Lexus ES 300/ES 330 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

paguy2 · August 2004

I have almost made a deal for $34.5 (Navg., ML audio etc. MSRP approax. $38K) with Ray Catena in NJ. I tried with the dealer in DE (via Phone/email) but they were not even close to this price.

juststartd · August 2004

I'm no attorney, but I had similar experience a few years ago. I suspect Lexus has NO power to force this dealer to do anything. My suggestion would be to contact the dealer licensing department for your state. Where I live it was called "Vehicle Enforcement". They have the ability to investigate, fine, or suspend a dealers license for illegal practice. I found that just a call from one of their investigators got the problem resolved. Obviously they didn't want the hassle of an investigation. I was treated VERY cold when I later visited the dealership, but I really didn't care. If nothing else, they can advise you if a valid contract had been completed with their agreement and your deposit. Good luck!

mcurtis · August 2004

Am looking into buying either a 2004 or 2005 Lexus ES 330. Really need a dependable, comparatively trouble free car. Has anyone had good or bad experiences with the 2004 as I think I could probably get a better price. Have been driving a Catera and am in the Dallas, TX, area.

anchortwn · August 2004

So even for 2005 ES, I should be asking for 89% of the MSRP or less? What would be a good deal??? 85% of the MSRP price?

I was looking at this ES 330 with Navigation (no ML), also comes with HID, Vent. Chair, Floor mat...etc (I forgot whether they have VSC or not). I know the MSRP for this car is $36894 and they gave me a total price out of the door is $37250 (includes tax, lic , doc fee) and I live in Orange County. Please tell me whether this is a good deal or not?

atoews · August 2004

anchortwn - all I am saying is that the vast majority of posters on this thread have been getting prices of between 89%-90% of MSRP without negotiating much. There have not been many posts on the 2005 but for the 2003-2004, it seems to have remained pretty constant over the past 6-8 months at least.

There is no guarantee that any buyer will get any price.

I am only saying that based on the posts on this thread, if I were buying a car today, I'd probably offer 89% (or walk out on more than 89%-90%) of MSRP if I did not want to negotiate. If you have multiple dealers in your area, you might want to walk out on a greater than 90% deal unless you are hard over on a specific vehicle combination. Rememeber that the 90% or less includes everything but govt. imposed taxes and fees. In other words, your price, including all the dealer BS fees should not amount to more than 90% MSRP if you want to get the same kind of prices that Edmund's posters have been getting.

Virtually none of the posters have received less than 87%. Some have received between 87-88% so if you are a hard core negotiator, you might want to try for 87%. You can see that the range of prices is pretty tight.

There have been debates about whether using invoice versus %MSRP is a better indicator. Everyone seem to agree that invoice would be better, except that it is not as straightforward to obtain. So on this board, folks have been reporting their prices and MSRPs.

anchortwn · August 2004

Thanks for replying. I contacted couple dealers in my area most of them offered around 34k (MSRP 36894) which is 92% of the MSRP. I guess I should try to negotiate with them harder.

juststartd · August 2004

I am ready to buy an '05 ES330. Unfortunately I have only one dealer within 300 miles of me. I am looking at a "level 1" (non-nav, basic model) and the local dealer will not deal on them. I am willing to travel. Can someone tell me a specific dealer who is more motivated and is willing to do a deal more in the 90% of sticker? I live in western U.S. but travel extensively through west.

anchortwn · August 2004

Thanks for replying. I contacted couple dealers in my area most of them offered around 34k (MSRP 36894) which is 92% of the MSRP. I guess I should try to negotiate with them harder.

lexon · August 2004

Finally, I made it. The ride home back was astounding. ** The window sticker says "Two services are Free". I did not understand this.

MSRP 38,444 (Has Navi/ML and everything else)

Price Paid: 34,500.00
Tax: 2,076.00
Tire Fee: 7.50
Doc Fee: 211.00
Total: 35894.00

kennyg5 · August 2004

Congrats! It appears that the keen price competition from the TL and the I35 is driving down the price of the ES 330, which is great for consumers who are car shopping. I don't recall that Lexus was willing to sell cars at 10-12% off MSRP a couple of years ago.

atoews · August 2004

Be advised, I don't have a lot of data on 2005s. They are new, and may be more in demand.

And a lot depends on your region, the competition, etc. All my numbers are ballparks on what others have recieved and it seems fairly constant across geographical regions.

atoews · August 2004

The devil, as they say, is in "the fees".
In order to do an apples-to-apples comparison, all dealer fees need to be calculated into the offer price. Only govt. imposed fees, like license and tax, are excluded.

The reason for keeping out the fees for doing comparisons is to get around individual dealer BS fees in figuring how a price compares to what others ' are getting.

