Aston01

I have been looking at picking up a RX350 and was hopeing to get some advice from those that have a bit more experiance dealing with Lexus. My question revolves around if there is actually any real savings buying a 2012 model as opposed to a 2013. I was at a dealer this evening getting the spin that they could get me $4k off a 2012 roughly $44k+ and only $500 off a 2013 roughly $48k+ .

I came home and looked up the Edmunds prices for simarily equiped models from the 2 different years. For the 2013s Lexus seems to have tightened up the choices of options and some are actually cheaper then the 2012s were or now standard features. I attached photos of the price breakdowns below. I also am aware that the resale value decrease for one model year difference is about $1200-1500.

All this being said for your guys with more experiance in this area then I have ...does it make since to buy a 2012 or just get negotiate the 2013 price into line ?

UCSB

The 2013 prices will drop and the financing incentives on 2013's will start after the 2012 inventory is depleted. So if you want a 2013 just wait two months. 2012's are attractive for up to three factors. First, the discount. You were quoted $4,000 ... in some places this is $5,000+. Second, some regions are offering $1,000 in a Lexus loyalty discount. Third, Lexus is offering 0% short-term financing in some markets with .9% generally available. You can do the math, but I suspect this total package is worth at least $7,000 +. A great deal on a 2013 right now might be $2,500 off (if the dealership will work with you on this). So the difference between buying a 2012 and 2013 is probably $4,000 to $4,500. The 2013's cost a few hundred more than the 2012's (at least that is my understanding for comparably equipped vehicles). So add that to the difference above. One person may say it is worthwhile; another may say that it is not. They both could be right.

From my point of view, the basic issue is how much is the front-end styling worth to you as a buyer.

BertL

I agree with UCSB. You're going to get lots of opinions on this that include a number of subjective points.

MSRP-wise, a base 2013 costs a few hundred more than a 2012, but as you said, some options have come down in price -- so, if you are looking at an almost fully loaded vehicle that includes Mark Levinson and perhaps the Luxury Package, the total MSRP of a 2013 can actually be lower than the 2012. That is the case with my 2013 RX450h that will be here in a couple of weeks compared to the equivalent 2012 that had been previously special-ordered. What your price out-the-door will be, well, that's where the points UCSB discusses come in... Good luck in your decision!

gqscholar

The 0.9% or 0.0 % financing being offered with the 2012 over 60 months could easily be a addtional 3-6k savings depending on how much you are financing.

AFS was removed from the comfort package and from 2013 all together which is why the the price dropped so much.


But in the 2013 you get powered folding mirrors, new enform 2 (a paid service), and a new designed front.

As always, if you wait to this time next year, more likely it'll be the 2013 that will get the o.9 and o% financing and the 5k+ off.


Now of course if you get a 2013 you will get more back in return in a trade than a 2012. The amount depends on how long you have the suv.

I did some checks for kicks using Edmunds trade in value, no extras, just AWD.

the trade in value between a 2011 and 2010 (2-3 years ago) with the same amount of milage had a difference of $1,395 trade in value, but the trade in value between a 2009 and 2008 (about 4-5 years ago) with 60k miles had a difference of about $680.00 (with inflation 680.00 6 years from now isn't worth much).

So the longer you have the car the smaller the amount you can make back bc you have a earlier model.

2011RX350

If you live in a hot area of the South, you should get the towing prep package for its extra cooling. Extra cooling is good for transmission longevity. I wouldn't buy one without it, just in case I have to tow some time. Transmission temperatures can go way up without it.

Also, I see Lexus of Orlando is offering that $389/mo lease on the 2012 RX350. It is not my cup of tea, but its doubtful many dealers will match that on a 2013. If you can find a dealer who has sold out their 2012's, they might be willing to offer a better deal on a 2013.

Paul B

I was at Lexus of Bellevue, WA. today having my new license plates installed and getting a car wash. I asked my salesman if I should have waited for the 2013. He said that if I had paid cash, yes. We were going to pay cash but with Lexus giving out "free" money, we decided to go with 0.9% financing for 60 months. His analysis was that, compared to the normal 3.9% that Lexus Financial provides, we saved almost $4000. on the financing alone, not to mention the better deals offered on the 2012 models. Sure, the depreciation is greater on the 1 year old car, but in 5-7 years the difference in value between the 2012/13 cars will be much smaller.

It's really a question of where your head is. Do you prefer the latest and greatest and are you willing to pay a premium of a few thousand dollars for that privelege? We will all answer that question in our own way.

By the way, he mentioned that they have about 80 2012 RX's remaining.

Sevn86

I would go with a 2013. I always want the latest and greatest, but my budget almost never agrees.