Orderd a 5th Gen, what is the expected wait?

[RHINOSAUR]

Hello every one,

Back in early mid January, I decided to buy a 5th Gen, SR5, 4x4 with third row seat. All these options are a must for me and my family so I did not want to compromise on these.
Needless to say, when I told the dealer what I was looking for he said we would have to put in a "special order" since he did not have any and did not foresee a model like this coming to the lot by default.

no dealer swaps were available

I was told 60-90 days......man....but any how I agreed and we placed the order. Based on this, I have a few questions to all the experts out there

1. Is this pretty much normal, are there any other sates that currently have a large supply of sr5's with 3rd row? or are the models with 3rd row just not available across the country?

2. I was told I could place an order for a shoreline blue pearl (I also said red is fine)...however it seems to me this is not available in SR5 trim. Could the fact that it is being ordered straight from the factory enable my dealer to get me a blue one?

3. Although the dealer denied it, is the recall mess slowing down production rates from Japan, therefore affecting the normal supply for this vehicle?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[K.C.]

Expect to wait 3-4months for the Special Order.

The good part of the story...you were able to get the one w/ the opions that you want.

Lots of Dealers won't even go through the hassle in ordering one for you.

A few members here had their 4th Generation Special Ordered. Thy said the wait was a killer...but well worth it.

 

[Mdrei]

Rhino...I'm no expert but I'll give you my feedback based on a similar situation. I wanted a TE in Shoreline Blue with NAV/KDSS and there were none to be found within certain radius of my dealership. So, the salesman searched for any matching vehicles via a regional inventory data base just to make sure Toyota was producing that combo (I guess they sometimes don't output what is supposedly available per the brochure). He found one on a ship coming from Japan and it already had an owner. With that info, we knew that combo was being made (albeit in low numbers) so I negotiated a price, gave a deposit and placed an order at the end of Dec. When I checked on progress last week they were able to provide me with a printout showing the order was accepted by Toyota's manufacturing facility, in Japan. Estimates were for the car to be made in February, shipped in March and arriving at port by April. From port to dealer is unknown. Long time, I know, but I was OK with that timeframe since I was set on that combo. So, 60-90 days may be close but I would prepare for the latter end of that window...maybe longer. 'Factory Order' Toyotas made in N. America have much shorter and predictable wait times. Per your other questions:

1. Many dealers don't want to pay to transport a car across the country so they will tell the buyer that they can't find one. This leads to a lot of buyers settling on a combo that was #2 or #3 on their list because they don't want to wait; and the dealer knows this. However, with the current Toyota market I think a lot of dealers may be doing things they weren't used to doing. So, you'll need a trustworthy sales rep/dealer or a good inventory search source so you can verify whether your car is really out there somewhere.

2. I wondered the same about adding factory leather to the TE (knowing it wasn't a trim option). The consensus from this board was NO...as I figured. If you find out otherwise that would be a worthy posting on this board.

3. 4Runners (and a few other models) have escaped THE LIST so I would hope the manufacturing line for that model is running at full capacity.

 

[poolzer]

It is well worth the wait. I have waited since October for my Shoreline Blue with black interior Limited 4wd with 3rd row seat and am on the way to get it today.

In that timeframe the dealer only saw 3 others on the regional inventory that were spoken for.

 

[mcmonster]

So not what I wanted to hear. I placed an order Dec 30 for a 4x4 SR5 with leather, sunroof, and bluetooth. Apparently, there are none to be found in Texas. I was hoping to get a call any day now, but it seems like I have lots more waiting to do.

 

[RHINOSAUR]

thanks for the info

So far, thanks to all for the valuable info,

Based on the information, it looks like I am in for a good wait....
But when we get it it will be worth it.

The dealer said that he can give me updates once the car is on the ship. and he hopes that will occur within the coming month.

P.S. I had a hard time convincing my wife to get the runner since she wanted the highlander.....hopefully I can keep her patient.....

cheers

 

[K.C.]

So far, thanks to all for the valuable info,

Based on the information, it looks like I am in for a good wait....
But when we get it it will be worth it.

The dealer said that he can give me updates once the car is on the ship. and he hopes that will occur within the coming month.

P.S. I had a hard time convincing my wife to get the runner since she wanted the highlander.....hopefully I can keep her patient.....

cheers

So glad you didn't get the Highlander. The center seat of the 2nd row is a joke & when getting out of the 3rd row, there's no where to put your foot.

Minivans are the best when you have high occupants.