You need to add the fees to the 33,914 and then compare the resutling number to your MSRP to get a good comparison to others' deals.

Be aware that the time of year may also matter. We did a comprehensive comparison in December 2003, and the prices were all coming in at around 88-90% MSRP.

I have not done a comprehensive analysis lately like I did in December, but it may be doable by going back through the posts to see what folks have received lately. Prices may be higher now.

Based on my observation for the past couple of years, if I were buying a vehicle, I if I were not in a hurry, I'd look to December as a good month to buy a car.

atoews · August 2004

keenyg5 - you are correct. In 2002, none of us were getting the vehicle for that kind of price, but then again the body style was totally new then.

mrrogers · August 2004

Los Angeles, CA is one of the most competitive markets in the USA. My suggestion would be to pick a LA zipcode (91311 works) and configure your car at the CarsDirect website. I would then contact some LA dealers off of the Lexus website, and see if they will beat your price. Good luck!

1wayout · August 2004

I got a price quoted to me of 509/mo including the sales tax for a 36 mo lease, 18k miles per year, zero down on a new 2005 ES330.

How does this sound?

Only thing keeping me from doing it is the deal with the tires. There is a notice on the car that says the 17" tires may last substantially less than 20k miles....I drive about that each year. Lexus has got to fix that.

caddyman · August 2004

I want to buy a 2005 ES330. I contacted 11 dealers in three states by phone and e-mail and the best price I could get was 93% of MSRP. The majority of dealers were at least $1,000 over my best price, and most wouldn't negotiate at all - take it or leave it! They have one or two available and claim the incoming cars are already taken. What am I doing wrong?

caddyman · August 2004

Can you tell me what dealership sold you this car? I'll buy one tomorrow!

atoews · August 2004

caddyman - you probably are not doing anything wrong. Cars may be flying off the lots in your area. Or, there may be a sudden demand to NAV (an option not generally in high demand.)

Perhaps August is a better car buying month than other months in your area.

2005s are new, so they may be running higher in your area.

One purchaser in Washington state had a vehicle shipped from Southern California because the prices differential made it worth his while.

On a 34000 vehicle each 1% of MSRP is worth about $340.

Southern California is a very competitive market, so you may be able to save some by either picking up a car there and driving back or by having it shipped.

You are not doing anything wrong.

juststartd · August 2004

Can anyone indicate specifically WHO in southern CA has been most interested in discounting on this car?

1wayout · August 2004

lexon;

Are you concerned about the short life of the tires on this car. I love the ES but I am reluctant to purchase a car that requires new tires about every 1.5 years.

philly2 · August 2004

Can you tell us what dealership sold you this car? Your early post #596 (34.6) informs us that you had a serious problem with one of the dealership. Do you have the car or did you have to order your car? What color?

lenscap · August 2004

atoews is right. The price discounts on the 2005 ES 330 have a lot to do with where the car is in its life cycle. The ES is now in the 4th year of a 5-year cycle. That is a big reason why dealers are willing to go more off sticker.

I bought my 1995 ES 300 (also 4th year of a 5-year cycle) for $31,000 and it stickered for $35,800. My 2002 ES 300, on the other hand, was purchased closer to sticker because it was a brand-new model.

dougg · August 2004

There are 2 cars here in Atlanta that have what I am looking for, an ES with all the options (Navi, heated seats, rear screen, Mark Levinson,etc...)

The first car is the 03, and the miles are extremely high at 45K. The car is in excellent shape for the miles (though not that old in time) and is certified. I'm really hesitant on the miles as I put on about 22K per year, so after the 3rd year, the car would be at 100K, and out of warrenty, with a year or two to pay on it. What advice would anyone give on buying a car this new with this many miles. The dealer is at $26500, and willing to go lower. Tomorrow being the end of the month, it may be a good time to deal. What I've found is:

Kelly Blue Book
Trade In $18545
Private Deal $21625
Dealer Retail $26600

Edmunds
Trade In $27014
Private Deal $28691
Dealer Retail $32087

Here I think Edmunds is very high. For $32.7 I could get into a 2004 with no miles, so I'll go with KBB. Also Carfax had no accident history on the car, so apparently very clean just driven lots. What would make this an offer too hard to pass up, at what price?

The second is an 04 ES330 that only has 2k miles and was driven by a service manager. Not sure if it is a demo or has ever been titled. The car is black, not a color I really wanted this time around, but has all the options. Again, I've found,
                         Invoice MSRP
Edmunds
Invoice $33041
MSRP $37660 **only had new prices on 04, too new to be under used

KBB
Trade In $28175
Private Party $31600
Dealer Retail $35125
Again, tomorrow being the end of the month, and this being a 2004, what would you consider a good price.

