rominl

iTrader: (4)

umm i know what you mean, let's use some numbers here to illustrate (not real numbers)....

say the current invoice for the is350 base is 30000, and msrp for base is 36000
now let's say if you custom it fully with all options and the marp is 43000
and also let's say the msrp for the performance luxury (current highest package you can get commonly) is 40000

now, do you want to have the above pricing structure, where most people can get the performance luxury for 40k msrp (and later probably jiggle the price down to say 36k) and the one guy who wants it super fully loaded for 43k msrp, or you want the base invoice to bump from 30k to 31k, and all prices got bumped by 1k, so that the ONE guy who wants the super fully loaded is350 can pay 39k (assume invoice + 1k) for his car?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

someone is soooo on a roll!

Rockville

You can special order your own options now. Lexus tried to keep the price down and they are eliminating the Levinson from the Nav. equipped ES330's as a cost cutting measure now too. The IPOD plug is standard BTW on all of the IS250's/350's. The only gripe will be the manual shift on the 250 RWD only. Here in the East a special order is closer to 4 months because it has to travel farther. They aren't making too many IS350's in our build so a special order might be necessary just to acquire one. the Sport suspension with Nav/Lev sounds good to me. PCS is probably overkill option wise. What are they asking for out West Elizabeth?

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I thought you were in the audio business? Or was it just car alarm business? Anyway, you can see why the ML system in the Lexus is desireable. Just look at how difficult it is to intergrate aftermarket audio in a Lexus. For my RX330 I had to search Japan for the OEm harrier 2DIN mounting sleeve. Even with this OEM part it doesn't intergrate asa well as I or others may like. The standard audio system may be fine for some, but it is not good enough for others. There isn't a standard audio system in a Lexus built today that I would be happy with and not add aftermarket gear to it to try and imnprove on it. The ML system too me is an expensive upgrade; however, it is worthwhile because it does give you a that much better sound system over the standard system. Having the navigations which my region still might not get a well is also very desirable because you can hack the screen to add DVD video up front and wont have to add a screen yourself. As you can see the nav and ML offers a great head start to what could be a well stock looking intergrated A/V system beyound what the OEM can offer. I probably would be happy using the ML amplification, but not so with the standard amp system if it comares to all the current standard Lexus audio systems.

The PCS system I personally cold care less about at this time so if I had a choice I wouldn't get it, but if it came on my car I wouldn't mind it either. The ML and navigation is a must thought. It really doesn't matter if you can afford it or not. $46K for an IS350 is too expensive and I'd go straight back to BMW at that price. Even if the BMW goes in for unexpected repairs it is no big deal. You drop your car off, leave in another BMW loaner. At least its no rental Camry that I always get when I take my Lexus cars in.

Anway, back to the point. This is one reason why I too will not be looking to buy the 1st run year of IS350s. I made that mistake already when I bought the 04 RX330 in April 2003. Nothing was available, and even if other regoins could get the options my region COULD NOT even with special order. Dealers were no help because they had no idea if/when those options would be available to my region. Then the 05 hits and everything is available for nearly the same price

AsianGirl007, since you work for Longo Lexus, let's just say I did decide to buy the 1st year run of IS350s and wanted to special order from you even though I am out of state. Would you be willing and able to do that and ship the car to me in Hawaii and cut me a deal like any other customer walking in to the showroom? (Not saying right now when everyone will may MSRP but later in the year?) Or am I stuck with the whatever my dealer wants to push on me and the options abailable in my region only? Maybe my gripe with Lexus corporate is larger since here in Hawaii and I bet Guam we don't get any breaks, no choices, and it is a PITA to special order and even at that we sometimes can't get certain options because they say it is not available. We are not just talking about nagivagation but I couldn't even get the 18" optional rims and rear seat DVD system. Now they bring it in after I spent thousands on aftermarket rims and A/V system. Why don't they want my money in the first place? That is the problem nobody seems to answer. If it is available whether it be the ML system, or other optional equipement why don't they just make it readily available to everyone? Why all this regional crap?

