‘We can currently offer our customers only a limited number of last year’s models because the distributor does not supply us with the amount the market needs. The production of cars was reduced at the end of 2009, as it was feared the unstable economic situation could affect the customers’ purchasing power badly, so the car manufacturer might suffer from overstocking. As a result, these wrong forecasts have led to shortage, with the demand outgrowing the supply,’ says Head of Toyota Center Yekaterinburg Zapad’s Sales Department Sergey Nosov.

‘Ironically, some of the most popular cars at the moment are the missing ones of the year 2009, namely, Land Cruiser Prado’s gasoline and diesel-based versions (whose cost varies between 1.73 and 2.63 million RUR) and Land Cruiser 200 which costs between 2.864 and 2.912 million RUR,’ he adds.

‘For the time being, we have to sign a six-month delivery agreement with the customers wishing to buy a Land Cruiser Prado. This is naturally an on-the-safe-side deadline, since we can only speak of certain delivery terms when the car’s arrival to the storehouse can be strictly planned. The price has remained the same for now, but the agreement does have a condition that if the distributor changes the retail price, we can follow suit. So our customers are certainly aware of the possible price increase, Nosov said.

‘The number of customers willing to get the missing models is not overwhelming, but it keeps growing every day. All in all, shortage is actually good for a dealer, as all the vehicles get sold right away, but in the long run, we are losing our share of the market,’ he observed.

‘As for this year’s makes, we are not likely to get them before April, as Japanese cars get delivered here within two months. A model assembled in Russia, like Toyota Camry, gets delivered within two weeks,’ Nosov noted.