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But, after quite a bit of internet browsing and in-person discussions at multiple dealers, that was the best price anyone could give me. Some dealers were talking just a $500 discount.
It's what the market will bear for an all-new first-Lexus-AWD-sedan car, I guess.
I'm sure the car will cool off with time, and negotiations will be easier.
From what I can tell of sales numbers, the GS is flying off lots. The Infinity is selling, but not as well.
I live in the Seattle area and the dealerships here must think that Lexi on their lots have gold bricks in the trunk. They won't budge off sticker. One even gave me the line that I should buy from him because he made an agreement with Lexus not to sell at 2nd sticker. (I haven't seen one yet who has done this anyway)
To compound the problem, none here could get a blk/blk 430 fully loaded. After reading H. Powders' post, I called a FL dealership. I told the salesman about H. Powders' deal, told him that I was ready to buy today if he had a blk/blk 430 fully loaded. While he didn't have one in stock, there was one coming on 6/26 (I didn't have to factory order to get what I wanted nor wait 12-16 weeks like my local low volume guys said. with their 1GS430 allocation per month, i can see why blk/blk is an impossibility)
The best part...without haggling at all, I got close to 4500 off of sticker. This pays the $1000 shipping from FL to Washington State, the DVD screens in the headrests for my daughter and I'll still be saving $$$.
The key...find a high volume dealership. One who moves 14 GS's per month; not 2. Black Magic will be arriving at the Port of Jacksonville this Sunday and I should be pushing the Start Button by mid July...Good luck gang.
Has anyone else been hit up for a car loan application by a Lexus dealer?
otguy
This is pure BS. It is not state law, and it IS a huge problem because the dealer is lying to you and trying to get you to devulge your personal information under false pretenses.
I've heard about dealers pulling this stuff before, but I didn't think it still went on. Amazing.
What did you tell them? Where does it stand now? Most importantly: what is the name of the dealer?
Every dealer I spoke with says that there is no way that dealers on the East and West Coasts are selling these cars at 3K to 4K off of MSRP. And, if they are that I should fly out there and get one. Their comments are "Why would a dealer want to loose 3K to 4K profit, when there are buyers willing to pay full price. And, even if the dealer is a high volume seller, there are only so many GS300 going out to the dealers, and those dealers will not get enough additional cars to make up for the lost profit for discounting. And, anybody can post anything on the internet, and no one is going to brag that they got a bad deal."
I hate buying cars!!! :confuse:
Can you elaborate a little on your purchase from Lexus of Peoria. Since most GS300s shipped to the midwest are AWD, did it take them a long time to locate the RWD car you wanted? Did you get the color and options you wanted, or did you have to take what was sitting on their lot?
Thanks for the follow-up. Actually, I live only 35 miles from Peoria, so it's really more convenient for me than Chicago. Since Chicago dealers are bigger and turn over more cars, I thought they would be most likely to give the best deal. Apparently I'm wrong. That's fine, actually.
I also want RWD. The AWD adds a couple thousand dollars to the price, 200 pounds, lower gas mileage and slower acceleration. Who needs that?
My only requirement is that I don't want a car that's got a couple hundred miles on it, that might be a demonstrator or driven from one dealer far away to Peoria. I would prefer to pick up the car myself at whatever dealer they're trading and drive it home myself, or have it trucked.
I assume yours came with the usual options they're sending to the midwest: run-flats, ventilated seats, sun-roof, sunshade, etc. Correct?
Thanks again.
I will let you know once my car arrives. So far the process has been more pain free than buying from a local dealer; no one making me feel less than for wanting a discount on a car that's been marked up by 10 grand, no one saying that it's law that they have to pull my credit again (lowering my score by the way by an unnecessarry inquiry) and no one trying to sell me the worthless scotchgard, wax or undercoating that's that's marked up by a factor of 100 and crossing their eyes at me when I tell them that I don't want it.
In this information age, there's no way that anyone should have to pay sticker. The new GS is a sweet car, not sweet enough to justify that kind of markup though.
By the way, I contacted a few California Dealers and they did deal some (1500), but no where near the 4500 in Florida.
I am taking some risk with the shipping, but the outfit is fully insured. As far as trusting the mileage, option and color combo; this is a Lexus Dealership, selling a brand new car. And just to be sure, my purchase order has every option that my car is equipped with. Before it goes on the Truck, you better believe that my Salesman is going to check it as well as the driver, because I sure will when it gets here. The salesman is going to have has sheet signed by the driver stating the condition that it left; they will both ensure they do a good job of checking, because neither is going to want to be responsible for damage if it gets here in anything but perfect shape.
