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Toyota Prius

When it comes to high-demand vehicles like the 2010 Toyota Prius, haggling on the price may be difficult. In fact, some Toyota dealerships may even tell you that the price of the Prius is non-negotiable. However, it's important to note that in the world of cars, nothing is written in stone.

Despite long waiting lists and short supplies of the Toyota Prius, there are ways to save some money and negotiate on price. With a little patience and a lot of homework, here's how you can haggle on the price of a 2010 Toyota Prius:

Plan Ahead Before Going to the Dealership

Doing a little legwork before heading to the dealership can be a godsend when it comes to negotiating on price. When it comes to the Toyota Prius, this is especially true. Start by visiting the websites of Toyota dealerships in your area and checking their current stock of Prius hybrids. Ideally, you'll want to find a dealership that currently has several Prius models on hand. This influx of inventory means that they will be more likely to haggle on price.

If all the dealers in your area are in short supply (which is quite possible), consider checking the stock of dealerships outside of your local area. Driving 100 miles to a rural dealership may be worth it, given the lower demand of Prius' outside of city settings.

Regardless of inventory numbers, be sure to check the invoice price paid by the dealership. If one dealer happened to pay less to acquire the vehicle, they may be more willing to come down on price.

Visit Multiple Dealerships

When buying any car, it is always recommended that you visit multiple dealerships. You'll find that some Toyota locations may be more willing to deal than others. Also, don't feel pressured to buy simply because a dealership has a Prius on the lot that they're ready to sell. Despite what some salesmen will tell you, waiting lists in most areas for the Prius are either non-existent or not exceptionally long. As such, don't be afraid to walk away and check prices with other Toyota dealerships. Even if it doesn't net a substantial savings, there's really no downside to taking your time.

Play to the Salesman's Competitive Nature

Ask any Toyota dealer for a reduced price on a 2010 Prius, and he or she is likely to balk by saying, "well the next guy that walks in here will gladly pay full price." A great way to counter this is by pitting the salesman against his or her co-workers. So when confronted with this statement, try rebutting by saying, "Yes, but will that customer be buying it from you?"

It's no secret that car salesmen work on commission. The idea of losing a sale to another salesman may be enough to kick-start the negotiating process. Additionally, you might consider visiting the dealership during sales events or towards the end of the month. Salesmen may be looking to fill a quota at these times, which may mean they'll be more willing to haggle.

Make the Sale Easy for the Prius Salesman

Sticker price only affects the bottom line of the dealership itself. When it comes to the salesman, his goal is to sell the most amount of product in the shortest amount of time. As such, making the sale easy means they'll be more likely to accommodate price requests. Ways to make the sale easier include offering to pay the full price upfront or having financing backed up before visiting the lot.

Haggle on Upgrades and Servicing

If you can't get a salesman to budge on sticker price, try negotiating on upgrades and servicing. The 2010 Toyota Prius comes with a number of upgrade packages. Upper-tier models earn higher profits for the dealership, meaning that there's more room built in for haggling. You may also be able to get upgrades like window tinting for free.

Oil changes and other routine services are a long-term cost of any vehicle. Asking for free oil changes, a 10,000-mile checkup or even extended warranty coverage is a perfectly acceptable way to try and save a few bucks in the long run.

