Ah, well now I have the real scoop. Our deposit IS refundable according to our new salesperson. He said if I really wanted to I could go put deposits at other dealerships and I would get the deposit back if I got one somewhere else. Now... for the long explanation of the new salesperson...

In a fit of car waiting list impatience I checked our dealer's online new inventory for the hundredth time. I noticed the Prius was back on the list. It wasn't listed for a while and there were THREE listed. We never test drove one, so I thought I'd call and find out about test driving one. After all, we could buy a fully loaded Prius for about the same price as the TCH base model will cost us (due to the fact that the tax credit is higher AND the state of CT does not charge sales tax on the Prius).

I called up the dealership and explained our salesperson wasn't in today, but I'd like to talk to someone about test driving a Prius. The receptionist put me on hold and the person who answered told me that our salesperson isn't a salesperson anymore! She took another position with the company (Greeter???). Anyhow, she gave him our paperwork on Wednesday and he was planning to contact us next week to check in with us.

Unfortunately ALL three of those Priuses are sold. They are on the lot, but they were all matched and sold before they even arrived. He said their waiting list for the Prius is 3-5 months now. Occasionally they do get one in that isn't matched at the time, but it's a roll of the dice for what the options will be. He said he'd look into it and call me back.

About 15 minutes later he called back and said that at the end of the month they are expecting to get a tan one in. If we want it he could get it for us, but it doesn't have stability control, though it does have the side curtain airbags. It would, of course, cost less than the TCH. We chatted a bit about it. I don't really want a Prius, actually, I want a TCH.

I explained the whole car color situation. I also asked him if he thought it was really possible that I might get my color of choice before the end of September. He said there really is no guarantee, of course, and that it would be realistic to expect it to take 4 months. 4 months would be October. He also said that if I am expecting to drive this car for ten years that if it was him he would wait to get the color he wanted. My husband said the same thing.

He also told me that it was true that they could get me a gold one with a sunroof from another dealership. He said, "You know, not to be flip or anything, but the sunroof does have a cover." LOL, yes I am aware of that. I just don't think I should pay $700 extra for one when I am going to keep it covered all the time. I forgot to say that if he offered me a gold one with leather I might change my mind . I did ask him about Mag Gray too. He said I'd probably be waiting longer for Mag Gray than for Jasper Pearl up here . So, I asked him what the popular colors are. He said, it really varies, but around here the colors that are not so popular at the moment are white and gold.

Then I asked him why when I search the new inventories in other parts of the country I see dealerships with more than one (one dealership had TWELVE) TCH in stock. He said, in some parts of the country the hybrids are not as popular as other parts of the country, so those areas may have them sitting around. I asked him why he couldn't get one from there, and he said that they do "trade" with tri-state area (CT, NY, NJ) dealerships, and have even gone up to MA, but that it's not practical to "trade" with dealerships that are further away. They have to send someone to drive the car back, and that's not pracitical. (I wonder why they can't ship the car... but I digress.)

He said he would absolutely call me before I leave for my business trip at the end of the month, which will be after the next allocation. So, I am just going to try to stop obsessing and wait and see what happens. At least I *will* be able to get a TCH, even if it's not the color I really, really want.

And thank you to everyone who is putting your pictures in the Photo area. I can't wait to see a Jasper Pearl in there .