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Comments
I just got my IS250 back from the shop today after getting the clear bra installed. I can give you some feedback that will probably be helpful. I screwed up. I bought a precut kit from an e-bay merchant thinking I was saving some money. The Lexus Dealer was charging $595 for a clear bra and I found one on ebay for $160 so thing looked pretty good. I figured I could install the kit myself and save over $400. After watching the video on installing the kit, and figuring I needed to by a $30 installation kit, I decided to just pay a professional to install the kit when I got the windows tinted. It was an extra $100 to install the kit so really $70 more than doing it myself after buying the installation kit, in my mind well worth it considering if I screwed up the install I would have to buy a new clear bra kit.
The advice I can give to you is not to mess around with a pre-cut kit, weather you buy it from an online source or a local dealer that will install it. The pre-cut kits are designed for easy installation and are not 100% coverage. For example they don't extend all the way into the wheel wells and the semi flat area under the head lights isn't covered at all. There is a gap in the lower center of the front bumper and the side view mirror pieces come about an inch short of full coverage all the way around.
Your best bet is to take your Lexus to a dedicated professional clear bra/window tint installer, not a stereo shop that does window tint as a sideline. They use cheaper material or pre-cut kits. The professional installers use a full roll of material and custom form a clear bra to the exact vehicle, they cut and trim all the contours of the front end and provide virtually 100% protection, hood-fenders-bumper-mirrors. Make sure the company uses 8 mil thick material not the cheaper 2 or 3 mil. and be sure to get full 18" (front to back) not 12". It will probably cost more to do it right but in the long run it is well worth a few extra bucks now to protect your finish 100%.
As far as material I have the 3M film and it's almost undetectable. When I first walked up to the car I literally could not see it and thought for a moment they forgot to install the hood piece. I had to get back from the windshield side and look forward to see the line where the material ended to spot it. The place I used was a LLumac Dealer and he said he prefers his film over the 3M because it is clearer. I can't imagine it being any clearer than what I have, however he placed a piece of his film next to the 3M and there was a noticeable difference in the sheen if you got down from the side and looked at the refection.
I'm not trying to push LLumac because I'm not familiar with the other brands out there but I do know their Dealers are factory trained and certified so they give a coast to coast lifetime warranty on there product and installation, which the local stereo shops can't compare with. I do know that I'm going to end up taking my IS 250 back in and have them remove the pre-cut kit and redo it with their custom clear bra. Hopefully this helps. Also don't forget to get the headlights and foglights covered with there own custom 30 mil thick film, I don't think most places include this in the normal clear bra paint package.
http://homepage.mac.com/waydeaschultz/PhotoAlbum11.html
Btw, did you test drive the IS350 before settling for the 250 ? If so why did you choose the 250 ?
I know others are of the "power above all else" persuasion... I thought I was too... but I don't feel the 250 is all that underpowered.
Lets see those pics.
I own an IS250 AWD and I just recently had the windows tinted and a clearbra installed. I'm very pleased with both jobs. The tint is a 20% 3M tint and the clearbra is a 3M product also and covers 18" on front hood, front tip of front fenders, headlights, foglights, back of the side mirrors and door edges. The tint and clearbra were installed for a total of around $500. Not too bad considering what the dealer was asking. The clearbra installer also said he could do the whole front bumper as well for another $200, but I decided to pass on that. Still, though, that's basically full coverage of the front of your car for around $500 which I don't think is too bad. The tint is great and really does keep the heat down inside the car. I've never had tint installed on any of my vehicles but I'm glad I did with this car. Good luck with whatever you choose.
Thanks.
manny
I went to dealer A first. We negotiated a decent lease deal, but they were too low on the trade, and did not have my first choice color. Salesman was OK, dealership close to home.
I went to dealer B next. They offered me about the same lease deal. They also were too low on the trade. They did have my favorite color in stock. Really like the salesperson, dealership about an hour away.
I returned to dealer A. I got them to increase the trade by $1500. They could not get the color I wanted, but offered three others. I said I will let them know.
I returned to dealer B. They agreed to match the deal, I accepted. As I was about to go pick up car, they called back and said the car in my color was dealer-traded without her knowledge. They offered me an alternate color.
Dealer B says they will be getting another in my requested color in about 2 weeks, but cannot guarantee that lease money factor will not go up in June. They also cannot guarantee that residual will not go down in June.