No. 1: 2010 Chevrolet Traverse The top reason to pick the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse is seating. Yes, the Chevy Traverse can fit up to eight people comfortably. In my road test, I found the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse is a handsome, versatile, fun-to-drive CUV, cargo star (seven or eight passengers depending on trim level) and heavy hauler (up to 5,200 lbs.). Plus, the 2010 Chevy Traverse’s 3.6-liter, 288 hp V-8 is astonishingly powerful. And, this direct injection engine maximizes fuel, giving the Traverse great gas mileage at 24 mpg highway and 17 mpg city. Truly a SUV crossover, the 2010 Chevy Traverse feels like both truck and car when driving. The driver and passengers sit tall of the ground as in a truck and the suspension also feels like a truck in its bouncy suspension. Still, the 2010 Chevy Traverse has more of a passenger car feel in its overall easy drive, excellent handling and responsive braking. The exterior of the Chevy Traverse just looks cool with its Euro styling. The beefy chrome grill, swooping side lines, upswept windows and brash back side with rear spoiler make for a pleasant experience on the eyes and in the rear view mirror. The 2010 Chevy Traverse’s interior flows well with swooping lines, sexy textures, burnished chrome accents and three tones. The door panels, instrument panel, gauges and central console all seem to work together well to bring about a very pleasing feeling to the driver and passengers. Second- and third-row passengers, namely my kids, were also enamored with the 2010 Chevy Traverse’s intelligent interior design, which includes lots of cup holders, pockets, mobile device niches and plug-in adapters. Chevrolet also made sure to make the 2010 Traverse a safety super star. The vehicle has lots of advanced safety technologies. In fact, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has awarded the Chevy Traverse five stars in driver, front passenger and side rear passenger crash tests.

Busy families need reliable vehicles with great versatility, performance, fuel efficiency and affordability. Are you looking to buy a brand new family-friendly vehicle?

• The 2010 Chevrolet Traverse is an exceptional crossover utility vehicle (CUV) for large families. With a seating capacity for seven, the 2010 Chevy Traverse also has loads of standard luxury features, lots of leg and cargo room, top safety marks, excellent design inside and out, overall great driving dynamics, advanced technology and pretty good fuel efficiency (24 mpg hwy, 17 mpg city).
• The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is one of GM’s best designed cars in a long time. This full-sized sedan has sexy Euro-Asian design outside and excellent performance, but the interior is truly cool with a truly unique central console and TV screens built into each back head rest. Plus, the Buick LaCrosse gets great fuel economy at 27 mpg hwy and 18 mpg city.
• The 2010 Suzuki SX4 has it all for busy families: low price, standard navigation, zippy performance, ergonomic interior, excellent safety and lots of cargo room. If you are seeking an all-wheel-drive vehicle for inclement weather, go for the Suzuki SX4 Crossover, which comes as a five-door hatchback model.
• The 2010 Ford Fusion has what American drivers need: form and function at a low price, excellent fuel economy (41 mpg city, 36 mpg hwy), a roomy and comfortable interior with quality materials and seriously fun performance. Plus, the Fusion comes with Ford’s way cool SYNC connectivity system.
• The redesigned 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 hits all the right notes with its low price tag, sophisticated modern design inside and out, exhilarating zoom-zoom performance and handling and a rather luxurious interior. Plus, the 2010 MAZDA3 has top notch fuel economy at 33 mpg hwy and 25 mpg city.
• The third generation 2010 Toyota Prius is one of best value family cars because this mid-sized hybrid gas-electric sedan is the most fuel efficient car on the road today (51 mpg city, 48 mpg hwy), has a high resale value, top quality, zippy performance, excellent safety rankings and advanced technology.
• The 2010 Ford Flex is possibly one of the most versatile family cars ever built. With room for eight (depending on trim level), the Flex’s long wheelbase gives each passenger lots of leg room even in the third row. Plus, the 2010 Ford Flex can feature a built-in refrigerator and Ford’s kick ass SYNC technology.
• Like the Chevrolet Traverse, GM’s 2010 Buick Enclave is an exceptionally-designed CUV. The 2010 Buick Enclave just has it ALL: really great performance, a sexy exterior, superb safety, lots of options and, above all, a super cool interior design.
• Although the Scion xB is designed mostly for the youth market, the 2010 Scion xB is a super versatile vehicle for families. In fact, the Scion xB is one of my most favorite cars to drive because of its versatility, overall excellent design and smooth performance.
• For families who love good design, the 2010 Nissan Maxima is one of the prettiest sedans on the road with its combination of graceful and sporty exterior, excellent performance (amazing handling, suspension and acceleration), well-designed interior and totally comfortable seating.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande