Toyota Smartpath, anyone use it? Will it work to get a MSRP Tacoma?

I'm curious if anyone has used Smartpath before and what was your experience. I have a few dealers in my area that use it. It's advertised as MSRP online purchasing with no mark up or dealer add ons.

 

It was an option where I bought. But had I used it, I would have paid over 2k more than I did. Tacomas are no longer selling at or above retail in the Pacific Northwest region. At least not the more common variants.

 

More on point, the same dealer offered to sell me the first 2024 (also TRD Off Road) to arrive. So, still no need for Smartpath, but I’m sure this all depends on your location. Ended up buying a 2023, though.

 

Interesting, the local places have some 23's listed below MSRP here as well. But one dealer I spoke with said they were more than likely going to mark up the 24's.

 

Well that's too bad, but I guess it's just how it goes. The dealer I was working with does LOTS of volume and their pitch is that they "don't believe in markups." No markups for any vehicles they sell. They actually had to prevent buyers from reserving and buying the rarer (at least at the time) vehicles so they could simply resell for a profit. On those, a legit trade-in was required or no sale was allowed. You might be able to call around and find a dealer that does more volume and doesn't mark up...worth a try.

 

Yeah the only cogent argument dealers have had is “the guy we sell MSRP to is just going to flip it”. Requiring a trade is a clever solution. But still excludes many who want to keep their old vehicle for a new driver or off roader.

I’d rather see contracts with a first right clause for the dealer to buy back within the first year.

 

What are your thoughts on what GM is doing to combat flipping? The last 3 Z06 flippers have no sold on carsandbids.

 

Refresh my memory. Did GM lifetime ban buyers or cancel warranties? But yes to both.

Edit: Another solution - 10k in escrow returned if still registered to the buyer after the first year. OR require at least 10k financing with a heavy ($10k) early pay off charge within year one.

 

To my knowledge its just a warranty cancellation for selling before 6 months on Z06 and some Cadillac vehicles (Escalade-V). I know Ford was banning buyers, not sure on GM.

 

Weren't some Ford dealers marking up lightnings $30-50k over MSRP? They should ban those dealers. I hate mark ups and just won't pay them. Just got my wife a new HRV hybrid, the dealer was open to dropping the markup when we were willing to close the deal that day. The "do you want to sell the car to me right now" attitude worked well. Anyway, hopefully the market keeps correcting and these markups go away.

 

Ford said they were going to cancel allocations to those dealers but in the end they didn't do anything because their is nothing they could have done.

 

Because Fords customer is the dealer, and the dealer doesn’t care. I hate how much ford increased prices on their models. I get inflation, but an XLT should not be $65,000. Granger Ford in Iowa has the best marketing out there at 3% below invoice less rebate, no mandatory adds, and a small dealer fee. Wish a Toyota dealer could roll something like that out. Invoice plus doc fee and sell thousands.

 

Ive used it to "submit" a deal, its a good starting point for negotiation. Its not like carvana, its basically you doing all the initial steps and working out a deal online prior to arriving, you still have to put all the numbers together, etc.

 

If I could get a Rwd SR AC 4cyl OTD for $24k. I would take, it wouldn't even have to be a utility package.

 

It's only a $5k discount.

 

It is a Toyota not a Chrysler product though, seeing 17% off is rare I feel.

 

I searched and found this thread. (it isnt about 4th gen it is 3rd gen but it is 100% on topic I think) I am going to make a new one. (maybe after I see what you all reply to this statement)

1 of two things either 1. Smartpath is NONSENSE or the dealer I went to needs to be reported for baiting and switching me.

I was about to drive 220 miles to pick up a 2023 "Smartpath" truck for 44k ($3000 off MSRP) I could have gone through and bought the truck for 44,700.

When I called and asked if it was available and how much. I got almost instantly.

Dealer had a "special preinstalled package" of rug protectant and nitrogen filled tires for a 4500 up charge. Now this was above and beyond the smartpath price clear on the website. I took screenshots of it all.

3rd truck Ive almost bought in 4 days. Im mentally drained at this point

 

i'm definitely following this thread and going to attempt to leverage smartpaths usefulness.... right now the backend dataset/search feels kinda flaky when you're looking specifically for an SR5 trim and it's still throwing the SRs and the TRDs at you as possibles, but we'll see. I'm using it to reach out to 250 miles and finding the dealerships that seem to have the best prices on the most option packages so that when the '24 finally get's added I can slim down the dealerships. watching the prices flucuate almost daily is BIZARRE though. I didn't realize how fast market changes can quickly effect pricing across so many different things.

 

@Fieldsanitation I am not seeing fluctuations at all granted I have only been seriously looking for about 5 days. (Where I have paid really close attention. Printed off pages to onenote and made notations) . If you filter out noise. What I am looking for is a Tacoma '23 offroad Automatic premium.

WHAT *I* am noticing is filter for lowest price and you will see dealers (only a few) on Smartpath advertising dealer discounts. For instance one in Fort Wayne Indiana had me yesterday. The price was discounted 3800. When I called he tried selling Nitrogen and carpet protectant that they already added to the truck.

Cost add was 4500-5000 so discount the price 3800.. raise it 4500.. net almost a grand. I got another one that discounted a 49k Tacoma 4k.. I havent talked to them yet but I imagine the SAME thing is the case. I have found (I searched and read a bunch of reddit threads last night) that smartpath is a gimmick. You cant buy the way they say. it still requires the dealer.. When you call. A GOOD portion of them have the BS carpet protection or Nitrogen addons.. So far.. Ive dealt with 6 dealerships 3 were pulling the bait and switch. Every one of them was a Smartpath dealer.

Well see.. Im not getting my hopes up about this youngstown dealer.. if the price is the price though. This is a done deal.