Date: 2008-06-25 13:43 Subject: $CALL Security: Public Current Mood: amused

So I get this email from AAA talking about the super fantastic price I can get on a new car from them. I'm curious. So I spec out a nicely equipped Prius (which, availability-wise, is Toyota-ese for "Wii Fit"). Then it said, "fill in your contact information and on the next page you'll see your super fantastic price." And that price turned out to be:

The dealer will provide you with the special AAA price for this vehicle.

GRRR! I went through all this specifically so I wouldn't have to get spammed by the dealer! (Yeah, I know that by giving them that info I deserve whatever I get.)

Why do I get the feeling it'd go something like this:

Dealer: Invoice is $25,526, MSRP is $27,335[1], so the AAA price will be, ahh, make it an even thirty, but you'll probably have to wait a few months.
Me: WHAT?
Dealer: Hey, it's more'n two grand off what we've been getting....

[1] Those are the real numbers.

From: reillye Date: 2008-06-25 06:40 pm (UTC) (Link)

THis would explain the phone call I got from James Toyota a few minutes ago. Lead time for a prius is 4-6 months, and you get it for MSRP. I did not ask her about a special AAA rate, though. :) I can email you the woman's name and number if you like. *smooch*

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From: edhorch Date: 2008-06-25 06:59 pm (UTC) (Link)

Wow, they didn't waste any time. I was hoping you'd read this before they called. I guess the AAA rate is free ashtray cleaning for a month or something...

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From: bpende Date: 2008-06-25 07:33 pm (UTC) AAA... pheh... (Link)

The last couple of times we've looked at AAA pricing, I've been amazed that there's a wide variation between listed and AAA. Usually, AAA being way higher than the listed price...

Why do I pay for this service again?

Oh yeah... for when I break down on the side of the road...

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From: optic Date: 2008-06-26 01:21 am (UTC) Re: AAA... pheh... (Link)

if I remember rightly, the AAA spends your membership dues lobbying for various things that any green-minded driver would be horrified by. making this story even richer in irony.

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From: eliseamelie Date: 2008-06-26 08:34 pm (UTC) Re: AAA... pheh... (Link)

There is an alternative service that my husband and I considered, but they didn't offer nearly as many benefits and at the time, I had a really unreliable truck.

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