 

[SeattleMike]

Rhino...I'm no expert but I'll give you my feedback based on a similar situation. I wanted a TE in Shoreline Blue with NAV/KDSS and there were none to be found within certain radius of my dealership. So, the salesman searched for any matching vehicles via a regional inventory data base just to make sure Toyota was producing that combo (I guess they sometimes don't output what is supposedly available per the brochure). He found one on a ship coming from Japan and it already had an owner. With that info, we knew that combo was being made (albeit in low numbers) so I negotiated a price, gave a deposit and placed an order at the end of Dec. When I checked on progress last week they were able to provide me with a printout showing the order was accepted by Toyota's manufacturing facility, in Japan. Estimates were for the car to be made in February, shipped in March and arriving at port by April. From port to dealer is unknown. Long time, I know, but I was OK with that timeframe since I was set on that combo. So, 60-90 days may be close but I would prepare for the latter end of that window...maybe longer. 'Factory Order' Toyotas made in N. America have much shorter and predictable wait times. Per your other questions:

I am trying to find your same color/option combo. I found one, thanks to the folks from this board, in Hawaii, but I have to wait for the state offices to open tomorrow to make sure I'm not making things worse than finding one here on the mainland. Like you, I have been given the runaround by my local dealers because they only want to sell what is on their lot already.

On a side note, my local dealer did tell me I could get leather seats on TE... they would be custom made by an outside shop.

 

[Mdrei]

Shoreline Blue TE

I am trying to find your same color/option combo. I found one, thanks to the folks from this board, in Hawaii, but I have to wait for the state offices to open tomorrow to make sure I'm not making things worse than finding one here on the mainland. Like you, I have been given the runaround by my local dealers because they only want to sell what is on their lot already.

On a side note, my local dealer did tell me I could get leather seats on TE... they would be custom made by an outside shop.

Yep, I saw that thread the other day and those pics from Hawaii were the first actual photos of the TE in that color; not the same as the Toyota website 'Build Your Own' depictions, IMO. Anyway, I'm in VA and feel confident that I have a snowball's chance in Hades of getting that vehicle to my home. Actually, my dealer wasn't going west of the Mississippi as far as I could tell. Even the Limited in Shoreline Blue is difficult to find but at least they're out there.

I, too, was offered dealer (actually a third party contractor) installed leather. I'll likely go upgrade to leather but it's behind floor liners and rock rails on my 'wish list'.

Finding a dealer that will work for you may be as difficult as finding that color/model combo but the extra legwork will be worth it. Good luck!

 

[SeattleMike]

Yep, I saw that thread the other day and those pics from Hawaii were the first actual photos of the TE in that color; not the same as the Toyota website 'Build Your Own' depictions, IMO. Anyway, I'm in VA and feel confident that I have a snowball's chance in Hades of getting that vehicle to my home. Actually, my dealer wasn't going west of the Mississippi as far as I could tell. Even the Limited in Shoreline Blue is difficult to find but at least they're out there.

I, too, was offered dealer (actually a third party contractor) installed leather. I'll likely go upgrade to leather but it's behind floor liners and rock rails on my 'wish list'.

Finding a dealer that will work for you may be as difficult as finding that color/model combo but the extra legwork will be worth it. Good luck!

Just to keep you in the loop, I was offered a Shoreline Blue TE with KDSS/Nav and the convenience package for $38,574 from a Colorado dealer who said it would be 90 days at the outside. I'm trying to figure out the tax differences between Seattle and their own local taxes before I commit. Hopefully yours will be there soon

 

[Quentin]

Just to keep you in the loop, I was offered a Shoreline Blue TE with KDSS/Nav and the convenience package for $38,574 from a Colorado dealer who said it would be 90 days at the outside. I'm trying to figure out the tax differences between Seattle and their own local taxes before I commit. Hopefully yours will be there soon

In WV, you don't pay the taxes in the purchasing state. You only pay them once you register the vehicle in WV. My wife didn't pay sales tax on her MINI that she purchased new in PA until she registered it in WV. Not sure if Washington is that way, though.

Fun Fact: If you buy a used car out of state, you have to pay sales tax on it when you register it in West Virginia. Once a car, new or used, has been registered in WV, you are no longer obligated to pay taxes on it here. Basically, someone has to pay sales tax on it in WV, but only once. Guess how I know this! :rant:

 

[mcmonster]

Update to my earlier post:

Called the dealer and had them try and track my 4Runner. Apparently it is 5 days from the port of Houston. I should have it by the end of next week. So, roughly 7 weeks wait time for me.

 

[bradj]

Update to my earlier post:

Called the dealer and had them try and track my 4Runner. Apparently it is 5 days from the port of Houston. I should have it by the end of next week. So, roughly 7 weeks wait time for me.

Which dealer in TX did you use?

