Dealer is trying to sell me an FR-S with leather seats?

[Veloist]

Originally Posted by moniz

$1400 is low? At least that's the difference up here in Canada between dealer invoice and MSRP. Hardly think so since the average subcompact/compact up here has a $900-$1200 difference from invoice to MSRP.

Not nessecarily, here in the US the invoice price vs. MSRP of a Corolla S and LE is about $1400.

The most basic Prius, the Prius 2, has a di and MSRP difference of $1500 and as the trim grows to the Prius 5 it grows to $2000.

Base Camry's are around $2000 as well. From there it depends on negotiations.

If a dealership gets a truckload of all 3 of these cars, which are Toyota's best sellers, and only 1-3 FR-S's for the whole month, it's understandable they'd want to expand their profit because the car is in high demand. It's a basic in economy and a smart dealer can and will pull it off. They don't care who isn't going to buy it, they just go for it and sell it because they know it will get sold.

The di vs MSRP of an FR-S looks to be around $1700 for an MT. With $2500 leather seats, or wheels, or in other forms of accessories, that probably would make the total profit $2700-$3100. When you sell 3 of them, that builds up to near $10,000 which is probably as much as the profit from selling 8-9 base Corollas lower than MSRP.

Dealerships are aware that people will refuse to buy greater than MSRP but the car is in high demand so they know they will sell it.

The best thing to do is to just go to another dealership who doesn't play with their profits, or wait until the hype dies down if they're someone who only has 1 close Scion dealer.

[Chewie4299]

Originally Posted by elenien

Ah, wasn't thinking of (the normal) options as part of MSRP

Makes me think kind thoughts about my local Toyota dealer. The sticker price on mine was $25,187 (base + destination + bumper applique, wheel locks and trunk mat).

I got the trunk mat removed... If I'm not mistaken it's the piece that covers the interior of the trunk lid as an option. I could care less about that and am not paying $95 for it.

[07stealth350z]

Originally Posted by nab335

Hey everyone,
Long story short I have been in the market for a new car. My local toyota dealer has informed me that they have an FR-S coming in my color and transmission preference. The thing is, they will only sell me the car with either special wheels or leather seats. I was confused as to how it can come with leather seats because I thought there was no option for them in the Scion FR-S. They told me that due to the limited supply they will be selling their FR-S inventory with either upgraded wheels or leather. Does anyone have any idea what these seats look like? Are they like the BRZ seats? Anyways, I told them that I would prefer leather seats. They are asking for $27,656 before taxes and license fees. Do you guys think it is worth dropping an extra $2,500 for the seats? Or does all this seem fishy?

Miller Toyota of Anaheim did this too when I looked at FR-S's. The leather looked pretty nice, but I still wouldn't get it. It wasnt a factory option and the dealer had it re-upholstered, custom. They said they would cover any damage from it through their warranty, but other dealerships besides them wouldnt cover it. Lame. They charged for aftermarket wheels too, and they didnt have the stocks, I asked. Seems like every dealer I find a FR-S, they have to add something extra on everycar to drive the price up. Whether it be wheels, seats, or LoJack. I have yet to see a factory optioned FR-S at a dealer in CA. =(

[elenien]

Originally Posted by 07stealth350z

I have yet to see a factory optioned FR-S at a dealer in CA. =(

Mine from Toyota of Santa Barbara was more or less base. It had a few of the Scion options, but nothing the dealer added or changed.

[Jeff Lange]

Originally Posted by Chewie4299

I got the trunk mat removed... If I'm not mistaken it's the piece that covers the interior of the trunk lid as an option. I could care less about that and am not paying $95 for it.

It's a mat on the bottom of the trunk that matches the floor mats (essentially). There is no trunk liner option from Scion, you can buy it from Subaru if you wanted it.

Jeff

[Chewie4299]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lange

It's a mat on the bottom of the trunk that matches the floor mats (essentially). There is no trunk liner option from Scion, you can buy it from Subaru if you wanted it.

