Drive.com.au - Toyota dealers cashing in on 86
 

Noticed this on the age website, they did some mystery shopping on the 86. Sounds exactly like my experience over the phone with dealers in Melb. Sounds pretty true to what people have been experiencing. Hopefully we get more supply in Oz, considering the less than competitive price points in Europe and USA. (eg, in the UK its priced at 25k GBP, same price as a Audi TT - I know its so cheap over there)

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...627-211q4.html

As expected

39400 otr for a gts manual.. sounds abt right to me..

Regarding price, Toyota Australia spokesman Mike Breen told Drive: “The dealers are a free agent. They can sell a car according to supply and demand. We don’t have any say it what they sell a car for.”

I thought it was illegal to go above and beyond the drive-away price on TMCA website?

It's not. They can charge what ever they want through dealer delivery - I called TMCA a few weeks ago to ask about the 'maximum dealer delivery' charge and they said since they are private franchises they can charge as they please. If you don't like the price just go to another one.

But it doesn't mean you can't make a complaint with the ACCC.

That's a shame, but that's competition for you. Glad I'm going through Peter Warren in Warwick Farm, NSW. They don't try and rip you off.

According to the ACCC, it is illegal to charge above the advertised price.

Exactly! This is why I called TMCA because they have a 'maximum' dealer delivery charge on their website and being defined as maximum means the dealer cannot charge any more than the advertised price. Nonetheless, the guy on the phone wasn't able to explain why it said maximum and said the dealer can charge what ever they deem is appropriate.

So maybe only dealers owned by TMCA - like Nunawading Toyota, are held to account by those restrictions

I got mine for dead on the website price for a GTS manual. Only paid the extra to have my slimline plates transferred.

Based on the 4 month wait my dealer is expecting to be able to get me at least tint thrown in at delivery.

TMCA does not own any dealerships!!

Noted, my bad, i was given bad info

It's a petty point of law but "higher than the advertised price" Whose advertised price? TMCA's or the dealer's? Seems a bit of a grey area that some dealers take advantage of and thanks to Maj3sty for pointing out how we look after people, cheers.

Operating a new car franchise is a very expensive operation. I don't blame these guys for trying to make money. After all, it's a business ... not a charity or public service and the hype and waiting lists will only last so long. As they say, make hay while the sun is shining. After decades of only having washing machines and fridges to sell, the sun (stars) is finally shining on Toyota dealers.

The more dealers charge people with no negotiation skills, the more scope they have to offer a discount to those who know how to go about getting one.