Reefbreak

I put down a deposit on a 2024 LC factory order a little over a month ago. It is not a Bespoke order (I know those allocations are limited). It is really just a base order...NG/Black/Touring/10 spoke. According to the dealership, the order was "accepted" by the factory but the production has not started nor is is there an assigned VIN as of yet. Dealer suggested up to a 6 month wait time between intiial order and delivery....which seems about right.

I visit this forum since there are extremely knowledgable owners and I am making notes as I go through many of the posts. That said, I still check out the posts on the FB LC500 sites...I believe there are two of them. There is some valuable information on the Facebook sites but a lot of feces too. I won't name the the FB person who made the following quote but it obviously got my attention (I've edited it somewhat):

Him: I did a Bespoke build. It is the ONLY way that Lexus will accept a special order. If you just put a deposit on a specific car you want as a regular build, the dealer CANNOT order it from the factory. He is just hoping that a random allocation of a car like the one you are looking for comes available so he can possibly trade another dealer for it.

Me: Can you please post your source or link for this comment? My dealer is telling me they had no problem with a “special order” from the factory (but not a Bespoke order) and I need to confront them ASAP if your source is valid. Thanks in advance.

Him: EVERY dealer I’ve talked to, and I’ve literally talked to dozens, say the same thing. Lexus has not accepted any special orders on the LC since the pandemic. I’ve even talked to Lexus regional managers & they confirm that fact. About 90% or more of the dealers I talked to had no clue about the bespoke program or how to use it, or they were too lazy to try. They just said no.
The factory will absolutely accept a bespoke order if you can find a dealer to do it. My bespoke MSRP ended up being about $3,000 more than the same car would have been if Lexus had accepted a regular order ( factory MSRP, not dealer markup).

So...I get the Bespoke orders are a challenge and hard to get. However, I've seen owners recieve "special order" 2024s cars on this site (mostly, a color/interior combination not in the dealer's inventory) but not Bespoke models. Anyway, the ordering process through my dealer has not been fun but seems to be going mostly OK.. That said, if this FB poster is anywhere near right, I am in deep kimchi. Hopefully, a member here more knowledgeable than I can pretty much debunk what this FB guy is posting. Mahalo

cwest13

Other than Subaru (and others can correct me if I am wrong), no Japanese manufacturer does factory orders, included Toyota and Lexus. The Bespoke build is an outlier for Lexus, and compared to how you can customize orders from, say, German manufacturers, it’s really quite limited, but it is in fact a factory order.

Your dealer is leading you astray. They can put in a request for an allocation for a car that matches what you want. And maybe they’ll get it. But there’s no guarantee they will and there’s no guarantee it will be the exact spec you want.

CarolinaGeo

I am very interested in how this discussion goes, as I also fall into the same category. I placed an order for a new LC 500h a month ago tomorrow. I paid my deposit and was given the spec sheet with the build codes as confirmation of the order. It was a "regular" order, as the dealership told me that Lexus is currently denying all Bespoke builds for the hybrids. I have not heard anything further from them, but was planning to contact them in a couple of weeks to find out the status. If what the Facebook guy says is true, then someone at the dealership is going to have some 'splainin' to do.

dan25man

Not exactly a LC500 but my mother recently tried to order/buy a base model RC350 from Lexus of Philly. They told her they could not order it and that the "base" model car (under $60,000) didn't exist. They said she would have to pay extra for all the features (she didn't want), or find a dealer somewhere else and buy that "base" car from them. I was shocked that Lexus won't take an order from someone willing to pay (and wait) for it to arrive. It was a whole ordeal, and she, and I were disappointed in the end. I guess Lexus dealers really do just get what they get sent...

mehran888

I miss the days of dealerships checking inventory at competing dealerships and working with them to do swaps. Pre pandemic, we wanted a Tacoma with a specific trim, and the dealership had a swap done within 24 hours to get ours in from another town. We got a car that was sitting on a lot, the dealership that traded got a newer car (or a yet to be delivered allocation), and our dealership got a sale.

jbuffett

Respectfully, bespoke orders aren't a challenge or hard to get. The biggest problem with bespoke orders is that the dealers who aren't educated or experienced with them make them seem like they are hard. My dealer has done a number of bespoke builds, including one for me. Yes, the process itself could be better -- my car didn't come with the HUD, despite my assurance that I wanted it -- but the main issue with bespokes is that most dealers haven't done them and would rather ask your wife what color RX she wants than take a couple of hours to figure out the bespoke process with you.

