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Lexus IS 350 and IS 250

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Comments

  • maxidrivemaxidrive Member Posts: 70
    What gap? Didn't see any on mine!
  • from_flfrom_fl Member Posts: 113
    Does your friend IS's VIN num start with a "1" or "J"?
  • gollamgollam Member Posts: 29
    anyone have news whether lexus is coming out with a coupe/hardtop convertible version of the IS?
  • alolewisalolewis Member Posts: 36
    Just picked up our IS350, Breakwater Blue with Sterling (light gray) interior. Was surprised that the carpet is black as my 2004 RX330 with the light gray seats has light gray carpet also. However, the wife says she prefers the darker carpet so it works for us. No gap in front bumper.
  • loucopitsloucopits Member Posts: 103
    I am interested in an IS250, and wonder if anyone has seen the beginning of the usual 'selldown' I've seen in previous years.
  • netwonnetwon Member Posts: 53
    I'm not sure where you live but in northern climes where they use salt on the road it sure is easy maintenance with the dark carpet!

    Net
  • lexusgirl1lexusgirl1 Member Posts: 27
    No selldown going on at the Lexus dealership I work at. Quite the opposite...we are getting full MSRP and still can't keep them in stock! Usually they are sold before they even arrive at the dealership. Sorry...... :(
  • puppykickerpuppykicker Member Posts: 7
    "No selldown going on at the Lexus dealership I work at. Quite the opposite...we are getting full MSRP and still can't keep them in stock! Usually they are sold before they even arrive at the dealership. Sorry...."

    This is hardly the case in the DC area, despite what the dealers would have you believe. Three dealerships I visited each had a dozen or more IS250 AWDs sitting around, most from one week to the next. It didn't take much to get down to $1000 over invoice.
  • mikeinmdmikeinmd Member Posts: 23
    Other sites report orders are being taken on 2007's... why would anyone pay MSRP for a 2006?

    In about 3 months, 2006 will be "last years model".

    No offense, but I have to question the comment about people paying MSRP for a car this late in the model year. You have first hand info as a saleperson, but if people are paying MSRP they must not own a calendar.

    Also, "sold even before they arrive" comment - MSRP is especially silly when the dealer has not had the expense (interest cost, etc.) of keeping a car in inventory... In that case, MSRP is pure profit, about 6K on approx. 35K car.
  • alolewisalolewis Member Posts: 36
    Dealer cost, MSRP, etc are not really factors, supply and demand is a bigger factor. The IS350 and 250 here in SF Bay area are in hot demand, at least 2 dealers I checked cannot keep them in stock. We did as Lexusgirl1 said and "reserved" one before it was delivered. The day it came in we picked it up, our salesman was literally guarding the car from other sales persons when we got there. We paid less than MSRP but not much less as the dealer has no reason to discount if the demand exceeds the supply. So they made a profit, that's the American way, the company I work for makes profits on items we sell.
  • mikeinmdmikeinmd Member Posts: 23
    supply and demand is a bigger factor. ...the American way

    The supply is controlled by Lexus - they control how many are manufactured. Demand is based on munipulating supply, etc. making the level of demand "artifical". Also, the dealer I have visited (several weeks ago) had AWD available (I did not count the number) - so maybe they made too many of them.

    I know all about the American way (being a native, etc.) - I do not begrudge a dealer a profit but they will charge the max that the market will bear - they would happily take as much of your money as they can talk you out of. I also know what I consider to be a reasonable profit - for me to buy. You can pay whatever your heart desires...you are spending YOUR money. But I would not drop off a blank check to a dealer and assume they will be charging me a fair price, etc., that would be pretty silly.

    Yes, 2007's are being ordered now so, again, why would anyone pay MSRP for an 06? In addition to the initial hit of new car depreciation, the car will soon be one model year "old" .
  • lexusgirl1lexusgirl1 Member Posts: 27
    Call it silly but it is true. Since I am the one who bills out the deals at my dealership (and NOT a salesperson), I see on a daily basis how many are sold (and pre-sold)and how much profit is made. I see deal after deal cross my desk with profit ranging from $3000 - $4000 per car not including holdback, dealer incentives or floorplan credits. I do not know where you are getting a $6000 difference between invoice and MSRP....it is more like $3800 (check out kbb.com to verify this). I believe our dealership may have 2 IS's on the lot right now and that's it. When I was trying to buy mine in May we had none and I had to tag mine the day allocation came out because that is how quickly they are PRE-SOLD. Atlanta is a hot market for them and people want one now are willing to pay MSRP. They don't want to wait until September for a 2007....it may be different where you are. How much did you pay for yours?
  • lexusgirl1lexusgirl1 Member Posts: 27
    All depends on where you live......D.C. dealers have a dozen we have 2 and I doubt they will still be here on Monday.
  • loucopitsloucopits Member Posts: 103
    Our local dealer has had the same 5-6 IS250 AWG on the lot for at least 3 weeks. I hope they are ready to deal...