 

[mcmonster]

Toyota of Richardson. I live in Dallas.

 

[bradj]

Im working with my dealer and they keep saying next week we see 18 with the color and options you want coming into the gulf states region that are unspoken for and all we need to do is a dealer swap. But the other dealers will not return calls and so we can't make the swap for what I want.

I've tried with other dealers to see if they can get a swap done and they can't get a return call either. Anybody having this problem? I'm about a week away from just custom ordering one and waiting. At least then I'll know that its going to be a while but it will eventually come in.

 

[harper7]

Toyota of Richardson. I live in Dallas.

Hey Neighbor! I'm over in North Ft. Worth. What color combo did you get?

Im working with my dealer and they keep saying next week we see 18 with the color and options you want coming into the gulf states region that are unspoken for and all we need to do is a dealer swap. But the other dealers will not return calls and so we can't make the swap for what I want.

I've tried with other dealers to see if they can get a swap done and they can't get a return call either. Anybody having this problem? I'm about a week away from just custom ordering one and waiting. At least then I'll know that its going to be a while but it will eventually come in.

That sounds crazy! 18 unspoken for with the color and options you want coming into the gulf and you can't get one?You should go shopping for more dealers then and find one with a Sales manager that knows what he's doing. Almost sounds like they don't want to sell you one at the price you want to pay so they are feeding you BS.

I'm pretty sure other dealers in the Gulf States Region are required to swap if they are not already sold. When the one I ordered did'nt show up the day it was supposed to ,my Sales manager was on the phone to Houston and one was flatbedded from another dealer the next morning.

Gulf States Toyota is privately owned by multi billionaire Thomas H. Friedkin out of Houston and like one big car dealership.There are 150 dealerships in his 5 state region.

 

[Aspen]

I went through the same deal with six different dealers in gulf states for three weeks - unless the dealer had basically the same car sitting on their lot to trade, no dice. I ended up getting a future allotment from one of the dealers and had to wait a few weeks. I thought it was nuts. Worth the wait though, of course...

 

[harper7]

I went through the same deal with six different dealers in gulf states for three weeks - unless the dealer had basically the same car sitting on their lot to trade, no dice. I ended up getting a future allotment from one of the dealers and had to wait a few weeks. I thought it was nuts. Worth the wait though, of course...

When they are on the ship and heading to port in Houston like he said,they are supposed to be freely swappable.

 

[Uneek]

Hello every one,

Back in early mid January, I decided to buy a 5th Gen, SR5, 4x4 with third row seat. All these options are a must for me and my family so I did not want to compromise on these.
Needless to say, when I told the dealer what I was looking for he said we would have to put in a "special order" since he did not have any and did not foresee a model like this coming to the lot by default.

no dealer swaps were available

I was told 60-90 days......man....but any how I agreed and we placed the order. Based on this, I have a few questions to all the experts out there

1. Is this pretty much normal, are there any other sates that currently have a large supply of sr5's with 3rd row? or are the models with 3rd row just not available across the country?

2. I was told I could place an order for a shoreline blue pearl (I also said red is fine)...however it seems to me this is not available in SR5 trim. Could the fact that it is being ordered straight from the factory enable my dealer to get me a blue one?

3. Although the dealer denied it, is the recall mess slowing down production rates from Japan, therefore affecting the normal supply for this vehicle?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

1. A three month wait is pretty normal for a "special order". Your regional distributor dictates what's readily available on the dealer lots. Most dealers will not want to deal with the hassle of transporting a vehicle cross country.

2. You cannot get any color or option that's not available for that trim. Meaning you can't put KDSS on a Limited or get 4WD 4-cyl, or even get a SR5 with 20" rims or Limited with 17" wheels. All a "special order" really means in context of Toyotas is you're getting a Toyota with the options you do and don't want that aren't normally on the dealers' lot in your region.

3. Before the recall, rumor was Toyota has cut 4Runner production down to prevent excessive inventory. Don't think the recalls are affecting production.

 

[bradj]

When they are on the ship and heading to port in Houston like he said,they are supposed to be freely swappable.

Thats the problem even when they are coming into Houston my dealer can see what dealer is getting what. He calls them and they don't return phone calls. I think the problem is that the dealerships are getting slammed with phone calls right now about recalls and they just aren't checking their messages or something. I've noticed in the last week it has been harder to get a hold of my dealership as well.

Since this has been going on I have tried with two other dealerships to see if they can get me what I want and they both have had issues getting calls returned. I thought they were supposed to be freely swappable but it seems that some dealers don't want to give up SR5's with the options that I want. I would imagine they are more willing to trade limited's since they are sitting on the lot a little bit longer around here.