Question: Do I give in and take different color, or wait until mid-June and hope residual and money factor do not change?
Also, anyone had good IS negotiating experience recently in Texas? Even with ML/luxury package? Thanks
I'm in denver. I had my clearbra and tint installed from a guy who works out of one of the dealerships here. Probably not the answer you wanted to hear.
Does anyone know how to turn-off DRL(Daylight Running Light) on IS250?
Thanks,
WILL be paying 31,715 (MSRP of 34,305) which is $2,930 OFF of MSRP or 7.5% OFF of MSRP/List)
With taxes & fees, we will be paying $34,365.00 +/-
Delt with Lexus of Valencia .. AWESOME (although we had a slight delay of almost 3 weeks)
Talk to Jeff in Fleet/Internet!!
- there is only one dealship in my town (San Antonio) and the seem to sell at MSRP only
- I am looking to buy an IS250 - sage (not a very common color) with nav/ml and pcs (close to or full loaded) with stock 17" wheels (vs 18" due to ride and tire wear issues)
If I will have to pay MSRP and special order I feel it would be better to wait for '07 ...
questions: do you think it is realistic to that I could find this configuration in an '06 (due to color, options, only one dealer in town, etc.) so I could negoiate price or should I face the the fact that I will just have to order and pay MSRP?
Also, have you seen the sage in person - I have been to several dealership and have yet to see one in stock/in person - do you have an opinion about the sage green?
My wife and I just bought a Desert Sage green IS 350, and it's absolutely beautiful. The paint is deep and lustrous -- sort of a candy apple green. The choice came down to that and the red, but my wife thought the red was a little too showy for her. She's thrilled with the green. Having said all that, green is a hard color to find, and I can only assume it's because it's not a very popular color. Knowing that, it's not likely that a one-dealer town will have one, which makes it tougher to negotiate on a car the dealer has to transport to its dealership. As has been stated here and elsewhere, they'd much rather sell something off the lot. As if that's not disconcerting enough, it's very difficult to find an IS with nav/ML that doesn't have 18-inch wheels. That you want this unconventional configuration in Desert Sage makes this a tough purchase.
As a side note - since all colors never seem to be in stock - I do not understand why Lexus would not have some painted panels (say 2' x 2') in the showroom....that would be a simple way for folks to get a good idea of colors (those 1" squares in brochures do nothing for me).
I am flexible on the 18" wheels - I just know they wear faster (<20K ?) and ride harder (less air and sidewalls between the car and the ground).
Again, thanks for your views on the color. I wish pictures could be posted here - I am hoping the "sage" name implies a greyish green (like the light VW green? I need a lighter color in San Antonio (hot summers, sometimes dusty, etc) and do not want to default to white).
Every member here has a CarSpace account where pictures absolutely may be posted. All anyone has to do is go to the My CarSpace link on the left side of the page and set up their home page - pictures and all!
I have followed the IS since it was intro'ed in Mar '05 and even went to a Taste of Lexus event to drive it. I have wanted one badly for a year (but not badly enough to compromise on options/color or special order at MSRP).
I have never experienced buying a car when all colors were not available (from one dealer or another). In this price range, no one should have to compromise on color or options - IMO (i.e. a dealer would quickly find the desired options and color if I were buying a 25K Accord) - this is inconsistent if Lexus wants to be know for "going the extra mile" for customers - (without the wait and expensive MSRP (over 5K markup from invoice to MSRP!) of special orders.
The Lexus dealers I have visited seemed *indifferent* about havinig or getting certain colors or options - they just want to sell what is on the lot (which would be fine if they would skip silly games like "Nav is not available in this region" to push their inventory. I would expect attitude at BMW (speaking from experience). I have never bought a Lexus but I assumed it would be easier than this... I may end up with an Audi.
Sorry to rant.
The saga continues...Cheers, Mike
Anyways, they were asking $40,900 for it. According to Edmunds, the invoice price would be around $39k. What would be a fair price for a demo car like this. Shouldn't the dealer be willing to do invoice pricing, or maybe even below it?
Since this is a demo car, is it still considered "new" for financing purposes? Also, I'm assuming the warranty and everything will be in full effect.
Any thoughts appreciated, thanks!
(I alse posted this in the Prices Paid & Buying Experience forum, but upon refelction it seems that this is a better forum since I haven't purchased... yet).