    I used a demo for the day and was amazed at the amount of brake dust on the front wheels. Our two present cars (GS300, Solara)with disc brakes show no dust at all. Has anyone come up with a way to keep the dust off???
  • mikeinmdmikeinmd Member Posts: 23
    My profit info was based on approx. 5K difference between invoice and MSRP price and the approx. 3% typical holdback (approx 1,600 on a 35K car) -- so, actually, profit would be 6K plus (around 6,600?). But, I must defer to you as you work at a dealership.

    Yes, some people will pay MSRP for an '06 - I am just not one of them. Some people will pay $15,000 for 22" chrome wheels, buy 1,000 shoes, etc....more power to them, they have more money than I do (and apparently keeping it is a burden). I am glad - extra stimulation for the economy.

    On the other hand, consumers should "hold the line" on what is "reasonable" - i.e. market forces at work.

    In the stock market there is the "greater fool" theory - when someone thinks a stock is overpriced but buys anyway, thinking someone will be "dumb" enough to buy it at an even higher price...they are usually right.

    (Note: I am not implying anyone paying MSRP for an IS is foolish, their personal value equation applies to them and on one else. If they feel they got the value they wanted, then they are a successful car buy IMO.)
  • mikeinmdmikeinmd Member Posts: 23
    I believe our dealership may have 2 IS's on the lot right now and that's it. When I was trying to buy mine in May we had none and I had to tag mine the day allocation came out

    You may have overlooked the supply comment - again, the lack of IS's on dealer lots is due to Lexus limiting supply in order to a) keep demand high and b) charge the maximum price. Nothing mysterious here...not global warming, acts of God, etc.... just simple business practice to max profit, shape product perception, etc.
  • wale_bate1wale_bate1 Member Posts: 1,982
    Umm, no.

    Supply side is high on 250s and low on 350s, pure and simple. Far from intentional, it stems from forecasting a much different split on the models than the market proved.

    When the new model was first announced, the prediction from Lexus was 20% 350 and 80% 250. As the press and customer base reacted, that was revised, closer in to production start, to 40% 350. Reality is that the number is more like 60% 350 or a little higher.

    As far as paying MSRP goes, if you really, really want it, you buy it, assuming you can afford it. Value is ultimately determined by those who buy the product, not those who suggest the price. Whether or not it's silly depends entirely on the experience derived from the product by the buyer. I may not personally ever spend MSRP on a car, but I certainly understand the motivations of those who might. I won't deride, but I might counsel gently that patience isn't just a virtue, but a debt-reducer as well...
    :shades:
  • wale_bate1wale_bate1 Member Posts: 1,982
    Yes, but why the heck bother?

    Calculate your "savings" over the course of a month as opposed to just running premium. Hardly worth the effort, IMO.
  • from_flfrom_fl Member Posts: 113
    Remember, time is money. You can't wait foever. LEXUS will not sell you car unless they make money. You are not buying an cheap eco box here. Money is power. Some people has more power than others. Life is fair.
  • richey02hgrichey02hg Member Posts: 69
    i got a quick question:

    A dealer told me the base model for the IS 250 is with the premium package (therefore no matter what, I have to pick a package for my IS) Is this true?
  • lenscaplenscap Member Posts: 854
    The 350 does not make up 60% of IS sales. From November 1, 2005 through the end of June, 2006, sales were:

    250: 25,258 (70% of total)
    350: 10,643 (30% of total)

    As you pointed out, though, 350s are making up a higher percentage of total sales than originally estimated.
  • wale_bate1wale_bate1 Member Posts: 1,982
    Thanks cap; my bad. I knew I had the problem stated correctly, but obviously I've lost track of the hard data over time.

    Point remains, as you said, the 350 is in demand over and above what's on the market. I don't believe, frankly, that it's intentional at all.
  • wale_bate1wale_bate1 Member Posts: 1,982
    What are you trying to say, there from_fl?
  • lexusgirl1lexusgirl1 Member Posts: 27
    That is not true. That is just how that particular dealership requested their IS's be built. Have you tried any other dealerships? I suggest calling around. Let us know what they say! :)
  • lexusgirl1lexusgirl1 Member Posts: 27
    Lexus is SMART! They make GREAT cars with GREAT resale value and I for one want to thank them for not flooding the market by giving them away for no profit and 0% interest so I can see my same car driving down the road every 5 minutes like I do GMC and Ford products! Have you checked out the resale value of some of those cars lately? Not so good. THANK YOU LEXUS!!!!!!!
  • mikeinmdmikeinmd Member Posts: 23
    giving them away for no profit and 0% interest so I can see my same car driving down the road every 5 minutes

    So this is all black and white? Lexus must make 6K a car or $0? I, for one, resent having to order a car and wait months to get the options/color I want - while paying approx. $6,000 to an order taker.

