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2003-2008 Toyota Corolla Prices Paid and Buying Experience - READ ONLY

2208 messages,  Last post on Nov 11, 2008 at 8:01 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Corolla, Car Buying, Sedan

Messages Page 148 of 221

#1470 of 2208 Corolla in San Jose by mikesan

Feb 19, 2007 (2:40 am)

Got one today. Phantom Gray Pearl S Automatic with floor mats and Extra Value Package #1 (Alloys, Spoiler, PW, Keyless Entry, Cruise) MSRP 17,760. Bought for invoice ($16,444), plus TTL, minus rebate ($500). Added 6 yr/100k warranty for $1275. Dealer was asking $2195 for the warranty. Finance guy got my rate down from 6.9 to 6.35 since I got the warranty. Normally don't get them, but need to commute 500 miles a week in addition to regular driving. Will probably be close to 100,000 in three years. Can sell the car with 90K and still offer 10K warranty. $2000 down and $327/mo for 60 months. Without warranty, my monthly would have been $311. Figured $16/mo for the peace of mind was worth it. Sold my 03 Corolla to brother in law a couple years ago and he has 80,000 trouble free miles on it. Capitol Toyota in San Jose.

#1471 of 2208 Re: Please help me to figure out the price of Toyota Corolla LE 2007 [toyotacheck] by mikesan

Feb 19, 2007 (2:47 am)

Replying to: toyotacheck (Nov 16, 2006 4:15 pm)
Walk in and ask to speak to the internet/fleet manager. Don't bother with any salespeople. Tell the guy you want to pay invoice on any Corolla on the lot minus any rebates/incentives. Tell him you are a serious buyer and you will buy if he agrees. Don't say this if you are not sincere. Trust me, he'll go for it. Don't get hung up on the actual dollar figure. Stick to invoice pricing. Be careful not to get gouged by the finance guy when you sign the papers. See your bank or credit union to get pre approved for a loan if you are financing. That way you'll know if you're getting a decent rate from the dealer. Good luck.

#1472 of 2208 Documentation, TVR, Dealer Holdback fees? by kzturtlegirl

Feb 19, 2007 (5:19 pm)

I'm trying to buy an '07 Corolla S in southern Nevada with stick, ABS, side air bags, and power window/keyless entry package, but in one internet quote and a quote from an internet salesman on the floor at another dealership, the invoice includes around $330 for TDA, over $300 for Dealer Holdback, and another $150 for Wholesale Financial Reserve. Internet Dealer offered $500 under invoice, Floor Dealer offered $100 over invoice. At the Floor Dealership I visited today, they also said I would have to pay $389 in documentation fees and $299 in Vehicle Theft Insurance (VTR). This adds about $1500 to the ~$15,500 invoice price, and I still haven't paid taxes or tags! Since it wasn't on the invoice, I'm thinking Internet Dealer will be pulling similar moves if I buy there.
 
I tried to argue the point of why I should not have to pay dealer holdback or WFR, but the salespeople (two in team, of course) at Floor Dealership I visited said there's no way they can drop it, good luck finding a dealership that will.
 
Let's not even discuss the documentation and VTR fees - yikes! Why do I have to pay these?
 
I had some questions on various features of the car, like how DO I fold down the backseat, and what is this Security light flashing all about? But the guy they sent out with me wasn't able to tell me if it was an alarm or just some flashing red light, what this other cryptic button was, and insisted the rear seat did not fold down. Yah - nothing like knowing your fleet! Considering how ill-informed he was, I can't say that I trust their salesmen to know about what fees are bogus or not.
 
So, I'm waiting for my Fighting Chance packet to see how much I should really pay for this thing, but worry that I won't find a dealership nearby that will accept *MY* reasonable offer. I'm planning on doing a "fax attack" to dealerships in NV, AZ, UT, and AZ. Hey, I'll travel if it means I can save a couple of thousand dollars! While I wait, I fret. That Corolla S I test drove today was mighty cute!
 
Ah, well, gives me time to sell my Kia Sportage for downpayment money.
 
Are documentation fees and TVR valid? They aren't even on the invoice, I just asked if the price they gave me was the out-the-door price, and then they told me about the added $700+ (there's also a $29 title fee, which I can see as valid... I think. I mean, at least it's under $100!)

#1473 of 2208 TO kzturtlegirl by mikesan

Feb 20, 2007 (1:08 am)

Replying to: kzturtlegirl (Feb 19, 2007 5:19 pm)
The $500 below invoice sounds great, but they are trying to hit you for $389 doc fees and $299 VTI. Both are bogus adding $688 to your deal. Really they are selling at $188 over invoice. The TDA is the fee Toyota charges the dealer for advertising. I don't squabble over it. IMO, it's a legit cost the dealership has to pay. Holdback is money Toyota gives to the dealer once the car sells. It's extra money in the pocket of the dealer. I usually don't even squabble over this either. I figure it's the dealer's profit on the deal. They gotta make something to pay the electric bill and to pay for the free hot dogs. It's only a 2% profit. Now the dealer pays for the car and finances is from a bank just like you do. They pay interest on the car. The longer it sits, the more they pay. Not exactly sure what that $150 charge is, but I think it's related to the interest the dealer has to pay to finance the car. Here's my take. Have the internet manager print you the invoice. Offer the total invoice price. Tell him you won't pay doc fees or any other fees other than tax, title, and registration. Finally, don't trade in your KIA. They will at best give offer you 80% of the Trade in Value. Sell it on your own first. Corollas are always on the lot. Good luck.

