since the info I previously posted was the salesman's theories on why it could have possibly been rejected. The manager states he wasn't given a reason and is never told why. I just find it odd that SE Toyota will order me a 3-door base with a manual trans but not the SE with the manual trans. Makes no sense and that pisses me off even more.
Anyways...water under the bridge. Not going to harp on it any longer but I can say SE Toyota won't ever see a dime from me thanks to this incident. We head to the Chevy dealer tomorrow to put the order in on the Sonic. Should have it in 6-8 weeks unless they are able to locate one in the meantime. I'll be sure to post up photos.
Thirty-Nine
03-09-2012, 11:53 AM
It's quite frustrating, eh?
The way it was explained to me is that Toyota figures out what the most popular option packages are (possibly by region?), and decides it'll sell those in specific areas. Take rates on manual transmission cars are about 8% across the board; small cars are a bit higher.
As someone else mentioned earlier on in the thread, Toyota (and most other manufacturers) don't make much profit at all on small cars, so they don't prioritize them. To me, this is short-term thinking with regards to sales. A lot of people will return to a dealer (and or recommend family/friends to a dealer) or recommend a certain car brand because of a good experience. Maybe you've heard people say, "You have a good experience, you tell five people. You have a bad experience, you tell 500 people."
My guess is your dealer could probably have put out a locator on the car you wanted, even if it was outside of your area so they could get you what you wanted. You may have had to pay (or negotiate your way out of paying) a transportation fee to bring the car to your area. However, it doesn't sound like that option was even offered up.
ROCKLAND TOYOTA
03-09-2012, 11:57 AM
That's crazy! I had no idea that it would be different .... I'd never heard of that. Huh, guess you do learn something new every day :)
That is super crappy that this isn't the first horror story involving them, that's sad because they're putting a bad taste in peoples mouth about Toyota in general if they operate like that on a regular basis :(
Yes, because you were right there to be the first to let us all know about that information - I can't believe we didn't listen when you told us about how they aren't involved with Toyota NA in any way :rolleyes:
AWWW , you act like it affected you personally that i refused to participate.
IM TOUCHED....
They said they could only do dealer trades within the SE region so the cars we found out in CA or CO would have to be done with those dealers.
After this whole thing started to go downhill we found one manual SE up in either SC or NC that they offered to get for us, but unfortunately it was in a color my wife did not want. I'd say she is being too picky since if it were me I probably would have jumped on that car, but this is her first new car in about 10 years so I can't blame her for trying to get exactly what she wants.
J_Lynn
03-09-2012, 12:50 PM
AWWW , you act like it affected you personally that i refused to participate.
IM TOUCHED....
You did participate - but your heavily laid sarcasm just now completely affected me. I don't think I'll ever recover. Will probably cry myself to sleep tonight.
J_Lynn
03-09-2012, 12:54 PM
It's quite frustrating, eh?
The way it was explained to me is that Toyota figures out what the most popular option packages are (possibly by region?), and decides it'll sell those in specific areas. Take rates on manual transmission cars are about 8% across the board; small cars are a bit higher.
As someone else mentioned earlier on in the thread, Toyota (and most other manufacturers) don't make much profit at all on small cars, so they don't prioritize them. To me, this is short-term thinking with regards to sales. A lot of people will return to a dealer (and or recommend family/friends to a dealer) or recommend a certain car brand because of a good experience. Maybe you've heard people say, "You have a good experience, you tell five people. You have a bad experience, you tell 500 people."
My guess is your dealer could probably have put out a locator on the car you wanted, even if it was outside of your area so they could get you what you wanted. You may have had to pay (or negotiate your way out of paying) a transportation fee to bring the car to your area. However, it doesn't sound like that option was even offered up.
That is so true, the reason that I bought a 2nd Yaris was because I had such a great experience with the 1st - so figure that first $17,600 sale doubled because just 3 years later they made another $18,300 on me when they sold me my LB .... all because I had a great experience with the dealer and Toyota in general and I really see no reason to change once you have a good thing going with a brand/dealership. And because of my new dealership being as awesome as the fist one was, my next new car will be a Toyota also.
It's really too bad that OP had such a bad experience ... because they are such fun cars to own :)
J_Lynn
03-09-2012, 12:55 PM
They said they could only do dealer trades within the SE region so the cars we found out in CA or CO would have to be done with those dealers.
After this whole thing started to go downhill we found one manual SE up in either SC or NC that they offered to get for us, but unfortunately it was in a color my wife did not want. I'd say she is being too picky since if it were me I probably would have jumped on that car, but this is her first new car in about 10 years so I can't blame her for trying to get exactly what she wants.
Color means a lot .... you have to look at it every day, and if it's not what you want, you'll end up hating it because you spend the money on something you're not really happy with. So I don't blame her :laugh:
I agree, a car is the second most expensive thing you will ever buy. get exactly what you want And never think you are being too picky. The second you drive a brand new car off the lot you are stuck with it for a long time.
