[jhendrixfan03]

Am I correct about the following: if you drop down to an SE the stuff you loose from the limited is:
Power lift gate, push to start, woodgrain, JBL or Nav, 19" rims/tires, silver door handles/roof rails, and electrochromatic mirror.

I am trying to get my wife to replace her 2005 Highlander because she was in an accident with it, which it has been repaired and drives as good as before accident, but I can not see continuing to pay a loan on a recked car that we were talking about getting rid of before the accident because we liked the new body style. We are also up side down on the loan now, but most of the dealers are telling us that they will give us what we owe left on the loan but than there is not much leeway on the price of the new.

What do you all think, is it worth dumping it for a higher car payment?..the 2.9% for 60 mo is not too bad of course we could wait for another 0% on the highlander but not sure if it will come because the dealers around here barely have an highlanders on their lots and we risk not getting color and option we want if we wait for a 0% when they are trying to get rid of the 10 for the 11's.

Anyone with an SE who can comment on the stereo would be great to..I really like the JBL (not offered on the SE) but wondering how the stereo was in the SE.

Thanks

 

[peterk9]

The packages here in Canada are different and include more items as standard that are options in the States. You should be able to find out some of your answers by going to Toyota.com. Choose the Highlander as your vehicle and you can then do a side by side comparison of the SE and the Limited.

Peter

 

[YotaRunner4]

Wait a few more months if you really want a better deal. The dealers will want to move the 2010's off their lots by years end. Maybe they even start offering $5K rebates like they had before.

 

[jhendrixfan03]

I had been having trouble pulling up the comparison of all the models on toyotas site but I finally was able to get to the page last night and saw side by side of the two. The SE is equipped pretty good but for the price still being close to the LTD I wish it at least had JBL and the silver handles/roof rales...and then put an SE badge on the side where the LTD is. To tell you the truth the exterior of the LTD (like the actual body) looks different but all it is is the silver handles/roof rales and the rims/tires. Just wishing the SE looked more distinguished than the base especially paying more than the base.

I like the the LTD look especially in the Cypress Pearl color we want but don't care for the expensive non lasting tires, ugly wood grain, the push to start, and the power lift gate (which is cool but incredibly slow)
It is true we could wait for the model clearance sale when they will offer 0% or 5000 off (we would have to move quick to get the color we want) but I am curious to see what the 11 models will look like and what package features there will be.

 

[jgayman]

I too have been looking at the SE. I have a '01 Limited now. I would love to buy another Limited but I refuse to buy a car for which you have trouble buying decent tires. Fortunately the SE has a more popular tire size. If I could get a dealer to take the wheels from a Base or SE and put them on a Limited I would buy it in a minute.

 

[peterk9]

I too have been looking at the SE. I have a '01 Limited now. I would love to buy another Limited but I refuse to buy a car for which you have trouble buying decent tires. Fortunately the SE has a more popular tire size. If I could get a dealer to take the wheels from a Base or SE and put them on a Limited I would buy it in a minute.

Have you considered changing the wheels? I have an '09 Ltd. and bought 4 Rav4 steel wheels on which I mounted 245/65R17 snow tires. They are almost a 100% match for the OEM tires as far as size goes. I'm sure the fancier wheels of the Rav4 Ltd would work for you and perhaps give you more tire options. It is a bit of extra upfront expense but you would have your HL Ltd. It cost me about $80 (CDN) for each steel wheel plus the TPMS sensors.

Peter

 

[browser]

Have you considered changing the wheels? I have an '09 Ltd. and bought 4 Rav4 steel wheels on which I mounted 245/65R17 snow tires. They are almost a 100% match for the OEM tires as far as size goes. I'm sure the fancier wheels of the Rav4 Ltd would work for you and perhaps give you more tire options. It is a bit of extra upfront expense but you would have your HL Ltd. It cost me about $80 (CDN) for each steel wheel plus the TPMS sensors.

Peter

Peter: Any pics of those rims? on your vehicle?

 

[peterk9]

Peter: Any pics of those rims? on your vehicle?

Unfortunately the answer is No. They are all wrapped up and buried in the garage waiting for Mother Nature to change the seasons! I believe that someone did post a picture but that was quite a while ago. I don't think I would get the steel ones if I was going to use them winter and summer. The are afterall steel not alloy. But then again if you do winter driving you really can't win. Steel ones will over time show rust and the alloys apparently will get pitted. The Rav4 alloys look much nicer than the 'steelies'.

Peter

 

[jgayman]

Have you considered changing the wheels? I have an '09 Ltd. and bought 4 Rav4 steel wheels on which I mounted 245/65R17 snow tires. They are almost a 100% match for the OEM tires as far as size goes. I'm sure the fancier wheels of the Rav4 Ltd would work for you and perhaps give you more tire options. It is a bit of extra upfront expense but you would have your HL Ltd. It cost me about $80 (CDN) for each steel wheel plus the TPMS sensors.

Peter

Yes, I have. But spending that kind of money on top of the new vehicle purchase just to correct a tire mistake still hasn't settled in. I'm sure I would probably quickly forget about the money as I was enjoying long tire life. If I was going to pop for that kind of cash I might as well just buy the Highlander SE wheels and put them on a Limited.

At this point I may hold on and see what 2011 offers. My 2001 is still doing fine so no hurry. I figure Toyota may realize the errors of their ways and go back to 17 or 18". Then again, they could let the same marketing department at it and we'll have 19" wheels on the SE model as well. :thumbsdow

Or... they could go the way of the 4-Runner and go with 20".

Funny thing is they stuck with 18" on the Lexus.