Well my countdown starts tomorrow. Blackmagic arrives at the port of jacksonville and should be at my dealership ready for pickup by midweek.
the only time that this would ever make sense, is if they let you driver "their" car off the lot before your credit union sent $$. There are some situations where your c.u. won't send $ until they see that all of the p/w has been perfected.
If however you went to the dealership with check in hand, don't give this goof your business...deal directly with the salesmanager.
by the way never let them pull your credit unneccessarily (your case, just shopping etc) it lowers your score and 2; always negotiate your deal before you tell them how you'll be paying. Cash deals to dealerships potentially mean less profit for them and less profit for them means less of a bargain for you.
I could have picked up my GS from Peoria but I chose to have them deliver. Had I took delivery at the Dealer, GS would have had 3 miles on it. Also I think anytime this dealer would trade they would transport the car on a trailer, not have someone drive it from the other dealer. I would think that most Lexus dealers would dealer trade that way. I took delivery from the salesperson. He explained all the new features, the car was delivered in perfect condition. I agree with you I did not see the need for the AWD. Love the car!!!!
Ok, thanks for the tips. If Peoria gives me a reasonable deal--after all, there's a tremendous markup on the car--I'll go with them. I'd prefer a local deal, all other things equal (or nearly so). It's just more convenient. Otherwise, I'll see what California can do and wait to see what experience wigalo has with having his shipped cross country.
Is it true that when you take delivery the Lexus service department will set a number of program options for you--door locking, unlocking, etc? One-time free, after that they charge?
Anybody getting any good deals on leases?
I told the salesperson that I knew how the CUDL (Credit Union Direct Lending) system works because I have a relative in the car business and that I knew he (the salesperson) wanted me to use the CUDL system so he could get a commission on the loan. My relative told me the dealer gets a 1% commission on a CUDL loan.
This salesperson works at Oakland Colliseum and we are still waiting for our car to come in. We're getting the GS300 RWD w/ NAV&ML (MSRP $50,409) for $46k. I saw the salesperson this weekend when I stopped by the dealership with my wife. He didn't mention the loan application again. I think he tried once and knows not to push the loan again.
If he had been honest with me, I might have been willing to let him compete for my loan and get a commission. Since he lied to me, there is no way I'll do my loan through him. If he tries it again, I'll call Lexus corporate and file a complaint against him and the dealership.
otguy.
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I'm looking to get into a lease on a GS430 with Nav, ML, with zero down and take the LC from me with no penalties, etc. and continue paying lease payments around what I pay now ($729). In other words I want to give someone the LC, drive away with the GS430 and just keep paying monthly payments with no additional money out of my pocket.
Has anyone had success with a deal like this?
By the way- car ordered in No. Calif., I got MSRP less1K for a fully loaded car- everything except the Pre Collision System. That was the best offered in the area at the time. I had bought previous cars from this dealer/salesman, liked them both, and wanted to give them the business. GS production is 80/20 :300/430 and there is such a demand for 430s ,there is not much bargaining room. :mad:
Anyway, I just negotiated a deal for a 06 GS430 fully loaded (the only way they're coming apparently) for $4,000 off MSRP. CA dealers are dealing! I called the fleet/internet sales manager and did it over the phone. It was quick and easy. They have what I want in stock and we're picking it up tonight. I can't wait to bring this baby home!
Anyway, I picked up the car last night and let me tell you about my buying experience:
Not very good. So much for the quick and easy deal I though I had!! This is the 6th new car I've bought in 5 years, and the 2nd this month! So I am not naive and I don't like to get jacked around.
The fleet guy who I made the deal with on the phone was off, so I had arranged to meet with another manager. He starts showing me numbers that don't match the deal I made on the phone. He's priced the car at $3,300 under MSRP. Still a good deal, but we agreed to $4,000 off MSRP on the phone. When I was on the phone with the guy I made it very clear that I wanted to make a deal on the phone and walk in and have this go smooth and easy. I live 2 hrs away from the nearest dealership.
I told the guy I was annoyed that already I was not getting the deal that was agreed to and that upset me greatly. He said he'd call the other manager who made the deal with me and in the meantime he wanted me to test drive the GS while they looked at my trade (03 Landcruiser). I refused. I told him there was no point in driving the GS until we agreed on what they would give me for the LC. I knew exactly my payoff, trade value, what I could get on the street if I sold it myself as well as what the dealership would put it on the lot for. All I wanted was what was fair, which was trade value and which was still $4,000 under what I could have sold it privately for. But that's ok! Selling yourself is a hassle and I'm in the middle of trying to find a buyer for another vehicle right now anyway. I just wanted fair trade.