#1474 of 2208 Re: Documentation, TVR, Dealer Holdback fees? [kzturtlegirl] by alamocity

Feb 20, 2007 (10:52 pm)

Replying to: kzturtlegirl (Feb 19, 2007 5:19 pm)
You should be able to get that vehicle for $15,581.00 plus TT&L. Some states regulate the maximum document fee others don't however $389.00 sounds excessive. Keep in mind this is the last year of the current generation of Corolla's so prices have come down as have the Civic prices.

#1475 of 2208 Corolla LE automatic in Harrisburg,PA by psustat

Feb 25, 2007 (2:22 pm)

I bought my corolla LE automatic -2007 in Harrisburg,PA faulkner toyota
It includes
FE -50 EMISSION
BE - driver and passenger side curtain airbags
CK - All weather guard package
AB -ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
W - Audio value package am-fm-indash cd (6)/6
     speakers CRUISE CONTROL
DK -- Preerred owner's porfolio
Z1 -- carpet floor mats cargo mat cargo net
 
$ 16,372 BEFORE tax is it too expensive???
I paid too much ?
Thanks for your reply.

#1476 of 2208 Re: Corolla LE automatic in Harrisburg,PA [psustat] by dchev

Feb 25, 2007 (2:55 pm)

Replying to: psustat (Feb 25, 2007 2:22 pm)
You did great!
You paid Invoice price for your car!
Now if you got 0% APR for 3 years or 1.9& for 3 years, it would be even sweeter!
Enjoy Your new ride!
 

#1477 of 2208 GREAT deal on '07 Corolla S by kzturtlegirl

Feb 27, 2007 (1:35 pm)

I just arranged a deal for a new 2007 Corolla S manual with ABS, side-curtain airbags, and the EVP #1 that includes alloy wheels, power windows, remote keyless entry and cruise control AND those stupid carpet mats. (I think this means at least AB, CK, Z1,BE... I don't really know all the codes, just the features - edited, I found the codes: FE, BE, CK, AB, VP, CT).
 
Price out-the-door, including $750 cash-back, all fees and our hefty 7.75% tax in southern Nevada: $16,500.
 
I pick it up tonight!
 
Story: I wasn't all that sure that I really wanted to buy a new car, vascillating all this month. I had contacted the dealer earlier this month for a quote, getting a quote of $15,395 (including $750 cash back), without fees and taxes. More vascillating, more angst, I often woke up thinking about the car. A different dealership (Findlay Henderson) quoted me $16,000 (including cash back), plus an additional $700 fees (VTR and documentation), and then I'd have to pay taxes on top of that. Hem, haw, fret fret fret. So today, I totally low-balled the first dealer (Centennial Toyota - Las Vegas) at $16,000 out-the-door, taking advantage of the end-of-the-month sales quota frenzy, almost hoping he would tell me to take a hike and make my decision for me. They came back at $16,500... I can't pass it up. Dealer invoice alone is $16,645. Taking into account our taxes and the exhorbitant documentation fees Toyota adds on here, that's close to $1,000 BELOW dealer's invoice, PLUS my cash back. All done by e-mail and phone calls.
 
Yippee!
 
Now I just have to sell my Kia Sportage. 2001. Excellent condition. Any takers?

#1478 of 2208 Re: GREAT deal on '07 Corolla S [kzturtlegirl] by mcdawgg

Feb 28, 2007 (7:12 am)

Replying to: kzturtlegirl (Feb 27, 2007 1:35 pm)
Congratulations! Not only is the price good, you got a manual transmission, which is a big plus in my book!

#1479 of 2208 Yah, that was one of my "must haves" [mcdawgg] by kzturtlegirl

Feb 28, 2007 (11:06 am)

Replying to: mcdawgg (Feb 28, 2007 7:12 am)
That and ABS. Which is a hard combination to find. I feel much better having the side airbags, too. We've had a few cars with automatic, and everyone (including a Toyota - Celica - what a waste of a sporty car to put an automatic in it!) eventually ended up with debilitating transmission problems. Our manual '88 Toyota 4WD truck, however, with 265,000 miles on it, just needs a new clutch every 70 - 100k miles, which we can do ourselves. With front-wheel drive, and a much lower clearance, the Corolla may be more difficult to do a clutch job on than the truck, but it's still better than finding myself 100 miles from anywhere, in the desert, with a failing transmission.
 
It's also peppy! I loved driving home in it at 65 miles per hour, with the tach at only 2200. 40 miles later, my fuel guage was still pegged at the top!
 
We're planning on this lasting a long time - in just ten years my oldest will be driving (eeeeks!) - it will be a good car for her to learn stick on. Every driver should learn how to drive stick, IMHO. You never know when you'll need to know!
 
BTW, price for the car, without tax, doc, VTR, etc was about $14,300. We did buy the extended warrantee, adding about $1200 to the price, but since we drive our cars to the ground (except this Kia we want to get rid of), it's worth it to us.

Messages Page 148 of 221

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