Thanks for any and all replies.

atoews · August 2004

Just for kicks try:

Lexus of Cerritos - boasts a large inventory, plus I believe they are the Sam's Club dealer in So Cal.
Jim Falk of Beverly Hills - Some posters have been happy with them.

Also try Motor City Lexus in Bakersfield - they compete in southern california, but their local market is smaller as they are out of the way. Their services tend to be cheaper than in the LA area, so maybe their cars are, too.

Also, you may want to try Sam's Club or Costco. Their auto deal departments may give you a "scoop" on what kind of pricing you can expect.

mtpys · August 2004

So has anyone bought recently from around here? I'm thinking about an ES330 and want to know if I should steer away from any particular dealer.

Thanks,

MikeS.

juststartd · August 2004

Thank you for the information and for others who replied. I have put a deposit on a vehicle from a San Diego dealer. I will post how the rest of the transaction goes. I purchased for about 91.5% of MSRP on an '05 level 1 car. They are even delivering it to me in Las Vegas while I'm there on business.

atoews · August 2004

Thanks for your post. If I were energetic, I'd do a comparison like I did in December. At that time, I made a list of about 10 purchasers from various parts of the country as to the %MSRP they paid.

Were I to do it for August/Sept, I might find that generally there is a premium for purchasing at that time.

I noticed that for two consecutive Decembers, prices seemed to have dropped.

I'd like to encourage all posters who purchase vehicles to post their %MSRPs on deals they receive. Please post as follows:

MSRP price
price paid excluding license and tax
geographical region.

optional: specify the options.

I am interested in the data for the next time I purchase a vehicle.

I am thinking that based on what I know now, I might plan to buy a body style in its second year, in the November/December time frame.

atoews · August 2004

Quite frankly, it appears as though the MSRP is dropping. 36K for NAV/ML would have been unthinkable when I purchased my vehicle. It was more like 38K then.

So, even if nowadays you pay a greater % MSRP than in the past, the MSRP may be lower, which means you are getting a comparable price to other shoppers.

igiban · August 2004

Sure 36K is for NAV with ML not w/o? Lexus dropped NAV/ML pack from 39K to 38K for msrp from 03 to 04, and now to 36K on 05? I might wait until 2010 to get it under 30K then!

atoews · August 2004

Actually, no, igiban, I am not really sure of anything. We can only believe what the posters tell us. :-)

2010? By then, there will be a new model style completely and then some cycle will start over.

I should have been cornering recent posters to get their prices - but I am not buying a car now, so my energy level and interest is not as high as if I were in the market.

anchortwn · September 2004

Getting my ES 330 this weekend for sure. Contacted almost all the dealers in LA/OC areas and finally found several dealers that offers really competitive prices so i am going in to finalize my deal when I am done with my vacation.

As for Lexus of Cerritos...I honestly don't think that they are the cheapest place in town. All other dealers that I have contacted gave me a much lower initial price of the exact same car. It is a good idea to shop around and compare. I think this year they have lots sales pressure so it is better for our consumers to look around more before you pay.

I will post my transaction after I am done buying the car. Thank you all for ur advices.

paguy2 · September 2004

Can you tell which dealer and what color? Did they have lot of 05's available?

Thanks

paguy2 · September 2004

Made a deposit for 05 ES more than a week ago. Sales person told me that he will know car's arrival date in couple of days. Since that everytime I call him, he says samething. What should I do?

philly2 · September 2004

Lexon,
Can you tell us what dealership sold you this car? Your early post #596 (price: 34.6) informs us that you had a serious problem with one of the dealership. Do you have the car or did you have to place an order for your car? What color?

henrye1 · September 2004

Can anyone tell me what would be a good % of MSRP one would pay at this time of year for a 2004? Or is it even a good idea to be looking for 2004's? Thanks

dougg · September 2004

I've been shopping for a new ES330 with all the options, hoping to get an 04 at a really good price. The closest I've found is $34K, with MSRP over $38K. There is a car a dealer has that was in a wreck and sold back to them with only 1400 miles. They are asking $28,900 for the car, or about $10k less than a new one. They have been very honest about the damage and even gave me the number to the body shop, who faxed me the repair order. The damage was about $7k, and it needed a new bumper, quarter panel, rocker panel, trunk, and lights. The overall parts were $3000 and the labor was close to $4000. The body shop has offered me, if I buy from the dealer, the same lifetime guarantee on the work and paint (which is good provided I don't move in the next 5 years). They also told me there was minimal shifting of the rear unibody, but not enough to replace, they straightened out and the car aligned perfectly on a 4 wheel alignment.

