Factory oem floor mats
05-03-19, 02:07 PM
#31
It costs money for a third party OEM parts supplier to keep machines tooled to churn out parts for a car that hasn't been manufactured for over a decade, especially 'cosmetic' parts like floor mats.
Lexus also knows how many sets of floor mats they sell every year.
I can see Lexus making a call at a certain demand threshold to switch to a more 'on demand' design - the new mats are more easily stamped out from a bulk roll and edged, vs the original ones that are more 'formed' especially at the edges. My guess is the few of the old design we see are NOS working their way out of supply rooms and storage areas, otherwise you'll get the new flimsy type.
The new design allows them to just order up a new batch when stocks get low without any specialized tooling for the handful of customers that want a new mat with the Lexus logo on it. Most wont notice or care the mats are different, but on an enthusiast forum like this we skew to the other extreme - if 100% of mat buyers made a stink maybe it would be different, but Lexus is more focused on selling you a new car than mats for your 15 year old one!
Lexus also knows how many sets of floor mats they sell every year.
I can see Lexus making a call at a certain demand threshold to switch to a more 'on demand' design - the new mats are more easily stamped out from a bulk roll and edged, vs the original ones that are more 'formed' especially at the edges. My guess is the few of the old design we see are NOS working their way out of supply rooms and storage areas, otherwise you'll get the new flimsy type.
The new design allows them to just order up a new batch when stocks get low without any specialized tooling for the handful of customers that want a new mat with the Lexus logo on it. Most wont notice or care the mats are different, but on an enthusiast forum like this we skew to the other extreme - if 100% of mat buyers made a stink maybe it would be different, but Lexus is more focused on selling you a new car than mats for your 15 year old one!
05-03-19, 02:57 PM
#33
Most people who buy flagship luxury cars dont hold on to them for 15 years, they swap them out every 3 to 5 years for the latest model.
99% of people buying something like floor mats from a dealer 10+ years later are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th owner of the car - the type of people there to spend maybe $80 on floor mats, not $80k on an ls500.
LS430 owners are atypical in that I've seen a lot more people hold on to their cars for a lot longer than others, especially coming from the Mercedes community. That's a testament to the model, but the fact remains that for some things it doesnt make logistical sense to support a low volume cosmetic item after a certain period of time, especially if the original customer who spent the big money with Lexus, the one they really want to please, is not part of the value chain in the transaction!
I agree that ideally they would have managed to figure this out differently, but I get how they could have come to a decision like this...
99% of people buying something like floor mats from a dealer 10+ years later are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th owner of the car - the type of people there to spend maybe $80 on floor mats, not $80k on an ls500.
LS430 owners are atypical in that I've seen a lot more people hold on to their cars for a lot longer than others, especially coming from the Mercedes community. That's a testament to the model, but the fact remains that for some things it doesnt make logistical sense to support a low volume cosmetic item after a certain period of time, especially if the original customer who spent the big money with Lexus, the one they really want to please, is not part of the value chain in the transaction!
I agree that ideally they would have managed to figure this out differently, but I get how they could have come to a decision like this...
05-03-19, 03:04 PM
#34
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Most people who buy flagship luxury cars dont hold on to them for 15 years, they swap them out every 3 to 5 years for the latest model.
99% of people buying something like floor mats from a dealer 10+ years later are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th owner of the car - the type of people there to spend maybe $80 on floor mats, not $80k on an ls500.
LS430 owners are atypical in that I've seen a lot more people hold on to their cars for a lot longer than others, especially coming from the Mercedes community. That's a testament to the model, but the fact remains that for some things it doesnt make logistical sense to support a low volume cosmetic item after a certain period of time, especially if the original customer who spent the big money with Lexus, the one they really want to please, is not part of the value chain in the transaction!
I agree that ideally they would have managed to figure this out differently, but I get how they could have come to a decision like this...
99% of people buying something like floor mats from a dealer 10+ years later are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th owner of the car - the type of people there to spend maybe $80 on floor mats, not $80k on an ls500.
LS430 owners are atypical in that I've seen a lot more people hold on to their cars for a lot longer than others, especially coming from the Mercedes community. That's a testament to the model, but the fact remains that for some things it doesnt make logistical sense to support a low volume cosmetic item after a certain period of time, especially if the original customer who spent the big money with Lexus, the one they really want to please, is not part of the value chain in the transaction!
I agree that ideally they would have managed to figure this out differently, but I get how they could have come to a decision like this...
05-03-19, 03:31 PM
#35
Lexus Champion
From automobiles to cars
Most people who buy flagship luxury cars dont hold on to them for 15 years, they swap them out every 3 to 5 years for the latest model.
99% of people buying something like floor mats from a dealer 10+ years later are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th owner of the car - the type of people there to spend maybe $80 on floor mats, not $80k on an ls500.
LS430 owners are atypical in that I've seen a lot more people hold on to their cars for a lot longer than others, especially coming from the Mercedes community. That's a testament to the model, but the fact remains that for some things it doesnt make logistical sense to support a low volume cosmetic item after a certain period of time, especially if the original customer who spent the big money with Lexus, the one they really want to please, is not part of the value chain in the transaction!
I agree that ideally they would have managed to figure this out differently, but I get how they could have come to a decision like this...
99% of people buying something like floor mats from a dealer 10+ years later are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th owner of the car - the type of people there to spend maybe $80 on floor mats, not $80k on an ls500.
LS430 owners are atypical in that I've seen a lot more people hold on to their cars for a lot longer than others, especially coming from the Mercedes community. That's a testament to the model, but the fact remains that for some things it doesnt make logistical sense to support a low volume cosmetic item after a certain period of time, especially if the original customer who spent the big money with Lexus, the one they really want to please, is not part of the value chain in the transaction!
I agree that ideally they would have managed to figure this out differently, but I get how they could have come to a decision like this...
It's a slippery slope...
They do it here, they do it elsewhere. ...over a few pennies.
The arguement for purchasing OEM parts from the dealer is the expectation for original quality.
Superceding parts should present an upgrade, not a downgrade.
It only serves to diminish the brand...and we noticed it and are conferring about it.
Someone at Toyota made that decision and was allowed to keep their job, which suggests they condoned this activity.
Something I notice more of is "made in Mexico" on the parts label.
If able to obtain the original "made in Japan" part, I'll do it....and there is a noticeable difference in quality.
We all have perceptions about build quality and Lexus is transitioning from a manufacturer of Automobiles to one of cars.
While I like many things about the newer models, save for the LC500, I would not buy any of them.
Meanwhile, what is Country of origin on superceding #?
05-03-19, 04:11 PM
#36
Yeah you make a good point!
I think part of it is just the logistics of sheer volume- when the ls430 came out Lexus had 10 model/engine variants available and sold 200k cars a year, today they have 20 variants and sell 350k cars a year, that's a lot of JIT, kanban, etc. to manage!
To scale for that volume they have to make some strategic decisions, and continuing to manufacture floor mats for a long discontinued model where they now sell maybe a dozen or so a year or whatever, would be one of those. Same with assembly - at a certain point at those volumes it doesnt make financial sense to import all the cars from Japan, hence they started assembling some in the us/canada.
Now to your point, if and when they start skimping on actual parts vs things like floor mats, that's a whole new ballgame...
PS
I am loving being part of a forum where a thread about floor mats has this much engagement!
I think part of it is just the logistics of sheer volume- when the ls430 came out Lexus had 10 model/engine variants available and sold 200k cars a year, today they have 20 variants and sell 350k cars a year, that's a lot of JIT, kanban, etc. to manage!
To scale for that volume they have to make some strategic decisions, and continuing to manufacture floor mats for a long discontinued model where they now sell maybe a dozen or so a year or whatever, would be one of those. Same with assembly - at a certain point at those volumes it doesnt make financial sense to import all the cars from Japan, hence they started assembling some in the us/canada.
Now to your point, if and when they start skimping on actual parts vs things like floor mats, that's a whole new ballgame...
PS
I am loving being part of a forum where a thread about floor mats has this much engagement!
Last edited by Ellesse; 05-03-19 at 04:19 PM.
