Buying an IS500, need some advice from experienced buyers
#31
Intermediate
Thread Starter
This week is moving extremely slowly and work has decided to get busier just to spite me. Can't wait until I get my car, I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas. I think I've watched every IS 500 video on you tube at least 30 times.
#33
Not joking. There simply isn't anything to sign. You'll do all that in person. The dealer will give you a copy of this (below) beforehand which is basically finalized pricing +/- a few $ if they havent calculated tax correctly. If you don't trust them, you can cancel the deal and they'll simply sell it to someone else. But the further you go along with them, the more they're trusting you to follow through on the purchase. It's a two-way street.
#34
The entire out of state transaction for a car purchase can be done via FedEx, I know because I’ve done it. I am not saying you should be worried about signing anything, what I am saying is without a Buyer’s Order/Sales Contract signed by the Sales Manager/GM or whoever is in authority at the dealership, you do not have a Binding Contract for the price of the car. This document you posted on the public Internet says “For Internal Use Only”. Well that is kind of funny, since Renault said he received the same document as well. So I guess Lexus is in the business of providing so-called “Internal Documents” to potential customers that in no way bind them to the “Market Value Selling Price” of the car—whatever the hell that means. Notice there is no mention of MSRP, destination charge, options, Addons or Markup. This is just a starting point for them in their quest to extract the maximum amount of money from a (self-admitted) emotional buyer that just traveled 400 miles to pick up his dream car. Case in point—@Renault
The contract was a legally binding FL sales agreement. Some dealers do a better job than others. I was pretty clear early on that I wanted to do the deal remote and that I specifically got a lead from someone who recommended the dealer. Sales manager then catered to my every need to keep the word of mouth going. 10/10 would do business again.
I wouldn't shy away from it if the dealer has a good rep.
Edit: I would add the registration/title transfer sucked. I waited 6 weeks for mine. But finally got it.
Last edited by zman21; 03-08-22 at 07:14 PM.
#35
Pole Position
There comes a point in time where you have to go with your gut and take a leap of faith. I know I didn't have a legally binding contract, but maybe they couldn't do that in order to protect themselves. What if they gave me a legally binding contract and I never stepped on the airplane? Then they sent their porter an hour to the airport to get me and I never showed? Then I call them 6 months later and say "I wanna buy the car now! We had a contract!" That's not fair either.
Of course deals can be done remotely, but from the onset I told them I was going to come to pick the car up, so that's how we proceeded with the paperwork, or lack thereof. I showed you my texts. He sensed my unease and explicitly said "I promise the numbers won't change." What kind of jerk would blatantly lie?
Title and registration took them less than a week to complete. Their title department started it the same day I drove home from their dealership. The only miscue was that they told me they'd send me the plates (that I didnt have to go anywhere or do anything), but I actually had to get a smog check (CA law for buying a new car out of state), and then I had to go to the DMV myself to pick up my plates. All my paperwork was right there directly sent from the dealership as they promised.
I don't think it's worth it to scare Renault anymore. There are good salespeople out there.
Of course deals can be done remotely, but from the onset I told them I was going to come to pick the car up, so that's how we proceeded with the paperwork, or lack thereof. I showed you my texts. He sensed my unease and explicitly said "I promise the numbers won't change." What kind of jerk would blatantly lie?
Title and registration took them less than a week to complete. Their title department started it the same day I drove home from their dealership. The only miscue was that they told me they'd send me the plates (that I didnt have to go anywhere or do anything), but I actually had to get a smog check (CA law for buying a new car out of state), and then I had to go to the DMV myself to pick up my plates. All my paperwork was right there directly sent from the dealership as they promised.
I don't think it's worth it to scare Renault anymore. There are good salespeople out there.
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giS (03-09-22)
#36
There comes a point in time where you have to go with your gut and take a leap of faith. I know I didn't have a legally binding contract, but maybe they couldn't do that in order to protect themselves. What if they gave me a legally binding contract and I never stepped on the airplane? Then they sent their porter an hour to the airport to get me and I never showed? Then I call them 6 months later and say "I wanna buy the car now! We had a contract!" That's not fair either.
Of course deals can be done remotely, but from the onset I told them I was going to come to pick the car up, so that's how we proceeded with the paperwork, or lack thereof. I showed you my texts. He sensed my unease and explicitly said "I promise the numbers won't change." What kind of jerk would blatantly lie?
Title and registration took them less than a week to complete. Their title department started it the same day I drove home from their dealership. The only miscue was that they told me they'd send me the plates (that I didnt have to go anywhere or do anything), but I actually had to get a smog check (CA law for buying a new car out of state), and then I had to go to the DMV myself to pick up my plates. All my paperwork was right there directly sent from the dealership as they promised.
