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Order a Sienna from factory, still stuck with options packages?

Has anyone ordered a Sienna from the factory? I see from previous threads that this can be done with other Toyotas, and that in any case you're not REALLY ordering a car from the factory, just initiating a dealer search for a vehicle that matches your request. Can that be done for a Sienna?

I'm grasping at straws with the second question, but if a Sienna can be ordered with just the features you want, do you still have to stick with the options packages, or can you order ala carte? If it's true that you don't really order from the factory in the first place, just get a matching vehicle from the pipeline, then I assume the answer is No. I really want the extra airbags and other safety features, but equally don't want the power doors that come with that options package. Any hope?

Thanks, Duffy Tweedy

Reply to
duffytweedy
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A la carte ordering went out a long time ago, BECAUSE of the Japanese manufacturers! Because all Japanese imports were built in Japan, it was impossible to order specific items on a car, so they came up with the 'package' idea. It didn't take Detriot long to also implement this as a cost-cutting measure. Sure, by deleting the AC or the FM radio YOU could save money, but the Big Three FINALLY caught on that this kind of ordering was costing THEM money. So, all MFG's now use packages. I really doubt you'll get what you're looking for, but I have been wrong before.

Once.

Reply to
hachiroku

The Sienna is made in the US and you can (one hopes -- the 2006's are coming) order from the "Factory".

However, it's even worse than you think.

For example, I live in the Pacific Northwest and wanted the AWD LE with POWER seats (which is the top-of-the-line option for the LE AWD). I did a factory order thru a local dealer and it was "rejected" by Toyota... appearently they do not want to "allocate" this option to a Pacific Northwest LE [i.e., if I wanted power seats I would have to upgrade to a XLE AWD]. I ended up going down a notch (since I wanted the JBL audio system) and going for manual seats.

Plus, in some areas of the country they have "Port installed options" that are regional only. In at least one "Port" you can get optional side mirrors that include those LED turn-arrow indicators (but naturally, not in the Pacific Northwest).

So yes, like the other poster said, we have been screwed by the Japanese/European "All-or-nothing" option packages.

Reply to
Private Person

Thanks for your answers. I was afraid of that. It's been a long, long time since I bought a new car (Taurus), and I loved being able to fine-tune exactly what I wanted. Oh well.

Reply to
duffytweedy

Each of the 12 regional offices in the U.S. does their own production order preference (known as POP) for each series. A series is what most people consider model, i.e, Sienna, Corolla, Celica, etc. Each particular trim/engine/transmission/drivetrain is considered one model, so an AWD LE Sienna and a FWD LE Sienna are 2 different models.

If you look at the list of options and colors, there could easily be more possible permutations than actual numbers of a particular model sold. Since the regional offices want to sell as many vehicles as quickly as possible, they will order color and option combinations that they think will sell the quickest. If a buyer doesn't take delivery of an unpopular model/option mix, then it will sit around for a long time.

As far as port installed options (PIO's), not every port operation is owned by Toyota. In some ports of entry, Toyota contracts with a port operator to prepare the vehicles for shipment to dealers and to install PIOs. The port operators often sell additional accessories that may not be genuine Toyota accessories and can install them for the dealer while they are at the port. Genuine Toyota PIOs will show up on the window label, aftermarket parts will not.

Reply to
Ray O

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