    The dealers must be laughing at people paying full price and waiting MONTHS to get the car - while they are getting max profit and will make even more on service.

    It is a pretty simple question: why can a person go to buy a 25K Accord and people will fall all over themselves to get the customer the color and options that want...But buying an IS, the dealer attitude seems to be "take what we have" and pay me full price OR "wait for MONTHS to get what you want" and pay me full price. So, this treatment is PRESTIGIOUS ??

    Also, I do not care how many other people have the same car as I do....if that is how someone measures their self-esteem, they have bigger issues that car choice.

    Resale value - so getting 50% of the money you paid for a car back in 4 years is a good deal? Or, 49% or 52%?
    Bottom line - buying any new car is not smart financially...they all lose a tremendous amount of value in a short time.

    I am NOT doing something smart when I buy a new car - it is a personal indulgence and I know it is not practical in the financial sense. Bragging about resale is like going to Vegas and bragging because you lost less money that someone else - it is still a net loss. Being financially smart means buying a used Civic and driving it into the ground...
  • mikeinmdmikeinmd Member Posts: 23
    AGREED. Lexus is smart. Toyota does not have billons in the bank by being dumb in their business practices.

    And because they are smart, they munipulate supply to control demand. Lexus is a multi-national with billons - do you think they would scramble to make more IS's so the demand would be lower and people would not have to pay full price? What a silly thought...and the dealers would be very upset.

    I do not have a problem with this - their obligation is to their shareholders. Just don't be naive and believe some dealer story like "oops, we didn't make enough IS's, guess you will have to pay full price. Here, you can borrow my pen". Toyota/Lexus knows EXACTLY what they are doing in marketing, manufacturing, etc. etc. They do not lift a pencil unless they know the future impact on the market and their bottom line. Don't mistake them for GM.
  • lexusgirl1lexusgirl1 Member Posts: 27
    Here we go with the $6K profit theory again.... Also I am not "bragging" about resale value. I am simply stating a fact. I have owned a variety of makes and models over the years including 3 Lexus. The only cars I have actually made money or broke even on were my 2 previous Lexus. My Hondas, VWs, Acuras, Nissans, Chevrolets, Fords, Chryslers, etc ALL left me with negative equity. You speak of being financially smart...well I think buying a car that holds it's value is being financially smart. You stated that "being financially smart means buying a used Civic and driving it into the ground". Well my husband happens to work for Honda so I'll bet he could get you a deal on a used Civic and you can be financially smart by your definition and I can be financially smart by mine.

    As far as the comment I made about seeing my same car every 5 minutes going down the road, I was reiterating what I said about certain manufacturers flooding the market with an example. I guess you missed the point. It has nothing at all to do with self-esteem. I never even owned a Lexus before I went to work for them and now I cannot say enough good things about them (Lexus) and the QUALITY cars they build!
  • lexusgirl1lexusgirl1 Member Posts: 27
    GOD BLESS AMERICA !!!! :)

    GOD BLESS FREE ENTERPRISE !!!! :):)
  • mikeinmdmikeinmd Member Posts: 23
    $6,000 theory?

    here are the Edmund's numbers (IS250 RWD with all options)
    MSRP $41,200 INVOICE $35,697 difference = $5503
    add holdback (approx 3% of MSRP) = $1236

    TOTAL Profit: $6739 (at least) AND, customer gets to wait a few months for a car.

    lexusgirl -

    none of my comments are personal against you or meant to disparage the "American way * ". I am just pointing out the profit margin and customer wait times. Dealers are entitled to take as much profit as they can and I, as a consumer, am entitled to look for value and "reasonable" mark-ups.

    Yes, Lexus makes a high quality car and I am glad they are in the marketplace - I admire Lexus (I have read "The History of Lexus" book and followed the IS since it was introduced in Mar of '05) for having raised quality standards and customer service. A Lexus will be the next car I buy, if I can get comfortable with the markup or waiting months to get the options I want.

    Again, nothing personal against you. Nor am I condemning Lexus for maximizing profits when they can... If I can not convince myself of the value then I am free not to buy the car. Isn't America great?

    [* yes, God Bless America and I do support the American Way (20+ military years and time spent in 2 "war/hostile fire zones" was my small contribution to defending it. Haiti doesn't really count ;>) ]
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    Haven't pulled the trigger, but have a straight up deal on the table in SW OH with the following.....

    Matador Red IS 350 with....
    --Navi and Mark Levinson
    --luxury package
    --18" wheels and summer tires

    MSRP=44,955 INV=39,044
    1st go round negotiated price=$42,955

    Looks to me like around a ~$6K inv to MSRP delta.

    Dealer has about 8-10 IS350s in stock....different colors...all equipped the same. They said they'd knock off $2K off any of them.

    Haven't sat down to get real serious with them yet since I'm leaning towards a BMW 330i. Lexus sales person is calling me everyday to ask what it will take to get me back at the negotiation table, however.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • from_flfrom_fl Member Posts: 113
    Lexus build car people want. I hope GM will do the same.
    People need to know their networth and buy car accordingly.
  • kgk3kgk3 Member Posts: 19
    Any idea when the 2007 IS will be available for purchase?

    Thanks!
  • edmondpedmondp Member Posts: 3
    I'm a newbie so forgive me if this question has already been asked.
    Anyway, I'm loving my IS250 AWD but have have a couple of questions regarding the power mode.
    #1. Does activating this power switch result in a loss of gas milage? And if so, how much?
    #2. Does it actually give the car increased pick-up? It seems to me but I can't really be sure.
    With gas reaching $3.50 in my area, I'd love to know if the power mode is worth it.
  • dwu31dwu31 Member Posts: 1
    I am very close to purchasing a IS250 AWD. I loved everything about the car except the middle hump that is 2-3" more to the left in the AWD, but not in the RWD. I felt like I had to angle my leg in to get to the gas pedal. Is this something anyone else has noticed and do you get used to it over time and it becomes a non-issue.
  • rubleyrubley Member Posts: 5
    Anyone know if the 07 IS will be updated with XM Nav Traffic capability?? It certainly should for the somewhat overly-high price on the nav system...
  • hihihi123hihihi123 Member Posts: 2
    I test drove the IS 250 AWD today. My first reaction was this is a great car. Then I tried to get the car out of the lot and I was like "wtf, where is the accelerator?!" That hump is really weird. And like you, I love the car, but that stupid hump is making me think about the G35 AWD again. What a design fart.
  • toydrivertoydriver Member Posts: 227
    I've had the IS AWD now for 3 months and actually appreciate the "hump" as a place to rest my leg when I've got it in cruise control.
  • alolewisalolewis Member Posts: 36
    Had my wife's IS350 three weeks now, fun car to drive no problems yet nor any speeding tickets. Still getting used to not having a key to start/stop engine but saves a lot of time of me standing there while my wife spends 10 minutes looking through her purse for the key.
    Biggest thing I wish the car had: folding rear seats as the trunk cannot carry two golf bags.
    Otherwise love the car.

    Lexus Orientation was not done well as they covered how to program your Bluetooth phone (we don't have one,) on the Nav system seminar spent a lot of time on how to associate a marked point and a phone number so you can look up the point by phone number (yea, who remembers phone numbers) and personalized settings. Recommend they split people up by car (IS, RX, GS, ES, etc) so they didn't have to repeat things 3 or 4 times on each car type.

    This is second Lexus, 2 differant dealers, both seem to insist that you mark them "Outstanding" on any survey you get, what happens to the dealers who get less than "outstanding" such as merely "excellent"?
  • kgk3kgk3 Member Posts: 19
    Does anybody know if ML is special order only? I've seen a few posts with price quotes for an IS350 with ML which makes me think there are cars ordered by the dealers with ML included. Have I been misinformed (once again) by the dealers?

    Thanks in advance.
  • kgk3kgk3 Member Posts: 19
    Where in OH?
  • wale_bate1wale_bate1 Member Posts: 1,982
    CSI scores affect incentives programs to dealers and their associates, and more often than not (and potentially more important), allotments on future vehicle orders, among other things.

    Remember, the dealers can ask for whatever they want, but it's corporate that decides who gets what...
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    Riverside Lexus is where I saw all the IS 350s. Actually, it's in northern KY, but it's owned by the same person (Mike Dever) as their Cincinnati location (Performance Lexus). The two dealerships are within 25 miles of each other. Both had good stock a few weeks ago. Performance had just had a whole truck load delivered with the plastic coverings over the hood and trunk.