So, some other head sales dude comes out and says that I misunderstood the deal I made on the phone. The deal was for $4,000 over invoice, not $4,000 off MSRP. Well, I knew that was an untruth. I knew what the deal was for. I'm not an idiot. Come to find out later, that I should have taken them up on the $4,000 over invoice deal since that in fact would have been the better deal! I didn't even have invoice prices with me, otherwise I would have called them on their 2nd lie of the day. So they told a lie to get themselves out of the first lie. He's like "it's only $700!" I said, I made a deal and that's what I came down for and that's what I'm paying. The END. They eventually agreed (as if they were doing me some huge favor) to sell me the GS for $4k off MSRP.
So I'm pretty hot now, because this was supposed to be a quick easy deal. I've done hard deals before and I don't like them. I don't begrudge anyone making money, and the deal I wanted had them making loads on the GS and loads on my trade. So when they come back with $29k trade value on my LC, I asked for my keys back and told them I'd head down to the BMW dealer--see if they honor the agreement they made with me (I had no agreement and didn't want a BMW, but tough times call for it!) The LC's worth $39k privately, and I wanted $35,800 which is fair KBB trade value. I said, this is done, I'm finished with you people. Stood up and asked for the keys again. My husband had been in the bathroom and when he got back I was standing and he asked "what's going on?" I told him and he said "let's go". So now the sales manager runs off to get the other sales manager and they say, hold on, hold on we'll look at your trade again and blah blah blah.
Now my husband and I are sitting there fuming. I told him, listen, we'll get the GS, if we have to sell the LC ourselves, then make a separate deal for the GS. But not at this dealership! I'm already mad and now they're trying to steal my trade from me.
I don't like being lied to, I don't like being jacked around.
Anyway, they finished up looking at the LC again, and came back immediately agreeing to give me my $35,800 for the trade.
So I DID end up getting the deal I wanted and the car BTW is totally HOT. Woweee! But, I have a terrible taste in my mouth about the whole experience and I probably wouldn't buy from this dealership again.
But what a hot car.....
Oh hehehe, then we go to drive the car and there are scratches on it! Like, 6 of them! It's got 86 miles on it, the inside is all beat up with scuff marks everywhere. I said, I'm not taking it! They pulled out an identical twin with 26 miles in perfect condition and that is the car I drove home.
I just leased my 3rd Lexus using this option, and it has saved me a lot of money over the years. Here is how it works. For each security deposit you put down (over and above the first mandatory one) Lexus Financial REDUCES the MONEY FACTOR used for your lease. The smaller the Money Factor...the lower the Rent Charge...resulting in lower monthly lease payments.
Since these multiple security deposits are FULLY REFUNDABLE at the completion of the lease, the only cost to you, is the loss of earning power you would have had, if those funds would have remained in your control. With interest rates being in the toilet for so long now, unless you have some form of investment that pays very high rates of return, the monthly lease savings are really worth it.
For example, I just leased a 2006 GS300 AWD with NO money down (i.e., NON-refundable money down), but with $4,900 worth of FULLY REFUNDABLE security deposits. The Money Factor using the multiple security deposits was .00165 as opposed to .00255 without them. Being able to use the lower Money Factor reduced my monthly lease payments by $69.34/month or a total of $2,500 over life of the 36 month lease. If my calculations are correct, it would have been necessary to have had that $4,900 invested in something that would be returning at least a 15% APY, before this wouldn't have been a good deal. And, really it would have had to be more than 15%, because any investment income would be taxable, so you would need to take that into consideration too.
For me, this was a no brainer, great way to save money on the lease. In talking with the Finance Manager at the dealership, I asked why more buyers don't take advantage of this opportunity. His reply was that most buyers don't have the extra disposable income to tie up for the term of their lease.
Hope this helps!
Is anyone in negotiations or recently purchased the car?
What prices are you guys finding?
Thanks,
That sucks! I really hope you call the Lexus 800 255-3987 corporate number and file a complaint against the dealership and the salespersons involved. No customers should be treated so poorly. I had a similar experience with a Honda dealer years ago.
otguy
-otguy
otguy
Silver Spring wouldn't really discount much -- few hundred?
Lindsay Lexus of Alexandria VA would discount around 3K.