I don't think it's worth it to scare Renault anymore. There are good salespeople out there.
Of course deals can be done remotely, but from the onset I told them I was going to come to pick the car up, so that's how we proceeded with the paperwork, or lack thereof. I showed you my texts. He sensed my unease and explicitly said "I promise the numbers won't change." What kind of jerk would blatantly lie?
Title and registration took them less than a week to complete. Their title department started it the same day I drove home from their dealership. The only miscue was that they told me they'd send me the plates (that I didnt have to go anywhere or do anything), but I actually had to get a smog check (CA law for buying a new car out of state), and then I had to go to the DMV myself to pick up my plates. All my paperwork was right there directly sent from the dealership as they promised.
I don't think it's worth it to scare Renault anymore. There are good salespeople out there.
#37
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Follow up, was able to find a way to take Friday off work. Flew out Thursday evening and got a cheap hotel. They picked me up Friday in the morning; everything went great. MSRP plus the couple of port installed options. Didn't get screwed, the people at Lexus Tucson on Speedway are super down to earth people compared to the CA Lexus dealers. Paid, ate brunch, and was on my way. Spent a good ~480 miles with the car driving from Tucson AZ back to Orange County CA. Was pleasantly surprised that driving in Eco Mode, i made 27.7 MPG on a ~480 mile trip. Would have made 28 easy if there wasn't traffic in Phoenix and the 60/91 in CA. Now I'm home and happy as a clam. In the almost 500 miles I spent with it I really did find that this car is everything I wanted. A comfortable, spirited, daily drive able car. Can't wait until I finish the break in period so I can push it a bit!
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AJinDFW (03-11-22)
#38
Pole Position
Follow up, was able to find a way to take Friday off work. Flew out Thursday evening and got a cheap hotel. They picked me up Friday in the morning; everything went great. MSRP plus the couple of port installed options. Didn't get screwed, the people at Lexus Tucson on Speedway are super down to earth people compared to the CA Lexus dealers. Paid, ate brunch, and was on my way. Spent a good ~480 miles with the car driving from Tucson AZ back to Orange County CA. Was pleasantly surprised that driving in Eco Mode, i made 27.7 MPG on a ~480 mile trip. Would have made 28 easy if there wasn't traffic in Phoenix and the 60/91 in CA. Now I'm home and happy as a clam. In the almost 500 miles I spent with it I really did find that this car is everything I wanted. A comfortable, spirited, daily drive able car. Can't wait until I finish the break in period so I can push it a bit!
No CEL yet? I’m shocked haha. Good for you. Let’s see some pics!
Last edited by macmaster; 03-11-22 at 09:41 PM.
#39
Intermediate
Thread Starter
awesome! I knew it would work out! I also got 27mpg driving from New Mexico. Did you have to go through some of those Indian reservations with 1 lane highways. I found them to be super dangerous, can’t imagine them at night. Personally I never want to do it again lol.
No CEL yet? I’m shocked haha. Good for you. Let’s see some pics!
No CEL yet? I’m shocked haha. Good for you. Let’s see some pics!
#40
Instructor
Congrats!!
Drove mine 300km yesterday, it's an awesome highway cruiser! Also can't wait to have a bit more miles on it and push it.
The drive back wasn't pleasing though as I got caught in a bad snow storm that started earlier than it was planned to, I must admit that I didn't really loved that part, good thing I had brand new winter tires on the car, even with those, it was still slippery as hell.
Drove mine 300km yesterday, it's an awesome highway cruiser! Also can't wait to have a bit more miles on it and push it.
The drive back wasn't pleasing though as I got caught in a bad snow storm that started earlier than it was planned to, I must admit that I didn't really loved that part, good thing I had brand new winter tires on the car, even with those, it was still slippery as hell.
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giS (03-14-22)
#41
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Congrats!!
Drove mine 300km yesterday, it's an awesome highway cruiser! Also can't wait to have a bit more miles on it and push it.
The drive back wasn't pleasing though as I got caught in a bad snow storm that started earlier than it was planned to, I must admit that I didn't really loved that part, good thing I had brand new winter tires on the car, even with those, it was still slippery as hell.
Drove mine 300km yesterday, it's an awesome highway cruiser! Also can't wait to have a bit more miles on it and push it.
The drive back wasn't pleasing though as I got caught in a bad snow storm that started earlier than it was planned to, I must admit that I didn't really loved that part, good thing I had brand new winter tires on the car, even with those, it was still slippery as hell.
#42
Intermediate
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