I looked briefly at the car and drove it a few days ago, and I'm going back for an extensivelook and drive tomorrow. On one hand, $7k sounds like a lot of damage, on the other hand, a practically new 330 for $10K less than new sounds tempting.

Any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated. I am being pushed a bit by the dealer. They just detailed the car today, and if I pass tomorrow it goes on the lot for sale (has not been as of yet, they just got back in on trade after the wreck). So, I have to make a relatively quick decision or chance someone else buying it.

mldj98 · September 2004

The one thing you should think about is how long do you plan on keeping this car? If you plan on keeping it for a very long time then it might be something you should do. However, in my opinion, if you ever try and sell this car later and you tell someone it has been in an accident nine times out of ten they will not want to buy it. Of course if they ask you about any accidents you can tell them no but in today's world it is easy to find out that information through CARFAX and other sources. Bottom line, I would leave that one alone and give yourself peace of mind and get the new one. Who wants to drive down the road and always be thinking about the accident this car has had. Of course this is just my opinion.
Good luck!

phn344 · September 2004

I just retuned from the dealer. He said his absolute lowest "at this time" is $1800 off MSRP which is approx. 95% MSRP for a non-Nav '05.

He said the issue right now is "supply and demand". There is more demand than supply at this time. He stated that this may change over the next couple months, in which case the price may be $200-500 lower.

I may go with the '04 Acura TL...lots of supply around here and I suspect I can get it for invoice or even slightly below.

anchortwn · September 2004

Phn

Where are you at? If I were you I will definitely NOT consider to buy from there. Going to buy my car tomorrow. Will post the followup within 24 hrs.

atoews · September 2004

Poster professordjf is my boyfriend. He just bought a 2004 ES330 about three weeks ago. He bought it when he discovered that Lexus was changing the interior options for the 2005. He likes the red wood panelling and light grey interior better than the equivalent options offered for the 2005.

Here is his info:

Purchase Date: 8/11/2004
MSRP: $37,424
Price excluding license and tax: $34,000
Geographical Region: Dallas, Texas
% MSRP = 34000/37424 = 90.8%

Options include Nav/ML

paguy2 · September 2004

Picked up new 2005 ES 330 (with Navg./ML etc.) for $35K. (excluding tax, title & registration)

MSRP $38,444.00
Price Paid: $35,000

Alabaster Mettalic/Ash

Wilkie Lexus in Haverford, PA (near Philly)

dedaoler · September 2004

In your earlier postings, you stated that you had a problem with Wilkie Lexus. I am curious why you ended up buying from them and paid 500 more than the offer you got from Ray Catena in NJ.

vanboy · September 2004

Paguy2,

Did you notice of the posted transmission hesitation issues? I'm looking to buy a new 2005 ES330 soon. Just waiting a month or two after release. They won't negotiate much just after the introduction.

philly2 · September 2004

paguy2,
When I went to Wilkie Lexus to test drive the '05 Lexus ES330 and order my car I drove a alabaster mettalic/ash car. Did you purchase the demo or did they order your car? They tell me my car should be in by the middle of September. I am a little surprise that you purchased a car from Wilkie because your earlier post states that you had problems with the dealership - what developed?

paguy2 · September 2004

The one I purchased was not a demo. That's what they told me. It had 100 miles on it when I got it.

In regards to lower offer from Ray Catena, actually the difference (out of door price) was only about $200. Ray Catena charges $200 doc fee and you have to get PA emmission and state inspection done on your own (another $70-80). I think it is worth to pay little bit more to get from the local dealer. In addition I felt Wilkie was more honest and professional than Ray Catena.

philly2 · September 2004

paguy2,
You are right by saying Wilkie is not a honest dealership because you just purchased the demo. That is the car that I test drove and that is the only car that they had in stock. Did you ever think how it got 100 miles on it already? You may want to go back and talk to the dealership.

maxhonda99 · September 2004

100 miles does not make it a demo. Even cars with a few hundred to 500 miles are sold as new cars.

When you're talking thousand(s), you're talking demo.

paguy2 · September 2004

I do not think 100 miles is a big deal and does not make it a Demo. Actually I said that they (Wilkie Lesus) were more Honest and professional than Ray Catena. All the communications was done via email or phone. Salesperson told me before hand that this car has 100 miles on it since it was driven to a Lexus sponsered Golf event nearby. I could have gotten car with no miles but would had to wait for few weeks. I know people who have bought new car with 400 miles on it.

philly2 · September 2004

paguy2,
Your quote from post #591 -
"The dealer in Philly area (Wilkie Lexus) has backed out since. Not a very honest dealership."

taylor2 · September 2004

have done a lot of research and gone to several dealers some would not give me quote what is fair price for loaded car nav/mark lev vv hl avs hh wu

Lexus ES 300/ES 330 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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