[Azrael]

Hey Everyone,

I went to Stadium Toyota here in Tampa 15 days ago, and placed an order for a Flint Mica 5-speed tC without the side impact airbags. On that Sunday, I was told to expect it in 2 weeks, but no more than 3 weeks. Then last week I was told that it should have been here on Friday. Friday came and went, still no tC. As of saturday, I was told the 12th (2 days past the 3 week deadline). I was also given a vin number, that when used to search the dealer inventory, shows an available date of Dec. 18th. Am I getting screwed here? Should I go to another dealer and forget about the people at Stadium? What do you all think?

Scott

 

[gcue]

well you have the VIN which means there is a vehicle assigned to you. The wait here in SoCal is more like 6-8 weeks now (I hear) so 3 weeks isn't too bad.

If the car whose VIN you have is perfect for you (price/mods/etc) I say wait it out. It's in the country, just on a truck somewhere. If it's got some stuff on it that you could live without or is missing something big that you didn't want to do yourself, keep looking -- but expect the same wait time.

I was "lucky" that my dealer underpromised and overdelivered. They told me 3-4 weeks (this was back in August) and it showed up in 2. So I was happy. I hate dealers that tell you "2 days" when you know it's gunna be like 2 weeks.

 

[*SweetPea*]

i would like to say in the nicest way possible. Quit complaining.

I was waiting about 12 weeks for my car, and it seemed to get pushed back everytime also. I was getting happy and then sad and all sorts of emotional rollercoasterlike feelings. But just stick it out and wait with your dealer you chose. You probably chose them for a reason in the first place and once you get your car you will be SOoOoo...overwhelmed with happiness. I just hit 1000 miles today. The feeling is great.

So just relax and wait it out...its worth it i promise.

 

[Azrael]

I guess my title for the thread wasn't the greatest...It's not so much the wait that bothers me, as I understand that everyone must wait. Good things come to those who wait and all that. The thing that gets me more is that my salesman seems to be about as serpent tongued as the best greaseball lawyer around. If I could get a straight answer from him I'd be much more happy. Like you put it, Sweetpea, it's a rollercoaster of disappoinment and hope and regret and excitement. I hate the tension and stress involved in it. He knew he didn't have to lie to get me to wait. I walked into his dealership (chose it because it was the closest to my house) and said, "I want a tC, when can you get me one." If he would have said 3 months, I would have placed the order anyway. So his lies are unnecessary and are just making me angry. I guess my rant is over, but I feel much better knowing that I'm not alone on the Coaster.

Scott

 

[gottc?]

i went to a dealer and got the same run around. he said he ordered it, then after like 7 weeks, he gets a hold of me and says something went wrong and my car actually never got ordered. 8 weeks rolls around and i still dont have a vin number or price! so i decided to try another dealer and within an hour they found me the exact car i wanted sitting in port scheduled to go somewhere in a neighboring state. they got my name on it and 3 days later it went to freight status. hpefully itll be here within a couple of weeks. so, your service may depend on how competent your dealer is.

 

[GA tC]

Sister lives in Tampa. Not sure which dealer she went to, but ordered a silver 5-spd. Dealer told her two weeks. It came in one. I guess it all depends on where your model is on the boat!

Cheers!

 

[krzy]

For those that care, I got a call from a dealership indicating that my tC was in. Well, as it turns out, I placed two orders at different dealerships. My first order came in a month ago so I bought that one. So if you're looking for a white tC in Northern CA, there's one at Hansel Toyota in Petaluma. They're good guys, I got a Camry from them a few years ago.

 

[Kwiksilver]

Azrael, sounds like you are not getting screwed over. flint mica is the most popular color so the wait time is extra long for those tcs. if you have a vin number, then the car is yours. you just have to wait for it to arrive, which should be soon since they were able to get the vin, meaning it's in the country. and about the car salesman, don't worry about it. they are all like that. it's their job. they get paid to be snakes.

 

[Obike]

Yea, I know how it is. I was told on Friday that my car was going to be at the dealership on Saturday and I could pick it up Monday. I get a call early saturday morning saying that the car was delayed in port and they are extremely sorry that this happened. They don't know exactly why it was delayed, but they think that it was because the port didn't have all the parts in for the options I wanted and thus is delayed. However, the plus side is that a car in the same color and with the same options is done at port and was alotted to a dealership in South Carilona. They called that dealership and apparently the person that ordered it is only having to wait a week and a half as opposed to my month and a half. Since my tC is due to be delivered by the end of the month they are trying to swap with that dealer since I've been waiting longer. I should know by Friday if it was successful or not.