Unfortunately SE Toyota is a pain in the rear. There are a few setups like this from back when being a car distributor was a major deal and the companies didn't want to do it themselves. But SE Toyota is the only one that makes it a real headache. In my area, Subaru of New England is wholly owned by a local car dealer that fronted the cash to import Subaru's in 1968. He chooses which people to give dealerships too, and he owns most Subaru dealerships himself in all of New England.
Anyways, come back and tell us about the Chevy. It looks like an interesting little vehicle.
So I guess Toyota Corp wouldn't step in to set SE Toyota straight? Sounds like I am not the only person with these sorts of problems.
fnkngrv
03-09-2012, 06:28 PM
I ended up going half way across the country to get the Yaris I wanted back in 06. Didn't bother me though. I found an awesome dealership that way. They even took me to Red Lobster while the final detailing was being done.
NJ Drive
03-09-2012, 08:39 PM
Damn, after reading what you went through I should feel privileged that I'm getting my SE tomorrow for invoice. They are so rare in the Northeast with a 5 speed that I had no choice, plus it was white which is my color.
The Sonic does look to be a fine purchase though!
So I guess Toyota Corp wouldn't step in to set SE Toyota straight? Sounds like I am not the only person with these sorts of problems.
nope they can't. The deal was complete autonomy. They paid to import toyotas to their area at a time when no one though anyone would ever buy a toyota. That gets a ton of respect and leeway.
The only way to get them to change is the pressure of horrible pr.
nope they can't. The deal was complete autonomy. They paid to import toyotas to their area at a time when no one though anyone would ever buy a toyota. That gets a ton of respect and leeway.
The only way to get them to change is the pressure of horrible pr.
That is kind of what I was figuring. Before we ended up with that last dealer we called Toyota since we were having some serious issues getting answers from four other dealers in the area. The call was transfered to SE Toyota whose representatives were complete morons. We actually knew more about the cars than the reps they hired to take calls. They use Toyota.com to answer questions about specs and, at the time, the "build your own" feature still had the old 2011 on it. They kept telling us the 2012 didn't come in a hatchback.
Anywho...the order for the Sonic was finalized on Saturday and they submit it to Chevy on Thursday. The wife is stoked and so am I since I think we are FINALLY through all this stress. Now I just need to clean up my 89 Jetta to get that sold to make room for the new car.
CanIHazYarisHatch?
03-12-2012, 07:53 PM
That is kind of what I was figuring. Before we ended up with that last dealer we called Toyota since we were having some serious issues getting answers from four other dealers in the area. The call was transfered to SE Toyota whose representatives were complete morons. We actually knew more about the cars than the reps they hired to take calls. They use Toyota.com to answer questions about specs and, at the time, the "build your own" feature still had the old 2011 on it. They kept telling us the 2012 didn't come in a hatchback.
Anywho...the order for the Sonic was finalized on Saturday and they submit it to Chevy on Thursday. The wife is stoked and so am I since I think we are FINALLY through all this stress. Now I just need to clean up my 89 Jetta to get that sold to make room for the new car.
By all accounts the Sonic (especially the 1.4 turbo and 6-speed manual) is a very worthy competitor to the '12 Yaris. It will be a blast to drive--and much quicker to 60mph!
Excellent choice, mate. Gotta love turbos. :evil:
CPALK719
03-12-2012, 09:52 PM
so which sonic did you decide on?? hopefully your getting the turbo one. that should be a blast to drive and im sure with a few mods will zip around even better.
We went with the 1LZ and the 1.4 turbo option. Felt the $700 option was worth it for the extra fun and a better gas mileage over the 1.8.
CanIHazYarisHatch?
03-13-2012, 09:14 AM
We went with the 1LZ and the 1.4 turbo option. Felt the $700 option was worth it for the extra fun and a better gas mileage over the 1.8.
A very wise choice, indeed.
It is going to be tough keeping my petrol head tendencies under control. There is already a tune out for the car for under $500 that yields some very nice results.
CPALK719
03-13-2012, 01:06 PM
We went with the 1LZ and the 1.4 turbo option. Felt the $700 option was worth it for the extra fun and a better gas mileage over the 1.8.
NICE!!!! any pics of the car yet ?
Not yet. Still have 6-8 weeks to go until it gets here. Dealer submits the order to GM tomorrow.
No Mazda 2? I fell in love when I drove one back in 2011. I was just too broke to afford it....
I hate to say this (on a Yaris forum nonetheless, where I OWN a Yaris) but the 2012 Yaris isn't very competitive. Engine are basically the same from the old Echo, as is the transmission. The chassis really isn't all new, it's just pretty much the old Yaris with new sheetmetal. The Sonic's a wonderful car (if a bit expensive and heavy) and you'll have fun with it.
