Incendiary

It'd only depend on region if you only buy cars off the lot and Lexus decides to send cars equipped only a certain way to that region.

I'm a fan of special ordering your car. That way you choose exactly what you want. I guess it's a decision more pertinent to German than Japanese cars, though.

flipside909

Yeah I would have to agree with you on that. I know if I ever buy a MB or BMW, i would do that program to fly into Germany and drive it around before it gets shipped here.

Incendiary

European Delivery. Great program, but you do have to wait longer, and you have to pay for your car in full a month before redelivery. So there are certainly benefits, but there are also drawbacks. I'm more a fan of just "regular" special ordering, but I hear you on doing ED. And I agree with others that Lexus and the others would do well to offer a Japanese Delivery. I guess it wouldn't make AS much sense since they don't exist in Japan as Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, but hopefully now that Lexus is starting up there they will in the near future.

flipside909

And there aren't very many "long stretches" to enjoy your Lexus vehicle compared to lets say the European Delivery of a MB or BMW. I still would jump on the opportunity to drive my Lexus from it's homeland if that were ever the case!

Incendiary

It would definitely be a strong incentive to buy a new MkII IS350 'vert, especially if it weren't a hardtop and it drives better than the competition.

I wonder if Lexus would consider it if we started a petition... Anyone?

biker

Just one small problem - Lexus could never do that cause your US spec Lexus wouldn't be allowed on the roads in Japan.
Yes, that strech of Autobahn from the Munich factory down towards the mountains is a nice bonus for BMW ED buyers.

Incendiary

They could build a small test track where they allow JD buyers to drive, a Japanese version of the 'ring, perhaps. They could provide a tour of the Lexus factories in Japan, the museum (if they have one), and maybe a meeting with some corporate higher-ups where they discuss upcoming models or whatever. It can be done, and should, in some shape or form. Or maybe they can petition the Japanese government to allow special tourist DL's for LHD cars...

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

[QUOTE=biker]Just one small problem - Lexus could never do that cause your US spec Lexus wouldn't be allowed on the roads in Japan.
QUOTE]
Any particular reason why this is the case? I have a few friends in Japan (Some military while others US civilians working on military bases) that shipped their US designated cars up to Japan and have been driving it there for years now. Some of them enter local Japanese car shows and pretty much do everything with their cars up there. Seriously, I don't know how it works and maybe the military connection has something to do with it, but I wasn't aware you couldn't drive US spec cars on Japanese roads.

biker

[QUOTE=CK6Speed] The only reason those folks can drive their cars there is because of special agreement. You need special permission to drive a LHD drive in Japan (or any RHD drive country for that matter) - same reason you don't see any LHD cars in the US (technically you could have one in the US, but it is cost prohibitive except in some very rare cases - antiques)

biker

Yeah, that would be cool. If one really wanted to, it would be easy enough to just take a JDM GS for a test drive from some dealer near the factory and call it good. Trying to follow some NAV talking to you in Japanese might be tough tho.....

mooretorque

".....same reason you don't see any LHD cars in the US......"

My car is LHD, my wife's car is LHD, and so is essentially every other car on the road in the US (except the US Postal Service mail delivery vans).

biker, I think you have us confused with another country........

sevenka

-ADMINISTRATION.

flipside909

And how do you know this for a fact? I think not. There are importers in Japan that sell US spec vehicles in Japan. They have many ads in many Japanese publications i.e. VIP CAR, Option and etc selling used US Left Hand Drive imported vehicles i.e Toyota Sequoia, Toyota 4Runner, several Lexus models and many Nissan/Infiniti models that are only exclusive to the North American market.

http://www.xclusiv.jp/

Consider them the MotoRex equivalent in Japan, but for US Spec Japanese luxury cars.

biker

oops, I meant RHD.

biker

Because I might get transfered to Tokyo and looked into already. Without more hassles than it's worth (compared to ED), you won't be able to drive a US spec car in Japan.