whyjay91

I told the $3800 man to stop wasting my time. He then came back with $3k over. I realize the KDSS are not plentiful around here but c'mon.

So I'm going to meet with Lexus of Bellevue tomorrow to see about getting the vehicle at invoice or just a little above. It amazes me that you can get an 03 GX, in 03, for $550 over invoice and these guys aren't willing to go below $1k over invoice. $3k for the clown in Seattle!

Anyway, I think I'm just going to go in there and ask for the car at invoice. I don't think that's too much to ask at the end of a model cycle. Especially since i have to spend extra $$ to convert the headlamps to HIDs for my gal.

If there's no deal, I guess there's no deal. Oh well, at least I tried. I've been burned once on a new car purchase (first one) but never again after that.

JWS3

pretty much all options except RSES at $500 over invoice. Considering how the '07s will be out very soon, with '06s soon to plummet 1 yr's depreciation, invoice is the least they can do. At this point I'd just wait for '07 unless they offer a PHENOMENAL deal.

llcc1975

Yup, I'll second that again. What I forgot to say earlier whyjay was that before I bought my 2005, I worked deals on 2006s (this was about 4 weeks ago). I was looking at one with Nav / ML / RSES and when I originally said around $1k over invoice as something in the ballpark of my "range", they didn't even blink. Which implies to me that invoice would not have been all that hard to accomplish if I really dug in. And this is even in a city where dealers don't have problems selling luxury cars because everyone here has to have their "bling." We ended up going with the 2005 just because we happened to find one equipped the way we liked and I am a cheapskate and thought I'd save a few thousand.

CVsIS250

I owned a 4Runner and it is a GOOD thing (and a purposeful) thing that the rear window does not roll down. When I used to drive with the rear window down in the runner, it would fill the cabin with noxious egg smell. If you tried to put your gym bag in and out of the window, you had a hard time with the tanou (sp?) cover. I found it to be useless unless I was carrying lumber or something long. I wouldn't do that in my lexus anyway.

I agree with your sentiments about the rear venting windows. I wish there was a control to open and close them. I never open them because I am never in the back of the truck.

CV

CVsIS250

These are my wife's sentiments too. She can raise the seat up so she can see out of the truck. This makes her feel comfortable driving it. If I get in when it is adjusted for her and hit my memory button it is almost like a thrill ride. Soooo much **** moves at once.

CV

whyjay91

It looks like you're stuck with a CD changer in the glovebox when purchasing the OEM Nav. My question is, will it play .mp3 files from a CD-R/RW?

The audio quality on the Mark Levinson is outstanding though.

CVsIS250

I've had some difficulty with this. For some reason when I try and play my cd-r's it often sounds muted.

CV

BobsGX

My 06 GX plays the CD-R's fine. But I know that some Lexus CD players are fussy depending on brand of burner and the brand of CD-R's used to make the CD.

CVsIS250

Can you tell me what brands you use?

CV

llcc1975

I've got an 05 and it plays my CDRs just fine and I have not noticed any muffling of the sound. In case you are wondering, my CDRs have been burned on (a) iTunes using a Mac Powerbook G4, (b) using iTunes on a Dell 8300 desktop using a Toshiba 16X DVD burner; and also (c) using Roxio Easy CD Creator on the same Dell desktop. No issues noted regardless of software or computer burning the disc.

What I have NOT tried however is actually trying to play MP3s that are just saved to the disc directly as an MP3 file. All of mine are converted into the typical wintel "WAV" files or "AAC" files from the Mac.

CVsIS250

Thanks! Well, you are not playing mp3s then. You are playing mp3s converted into real music files. You can fit a ton more mp3 files on a disk...that is why I was concerned.

CV

tigmd99

Doesn't the LX470 open these rear windows automatically with a push of button(s)??

CV...does your CD changer not read the CD-R completely or does it take a few seconds before sounds come out?? With some CD-R's, toyota CD player takes a few seconds before sound comes on.

CVsIS250

Hi Thai

It doesn't delay coming on, but rather is really soft and muted when played.

CV

sayadil

Hey CV

how u been.. anyway i'm really confused.. can the 6cd changer play mp3 or not.. coz mine doesn't play MP3 at all.. but it does play burnt CD's just fine... they play without any mutin or skps. i'm using built in DVD burner from my Toshiba Qosmio g30 using NERO 7. i have burnt on various media brands.. such as sony memorex maxwell and fuji. they all work good.. but i can't play MP3s though... any suggestions???

whyjay91

It may very well be that these GX470 CD changers (from the mark levinson system) can't read data CD's (.mp3 files). That would really be a shame as the fact that the GX, with Nav, does not come equipped with an in-dash 6 disc changer but rather an old-style changer in the glovebox. Being in the glovebox makes it more difficult to swap CD's, which could certainly be overcome by being able to read .mp3 files. I would like to reiterate, however, that I haven't heard an oem car stereo sound better than the mark levinson, save a nakamichi.

One of the best brands of media out there is called ritek or ridata (same brand). This brand of DVD-R's can be read on even the most archaic players, and their CD-Rs are the same way. They are considered one of the best brands but it is difficult to find in stores. You can find them online everywhere. Newegg.com or Supermediastore.com . They are pretty inexpensive as well.