CJITTY

Hey folks,

I recently bought my 2007 LS460 SWB from a broker and had it in my local dealer for an oil change and for a couple minor warranty items. About 2 weeks later, I got a letter in the mail from the dealership that basically said there is a very high demand and a very low supply for 460's and they want to offer me top dollar to buy my car even if I don't get another car from them on a trade. I heard the main reason for the shortage is the valve spring issue and they are being held back at the larger dealer auctions.

Something tells me this is nothing more than marketing and there is really no opportunity for a deal, but I was just curious if anyone else received a letter like this and what your opinions are.

Thanks

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i say it's just marketing

JFNash

Have you verified the authenticity of the letter?

It could be just me, but the letter sounds somewhat strange.

CEOEngr

A supposedly brilliant tactic very commonly used by auto dealers to lure customers into the showroom, and most of them borders on being a very subtle form of scam. Throw it in the garbage. LOL...... I regurlarly get letters with similar/other excuses & offer from dealers of every make within a 50 miles radius of our residence attempting to get us to visit their dealership.

herbvdh

I got the same letter also on my RX400h and beat this my mother got the same letter on her 1994 Toyota Tercel. PURE MARKETING

JSTALEX

I got a similar letter for my 2006 GS! They just want you to come so they can try and sell you something else!

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Shortly after we bought our Ls400, we received similar letters. Marketing/sales...they wants you to get into a new car.

Craig B

Yep, it's B.S. I sold my QX4 over two years ago and have received two letters from the dealership telling me they're in short supply and will give me top dollar. If it sounds too good to be true, most of the time it is...

CJITTY

Thanks, I figured as much. The letter is from the dealership with my VIN and a specific person to meet with. I got what I need with this LS, they will just have to wait another 7 years when I get another one lol. I probably wont buy it from them either, right back to my broker lol

Nospinzone

I've received about 3 of those letters over the past 2 years. About a year ago I did go in because I was thinking of going with an AWD version. My initial buying experience was exceptional, but this potential buying experience was abysmal.

My previous salesman was gone and the one I encountered flat out lied to me. I told him I had to have the Pre-Collision option and he told me that Lexus discontinued it. The reason he lied is because in a snowbelt state you have to special order the car since they don't send any models with that option to the dealers for their lot. He clearly wanted to sell a car that day, not 4 months from then.

Next, the letter I received said they would give me "Kelley Blue Book fair market value" for my car. My car is very low mileage and in pristine condition. The salesman offered me the KBB value for a LS in fair condition. He claims that's what the ad meant. When I asked him why should I get the same trade-in value as someone with a high mileage and poor condition vehicle, he just gave some nonsensical answer.

I walked out of the dealership and sent them an email detailing this. I got no response from them, but I see that the salesman is still there, so I guess they're happy with him.

As far as the low supply of used cars, for what its worth here's a reprint of a recent post on a Jaguar forum that I visit -

The article mentions the shortage of used cars. A friend of mine mentioned to me over the weekend that his son, who was a mechanic at a Lexus dealership, got laid off recently. He said there weren't enough old cars out that needed repairs due to "Cash for Clunkers."

mewhee

Definitely a marketing tactic. Think about it - how much more of a live A+++ lead could they get and at virtually no cost other than the stamp. Frankly, I don't understand why more dealerships don't do it, or at least a variance of it as a matter of policy.

They aren't really shading the truth, rather, just on the chance you may have seen something that caught your eye while picking up your car being serviced, why not offer you 'top dollar' (ahem) for your trade as an incentive to repurchase with the caveat - 'whether you buy another or not' making the letter supposedly less of a sales pitch.

Good driving -

Will and the Fur Crew in the OC

CometVR4

I just got one the other day in the mail from the Acura dealer I purchased my car 4 years ago. They say I can drive a brand new TL the same or for less than I'm paying a month now. Really? That's funny, because last time I checked the price,the '10 TL cost over 40K new and I paid just under 30K for mine 4 years ago. LOL

mewhee

Sure, less $ per month ..................... but twice the months

BlackUltra

My first letter in 2001 was on a 1996 Corvette I owned and took into a dealer for an oil change. My wife then got one when she took her 2003 in for 15K service. I then got another when I took my 06 LS430 into the dealer for warranty work. Only followed up on the first one and also got "lowballed" on my Vette trade-in. Seems that the dealers go through the service records to generate possible "leads" for future sales.

LexusChris

iTrader: (1)

This is purely car dealer trying to make some money off you, they tell you they will buy back and essentially you will trade in then finance another car with them , which means more money for them. My Nissan dealer always mails me buy back and claiming the value of my Pathfinder is still good letters because they claim to have a "low" inventory whenever I go in there for service they are packed with cars. I doubt also my 02 Pathfinder still has a good pre-owned value.