Hi there, I'm considering the Toyota BZ4X as my Highlander that I love, is so thirsty for gas it's getting to be a big financial burden. Any thoughts?
Sell it and get a Highlander hybrid.
Depending on how old yours is, it might be an even trade. The only problem is that there will probably be a wait.
So if you need to have something the size of the Highlander then yeah get a hybrid version of it instead. A friend of mine sold their 2018 Highlander and bought a 2022 brand new instead and they were left with about $10k-$12k in cash because they sold private party and bought the new one at msrp. But even if you aren't left with extra cash, you're still very very likely to break even. If you're fine with something smaller but still need a suv then definitely the Rav4 hybrid. The new Rav4 is very roomy compared to previous models.
Now remember the best way to purchase at msrp in this market is putting a deposit on an incoming unit instead of buying from the lot. Just go find the dealership that has the incoming allocation, negotiate the price, get a detailed signed sales order, put the deposit and wait for the vehicle to arrive.
They will not negotiate a price with you right now. They will tell you that you have to wait until the vehicle is delivered, and then you pay the Toyota MSRP on that date. In my case it is a one year wait.
I guess it depends on the dealership and location; I've bought multiple vehicles in the current market (Honda and Toyota) and I was able to negotiate and purchase at msrp. We wrote msrp on the sales order so it would be whatever the msrp was on the monroney sticker. And for all of them I was able to get a signed sales order and no markup or dealer added items.
Interesting. But I think I'd still rather not pay for something that doesn't exist yet.
It's not really paying for something that doesn't exist; it's just a deposit of from my experience at most $1000 to reserve the vehicle. Also, in my purchases it has been refundable if I found a better deal (or they would match the price which never happened since msrp is the best deal now) and also the deal was based on me inspecting the car once it arrives on the lot to make sure nothing has happened to it during transit. It's not the ideal situation and I was never a fan of it either, but these days in this market it's the only chance at getting a vehicle (and specially one in demand) at msrp without dealership additional items. The on the lot units usually have so much dealership additional items and even markups that are just an awful deal.
Sorry I meant to say was I wouldn't sign a contract for something that doesn't exist yet. I have to see it 1st. (for that amount of money). The risk free deposit is fine.
The dealer stated the only fee they charge is the $500 document fee and that's it. No hidden fees. No dodgy "market adjustment" markups. So just MSRP + $500
Plus, there's always a chance the MSRP will go down. Unlikely, but still. And if it goes up too much, then I will simply look for something else. I'm really not pressured to buy. I won't be bound by a contract in such uncertain times.
I do agree with your points which is why personally I only signed the sales order contingent on inspecting the car before taking delivery and writing the word "msrp" so if the msrp decreases I pay less. And if it's refundable deposit then it's not really bad. Again not ideal situation but in this market if someone has to buy then I guess this is the best way to tackle it and get a better price. If someone can wait then definitely that's the best thing.
OK so MSRP when the vehicle is delivered. Not the MSRP right now. I thought you were saying you locked in a specific number, but we're talking about the same thing aren't we.
Yeah I guess it was some misunderstanding here (I should have written msrp in quotation mark to make it more clear); it was msrp at the time of delivery. This would prevent market adjustment etc.
It’s so new, no one has an idea. At the same time it is a Toyota and they have a reputation for quality.
The BZ4X looks like a RAV4. Heck, maybe the chassis is RAV4 based to save on design costs.
While I love Toyota as a company for their reliability, I always question their interior design sensibilities.
I’m also baffled at their engineering choices with no frunk. No because of yhe frunk itself, but EV’s theoretically need less engine space, so why there is so much going on under the hood is baffling.
If anything an experimental computer on wheels is going to be the bigger financial burden.
If you want to save on fuel, the way to go is a Toyota Prius or a Kia Niro.
They're worth less than your '18 highlander and with how efficient they are, no EV is going to make up the price difference in its lifetime.
Both of these are decently reliable, the Niro has a better battery warranty (I've seen 2016 examples still self diagnose with 100% battery health even in my local very warm climate), the Prius has better overall reliability.
I would go with a hybrid over a brand new, unproven EV. Don’t be a Guinea pig, even with Toyota. The suggestions mentioned (Highlander Hybrid, RAV4 hybrid) are good choices and I’d stick with those.
