Need some advice: Wife called dealer Thursday Feb. 2, just to check in since we hadn't heard anything since Jan 2, asked our sales 'CON-sultant' , where are we with our IS350?

Reply:" well I don't have a build date yet." I must tell you at that point we were floored. Stunned, completely. We 'allegedly' placed our order on OCT 23 or 24 somewhere in there, put down the $500 deposit to assure our order, and he's telling me as of February 2, 2006 , we still don't have a build date? someone screwed up big time!
We were livid, he know it too, He said give me 48 hours and I will have some information.
I guess they are scrambling looking for a blue IS350 with grey inside, on the allocation sheets.

We checked in with them in November, we were told everything is fine, on schedule, gave us a computer print out of the car 'our ' car replaced in there allocation.

Checked in with them in December, about the 15th, showed our dealer the Lexus Japan website, told them we wanted the five spoke wheels. They said they would find out if they could get them. Car still allegedly to be built in December-January time frame, everything cool, would give us a status update after the first of the year, VIN number should arrive anytime. We tried to be patient, didn't bother them in Jan. I should have.

Now its February 2 and I feel I have wasted three months and screwed over. When I talk with them Monday, (I doubt they will call me today) I want to know what in the hell was the $500 dollars for, if they still don't have me a build date or a VIN ! The whole time we have waited, we were told, oh everything is fine, no news from Lexus is good news, bla bla bla.
Well no its not good news, I don't have a car, and have wasted three months. It was supposed to be here late Feb or early March, they said when we ordered to expect it about Feb14.

Just about everyone that has posted status updates up here on the board, and ordered there car in OCT, seems to be getting them now, or at least they know its on a boat. My dealer screwed me didn't they?
I'll have to go to Charlotte NC now and start all over. This is so frustrating.

Please advise . I'm not to worried about getting the $500 dollars back, cause I have the receipt, but they must not have ordered my car at all?

You Lexus employees, what do you think they did wrong? what did I do wrong?

sorry for the rant, appreciate your time.

 

To be honest, I don't think the dealer even gets a build date (I never did). They do get a VIN, but only after the vehicle is already on the boat or at the port. It's all pretty much blind faith. It will show up, provided they placed the order (which it sounds like they did, based on your print out). Feb 14 isn't here yet. Mine came in just under the 4 month period, with basically no updates since the order was placed, until a week before it arrived.

 

you get VIN only AFTER car is produced, which is like 3 weeks before you get it....

 

We ordered our car October 30th. The dealer did not get any information on the car, other than the order went throught he bank (whatever that means) until about a week ago. We got a call from the salesman that told us our car would arrive in port (Newark) on Feb 9th and we should have the car a few days later. He also got the VIN number then as well.

So hang in there. The Lexus order process is like a black hole. You just have to be patient.

 

Ok, deep breath. I appreciate it RobNBill, spwolf and TimbolS.
Your right, not the 14th yet, just sort of panicked. Yes, patience. I must remember they want my money almost as much as I want the car. We just thought we might know something by now.
TimboIS got his car a couple weeks ago, ordered in OCT, So we thought we'd give the dealer a call.
TimboIS: How is everything ?

Ok we're cool again.
Say: RobNBill, Did you order one with Luxury package?
Thanks guys

 

We ordered the 250 awd with lux, ml and pretty much everything else except the radar controlled cruise option. Since we are almost always driving in bumper to bumper traffic here in DC, it is an extremely rare event for us to turn on cruise control. What we were looking for was a comfortable car that would make the commuting traffic a little more bearable, hence the lux and ML.

Can't wait. We might get the car as early as the monday a week from now.

 

Another misconception of people (like the nav system is just maps). PCS is more than just cruise control. It's also a pre-collision system. It's always active. That is, if it detects an impending obstruction and collision, the brake system is charged, seat belts tighten up, etc. So it's a great extra safety feature.

 

Car is great so far. Everything is an order of magnitude better than my '02. I have 150 miles now. Will be taking it out for a bit of a road trip tomorrow.


Another misconception of people (like the nav system is just maps). PCS is more than just cruise control. It's also a pre-collision system. It's always active. That is, if it detects an impending obstruction and collision, the brake system is charged, seat belts tighten up, etc. So it's a great extra safety feature.

