[PhantomX]

Pure Pricing may seem like BS, but it's Scion's rules. I work for a dealership and as the designated "Scion Ambassador," I know how strict Scion is. What some people on here say is true. A dealership can and will lose the right to sell Scions.

Granted, there are ways to "manipulate" it at the dealership side, but it's to the dealership's decision, which may either end up as loss just to get it off their lot or Scion gave them extra incentives to mark the price down. Either way, more likely than not, they're adhering to Pure Pricing.

No amounts of scaring or threatening will make a dealership really bend over backwards. Sure, they want your business, but not at the cost of their right to sell the product.

I've had a customer call and ask me questions about the twins under the sun, but kept going back to price. I asked him if he knew about the Scion process and Pure Pricing. He claimed he didn't, so I explained, then he asked again if we would move on the price at all. At that point, I told him it'd be best he go to scion.com to read/watch the info I gave him, but no, we wouldn't move on the price because our right to sell Scion would be on the line. His response was then, "Okay, then I'm not interested in buying an FR-S. I'll just go get a BRZ." I didn't bat an eye and my response was straight forward and simple. "Okay."

As much as I can understand people wanting to get a good deal, I can't help but laugh when someone thinks they're special and will get that deal that no one else gets. Unfortunately, none of us, including myself, is special enough to get that deal that no one gets. If you get that deal, more than likely you're not the first and you certainly won't be the last. But that's only possible through Toyotas, Lexus, Subaru, Honda, Mazda, Ford, Chevy, but not Scion. With Scion, you have to think of it this way; Think of where you work. Now, imagine someone coming in and coming up with whatever reason as to why they think they deserve a "better deal" (aka lower price than indicated set price, sale or regular), barring things like coupons, rebates, senior, military discounts and the like, of your product or service. Unless there was some kind of problem, your company more than likely would say no, and if someone in the company does say yes, they're assuming responsibility for the loss and the possible heat from above. But, when it comes down to it, a lost sale is worth it in exchange for keeping the right to sell Scion. The FR-S is not the only model offered through Scion, so losing the right to Scion can lead to a hundred thousand to million dollar loss. Are you going to pay the dealership if that happens just to appease you? Doubtful. You'd probably just make like a bandit and run. Probably even say something like, "Then they shouldn't have sold me that car at that price." That's why dealerships more often than not won't feel regret about losing your sale.

But is it impossible to get a Scion at bellow MSRP or even invoice? Of course not. As others have indicated, dealerships usually mark prices down on a year to several years older vehicles that's been sitting on their lot. There are also the rare occasion that certain ones can be marked down lesser than the rest due to a loophole in Scion's rules. You just have to keep an eye out for it. There are other times that the dealership, itself, would accidentally fudge the numbers somewhere along the line and doesn't catch it, saving you some money.

I happen to be lucky and had been looking in the right dealership at the right time for both of those to happen. Mind you, even as an employee, because there is very little margin for Scions, I'm beholden to Pure Price. Not only was I able to purchase my RS1.0 for $1,000 less than MSRP, but a screwup in paying for shipping it up here saved me another $600. With those combined, I ended up getting my 86 for below invoice. So, you never know.

As for your trade-in, just because "clean retail" says what it's going to be for sale by the retail doesn't necessarily mean you'll get close to that amount. More than likely than not, you'll get it closer to $5,000 less than clean retail. Why? Because they have to factor multiple things. There's the reconditioning. No matter how clean it is, it's not dealership clean. That hundreds of dollars that detailers charge to do the best detail job possible? Dealerships pay it too, even if it's internally. Then there's the fact that it'll go through the shop, have all fluids checked, brakes, etc to ensure that it doesn't break down on the next buyer so easily. Then there's the buyer. Just because they'll have it priced at clean retail doesn't mean the buyer will try to get the "best deal" just like the rest of us. So, $1,000 to $2,000 off later of haggling, what kind of profit do you think the dealership made off of your trade-in? Probably somewhere around $1,000, more or less. Couple that with the around $1,000 profit form the FR-S they sold you, that's around a $2,000 profit. Now, factor in that the sales people, finance people and sales managers (the gas you get for free and the detailers that hopefully wash and detail your new car, and any other additional costs, such as removing any scratches and what-not) involved for each sale wasn't paid in this yet. So the overall profit can range between less than $0 to around $1,000. But just like any other business, dealerships are not in business to lose money, so they hope to gain some profit somewhere. (Also, if you're going to tell me that I didn't factor in holdback... Well, because there isn't any with Scions. Look it up if you think I'm lying.)