If I were going new, it'd be down to Mazda 2 and Sonic. The Rio also impressed me, but there's no possible way to get a manual transmission and any sort of option (not even power locks!).
J_Lynn
03-15-2012, 11:40 AM
No Mazda 2? I fell in love when I drove one back in 2011. I was just too broke to afford it....
I hate to say this (on a Yaris forum nonetheless, where I OWN a Yaris) but the 2012 Yaris isn't very competitive. Engine are basically the same from the old Echo, as is the transmission. The chassis really isn't all new, it's just pretty much the old Yaris with new sheetmetal. The Sonic's a wonderful car (if a bit expensive and heavy) and you'll have fun with it.
If I were going new, it'd be down to Mazda 2 and Sonic. The Rio also impressed me, but there's no possible way to get a manual transmission and any sort of option (not even power locks!).
Really?! That's crazy! When I was 16 I wanted a Rio *so* bad and that's all they had was manuals. That's funny how things change in 12 years ... lol
Ohhh I loved those cars!
Ohhh, and I wanted the Roxy Echo too! That and the Rio's were "sooooooooooo cuuuuuuuuuuuuuute" I remember telling my dad hahah
Thirty-Nine
03-15-2012, 11:44 AM
No Mazda 2? I fell in love when I drove one back in 2011. I was just too broke to afford it....
I hate to say this (on a Yaris forum nonetheless, where I OWN a Yaris) but the 2012 Yaris isn't very competitive. Engine are basically the same from the old Echo, as is the transmission. The chassis really isn't all new, it's just pretty much the old Yaris with new sheetmetal. The Sonic's a wonderful car (if a bit expensive and heavy) and you'll have fun with it.
If I were going new, it'd be down to Mazda 2 and Sonic. The Rio also impressed me, but there's no possible way to get a manual transmission and any sort of option (not even power locks!).
Just a couple things:
I think the Yaris is competitive. It's on par with fuel economy, the revised steering (especially on the SE) is outstanding. Keep in mind the vehicle is a lightweight, so no need to add much more power. Also, the 1NZ-FE engine is getting the job done in terms of fuel economy and performance (still within reason among the segment). The new interior is miles ahead of the current Yaris, too. Granted, this is my opinion.
The Mazda2 is a another great choice; I highly enjoyed the one I reviewed (http://www.subcompactculture.com/2010/11/review-2011-mazda-2-touringthe-miata-of.html). However, the engine is a relic (then again, so is the 1NZ-FE, right?).
I agree with you on the Rio, too. I'd just get the Accent instead if I were going that way.
the MotorTrend article rated the sonic very well. (http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1204_economy_five_door_hatchback_comparison/)
Good luck not modding the sonic. We should have a poll on how many days it is before you do.
skuzzlebutt5
03-15-2012, 04:58 PM
aw... look who came in 3rd :cry: at least it beat out the fit! :thumbup:
I tried talking her into the new Skyactiv 3 but she wasn't interested. If it were my choice I would be all over the hatchback. Great gas mileage for the size and it is supposedly still a blast to drive.
We didn't really check out the 2 too much. Neat little cars but the car overall didn't really strike a chord with either of us. I'm wondering why Mazda doesn't put the Skyactiv motor in the 2 (or the 5).
Aside from tint and a couple cheap cosmetic things I am sure the Sonic will stay pretty much stock for a while. My wife wants to powdercoat the wheels satin black and I may lower it a tad depending on what comes out. My wife drives like an old lady so modding would be kind of a waste.
Whatever I get next is a different story. Selling the Jetta and the Rabbit so I can get a used 4-door of some sort. Leaning towards a 3-5 year old 2.5l Impreza. Would like a WRX but with gas prices what they are I don't want to have to run premium gas (plus it gets pretty terrible gas mileage anyways). I think with a few minor bolt ons the 2.5 could provide some fun. Plus you can't beat the garble of the boxer exhaust.
We picked up the Sonic today. Took exactly 7 weeks from the day we signed the order form. 1LZ turbo with 6-speed manual trans and the optional sunroof. My wife went with the lighter titanium interior since it has teal stitching in the seats. Looks really nice. Fit and finish are far beyond what I was expecting.
Although a Trifecta tune is VERY tempting we are going to keep it stock for a while. I may lower it a little bit and we eventually want to powdercoat the wheels satin black. Tint will be a must. Anywho...here are a couple cell phone shots:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/527282_3869707421568_1245065918_33773841_338227774 _n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/531296_3870559762876_1245065918_33774076_105055032 0_n.jpg
Full house for now. Trying to sell my MKII Jetta. MKV Rabbit is here to stay for a while I think. Not a fan of two doors with the kid but I just don't want to sell it:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/389600_3870688606097_1245065918_33774139_858361630 _n.jpg
JumpmanYaris
04-27-2012, 11:11 PM
I like front end and rear taillights
JumpmanYaris
04-27-2012, 11:11 PM
Kinda reminds me of the lancer or Evo
CanIHazYarisHatch?
