At my neighborhood dealer, I saw a 2006 TCM AT xB on the used car lot. It had 1,500 miles. I asked a salesman for the price, and he said $21,000 but they might knock off a couple thousand.

I went inside and said I would like to order a bare 2006 TCM MT xB, knowing it would take awhile. The salesman said they had one coming in within a week, and went off to consult with his manager. He came back with a purchase order for $16,429 which included a dealer fee of $600 and a salesman fee of $250. I declined.

I went to another dealer, 30 minutes across town. Their salesman wrote up the same car for $15,751, which was $678 less, but it might take up to 60 days. So I guess with Scions you have to shop around like with any other car. So much for "Pure Price". When demand is strong, anything goes.

 

The pure price is ONLY for new vehicles... once it rolls of the lot, it doesn't matter. They can charge whatever they want.

As for the other difference, some dealers have more or different fees. I wouldn't worry about the $700 being a "pure price" issue. It's a dealer issue.

 

My TCM xB was the same price as I saw at Scion.com, plus a $650 delivery fee, no other charges. The other interesting thing, my dealership had 9 new xBs on the lot for sale, 4 were the TCM! evidently I was lucky finding so many to choose from.

 

perhaps you could print out the web page from scion.com's build your scion page and the page describing pure pricing and then take them into the dealer and see what they say next. I think some one is trying to take advantage of scion's hard to get popularity and the fact that most folks are rather impatient when they wabt a new car.

 

They're supposed to post their prices for new Scions and all accessories and services in the dealership, and charge everybody the same price. That's "Pure Pricing."

If the dealer is packing the invoices with "profit" items that aren't posted, let Scion know. They're slap 'em around.

If the prices are posted, then it's OK. The dealers don't have to all charge the same prices, just their own posted prices, no haggling.

RichC

 

"... some dealers have more or different fees. I wouldn't worry about the $700 being a "pure price" issue. It's a dealer issue."

Pure price apparently means they won't sell for less than MSRP, but are free to sell for more.

"... perhaps you could print out the web page from scion.com's build your scion page and the page describing pure pricing and then take them into the dealer and see what they say next."

I took the web page in with my xB priced out, and the salesman said it didn't mean anything about the bottom line. He used the right MSRP, but added $750 in fees that the second dealer did not.

"... If the dealer is packing the invoices with "profit" items that aren't posted, let Scion know. They're slap 'em around.

How do I let Scion know?

"... If the prices are posted, then it's OK. The dealers don't have to all charge the same prices, just their own posted prices, no haggling. "

That dealer's xBs just had the MSRP stickers. The big fees don't appear until they give you the purchase order to sign.

 

In my case, the dealer would have to add another window sticker, featuring the two extra cost items that appeared on the purchase order they presented me:
1. "Special Benefits Package 598.90" (he said that was the prep and handling fee, even though the MSRP included $540 for that)
2. "Salesperson 250.00" (he said he was paid by fee, not commission)

When I saw those $850 fees, I complained and the salesman said should try other dealers. So I went to another dealer, and the same xB was $750 less. Pure price means nothing about the bottom line that you pay.

 

Adding additional dealer "profit" (new cars only) is a no no w/Scion. The dealer that is charging more can get in trouble if they are playing games. The reason for pure pricing is so that all dealers charge the same and there is no negotiation. Call the Scion Customer Experience at 1.866.70.SCION Monday through Friday from 5am to 6pm and Saturday 7am to 4pm PST and I am sure they would be very interested to hear of your experience - have all your facts and figures!

 

You got off lucky man. I charge an extra $2000 over MSRP for my fees. I need to take advantage of every Scion customer as much as possible. Nothing but a bunch of young punk kids anyway....

...OK, before you explode IM JUST KIDDING. I dont charge a single dollar over what Scion suggests. No fees or any of that other crap except the $540 Scion charges me to bring the car to my lot.

Good luck man. If I can help you out let me know...

 

I called Scion and they said "Pure Price" means each dealer is free to set his own price, and after the dealer sets his price, whatever that may be, it is not negotiable!

"Pure Price" simply means no haggling, no negotation, just take it or leave it.

So my choice is to pay one dealer $700 more for a TCM xB he says is due in a week, or save that $700 at the other dealer who says a TCM xB may take 1-2 months to order.

BTW, I specified a 0-miles car, one that has not been demo-d or driven from another city in a dealer trade.

