niksmr2

I am in the process of buying my new SW tC.

Our salesman was awesome and really laid-back, but BEWARE if they try to really push a "protection package" on you (undercoating, paint protecting, interior protection, etc). Here it adds an additional $295, and our dealer really led us to believe that we HAD to purchase it. Good thing I knew better (I've WORKED at a Toyota dealer before) so I politely proved them wrong.

Oh, and if the salesperson doesn't try to push the extended warranty/GAP coverage/protection package on you, the finance person may.

fiskadoro

i had a positive experience at Scion of Stevens Creek in San Jose. i was told to expect a 12 week wait, but i got my 5spd in 5 weeks. there were no hassles, i just ordered what i wanted and no-one tried to convince me otherwise... if you go in knowing exactly what you're after, it helps. of course the finance dude try to sell me a bunch of extras like maintenance and extended warranties, but he was no problem, because again, i knew exactly what i got, how much i paid, etc., and that's something nice about the Scion dealership experience. they probably end up pouncing more on people who aren't that clued up... but it seems all the folks on this board knew exactly how and what they wanted on their tCs

eujin

i just ordered my tC over here at Modesto Scion, my work keeps me busy so i cant really goto a lot of diff. dealers. the two guys that helped me out were hella kool. these guys didnt push anything on me, and they were ecstatic that i brought in a printout of tC with all the options i wanted. they couldnt find my car, so i'm on a 2 week wait right now. i'm holding them to that because i'm really sure i'll be selling my older car soon, which is my only transportation, haha

tC_Sciontist

The thing I will say about the extended warranty is that its really worth it. I know its like $750-800, but you go from I think its 3 year warranty or 7-8 year warranty... Personal preferance but we went for the extended, my dealer never mentioned paint protection, but my dad has a graphic installation company, so I can get my hands on those 3M clearbras for almost nothing :D

tC_kevin

a 7-8 year warranty is too much. I don't even plan on keeping the car that long.

drgonzo

Spartan Toyota in Lansing wasn't great, of course I didn't get a scion salesperson, i got a Toyota sales person who knew d*ck about the tC, but that's OK. The experience wasn't painful or uncomfortable, but just they really didn't kiss my a$$, but whatever.

tC_Sciontist

Toyotas last the longest. We have two Toyota Previa Minivans, one is a '93! Running strong now for 12 years now! Thats what I have been driving until tomorrow afternoon when I go to pick up my new wheels! I would expect to have my tC for at least 5-6 years.

FireDragon

I got mine at PalmScion in Punta Gorda Florida. The experience was great, they were the only lot in Southwest Florida that had a tC available. Super White, 5-Speed.. Their "Document Fee" was less than other dealerships in the area.. (Germain is the worst ugh) and they didn't put the unnessicary stuff like Toyo Guard on it. So I'm happy.

imBen

Bought mine today.
It took a few dealers to find one that actually had the cars instock. And the whole thing went great. No one was pushy with me. Not the sales guy, not the business manager who did the final warranties and features.

Basically, the sales guy showed me everything and never questioned anything i wanted. Turns out he lived like 4 houses down from me too. Which was even more strange. Then the financing guy showed me the warranty options. I said "I want gap insurance only" he said "Great!" signed the papers gave them some cash and took off. I had a good time.

Infact.. I called about inventory to one dealership, he said "I'll give you a call back" I didn't hear back for an hour so i called another further away, they called back in 3 minutes, although they didn't have the color I wanted in stock I decided i'd go there to test drive and check out the cars anyway... While i was there test driving a flint mica a black scion tc was delivered, and then sold to me =).

I didn't even ask to haggle prices and the whole thing came out to i wanna say 19,200.
Black whatever sand color + gap insurance + tax + it's automatic because i hate stick with a passion (i sit in traffic like half the day).

TCAV8R

I have owned many toyotas and found the dealership with the best customer service recently when I was actively shopping for my tC.
Power Toyota/Scion of Irvine has awesome service. They had the exact car I wanted (by luck) coming into port two days from my call. Picked up my car about a week later.

I dealt with David and Ali in internet sales. I did a search somewhere here on SL and was referred there.

The finance guy wasn't pushy at all either and I was approved for a fair rate considering my credit (must be getting better). I even got the 400 rebate for recently graduating college. Woo Friggin Hoo!

This past week I went in for my first free oil change and even their service department rocks. I just wish I didn't have to drive down to Irvine for such quality service.

tC_kevin

i might check that place out. i dont live too far from irvine. As soon as I have enough for my downpayment, i'll go there first. thanks.

JeniQ

I got mine from Lynch Toyota/Scion in Manchester CT. And I went there because I met Torie on this board

Won't come in for another 5 weeks or so, but so far my experience has been great! My first new car buying experience, and it's been pretty painless so far

LimitedE

Recieved mine from Miller scion in Virginia. Good service other than the sales rep told me it was gonna be about three weeks, then called me every two days to let me know there was a different colored car with MORE options on the lot. Every phone call started like this "Yes sir, your car has just arrived!" but it wasn't the one I ordered.

But when it finally came in it had about 100 miles on it. But I got the floor mat package for free.

DJIce

I'll let you know as it happens.

Going to Branch Toyota in Watertown to order my tC today.

*EDIT*

Hate to double post, so I'll just add on.

Went in today; about two weeks ago I had dealt with a guy named Matt when I took my car out for a test drive; turns out he only actually sells Toyotas, or he was busy with someone else; either way, I got passed off to the Scion Manager, Jose. Not necessarily horrible, but I would have appriciated being told that Scion guys handle business separately ahead of time instead of making an "appointment" to see Matt and then being handed off at the dealer.