05-03-19, 04:37 PM
#37
Lexus Champion
Luxury cars don't make financial sense! They are not intended to. Unfortunately, the answer to most problems is MONEY. Big business, banks, and the rich virtually own the county. They start by owning the politicians at the top level. Every federal bill is to enhance their masters and to hell with the general public! I for one don't like it at all and never will.
05-03-19, 07:21 PM
#38
I had the tiles and carpets cleaned at my home today, and I decided to give my LS430 mats to the guy to clean as well. Unfortunately, he cleaned them too well and they are now discolored. I ordered a new complete charcoal color set from my Local Lexus Dealership for very cheap money and it is arriving tomorrow. Does anyone know if the replacement mats are the same quality as the original ones that came from the factory when new? Has anyone replaced their mats with OEM mats? Thanks all.
05-04-19, 06:25 AM
#40
Lexus Fanatic
Here's the thing...
It's a slippery slope...
They do it here, they do it elsewhere. ...over a few pennies.
The arguement for purchasing OEM parts from the dealer is the expectation for original quality.
Superceding parts should present an upgrade, not a downgrade.
It only serves to diminish the brand...and we noticed it and are conferring about it.
Someone at Toyota made that decision and was allowed to keep their job, which suggests they condoned this activity.
Something I notice more of is "made in Mexico" on the parts label.
If able to obtain the original "made in Japan" part, I'll do it....and there is a noticeable difference in quality.
We all have perceptions about build quality and Lexus is transitioning from a manufacturer of Automobiles to one of cars.
While I like many things about the newer models, save for the LC500, I would not buy any of them.
Meanwhile, what is Country of origin on superceding #?
It's a slippery slope...
They do it here, they do it elsewhere. ...over a few pennies.
The arguement for purchasing OEM parts from the dealer is the expectation for original quality.
Superceding parts should present an upgrade, not a downgrade.
It only serves to diminish the brand...and we noticed it and are conferring about it.
Someone at Toyota made that decision and was allowed to keep their job, which suggests they condoned this activity.
Something I notice more of is "made in Mexico" on the parts label.
If able to obtain the original "made in Japan" part, I'll do it....and there is a noticeable difference in quality.
We all have perceptions about build quality and Lexus is transitioning from a manufacturer of Automobiles to one of cars.
While I like many things about the newer models, save for the LC500, I would not buy any of them.
Meanwhile, what is Country of origin on superceding #?
Again, something as simple as a spark plug. Bosch greeen = OEM for BMW. Bosch made blue = OE for BMW. When you buy the blue one, you expect it "is" what came with the vehicle.
American mfg. are not innocent. An AC Delco air filter is labeled as OEM. They do not try to pass it off as GM OE. But, the GM OE? It's the same bagged product, with an additional GM sticker saying genuine OE, and a hologram to show authenticity. A relabeled bag. There are many GM parts which show both the AC Delco professional OEM part#, and the GM OE part number together. So, it is the identical part. Germans never do that. The box and product are physically labeled differently. OE is never cheaper than OEM, never. My point is the Germans are not trying to confuse the buyer. Japanese and American?
I have to admit I am surprised on the floor mats. But again, GM did the same thing when they cheaped the factory filters. Instead of ending in F, they ended in E. Then, they removed metal springs etc. and put in cheap clips, removed silicone ah wtf basically went from a WIX XP to a normal WIX while maintaining the price. And on the forums it took some folks 3+ oil changes before they did the wtf? They never noticed. Just as I wouldn't have noticed if my mats were cheaped out.
05-04-19, 08:17 AM
#41
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
One thing about the new replacement mats at the dealer that bothered me significantly was the color of the heel pad. Instead of matching the charcoal/grey color of the mat it was much lighter. I felt that it was really going to show any dirt or grime that gets into the car and stand out. I don't understand why they just didn't make it the same color as the rest of the mat? Another downgrade? Disappointing. I didn't get the set as I wasn't going to put cheaper mats in a car that already has the better original ones.....even if the driver's side is slightly worn. .(No one see's it but me) I hope my old set holds up longer!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post