How's that for emotional rollercoaster?

Worst case scenario if they can't swap with the dealer it will be here end of December.

 

[Labfish]

Haha...I had to wait 11 weeks for my first one... and 4 weeks for my second one. I got ya all beat

 

[sciontc_mich]

just went back to talk with the salesman that i got my tC from.. he told me that the wait was about 90days now.. and flint mica was the toughest color to get.. and the wait is getting longer...

 

[Duckman]

I placed my order about a week ago. Here in Chicago, the wait appears to be 4-6 weeks (at least that's what I was quoted). Like many have said, Flint Mica is indeed the most difficult color to get. Some dealers offered other colors that had a shorter wait time (A. Ripley @ Oaklawn Scion offered a silver streak in 2 weeks - he seems to be a nice guy - I ordered my FM @ Grossinger City Scion). It appears as though the dealers placed their orders rather recently so more TCs should be hitting the streets of Chitown soon.

 

[Azrael]

Congrats on your order, Duckman. I'm still waiting for mine. The latest from my dealer is that I should have had it yesterday. The computer inventory told me the 18th of December, but my car is no longer listed on my dealer site. He says it's because the sales manager marked it as sold in order to get it to me without a delay due to the holidays. I think he's lying, but am still biding my time. If I don't have it on the 18th, then I'll start to make a stink at the dealership. Wish me luck everybody!

 

[basilisk4]

Duckman and Azrael, hope both of you get your tCs soon! I believe you will find the car is worth the wait.

 

[lil_LEX_24O]

I've been waitin for my Azure pearl since Oct 30. Was told it would be about a month, and here I am still two weeks later--no tC

. So I can definetly see what you're saying about being lied to. My dealer told me to weeks ago that it should be here in 7-8 days. But they won't even return phone calls like they said they will, I called them to receive all my updates. I started talking to another dealer, but didn't put in an order because of the wait. Anyway, I hope all the messed up car salesman go to a "special" place when they leave earth.

Good luck to all tC

expectees!

 

[eclipxe]

Don't worry, you will get your car - the problem is that people think the dealer "orders" a car for them, however the dealer just puts in a preference for what they want on the next shipment. Toyota can either ship the dealer what the dealer wants or give them a grab bag of whatever Toyota feels like.

IF the dealer has a shipment coming in 2 weeks, they put in your preference and can only hope for the best - it is really just a gambling game of what comes in on the next boat.

You'll eventually get your car however, especially with a VIN in hand.

 

[Azrael]

It's here! The wait is over. I got a call from my salesman yesterday at around 1130 and picked up my car at 4 or so. It's beautiful. I've put about 30 miles on it already. It's been so long since I've had a car worth protecting, and now I'm a little bit paranoid. My wife and I got a puppy yesterday, and I had to drive home in my new tC with her in my lap. She peed on me, but I'd much rather that than my brand new upholstery. She also left a pile on the floormat, but it didn't do any damage. No more rides in my car without being in a carrier. The threats to my car go on. Last night I was cleaning out the mess the dog left, when some door to door salesman comes up trying to sell his miracle cleaner. He just started spraying my car down with the crap! I about flipped out. I finally got him to stop, but now I'm worried that this cleaner is gonna mess up my finish. I immediately rinsed it off, so hopefully it won't be a problem, but now my freshly detailed car has water spots. Aargh. It was so much easier not caring about my car. Still worth it to have the best new car this year.

 

[gottc?]

i got my car a week ago today. it took my new dealer 2 weeks exactly to find a car exactly like i wanted and get it transported here. picked it up with 5 miles on it and now, a week later it has 300. this such an awesome car! great upgrade from a 1.5 liter civic!

 

[Duckman]

Congrats Azrael and gotTC! What an awesome Christmas present!

Oh yeah, thanks for the info eclipxe. I didn't know that that was how the TCs were 'ordered'.... And the more I hear about negative stories about dealers the more I'm willing to give my business to whomever can get the car to me first. Maybe honor and loyalty aren't really necessary in the car-buying market? Perhaps first-come-first-serve should apply to both the dealer and the consumer...