Lexus does a VERY poor job of explaining the features of each option. They don't even talk about the voice control of audio, climate, phone. They really need some better marketing people doing their collateral materials.

 

Hang in there. You should know that in essense, your $500 deposit really doesn't mean much, it's your relationship with the dealer that will see this transaction thru. Also keep up the pressure, don't let them forget about you, make it known that you want YOUR car as promised.

 

Sorry to hear about your trouble. I can sympathize because I went through the same thing...I placed a "special order" on Novemeber 7th and was required to give a $1000 deposit. About 3 weeks ago I went into the dealership to see if they had any news on the progress of the order since I have had no contact with them since placing the order. Come to find out that the order was never placed and they were anticipating just preferencing one when one "similar to" what I wanted was shipped in their allocations. Problem is....nothing close to what I want is on the list of allocations (lux, prem, sport pkgs have not been seen here in TN yet). To make a long story short, I had to get the general manager of the dealership involved and he personally submitted a special order and a car is supposed to be here between 4/20 and 5/20. Situation got resolved although they wasted 3 months of my time waiting for a car that would have never arrived and who knows how much longer had I not inquired. I will be glad when it is all over !!

 

That story sounds all too familiar. I highly encourage everyone that had to settle for a car that wasn't exactly what they wanted or those that had to endure the special ordered process, to include a letter with their customer survey. If we all voice our displeasure with the "system", maybe they'll fix it for the next time we buy a new one.

 

I also "preferenced" in October for $500 deposit and was called in November by dealer that I needed to "special order". Called by dealer Jan. 24th that car was now being "built" and should arrive end of Feb beginning of Mar....the wait goes on.....I do keep up with "friendly" calls to the dealer every couple of weeks.

 

Update: This weeks activity
Called our consultant on the Monday, Feb 6. they said "sorry we didn't call you back, but we're glad you called. we ahve been busy.we'll find something out today". No call back.

Tuesday. Feb 7 we called dealer back again. They said, "Oh we're Looking. waiting for call from Lexus North America. we'll call you." Not.

Wednesday Feb 8, quiet.

Thursday Feb 9, called us back today. They wanted us to fax to them, the sheet that they gave to us in November showing what car they gave up in their allocation for our special order car. dated OCT 24. Supposedly, can't see orders back that far on their computer, which are older than 60days. Hmmmm.
we faxed away. May call you back later.

Told us "They are waiting on someone to return their call, they placed to call a person at Lexus NA. Have to have the numbers that are printed on my sheet, so can be read back to the HQ person. will definitely let me know status tomorrow Friday Feb. 10."

Friday, Feb. 10. No call back.
Not feeling the love,,, No confidence here. More like Dog and Pony show.

Saturday Feb 11. Tomorrow, Ultimatum.I'm calling. They need to show me they want my business. You're telling me Lexus, can't tell me if a car has been built or not, after more than 3 months?
BS
we're so disappointed.

 

The sad reality is that they CAN'T tell if the car hasn't been built. Seems they only know once it hits the port. Also if they couldn't tell you anything today, the chance of any useful new info on the weekend is zero.

I was almost at the point of taking any car that black interior, Sports package, ML and Nav. Which now seem to be in regular production in the western region.

Hang in there. What's your config?

 

I have never been a fan of the Lexus Special Order system. It was revised in the last year to have an I want/ I have filter that tries to match production throughout the system, even region to region. Basically now all of the orders are accumulated in our region and are batched around the 20th of the month. It usually takes about close to three months to show up in the dealer allocation which will give a ship arrival date and the vehicle identification number. The dealer can hotlist the car so when it arrives into the port it will be expedited to the freight step. Sometimes there are port installed equipment that can make it stay in port a while longer. (Spoilers for instance) The dealer then gets the car and has to process and do the Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI) and clean up for delivery. Four months is a typical wait in the Eastern Region which uses Newark NJ as the port of entry. Flow is in the Southern Region and uses Jacksonville. Lastly in our region there is a control number (three digits at this time) that confirms that the order has been placed by the region. That is all we have until the car shows up on allocation. Everybody is in the dark until the allocation is revealed. I have complained about this nationally many times but I get mostly silence and nodding....

Rock