If the thing keeping you from ordering your car bespoke is your dealer's assertion that it is difficult, you need to change dealers. Are you in Hawaii? It's the same dealer but two locations, correct? You need to talk to multiple people at those dealerships, including the GM / sales manager. Don't take no from the first person you talk to for an answer. They can do a bespoke LC for you, the salesperson you're talking to just doesn't understand the process and/or think it's worth their time.

Whoever told you that you didn't "order" an LC500 is correct. Your dealer is watching the allocation list to find a car that matches, then will dealer trade for it. That's the process for every LC500 that isn't a bespoke build.

85NBW

I started my search for an LC coupe the end of July 2023 with the Sales Manager at my local Lexus dealer. I told him what items I wanted on my LC and asked if I could place an order. He informed me that Lexus doesn't take orders, dealers take what Lexus sends them and hopefully they can find what you want and trade with that dealership. The entire process seemed inefficient from a consumer standpoint but I was told that they would get the car I wanted. Waited a month without hearing from the dealer. After a phone conversation with the SM I reiterated that was was serious about making a purchase and was told they were searching for a match for me. Mid September I send the SM a list of 3 LC's that fit my criteria providing VIN#'s and dealer contact info. Several days later I receive an email from the SM explaining that the 3 dealerships either didn't return calls, wanted too much in a trade, or a flat out "no". SM tells me for his next allotment he will order the exact LC I want and hopefully he will get it. In the meantime I sent several more LC's at dealerships that match, but nothing results. Throughout the Winter I kept in touch with the SM and now that the weather is getting better I'm going to keep pushing for what I want and have added 2 additional dealerships that I'm working with. Truly a frustrating experience,.

azmojo

So when I "ordered" an RX350h last December, basically what they did is "preference" an allocation based on exterior color and trim level and basically the Lexus system would send the next car that color to that dealer. No control over anything else. I suspect that's what you're getting. At least on the RX the different trim levels are pretty predictable how they will be equipped but not really that case with the LC.

jbuffett

In all of these conversations has the word "bespoke" come up once? Because you can order bespoke coupes and convertibles now, which is how you get around the allocation process.

Another thing to note: you don't have to buy your Lexus from your local dealer. If you have the VIN of a car on another dealer lot far away, buy it from them. Fly there and drive it home, or have it shipped. The goal is to get the car you want, if the local Lexus store can't facilitate that go around them.

Yes, frustrating. Welcome to Toyota Production System, which is all about manufacturing efficiency and not at all about the customers. I bought a '21 convertible LC and a '24 bespoke convertible, and I've never had to work so hard to spend over a hundred grand.

Dukeaudio

Can empathize. But as i remember Servco deals direct with Japan which might be good thing for you. And in my experience mainland Lexus dealers won't sell to out of region customers (new) so that path would need some creativity. I did see a Nori/Blk with 10 split spoke on recent socal trip and it looks very nice👍🏽🤙🏽

kirkd1

Some will absolutely sell new out of region!

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

I'm in Arizona bought mine from Lexus of Lincoln - Nebraska

Lou

StuM

Met with my dealer in January and left him with my spec ‘24 coupe order. In early April, after many calls, he said Japan picked up my order. Only issue was they/someone added several options that I had not spec’ed. Not a huge deal to me, just an annoyance. The car is now projected to be delivered to me sometime in late May. All through this, to date, they have said that Toyota/Lexus does not often encourage nor accept customer spec’d orders. My particular dealer also was pretty ignorant of the Bespoke ordering process.

CarolinaGeo

Two questions, if I may...

First, was this a "regular" order, or a Bespoke build?

Second, what were the options that were added?

Thanks!

NiceCars

I don’t believe Lexus is taking custom orders fir the LC outside of bespoke and it’s been that way for some time now.