Prius Envy

I received this letter from a car dealer today (a mere three months since I placed my deposit):

The Prius has been and will continue to be an incredible success for Toyota. It has been one of the top turning vehicles in Toyota’s line up for several years. When a vehicle has this kind of success any variance in supply becomes immediately noticeable. It is for this reason we are relaying our latest supply information regarding this fantastic vehicle. [Doubt it. More likely, you are relaying this information because you know I'll read about it elsewhere anyway]

Due to the start up of the new 2007 Camry Hybrid during this first quarter of 2006, The Prius production will be constrained through March, this reduction will be less than the 2005 Prius units built during the same time period. Toyota is experiencing an increase in orders as well for the 2006 Prius. Thus, supplies will be limited nation wide while Toyota rolls out the 2007 Camry hybrid. [Wait, production is constrained through March? When did this start? It's always been constrained. How will things change in March?

But why should this matter to me - you told me my car would be here by the end of January, so it should either be there, on your lot, or at least on its way to your lot. Otherwise you would have called to tell me, right? Wait, it's not, is it? And this bulk e-mail is the means you've chosen to break the news to me. Nice, personal service.. NOT!!

The 2007 Camrys will be out in September or October, right? Are they really making them now? How is production of Prii only impacted through late March? Is another factory coming online? I don't understand. Are we waiting for the ground crew to load a few more bags on the plane before departing? Is this just another lame excuse that I'm supposed to hear, and then "believe?" Are we playing "pretend"?]

We anticipate a leveling off on production of Prius and Camry Hybrids in late March. Due to the very high demand for this technology, Toyota is doing everything it can to assure the high level of dependability that is expected. [Dependability? You mean I can depend on not getting a Prius any time in the near future? Yup, you're right, they are. Or maybe you are, I don't know which of you f*cked this process up, but one of you certainly did.]

We here thank you and look forward to updating you as soon as more information is confirmed. In the mean time, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me at the e-mail address or phone number below. [Thank me for what? For being patient? I haven't been. I just gave up calling you because it forces you to make up lame excuses (have you considered a career as a supreme court justice - you'd do fine in the senate confirmation hearings)]

And I don't understand what you mean by "updating me" - am I downlevel? Do I need some security patches? I thought you might have meant "giving me updated information on the status of my order," but that can't be right - with the exception of this e-mail, you've never given me any sort of update unless I called or wrote to you and asked for it. Certainly you're not going to start being communicative now, are you? But what will we talk about? You'll say "nope, still not here" and I'll say "what's your lame-assed excuse this time?" - that's not much of a conversation, huh?

Maybe you can just find me the freaking car (e.g. get off your ass, call a dealer or two in the area and say "listen, I have a customer who's been waiting for an unusually long time, he wants x, y, and z; do you have one in stock that maybe we can swap for" - I know, I know, Prii are so popular that dealers don't do that. That's because you have no common sense. Do the math - if you swap cars with other dealers, even more people will be happy (ok, maybe not, but I would be happy, who cares about everyone else!)]