 

That is news to me.
So if I understand this correctly - the dealer can add on $5000.00 and then say this is the Pure Price. Sounds like Pure BS to me. The idea was for no games - just like Saturn - and most upstanding dealers agree.
When I purchased my XB every dealer was the same - right off the sheet, other than a document fee(reasonable) to process the paper and run and get the plates - not $700.00. I would wait on principal.

 

The key to understanding the "Pure Price" thing is that the prices are *posted.* Yes, the dealers set their own prices, and some can and do charge more than others. But everyone pays the same at that dealer, and the price they pay is the posted price. This is the method they've chosen to avoid haggling and dealing.

If you can shop around, you should. In my area (Philadelphia) last summer when we were shopping, we found all the dealers charching exactly the same prices for xBs that hadn't already arrived at the lot with options installed. We could order whatever we wanted and it was the same price everywhere. This is probably because there are enough Scion dealers within a relatively small radius that they all know they can't get away with charging more.

If a dealer is adding charges to the invoice that don't appear on the price list, that really is against Scion's policy, and if you explain it that way when you call Scion, I expect the dealer will hear about it. If you're very specific with your complaint -- that these charges are not posted at the dealership and are kept secret until the purchase order is written up, and name the dealership and the salesman, and identify yourself when you call -- it wouldn't surprise me if you got a call from the dealer with an offer that didn't include those fees.

But I still wouldn't want to deal with that dealership. They sound like crooks to me.

RichC

 

The experience today is different. Pure price means the dealer can propose any price he wants, and you don't haggle over it. Dealers set their own prices. That is what Scion Customer Experience told me on the phone today.

So today I traveled to the second dealer, whose price was $700 cheaper, and gave them my $500 deposit. They told me the first dealer was charging up to $900 in fees on xBs, because the first dealer was in a better area of town, closer to the majority of buyers, who did not know or care to travel half an hour to shop prices.

 

^^^Well put. Where did you end up getting your xB. Im gonna doubt that it was from us...

 

The only thing that is posted in my city with 3 Scion dealers is the factory sticker with the MSRP. You don't find out the bottom line, the price "out the door (OTD)", until you have the salesman get with his manager, and present you with their purchase order to sign.

I have no complaints. But it is misleading to say pure price relieves you of needing to shop for the best price.

 

I wanted an xB MT with no accessories. Today I gave my deposit to Scion of Louisville. MSRP 14,030, Deliv Etc 540, Dealer Fee 499, Tax 787, Lic 26, Total Out the Door 15,882.

Both dealers had those "fees", but othe other dealer's fees were $547 more, which I saved by driving 30 minutes.

My dealer just placed an allocation order today, and said they are asked to do that for cars that have been loaded on a ship, and would take 6 weeks to get to Louisville. He said he would call three times: when the car is on the dock, when it arrives by train in Chicago, and when it is ready for delivery.

 

"... today I traveled to the second dealer, whose price was $700 cheaper"

I should explain that in writing up the PO today, the saleman found he had told me the December price on the phone, and had to add about $130 (for the '06 steering wheel controls increase).

 

Technically the $540 fee you see in the MSRP is destination and delivery, i.e. it's the cost to get the car from japan to the lot. Dealer fees are never included in MSRP and are usually called "document fees." Around here (east coast) the fee is usually between $250 and $300 for the dealer doc. fee. $600 seems really steep for that. The again doc. fees are pretty much pure profit for the dealer.

Salesperson's fee is crap. He should be being paid by the dealer, not by you. He is employed by the dealer so if his commission on a new car is $250, that should come out of their pocket, not yours. This is why there are dealer holdbacks and incentives that are not visible to the consumer. Scion has no holdbacks but the dealer is guaranteed to clear about $800 over invoice cost on every sale since the car must go for MSRP, so there should be plenty there for the salesguy.

 

From how I understand it from the salesperson at the dealership where i bought my xB 2 weeks ago is that all scion dealers have to sell the car for the MSRP listed on the website plus taxes and fees. So you are supposed to get the same price anywhere you go before fees and such. Since every dealer is going to charge different fees it doesnt hurt to look around to find what each dealer charges, definately look elsewhere if they are trying to charge salesman fees and other BS like that.

 

After reading some of these notes, I am sure glad I didn't have any of the hassles some of have had, seriously, I really just went in to the Toyota dealer, found a salesman, drove an xB, looked at the accessories list and picked a few items, the prices were exactly what I saw on the web site, in fact several were cheaper and 2 hours later drove it home.(after financing and car prep) There was no debate or questions about pricing on anything. I really liked the "pure pricing" thing myself. Sure was nice not to haggle, just "yes, I want it" or "No I don't". Its just a shame there are so many money-hungry dealerships.