The part responsible for the clunking noise was replaced today. I'll be driving the GX periodically over the next couple of days and will report on the outcome. Thanks for the info.
Did a deal last weekend for a '04 GX (rear camera/tire pressure gauge) with nav, levinson, 3rd row and rear entertainment. Wanted a specific color (dark blue/gray interior), and got it, for $48,000. So I called yesterday with a couple of simple questions and was told that the sales person is no longer with the company. So I spoke with one of the managers who told me that car is not available (I have a signed purchase agreement). He didn't have a good excuse, but is trying to get me into colors I don't want, or to let him do the rear entertainment after market. So, two questions: 1. How hard can I push this for price concessions/added options? 2. Does anyone know if aftermarket rear entertainment affects resale value??
I'm sure the sales person wasn't authorized to sign your purchase agreement - who did? Take this issue straight to the GM of the dealership and have him honor the agreement you have. Assuming you also signed a legitimate purchase contract, you have legal rights to enforce it.
As for the aftermarket RES, I'm not sure how it affects resale, but it's sure not worth (or priced) the same as a factory installed system on the vehicles (MDX, Pilot) that I am considering. I could get an aftermarket Sony system for about $900 installed vs. the factory system for $1,500. However, it does not integrate as well with the front dash controls and, from what I understand, would not be covered by the car warranty. It's not the same, period.
I'm waiting to get the GX 9700C. Some dealers have told me that I should put my order in now to make sure I get the car I want (color/options). I'm concerned that once I put in my order, the dealer may try to put me in a different color, try to stick me with the aftermarket DVD or delay delivery.
I thought about asking for a penalty for not delivering on a timely basis or the exact car I signed for.
I would certainly get some guarantee. Don't make the same mistake I did. I put my order in...even saw the allotment sheet they had just gotten in. The car was on it's way. Now, magically, it's not. Something happened that they won't tell me about (got more money for it???). So...definitely write in some protection for yourself.
I guess it depends on who you're dealing with. I never signed anything with my order, just gave the sales guy my credit card # for the deposit. He delivered exactly what I wanted, down to the letter. No problems, no switching.
Keep in mind, when you get the factory DVD entertainment system I think you lose the rear audio option that allow for backseaters to listen to a different radio station thru headphones and remote.
anyway an aftermarket system with two headrest 7inch monitors are about 1500.
Thanks for all the advice. Sounds like the thing to do is to find a good dealership to work with. If anyone has had good experience with any in southern fairfield, ct. Please let me know. Thanks
David, Where can I find the Lexus district news memo. I want to make sure I get the 9700C model since I just placed my order last week and the car is suppose to be on at the dealership this week.
Narrowed my decision to these two vehicles. 3rd row seating is important with 3 kids (ages 5 ,7 and 10). Sequoia's size and 3rd row is perfect. I am worried 3rd row in GX may be too tight, but otherwise the Lexus seems like a fantastic vehicle. Any thoughts?
Without much negotiating the Lexus dealer has quoted me the 9700 C with Nav and DVD at $48,700, plus $600 acq. fee and the Sequoia dealer quoted me the 2004 Limited with no DVD at $42,000. Any thoughts?
You can't go wrong with either vehicle...they are both that good. However, in your situation, the Sequoia may provide a little more "neutral territory" for your 3 kids to claim.
I'm an empty nester, so the Lexus is the perfect size for me. But if I still had 3 kids at home, the Sequoia would likely win.
Another reason I think the Sequoia is the best vehicle for you, kids are social creatures...so i'ts likely that each of your kids is going to have some bud's they want to roll with them from time to time. Those are the times you'll really appreciate having the extra space. Fewer fights over whose friends get to go.
It sounds to me like you want the Lexus, but your wife will probably be happier with the extra "kid space" in the Sequoia.
To the Sequoia/GX buyer. Where do you live. I amd trying to get a ~3500 off MSRP on a new GX with 9700C package. The max I have been able to work to is 2500 off MSRP.
akhtar1, I am in Northern CA. I am looking at a 9700 C that had NAV with camera and every option except KDSS. The MSRP is $53,224 and the fleet manager gave me a price of $48,701 without too much negotiating. Best advice I have found on Edmunds message posts is to go straight to the fleet manager at a dealership. I have found they are less likely to go through the painful 4-square pricing BS sheet that they keep taking to their "Operations Manager." The fleet manager will cut to the chase more quickly.