    BTW...every 350 I've seen has the ML stereo in it. Doesn't seem like a "special order" type option to me.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • netwonnetwon Member Posts: 53
    Hello All,

    I live in Northern Canada, and I have found a device that lets you install any remote start system you want in a car with Smart Key (or chip on key) to a large range of Toyota Lexus cars... Best part it doesn't require a key/transponder left in the car. Here's the link: http://bypasskits.fortinautoradio.com/products/bypass_kits/key-override-sl/
    The local shop I use had it installed in 45 minutes with Compustar 2 way for remote start.

    Hope its helpful,
    Netwon
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    A couple of new discussions have been created: IS Bluetooth and Navigation and IS: Tires and Wheels. Some recent posts have been moved to each.

    By the way, if you haven't already started "tracking" the IS group, you'll want to go to the top-level IS board (click here) and do so. The link to "Track this Group" is on the right just above the discussion list. That way you won't miss any more new discussions as they are created. ;)

    Enjoy!
  • cincyracegirlcincyracegirl Member Posts: 8
    It is actually called Rivercenter Lexus. When I went there to buy my IS250, the first thing that made me mad was the fact that the sales lady didn't know the details about the car (interior/exterior combos, engine details, options, etc.). Instead of just saying she would look into it, she just made up something. Then the price she quoted me didn't seem to be that great of a deal. So I called Germain Lexus in Dublin and got a price quoted over the phone that was MUCH better. I then went to Performance where I was quoted a price even better than Germain. I had a MUCH better sales experience at Performance. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and not so pushy.

    I am counting down the days until my 250 finally arrives...I can not wait!
  • cincyracegirlcincyracegirl Member Posts: 8
    It is a pretty simple question: why can a person go to buy a 25K Accord and people will fall all over themselves to get the customer the color and options that want...But buying an IS, the dealer attitude seems to be "take what we have" and pay me full price OR "wait for MONTHS to get what you want" and pay me full price. So, this treatment is PRESTIGIOUS ??

    Obviously you need to find a new dealership. Not everyone is having this experience, so go somewhere that will make you happy.
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    cincyracegirl.....congrats on finding a good deal. Rivercenter Lexus didn't seem to be all that interested when I was looking. They had quite a few 250s and 350s in stock. They just didn't seem all that "together". I was talking to the internet manager. He took me on maybe a 5 minute test drive. We started to talk numbers. He disappeared to supposedly get the sales manager to put a number on the IS 350 I was interested in. Standing around the dealership 30 minutes later, I still hadn't heard anything back from the sales person on numbers. Finally, I just left the dealership. The internet guy called me a couple of times, but I felt he didn't deserve a call back.

    Went to Performance Lexus (who, by the way, is owned by the same guy who owns Rivercenter....Mike Dever).

    They were a little better. Sales guy was fine. Sales manager was a bit of a jerk by the way he acted. Got close on numbers. Went so far as getting about $300 apart on a deal. My offer was one I felt very fair with plenty of profit, but the sales manager wouldn't meet me half way on that last $300. When I told him I was shopping around and other cars were on my list, he began to berate each and every one of them (and indirectly, me). Truth told, I probably would have pulled the trigger on the Lexus that day if the sales manager would have been a little more couteous and reasonable. I told the sales person that the sales manager cost him a sale.

    I was also looking at a BMW 330i. I could have lived with the IS 350, but really liked the way the BMW drove.

    BMW Store was great to work with. Sales person was very knowledgeable. But, I bought from Jake Sweeney BMW. They were more aggressive on pricing than the BMW Store.

    No matter. You got what you wanted. Liked the dealership. Like the car. Enjoy it.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • cincyracegirlcincyracegirl Member Posts: 8
    I knew Performance and RiverCenter were owned by the same guy. I guess that is why I was so surprised/disappointed in the difference. The real test will be the service department and how they treat me. I look young for my age, so I have had a lot of problems with getting the respect and attention necessary. I love my Honda service guys so much that I almost broke down and bought another Honda so I wouldn't have to deal with it. Oh well - it will be great having a car that I can't wait to drive and isn't seen on every corner...

    Have a good one!
  • alysonalyson Member Posts: 3
    I need advice! I am getting "graduation present" from college 2 years later--once I get the car I have to pay for everything else--I am between a Lexus IS 250 or a Subaru Outback Wagon 3.0 (I know, pretty different), I'm moving to San Francisco and will use it mostly for weekend trips to Tahoe, camping, Napa etc. Which car is going to be less expensive, more reliable, last the longest etc in the long run? I've heard great things about both, I worry that since Lexus is a foreign luxury car replacing every little thing can get pricey. (not to mention higher insurance rates)
    Any and all thoughts are welcome!! THANKS.
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