Build My Toyota?

Whats up guys, after years of wanting a truck (Tacomas) I finally am thinking of making the jump. Long short I was looking to buy used but after seeing pricing for a 10 w/ 30k miles go for above MSRP at my dealers and locals not any better. I decided to look at Build My Toyota on Toyota's page.


How does this work exactly? Is there any hidden or extra fee's going this way? I'm assuming yes being after I pick my options I'm about even for what my local dealer wants for a used 2010 with miles put on it already...

How does this whole thing work and what extra fee's am I looking at? Also everyone is telling me to shop out of state to avoid CA tax and fee's. Whats the cost to buy out of state and import and reg in CA after purchase? Knowing CA they have some BS to get their lost money back.

I'm 24 and this is a huge and first new car purchase for me. Looking to make this a good one. $35k is a lot to throw down but after seeing used prices I feel its the better option to just buy new for a few grand more.

Any thoughts info you can give. Open minded and still shopping but pretty set on a 2014/15 Taco via toyota builder.


Also how longs the wait for this feature?

 

The only disadvantage to build your own is you don't have much leverage on the purchase price. Hard to negot on something they don't have. I shop at internet dealers so price is fixed. I byo mine as no prerunner was built with towing package ever for the east coast. Had to s/o. Lot's built for other regions so it was a standard build.
Otherwise, make sure you get a fairly standard config. If you try something too out of whack, they may refuse the build - dealer will tell you this. You may find that out a couple weeks later. e.g if you want towing package (recommended) you may have to get a certain wheel as a std. factory build. Look at standard builds on the lot to get an idea.
No extra fees should be charged for byo
In CA you're on your own....make sure where you buy it that it meets CA stds. Y'all put up with alot of regulation bs.
No advantage to paying your state taxes - bought mine in Md. and registered in VA. Paid all Va taxes, etc. only a couple bs tire taxes had to be paid to Md. ($14). Probably the same with CA. I bought out of state to avoid dlr add on fees-statue limited to $200.00 in Md. but in VA they're as much as $600. ( I didn't even pay the 200 so was 600 ahead on any in-state deal.) [They put Md. temp tags and fedexed the paperwork a month later after the lein's/loan paperwork is final. Then I go to Va dmv and pay taxes, plates, title, etc.] Wait is 6-8 wks. for build to dealer.
Also: DON"T sign until you understand your deal; For my 02 taco (totaled 3 years ago) I signed a 30 day deal to find the truck at another dealer; they 'found' the wrong truck, presented it and I rejected due to interior color and euqipment - they knew they werr f-ng me, this but still had me for 30 days to find another.
If u go with them finding a '14 for you, give them 10 days (not 30) to get it to you so you're not tied up if they bs you.
Good luck.

 

If you go to toyota.com and click on Tacoma and do the build your own there is an option to see if there are any similar to the one you built nearby.

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...ficial-what-did-you-pay-your-2014-thread.html

I would start here. Find what others have paid for similar tacos and go to the dealer tell them what you want and what you'll pay. If they say they can't sell it at that price go to another dealer, as long as you offer a fair price that other people are paying, you will find a salesman who will agree.

Edit: a few more tid bits. When dealing with salesmen don't let them do any of the math for you. What I'm saying is if your going to finance it through Toyota don't let them calculate your payments. This is the most used sales trick of all. What will happen is they will give you a great price on the taco and turn around and give you a low monthly payment but won't they won't say unless you make them is that your getting 10-15% interest and they are financing it for 72 months or more to lower the payments. So instead make them give you the price of the taco, the interest rate and if trading in the amount for trade.

 

The last first. It should take about 30 to 45 days from time of placing order with a deposit. 500 dollars is usual and can be done with a credit card.
Next, if you have waited this long I would wait on the 2015 model, but the drawback will be it will be more costly than a 2014. Probably 500 to 2000 dollars.

About the out of state purchase. Probably a waste your time. You live in CA. so you have to register it in CA. That means you will pay the taxes and fees associated with that state. The only possible exception is that some dealers in some states use a commission fee attached to the deal which runs from 500 to 1000 dollars above the negotiated price. If you could escape that and the math proves out to make the truck lower in taxes and state fees then you might be ahead, but not by much. So it depends on if you want all the hassle that goes with that kind of out of state thing. Personally I would not recommend it for most.

About haggling for a price. I would go on line to these places and build your truck and see what prices they come up with.
http://www.nadaguides.com/
http://www.kbb.com/?trid=20&psid=1-1629-51260-4860-90-1&siomid=si_128127484_3568803709_1&sissr=1
http://www.edmunds.com/used-cars/

This will give you an idea of what to expect. Cash is king, so even if you order a vehicle it should not change your bargaining room. I ordered mine and paid cash and we haggled. Keep in mind that Tacomas do not offer a lot of haggling room to begin with. Most haggling comes in the area of the add ons you decide to get. If you cannot get a good price at one dealer, thank them and tell them you are going to look around, and then leave, and go to another one. CA is a big state and there are a lot of dealers. Don't be afraid to give a full quote of your own. Never quote a price and try and work down. Quote a low price and work up.
Also you can now haggle on line with most dealers today. I have bought all my vehicles on line in the last 7 or 8 years including my 2013 Tacoma.

They will send you quotes and you can compare with other dealers and with the research you do from those links I gave. You can even haggle for the price online, but as I said cash is king. If you have to finance and can get your own outside financing that will help a lot in pricing and where you buy. Also your original quote will be just for the pricing of the vehicle, but you need a final quote that shows drive out price with all fees and taxes included. I have haggled for the price of a vehicle and then got the drive out price and turn it down because of added fees.

If you get to the ordering process don't let them tell you it may not come in as ordered. I told them what color I wanted and they told me it may come in as one of three colors, mine being one of them. I thanked them, told them no thanks, and got up and left. A couple days later they called me and told me they would guarantee me the color and everything I wanted on the truck. It is your money so get what you want, not what they want to sell you.

One last thing. Don't be so hungry for this truck that you are at their mercy. Sales people can smell a customers hunger and will feed off of it. Start the process and keep the attitude that you can walk away and never buy a Toyota if need be. Don't over pay because of want. Wishing you the best.

 

I built my rig to spec (ordered) through the Costco vehicle program and got a significant discount. I highly recommend going this route and if you don't have a Costco membership, it's well worth the $50 or so membership fee (plus you can stock up on shit-paper).

Check it out, the Costco site will give you your final price once you build your rig: http://www.costcoauto.com/enterzipcode.aspx?gotourl=/default.aspx

 

Thanks for the responses I'm at worked so I just skimmed them. As for the negotiating. All my local dealers are pretty set on price again 09,10 and 13's with 20 to 40k miles all seem to be set at $29 to $30k sticker and they said due to tier low stock (all literally had 5 Tacoma's on the entire lot of that) and being everyone dives one of these in OC and people are buying them there is almost 0 room to give more than a few $100. Reason I figured just build the dam thing via toyota builder because it's practically the same estimated price as their used.

But again reason I'm asking here I'm sure there is some catch 22. But these things are like dam gold right now in OC,CA. The guys who live here can probably attest to 1:5 cars being a Tacoma. Kinda sucks for negotiable deals. But in still trying to find the best investment option.