flipside909

The memory seating is only available with the Alcantara/Leather or Leather trim packages. Not available with 04 with cloth seating.

mmarshall

I don't remember the actual invoice, but my 2001 was pretty much a base car. I wanted it that way for several reasons. First I wanted the cloth seats...they are more comfortable overall and more supportive in turns than leather. Second, I wanted the higher-profile 16" tires because of the rough roads here. Third, I'm too tall for a sunroof...it cuts out too much headroom, (I'm 6' 2'' and 280 lb) although the IS300 is better than most cars in this area. Fourth, a base car weighs without a lot of options, which helps performance and mileage, although I'm not a real hard driver. My car listed for around $31, 500 or so and it went out the door for 30K even plus tax, etc... I refused to pay more than 30 K and they accepted it. It was DIFFICULT to find a yellow one like this....without the sport package. I held out stubbornly for yellow in spite of their efforts to sell every other color BUT that. I wanted the wood trim dash package but couldn't get it with the yellow.......I've taken a LOT of flak in this column (maybe deserved?) from fellow IS300 owners who think I was an idiot to ask for wood with the yellow paint.
You can get a rough invoice figure on the IS300 you want from Consumer Reports, Edmunds.com, and a number of other websites. Some of them will charge a fee for this service.
For most vehicles, you can get an even rougher ideas of the invoice (free) by simply taking 10% off the bottom sticker price (including freight). Most vehicles average around a 10% markup, with average options. A big luxury car or SUV may run as much as 18-20%, while an entry-level econobox will be around 6%.
I know I get long-winded on some of my answers, but I try to be as through as possible.

mmarshall

Yeah, Flip....what we heard here on the East Coast about Davis was mostly negative stuff in the media. I won't get deep into politics..that's not what this forum is for, unless it directly affects Lexus or Lexus owners.
I probably shouldn't have brought it up.
Catch you later.

wrong way

mmarshall, can't you figure out the invoices on these cars buy using Edmunds? Are you saying actual invoices below what they list on those sites? What dealer did you buy your car from?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

edmunds price should be relatively accurate. i have an 03 is300, 5 speed, full leather, nav, lsd, spoiler, (any option you can ask for), and the invoice price was just under 32k. you can use that as reference

wrong way

Thanks for all the input guys. I worked out a great deal that I will finalize this weekend when we pick up the car.

2004 IS300
Gray Graphite Pearl (Auto)
Value Package w/Leather Trim Interior
Rear Spoiler
Heated Front Seats
Mats/Wheel Locks/Cargo Net

$31,2XX out the door.

That's a deal I can live with and it only took 1 visit and 1 phone call to that specific dealer. Total negotiation time was probably 30 mins.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

congrats man, same color as my car, awesome choice

flipside909

Congrats on your purchase. Memory Seats kick ***!

rominl

iTrader: (4)

see, i should relaly ban you

flipside909

LOL

mmarshall

Memory seats don't KICK asses....they coddle them.

mmarshall

Congragulations on your new IS300. With the options you stated, $31,200 out the door is not bad...that sounds about right.
You might want to consider an oil and filter change as the engine breaks in...say, around 1000 or 1500 miles. Yes, I know Lexus doesn't specifically mention it in the maintenance charts, but it will help prolong engine life by getting any shavings and other impurities out of the block during the assembly process. The factory oil in it may also be old if the car has been sitting on the dealer's lot for months before you bought it. ....something to consider.

It also helps to keep the tach below about 4000 RPM or so during the break-in.....then you can redline it all you want.
Anyway, the first two oil changes may be on the house at the Lexus dealerships (unless you do your own). They were in 2001 when I bought mine.
Good Luck with it.