By the way I did talk to the guys from fleetrates. At least on the phone they did seem pretty helpful. No pressure. They basically offer $4000 off MSRP. Any options added will be at invoice price. They put you in touch with the dealer and thats it. The only reason I did not go with them was the Approx $900 shipping from CA. It is definetly a great source for people in CA. The did say that they were expanding and hope to be doign business on the east coast soon. They also said taht they are going to be adding Mercedes and BMW soon (Jan) to their offerings.
It has been widely reported that Fleetrates is the latest venture of a guy that was charged with taking about a million-dollars of buyers money in Florida (Luxury Cars of Palm Beach), and not delivering the cars, or worse...delivering cars, but not paying off banks to clear the titles. He moved to California and started over again (twice). Fleetrates is said to be his latest venture.
I don't know if they are legit or not. This is just what I have seen reported. I hope they are legit, cause their advertised prices are very compelling. Investigate, before you invest!
Believe me, I am not endorsing fleetrates. But just describing my experience. I was very skeptical about claling them , but felt very comfortable once I was on the phone with them. I know about the Florida thing and stopped short of asking him about that. If they were somewhere on the East coast I would definetly give them a shot. Even now I bought the car over phone/fax with a dealer. I don't think fleetrates would be any different. Just don't give any cash. If you book a car using a Credit Card you should be pretty safe. Once the car is delivered , thats when you pay the rest.
I was just checking. Since he told me that the shipping is ~800 to VA I did not pursue it further. As a matter of fact Igot an e-mail from him today just promoting their deal on GX 470. According to e-mail the new KDSS is available also
Hi, I am also in norhtern va...where did you get your gx at 3.7k off msrp. I am also looking at fleet rates but would prefer to go locally especially for the 800 in trasportation, etc.
San Diego area - Just put a deposit down on a GX w/ Lev/Nav and 3rd row. No rear spoiler - makes it look like a Sequoia! A little over $3500 off of MSRP. They were already offering $2200 off of MSRP for the December sale. It wasn't easy. All I can say is, if you want a nice mid-size 4WD, NEVER drive this car. You won't buy anything else... unless you can afford $65K+++ for a Range Rover.
Hi, I just got my 04 GX with all options except Link and KDSS. I also added Gold Pkg and rear spoiler for about $4.7k below MSRP and YES it has the rear view Camera! The car is unbelievable and I've test driven Porsche, BMW X5, Range Rover and Volvo but none of them even come close to: 1- Smoothness silkiness refinement 2- Quality of workmanship 3- Ride 4- Off road Capabilities 5- Reliability 6- Price
of GX470. Its the best value and SUV for those who are not into Brand-Name and Status b.s. :-) I drove this car for a couple of months (2003 model) and loved it and did not notice any of the issues that were discussed by other members. If you are looking for one then don't waste your time on any other SUV.
Could someone please advise me as to the exact percentage hold back number for the Lexus GX 470? I believe it to be 2%, but I would appreicate a confirmation. Thanks
I live in the Philly, PA area and have been shopping for a while. All the dealers in this area insist that Lexus has not started making the GX with rearview camera yet. One told me probably next summer, another told me they might start in January. ??????????????????
I just ordered a GX with the rear camera in my new SUV. The MSRP increased about $350 and Lexus is shipping the option now. My car should be in around 12/29/03.
They are LYING!!!! The 9700c's are out there. I took delivery last sat on one. They just want to get rid of the 9700b stock. Not very reputable if you ask me. I can only say my buying experience from a dealer in FL was outstanding. Delivered everything promised, and did it EARLIER that expected.
Well the back up cameras are in the 2004 models already. Being the resident expert in this area(waiting since the end of August) I can tell you production started in Japan around Nov. 7th and started to arrive in the states in the beginning of December. Any GX with the 9700 C Model has back-up with Navigation. You can not get the camera without the Nav. package. It's clearly stated on the sticker if it's a 9700 C model and you have nav...it's listed under the options in Navigation/Mark Levinson Package.
