Somewhat off topic, but since there is a lot of convo concerning the Scion brand going on in here...

When I got Scion's post-purchase survey, my one written comment was that they should DROP the Scion brand, and simply put the vehicles under the Toyota badge. Chalk it up as a failed venture and move on.

Remember when Chevy had the Geo brand?

Unfortunately TMS will never get that survey. Those surveys are to help improve the dealership and sales consultant that did business with you.

Inherently evil? Paranoid much?

Nope, not casting aspersions at all, just considering the fact that any dealership with sole metro market access will always be more profitable on a PNVR basis than a multi-point metro market. Kendall is enormously profitable selling fewer units than many other Portland Region multi-point metro stores. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why.

You're right though, I haven't been there since July. No hazardous roads then, just constant sun and bugs! However, in the past I've driven from Anchorage to Fairbanks in December and yes, it required concentration in total darkness. If I were in the market for a new car I wouldn't consider the drive only to arrive at yet another Kendall Scion dealership in a different captive metro market.

What tax does the dealer pay? If we go by general U.S. taxation guidelines, the dealer actually incurs taxes when they make a sale. Inventory on hand does not continually get taxed unless there's an automotive specific provision or IRC law I'm overlooking?

This one is just based on Texas, so I'm not sure if this carries over to other states or not. This is why they try extremely hard to get rid of cars in December, especially 2014 models, but even 2015's as well. I've had a few people tell me this, but I've just never really researched it.

http://txdmv.gov/publications/doc_do...nventory-taxes

According to Texas state tax code 23.122, which this pamphlet referrs to, this vehicle inventory tax (VIT) is taken at the sale of each vehicle, not simply having them on the lot. The VIT form must be completed regardless whether or not there have been any sales, but in the event of no sales, the VIT form will report $0 levied taxes to the dealership pertinent to this specific sales tax

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.u.../htm/TX.23.htm

We'd live in a sick, sick country if we were taxed by simply having inventory on hand. We're not far off, though. ;) A good rule of thumb for taxation is that for every dollar one earns, the government is looking for their share. Exemptions in the form of tax credits are the only safeguard from all revenue sources- the rest are just temporary shields or, even worse, prepayments.

This is also why I never became an accountant, lol.

Scion has a price guarantee. The dealer can't over-price the car without risking their dealership license. So the sticker is what you are going to pay (less may have some room, but I doubt it as the margins as so low). You can negotiate on the ancillary items though, such as trade and extras. So with that said, now is the best time. The closer you get to spring the less likely the dealer is going want to negotiate knowing that their number of potential customers is going to go way up. If you are going to Clean Deal it though, the best time is when you are ready, the dealer can't move anywhere on price on you with a clean deal.


If you want a Special Edition model (RS1), you best go after it now. They are selling out fast.

I'll take mine out the door for invoice minus incentive and all hold backs and you'll like it sir!

My comment was not high on sarcasm but completely factual. Don't feel offended because the dealership that I was talking about is in San Jose on Capitol Expressway. I have never been to Alaska so I don't how you do things there. These cars were not Monograms... it was early 2013 and yes dealers installers two-tone leather on the seats and were charging (no kidding) up to $6000 markup for leather and "regional adjustment". :lol:

I think I did make a comment on the Dealership Blacklist thread at the time.

It would be a cold day in hell when stealerships will stop existing. Am I calling you one? Like I said before... I have never been there.

Others who have shopped there voiced their opinions on edmunds.com. Again, this isn't necessarily a reflection on PhantomX, and the happy customers don't post as often as those who believe they've been treated unfairly or unethically, but the linked comments are brutal:

http://www.edmunds.com/dealerships/A...ml?make=Toyota

http://www.edmunds.com/dealerships/A...ml?make=Toyota

Especially when compared to the largest volume dealership in the Portland Region selling in a multi-point metro market.

http://www.edmunds.com/dealerships/O...n/sales.1.html

i bought my 2015 limited CWP BRZ for 27.1 back in september when they were first getting it. i don't think it matters when it matters who and how you talk and negotiate. i used truce as a haggling tool and told them I'm not bullshitting if i can get the price i want i will put a 500 dollar deposit on it over the phone and come pick it up tomorrow. that strategy worked for me.

Haha. If only it was that easy. In all fairness, employees in my dealership get 3% over invoice pricing for vehicles we purchase. Unfortunately, with Scions, 3% over invoice pricing is usually over MSRP because of the low amount of difference between dealership invoice and MSRP. But we do get people that will say something like that and demand additional discounts after that.


Fair enough.


Now, I could point out that some of the negative feedback is highly vague or simply misinformation from whoever "informed them of the situation" (I won't deny that every dealership has their slimy sales person. I can personally say that I've witnessed some lie through their teeth just to make a sale, and others just throw potential customers that they already gauged won't even buy towards other sales consultants to make them waste their time or weasel their way into a sale over a vague 5 minute phone call or 5 minute "interview" of the customer, as well as our own local sister dealerships making false claims and putting down my dealership just to "beautify" their brand) which leads into question the legitimacy of some (not all) of the feedbacks. But, you did point out something that is the key phrase; People are even more vocal about their bad experience than their good experience. No company has ever received little to no bad rating from unsatisfied customers. From a personal standpoint, I can say we have our own customer relations manager, not a PR department scouring the internet, so unless he hears the negative feedback, the issue the customer had won't get addressed/resolved/improved.

I'm not going to disparage you in anyway since you seem a nice guy.
I get that price through the mother ship. Your dealership isn't giving you much of a discout though.

True, I'm sure your CR manager doesn't have the time to filter 'net comments, but maybe it would help if you showed them how Wilsonville responds to complaints on a blog the size of Edmunds and makes lemonade.

You sound like a credit to your dealership operation. I hope you make it into management if you aren't already.

Here's to a great 2014 and even better 2015. Your operation is truck sales king, especially Tundra, that's for sure.