04-28-2012, 01:20 AM
You've done very well, friend.
The Sonic is a a great car. I know you will love it!
Also, pretty little lady and cute kiddo, too. Have more.
tooter
04-28-2012, 02:34 PM
Hi A1,
That's a beautiful car!:smile:
Do you mind my asking how much it cost?
carolinablue
04-28-2012, 06:39 PM
This really looks like a Chevy commercial on a Yaris site............
09sedan
04-28-2012, 09:42 PM
good luck with the g.m.. hopefully it will last more then 100k km without problems :P
This is for CanIHazYarisHatch since we went back and forth a bit on the VW topic :wink: :
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/531262_3889731002145_1245065918_33782474_137920097 8_n.jpg
Didn't start this morning and when I finally got it to run there was a god awful clatter from the engine. Either fuel issue or something went wrong with the internals. It is at the shop now and I am awaiting a report back on what happened...thankfully we had 4k left on the extended.
You've done very well, friend.
The Sonic is a a great car. I know you will love it!
Also, pretty little lady and cute kiddo, too. Have more.
Thanks, but I think one wife is enough. :biggrin:
Hi A1,
That's a beautiful car!:smile:
Do you mind my asking how much it cost?
With destination but before tax and all the other fees it was $19,710. We were not successful getting anything off the price but I was able to get $750 off for being a USAA member.
This really looks like a Chevy commercial on a Yaris site............
HAHA...that was not my intention. The new Yaris is a fantastic car. I think we would have been just as happy with the SE. Perhaps a bit happier since the price was lower. :wink:
Thirty-Nine
04-30-2012, 05:10 PM
Looks great. I'd likely get a white one, too. Good choice.
I'm registered over at http://www.sonicownersforum.com/ also. Although I'm not getting rid of my Yaris, if it blew up tomorrow, I'd likely get exactly what you did.
CPALK719
04-30-2012, 07:05 PM
congrats on your purchase !!! looks like a very sharp looking car!!
tooter
05-01-2012, 02:48 AM
With destination but before tax and all the other fees it was $19,710. We were not successful getting anything off the price but I was able to get $750 off for being a USAA member.
That puts the Sonic at about $21,000 out the door. My 2012 manual transmission Yaris was $16,600 out the door but the extra $4,400 got you a lot more car with a lot of extra features. :thumbsup:
DebbyM46227
05-01-2012, 09:20 AM
Your new Sonic is awesome - love the looks of it; however, being the "replacement" for the old Chevy Aveo, which IMHO was a piece of crap (I had a new rental Aveo for awhile so I know how bad they were), I can't believe the price of these cars, it's ridiculous. Especially when I paid only $14,800 for my Yaris.
Thirty-Nine
05-01-2012, 08:07 PM
Keep in mind, you can get a Soinc for a lot less. But, get the turbo, the big wheels, etc. (and then no discount), and you'll pay a premium. The Yaris SE I reviewed stickered at $17,340.
http://www.subcompactculture.com/2012/01/review-2012-yaris-se-surprisingly.html#more
The Sonic LTZ I reviewed came in at $18,695.
http://www.subcompactculture.com/2011/12/review-2012-chevrolet-sonic-ltz-great.html
tooter
05-01-2012, 09:10 PM
Keep in mind, you can get a Soinc for a lot less. But, get the turbo, the big wheels, etc. (and then no discount), and you'll pay a premium. The Yaris SE I reviewed stickered at $17,340.
http://www.subcompactculture.com/2012/01/review-2012-yaris-se-surprisingly.html#more
The Sonic LTZ I reviewed came in at $18,695.
http://www.subcompactculture.com/2011/12/review-2012-chevrolet-sonic-ltz-great.html
Not to mention getting a 6 speed, too.
Man, I wish my Yaris had one. :rolleyes:
I think it's a pretty good deal with all those neato features. :thumbsup:
Volcano
05-02-2012, 02:30 AM
Not to mention getting a 6 speed, too.
Man, I wish my Yaris had one. :rolleyes:
I think it's a pretty good deal with all those neato features. :thumbsup:
Picked up my 6-Speed Yaris just yesterday......... :burnrubber: Like the Sonic too by the way, but it's not yet avail in Germany.
tooter
05-02-2012, 12:36 PM
Why is it you Euros get all the good stuff first? :laugh:
Volcano
05-02-2012, 01:55 PM
Gguess we're just serving as guinee pigs so you get perfect products. Eventually. :biggrin:
vBulletin® v3.8.11, Copyright ©2000-2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.