Long story short, I love the pure pricing. There's no run-around, Jose was very upfront with me, and left me with two options. We talked trade-ins, tag swapping (mom's giving me an old beater car to trade in, but I want to keep the tags off of it, so we'd be pulling a double-switch), all kinds of stuff. Pricing came out to be exactly what was on the main Scion website (including the recent $50 price hike), even the accessories. Love it.

Option one, a 5spd FM sitting on the showroom floor, with options that would be installed when they came in, and I could have taken it home today if I had had the insurance ready (which I hadn't, but that's ok).
Option two, a 5spd IIP that will take until the first week of March to come in from the boat, but the options will be ready to go.

Once I choose my color (I'm very close to going with the FM, even though originally I wanted IIP), I can get the VIN, then I can order the insurance policy, and then I can either drive it home or sit and wait a month for it (he told me it was highly unlikely the IIP would come in any sooner, although he didn't say it was impossible).

Overall, on a scale of 1-10, I'd go with a 7.5-8. Not a picture perfect deal, but they didn't run me around with any BS either. I'll let you know how delivery goes.

SnakeEyez

My experience was pretty good. The salesman was pretty helpful and told me that my tC should come in either on Feb 11 or Feb 15.

JeniQ

Hey DJ... Get the FM. You're getting too many options like me and you live too close I keed. Good luck making the decision

DJIce

Very much tempted to do so, Jeni. Very.

You should have seen the sunlight from outside hit the Flint on the showroom floor. Made me totally reconsider the paint color. That, and the whole waiting period.

There's a good chance I'll show up on the board Monday a proud owner of a FM 5 speed. I have to call him and ask him how many miles are on it and how long its been on the floor. I test drove one exactly like it two weeks ago. Back then, they had a BCP on the floor, and the car I test drove had 17 miles on it when I left. If its under 50 and its been in the showroom for about a week, I'll consider it. Too bad I can't ask for a "floor model discount".

JeniQ

Well I would think it's better that it's a floor model and not on the lot... Less people driving in it, just sitting in it. But I don't really pretend to know what I'm talking about

RacerZack

Well, I am just at the end of the process of buying a 5spd BCP tC. I wasn't planning to buy a car, but my current ride (a heavly modified Miata) has an electrical gremlin that I can't figure out. So, my plans for a second car got moved up about 6 months....

I didn't know anything about Scion, but a friend in the Miata Club just got an xA and she suggested I look at the tC. OMG, I was in love at first sight. What I didn't know was how in-demand they are and how difficult it would be to find a 5speed.

Since I couldn't wait the typical 90-days that most dealers were quoting me, I had to go looking for what I could find available "on the lots" or at worst coming on a truck within a week.

Wow, some Scion/Toyota dealers are scum. Scion of Hollywood wanted TRIPLE the deposit of any other dealer and they explained how they had "rules" I was supposed to follow. WTF!? Rules? I'm pre-approved through TFS for way more than what I want to buy, I have cash in hand for the tax/registration/fees, so basically I can walk into a dealer and drive away in a new car. I'm supposed to follow rules? Sheesh!

Power Scion in Tustin/Irvine was also annoying. They had some 5-speeds but they order all their cars with 18" rims which are then chromed, making them a $2,500 add-on. Sheesh! I have been an import tuner for a while now, so I know what $2,500 in rims should be... and those boat anchors are sure NOT it. No insult intended to anyone who got them and loves them; they just were not what I wanted. Since the dealer only orders cars with the 18s, I basically had no choice. Take the car with the $2,500 mark-up or go elsewhere. I chose the latter.

Karim @ Northridge Scion was the first dealer who actually wanted to help me find a car. He offered to do an inventory search across all of Southern California for me. While he was doing this, I got a call from Miguel @ Family Scion in San Juan Capistrano. He didn't have any manual transmission cars, but offered to find me one and do a vehicle swap with another dealer. Miguel won; he is swapping an automatic on his lot with a 5speed BCP tC from some other dealer. In the end, I didn't have to turn away Karim as he left me a voicemail saying his search hadn't been successful.

Nonetheless, both of these dealers stand out for actually working to help me get the car I wanted. All the others didn't really care, and a couple (Power, Hollywood) were extremely negative experiences.

Oh... I did find that all the dealers were using scion.com to get the pricing. The only options which had non-Scion mark-ups were options that the dealer cooked up (like the chromed 18" rims). As long as you are configuring a car based on what you can get online, the price is the price. No haggles, no mark-ups, no nothing. If you have your own financing, or apply online from scion.com for financing through Toyota Financial, then the dealer can't do anything to somehow monkey with the deal to increase their profits. Just pay attention to what you are doing, too. The finance guy @ the dealer is supposed to sell you crap like the extended warranty or "paint protection" or whatever.... don't get them no matter how good they sound. You can always buy that sort of thing within the first month after you have had a chance to get out of the little stuffy room and think about it.

My tC was $18,901 before tax and license. That is a base of $16,000, dealer prep of $515, and I added ground effects, pedistal spoiler, subwoofer, b-pillar applique, blue led lights, floor mats, and a cargo net. TL&R is usually about 10% in California.

DJIce

Actually, Jeni, Jose told me he ran a search, and that there are 14 IIP's slated for delivery in the NY/NJ/CT area on the next shipment. Chances are that if your dealer hasn't allocated one, he can trade one on the lot or one of his own on the same shipment with another dealer. Good luck. I'm still iffy. BUt I think I'll be driving a FM by the end of the week.