I took delivery of a 9700C on 12/4 which had the rearview camera, KDSS and all the other goodies. Would highly recommend the rear camera and KDSS and Tustin Lexus in So.Calif.
How does the KDSS alter the ride? Is there less wobble or bounce after hitting potholes or coming to hard stops? Do you notice less leaning in hard turns? I'm curious what improvement you get with the extra $2K option.
"You may include the dealership name and city/state where you purchased,"
Posting your email address on the boards (we get spidered by the search engines) invites spam. Better to mark it public in your profile and try to bury it a little in there.
I leased a gx black/ivory which is scheduled to arrive late december or early january. I'm paying 570 total a month including tax. It has every option except the KDSS which I did not feel the need of paying for the extra money since it's only a lease. Anyways, is this a good price for a lease. I live in NJ.
You mentioned that you just ordered a GX with the rear camera and you are taking delivery around 12/29/2003. Does that mean the delivery time is only a few weeks after placing the order or is it the 3-4 months some one else had mentioned here? I am considering placing an order for one with rearview camera but without that crappy 3rd row seat. Any one with experience in ordering PLEASE COMMENT.
All the dealerships in the DC area said you must do a special order to get a GX without a third row seat and that the wait is 90 to 120 days. Lexus in Japan will build you the configuration that you want and ship it to your dealership. If there was a GX without the third row seat that someone previously ordered and turned down, then it would take only a few weeks for your dealership to get. I have been called by a couple of dealers in my area that had a GX without the third row, but I said no thanks. Also, remember Lexus will not install the rear A/C on a GX without the third row. So, your rear passengers may be unhappy in the middle of summer. When/if you want to resell/trade-in the GX, you will be at a disadvantage against other GX's.
I apologize for the late response. I've been enjoying my GX during Xmas holidays travel. The dealer I got my GX from is in Mission Viejo called Lexus of Mission Viejo.
I am also in the market for a GX-470 with the Mark Levinson/Navigation package. I don't think I'll need the KDSS or entertainment options.
What kind of terms did you have for your $570/month? How long was the lease? What was the estimated value of the vehicle at the end of the leasing period? Also, did you put any additional money down?
Sorry for the detail...I'm about to make a similar lease, and the numbers I've heard are a bit higher than yours.
How bad is it on the GX compared to the MDX or XC90?
Also, if you really don't want the third row seat, how does the GX stack up against the X5? BMW seems to be dealing on them and, according to what I've been able to determine, the new 2004 model 315 hp V8 is a phenominal on-road performer that gets considerably better gas milage than the Lexus (or even the X5 6 cylinder). I suspect the Lexus is better off-road, but I don't see too many Lexus buyers in my neighborhood going off road.
anyware, my gx lease is for 36 month. It's 570 total including tax per month. However, I had to put 2000 dollars for the down payment. I did not ask for the estimated value after lease, but my guess would be at best high thirties after 3 years(It probably would be lower if you plan to buy the car after the lease). You should definately get a better price for the deal. A Gx with nav/ML and no entertainment, I think you can surely bring the price down(550 or even lower)
I'm just closing on a 36 month/18,000 mile per year lease on a GX470 this PM. The best I could find in this area was through Chase via the dealer. They are using a 58% residual with a .0025 money factor (= 6% APR interest) with no money down. They also charge a $945 lease acquisition fee (w/no disposal fee). If you're not familiar with leases I strongly recommend www.leaseguide.com. The $20 charge for their lease guide has saved me $1000's on leases over the last couple of years.
Comments
So I called yesterday with a couple of simple questions and was told that the sales person is no longer with the company. So I spoke with one of the managers who told me that car is not available (I have a signed purchase agreement). He didn't have a good excuse, but is trying to get me into colors I don't want, or to let him do the rear entertainment after market. So, two questions:
1. How hard can I push this for price concessions/added options?
2. Does anyone know if aftermarket rear entertainment affects resale value??
Thanks for your help.