Jeff

I see. Well, knowing that I may actually let them sell it to me.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[xravexboix]

Originally Posted by 07stealth350z

Miller Toyota of Anaheim did this too when I looked at FR-S's. The leather looked pretty nice, but I still wouldn't get it. It wasnt a factory option and the dealer had it re-upholstered, custom. They said they would cover any damage from it through their warranty, but other dealerships besides them wouldnt cover it. Lame. They charged for aftermarket wheels too, and they didnt have the stocks, I asked. Seems like every dealer I find a FR-S, they have to add something extra on everycar to drive the price up. Whether it be wheels, seats, or LoJack. I have yet to see a factory optioned FR-S at a dealer in CA. =(

You haven't tried us - though we have a spare Auto Firestorm we're putting the Five Axis Aero Kit on ~ unless someone picks it up before hand.

[TPO]

Originally Posted by Lytheum

im sure charging $2500 they are probably doubling their money on the seats!

Dealer cost on a full set of leather is $899.00. I write PO's all day long for them. Sales will usually add $2000 to the sticker price.

[TPO]

I would just take my business elsewhere.

[DeeezNuuuts83]

What that kind of asking price/markup, you might as well get a BRZ Premium.

[n2oinferno]

Originally Posted by GenkiElite

Dealer cost is about 500. The Toyota dealership I worked for got seats from Katskinz or Catskinz and charged 2k to recover a Camry. I was never to fond as they were covers over the origanal covers, not replacements, so figment wasn't as good as factory. I wouldnt even consider them for my cars.

They aren't covers over the original covers. The original skin of the seat is removed and these are installed over the factory seat/foam. Fitment is normally as good as OEM.

Originally Posted by viper_driver

I had Katzkin installed in my wife's 2011 Accord. It was about $1200 installed.

Maybe it's just me, but the aftermarket leather job in those FR-S pictures looks really well done. Not a huge fan of the red shoulders, but the great things about Katzkin is you can get EXACTLY what you want, they'll make anything you can dream up with colors, stitching, what's leather and what isn't, etc.

That's what I was thinking too. A lot of people said it looked terrible, but on what merit? Katzkin does great work from all of the cars I've seen done in person.

Originally Posted by fistpoint

I just remembered something about the Katzkins: the ones you get for the $1000-$1400 range probably are not all leather. The sides and rear of the seats for example most likely will not be leather. You can buy a more expensive cover that includes more leather pieces that pushes the price to and over $2k.

The cheap ones have leather on all seating surfaces and leatherette/vinyl on the parts you don't sit on. Similar to how a lot of OEM setups are. But when I was looking into doing it myself on a vehicle several years ago and getting quotes, it was about 700 front/rear for the covers with leather seat surface, and 1300 or 1400 for full leather. Keep in mind, that doesn't include labor since I figured I could do it myself. Never pulled the trigger though.

There are also a bunch of other companies that do similar stuff, and local interior/upholstery shops can do them as well. Good to shop around.

All that said, if I wanted leather I wouldn't get it preinstalled. Sure it might be nice to have immediately, but I'd rather save the extra money and do it myself.

[fistpoint]

Originally Posted by n2oinferno

The cheap ones have leather on all seating surfaces and leatherette/vinyl on the parts you don't sit on. Similar to how a lot of OEM setups are.

Correct, RSX comes with vinyl non-seating surface areas, friends Celica had full leather.

Originally Posted by n2oinferno

All that said, if I wanted leather I wouldn't get it preinstalled. Sure it might be nice to have immediately, but I'd rather save the extra money and do it myself.

There are videos on the net showing Katzkins being installed on various vehicles. It looked like something I wouldn't want to do myself for fear of screwing up and lack of time if more time was needed...but I'm sure most of you folks could easily do it.

[n2oinferno]

Originally Posted by fistpoint

There are videos on the net showing Katzkins being installed on various vehicles. It looked like something I wouldn't want to do myself for fear of screwing up and lack of time if more time was needed...but I'm sure most of you folks could easily do it.

Yeah, it definitely depends on the vehicle you're doing. And I've heard lots of horror stories about people tearing their hands up on the seat frame, and hog rings being a bitch.

[soorma]

Your problem seems to be a great steal. My local dealer is selling it about $2,000 more without any extras haha

http://www.chuckpattersonscion.com/n...seHistory=true

I went through every feature and they all seem standard. Anybody notice any different?