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Henry,

I'm not sure I follow you fully on this one. I think part of what Lexus3oi was tryong to say (Correct me if I'm wrong) is that BMW practically encourages you to build the car you want. Obviously you can get a better deal with a car they alrady have, but the premium price you pay to custom build your BMW is not that much over one sitting on the lot. There is very little penalty other than the longer wait. With Lexus, whether this is corporate or the individual dealers themselves the discourage you from custom ordering the car. The feeling you get is that you are making them work harder so they make you put down a larger deposite, sometimes they even try the NON REFUNDABLE angle if you want to put down a smaller deposite. Not nly that, now since it is a custom order they seem to be much more reluctant to deal and try to push MSRP or near MSRP stating the reason is because it is custom ordered. In the old days when shipping for cars with my parents they put down a $500 or $1000 deposite, look through the book of color and options, pick out what they wanted, and if the car was on the lot or the options could be added on a car in the lot it was a done deal. If not, the dealer ordered the car and called you when it was ready. No big deal. You get what you want after the deal was made. No special higher pricing because they had to call in the order. Why has Lexus changed the game so much in favor if the dealers and away from the customers?

Anyway, I don't want the MSRP to be higher. What I do want is if the options are available, for Lexus to just make it available to everyone when they wanted it. Not everyone has time to wait 3 months for a car. I bought my RX because my wife was pregnant and I didn't want her driving around in the E36 BMW we had at the time. I went in and wanted to buy a car today from someone. Fortunately my friend was my saleman otherwise I might have an Acura MDX right now. I compromised on the RX330 from what I really wanted because I wanted to give my friend the deal it the car really was more for my wife anyway. Let's just say I won't be so willing to compromise when I buy our next car for myself. Whether it be Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes. My business will go to the one that gives me what I want when I am ready to buy and makes it as easy as can be for the customer.

Hollywd IS

Elizabeth for me too please!!!!

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

Okeydoke, I'm on it!

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Sorry Californians.

We are required to put the license plate in the front of the car. If you get pulled over, it's $50 every time. The dealer is not required to sell you the car with holes in it, but you are required to get the plates on it.

Anyone know how to put plates on without drilling the bumper?

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

You need to read my sig a little more closely......

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

Yes it is a law, but new cars get a temporary registration sticker in front window so there is no plate until you get your license plates. After you get your plates in the mail it is YOUR responsibility to attatch it somehow.

TimboIS

I'm looking for a 350 with 8R6 w/black, ST, VN, PS, PA, and maybe HW.

Do you have estimates on build dates?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yup, my point was that lexus don't encourage people to customize coz' that will bump up the price for everyone else. another extreme is acura, where there is pretty much NO options, it's nav or not. their cost becomes much lower with no customizations. so to me lexus' idea is to allow some customizations while keeping the cost in the medium. if they do something like bimmer then yeah they can do that however we definitely expect the general price to be higher than what it is now

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Sorry, wrong dealer My bad. But the question still is if your dealer wold be willing to sell to Hawaii customers or is it more political and a Servco Lexus thing that you guys don't want to get involved in? I will but from somewhere in the west coars because I really want that navigation screen which we can't get here.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

You need navigation in Hawaii?

Oh well, I get lost getting to work, and my boss doesn't take that excuse anymore...

You can always buy an IS on eBay when one becomes available.

mmarshall

Your dealership doesn't put the permanent plates on, when they arrive, for customers as a convienence? I don't know how CA works, but here on the East Coast that has been a dealer courtesy for many years. People here expect it. And...new cars here come with the front license plate bracket already attached so all you have to do is screw the plates on.....they don't in CA even though front plates are a state law? Or is this just a special and unusual request from someone who just doesn't want holes drilled or the brackets attached?.....from the looks of the thread that is what it seems like.