As for the aftermarket RES, I'm not sure how it affects resale, but it's sure not worth (or priced) the same as a factory installed system on the vehicles (MDX, Pilot) that I am considering. I could get an aftermarket Sony system for about $900 installed vs. the factory system for $1,500. However, it does not integrate as well with the front dash controls and, from what I understand, would not be covered by the car warranty. It's not the same, period.
Get the deal you signed.
I'm concerned that once I put in my order, the dealer may try to put me in a different color, try to stick me with the aftermarket DVD or delay delivery.
I thought about asking for a penalty for not delivering on a timely basis or the exact car I signed for.
Any thoughts?
anyway an aftermarket system with two headrest 7inch monitors are about 1500.
Where can I find the Lexus district news memo. I want to make sure I get the 9700C model since I just placed my order last week and the car is suppose to be on at the dealership this week.
Without much negotiating the Lexus dealer has quoted me the 9700 C with Nav and DVD at $48,700, plus $600 acq. fee and the Sequoia dealer quoted me the 2004 Limited with no DVD at $42,000. Any thoughts?
I'm an empty nester, so the Lexus is the perfect size for me. But if I still had 3 kids at home, the Sequoia would likely win.
Another reason I think the Sequoia is the best vehicle for you, kids are social creatures...so i'ts likely that each of your kids is going to have some bud's they want to roll with them from time to time. Those are the times you'll really appreciate having the extra space. Fewer fights over whose friends get to go.
It sounds to me like you want the Lexus, but your wife will probably be happier with the extra "kid space" in the Sequoia.
I don't know if they are legit or not. This is just what I have seen reported. I hope they are legit, cause their advertised prices are very compelling. Investigate, before you invest!
What dealer were you working with in Northern California? Thx.
I just got my 04 GX with all options except Link and KDSS. I also added Gold Pkg and rear spoiler for about $4.7k below MSRP and YES it has the rear view Camera! The car is unbelievable and I've test driven Porsche, BMW X5, Range Rover and Volvo but none of them even come close to:
1- Smoothness silkiness refinement
2- Quality of workmanship
3- Ride
4- Off road Capabilities
5- Reliability
6- Price
of GX470. Its the best value and SUV for those who are not into Brand-Name and Status b.s. :-)
I drove this car for a couple of months (2003 model) and loved it and did not notice any of the issues that were discussed by other members. If you are looking for one then don't waste your time on any other SUV.
Cheers
link
Steve, Host
This is told by my sales rep.
Can someone confirm this?
??????????????????
Steve, Host
If they're scamming you already, it can only go down hill from here. Watch your back!
I can only say my buying experience from a dealer in FL was outstanding. Delivered everything promised, and did it EARLIER that expected.
My email address is anish621@optonline.net
Thanks
Posting your email address on the boards (we get spidered by the search engines) invites spam. Better to mark it public in your profile and try to bury it a little in there.
Steve, Host
You mentioned that you just ordered a GX with the rear camera and you are taking delivery around 12/29/2003. Does that mean the delivery time is only a few weeks after placing the order or is it the 3-4 months some one else had mentioned here? I am considering placing an order for one with rearview camera but without that crappy 3rd row seat. Any one with experience in ordering PLEASE COMMENT.
I apologize for the late response. I've been enjoying my GX during Xmas holidays travel. The dealer I got my GX from is in Mission Viejo called Lexus of Mission Viejo.
I am also in the market for a GX-470 with the Mark Levinson/Navigation package. I don't think I'll need the KDSS or entertainment options.
What kind of terms did you have for your $570/month? How long was the lease? What was the estimated value of the vehicle at the end of the leasing period? Also, did you put any additional money down?
Sorry for the detail...I'm about to make a similar lease, and the numbers I've heard are a bit higher than yours.
Thanks!
Also, if you really don't want the third row seat, how does the GX stack up against the X5? BMW seems to be dealing on them and, according to what I've been able to determine, the new 2004 model 315 hp V8 is a phenominal on-road performer that gets considerably better gas milage than the Lexus (or even the X5 6 cylinder). I suspect the Lexus is better off-road, but I don't see too many Lexus buyers in my neighborhood going off road.