 

[jhendrixfan03]

Been looking at the other threads about tires for the LTD, and if I were to get one I would change them to 255/55/19. Looking online there are more options of tires with better ratings for that size

 

[areamike]

Wait a few more months if you really want a better deal. The dealers will want to move the 2010's off their lots by years end. Maybe they even start offering $5K rebates like they had before.

I'm not sure about that. Our dealer had a HECK of a time finding us our 2010 when we traded our 2009. They can't keep them on the lots here in Indiana.

 

[jhendrixfan03]

^^^ This is true, I have been talking to a lot of dealers the past few days (mostly sales managers), and although they have no way of knowing the general consensus was that the 0% will not come back (unless it is to get rid of the ugly colors and bases that no one wants..JMO though) and if there is going to be cash back it won't be too much more than what is being offered right now (750.00 dealer cash which the dealers in my area are passing on to the customers). Also they are popular vehicles and toyota is not making as many compared to past years because of the economy from what I was told by several dealers, which is true, my area generally has about five on the lot at a time and they usually get them in and sell them pretty quick. So add in a specific color/model/and options it might be worth taking a chance and jumping on it now or wait for the 2011....but there is no way to know

The crappy thing is I am having a hard time getting a good price because they have so few and they know someone will buy it if I won't...even the used ones, there is a 10 LTD with 8,000 miles loaded without the nav and they want 38,990 and were not really interested at coming down on it, although they have it on 'special' now for 34,990 which is still crazy when you add in tax etc..

 

[areamike]

^^ Funny, my salesman told us that we would most likely never see 0% from Toyota when we bought our 2009 at 3.9%. A few months later they had 0% on the 2010 Camrys and Corollas so we got a Corolla too. Then a few months later, 0% on the 2010 Highlanders so we traded our 2009 in.

You just never know I guess.

 

[jhendrixfan03]

We decided on going with a 2WD SE in Cypress Pearl..only problem is no dealer around my area has one. There is one more coming into port in Sep (because the 2011 are coming) and my local dealer says they can grab it but want to have a price negotiated first. This feels crazy to me because incentives next month will be different than this months. Also I am now thinking this will be a bad idea because the fact they are bringing it in makes me think they will not give me a good price compared to something that is already sitting on the lot. But I guess I can give it a shot and negotiate and if I don't like where it is going than just pass.

There are a couple in Maryland available but to drive 5 1/2 hours for a car is a little crazy...plus I don't know what kind of money we would get offered for our trade and than I would feel stuck and forced to purchase because we drove that entire way.

Anyways, any encouraging words or tips from some of you pros out there would be great. Also anyone who has purchased an SE recently care to share the price (before tax etc) so I know if I am on target

Thanks

 

[areamike]

^^If your dealer has one coming then negotiating a price should be OK. Just don't sign anything and make it clear to them that you don't "buy before you try." If they want to make the sell they will agree.
Also, you can always tell them you have another source you can go with that is farther away but you would really like to give them the sell since they are local to your area.
Whatever you do, don't back down. You are the customer and they WANT your business. You are the one holding the cards, not them.

P.S. When we went to look at our 2010 Highlander that we traded our 2009 for, we were skeptical because the wife did not like the Cypress Pearl as much as the Blizzard pearl. However, while we were talking to the salesman, 3 other people stopped and inquired about the 2010 we were looking at. I had no doubt that it would sell that very day if we did not buy it.
On a side note: Our 2009 we traded sold in 2 days.

 

[jhendrixfan03]

They already said that they are going to want a 500.00 deposit via credit card to hold the highlander so that way they can get it from port and bring it in and that it will already we held for us, but I don't want that to hold us to a price before hand. I want to tell them to just bring it in and if we can't agree on a price than they will just put it on there lot to sell and if I loose out on 500.00 no big deal.

 

[areamike]

^^Sorry to the OP for going off topic.
They will have no problem selling that vehicle if you don't want it. Stick to your guns. If you are dealing with a good dealer, they can call around to other dealers and find exactly what you want and trade what they have for it.

When we bought our Corolla, our salesman only asked for a 100 dollar deposit(500 sounds steep) and we never negotiated a price. It was priced cheap enough for us on the sticker. We just made him throw in full window tint.

P.S. Sure you don't want a 2010 Cypress Pearl Limited??? hehe...I might have one for sale.

 

[jhendrixfan03]

I need to touch base with him again today and run this stuff across him, because with that color they will have no problem selling it. Another local dealer has sold two Cypress Pearl's of the same in the past 3 weeks..we moved to slow on them both and they were gone. I want to tell him bring to just bring it and once it is here we can work out a deal and if not be done. I talked to a dealer outside of Raleigh here and they are desperate to sell some highlanders...quoted me 29,300 (before tax etc) for a Gray with window tint and would throw in the mats/trunk. Now that is a deal!!

PS I would love a limited that is my dream but with it being fully loaded we can't afford one so that is why we are sticking with the SE for now

 

[jhendrixfan03]

Just wanted to update. We picked up Monday afternoon a 2010 SE 2WD Highlander in Magnetic Gray with Mats/Trunk and we are going to go back and have XM installed (they are only going to charge us invoice price for it/install, which is like 349). We paid 29,200 before tax, tags, etc. so I think we got a great deal. We feel spoiled coming from a 2005 highlander, loving the dual zone climate and rear AC for our 16 mo old as well as the back up camera and leather (which we did not have on our other highlander). Also like that you can pop the rear glass instead of having to open the whole trunk. Anyways thanks everyone for your help and I am now glad to be a part of the 2nd generation forum for the higlander.

 

[areamike]

^ Awesome. No Cypress Pearl, but hey, as long as you are happy. What color interior?
Yeah, I really like the dual climate control feature too.