Sales experience at Lexus of Glendale
05-14-07, 10:26 PM
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Sales experience at Lexus of Glendale
** Warning long post/story **
You be the judge of how Lexus sales is doing these days.
So we're shopping for a replacement for my wife's LX470, and we go to Lexus of Glendale, to look at 2007 LX470s (yes, knowing that the 2008s will be completely re-designed with new everything and hoping to get a deal on an 07).
So we're looking around and we're in the LX470, checking it out, and a salesperson comes up to us and asks if we need some help, blah blah blah. I tell him we're looking at the LX470 and whatever... first thing he does, is he says "I think you'd be better off in a GX470, it's got this, that and the other". At this point, he leaves us and walks away to the GX470 and starts to tell us about the features and whatnot. Trying to be polite, my wife and I walk over there and look around, sit in the seats, etc. and basically we decide it's not for us. And we tell him that we like the "bigger" size of the LX, not a fan of the 2nd row of seats in the GX, or the side opening rear door, etc. I don't want to sound rude, but he starts to kind of argue with us, telling us, look you only have 1 child, the GX is very big and comfortable, etc. Finally, I tell him, look, I'm not interested in the GX, we'd really like to stick with the LX since that's what we're used to. And for whatever reason, he doesn't really like this direction we're going in and makes it fairly apparent to us through his facial expression. Anyway, he tries to tell us about the LX, and it's obvious he doesn't know much. We asked him about the 2008s and he tells us, well, he doesn't know when or what, but "Lexus is not really interested in this vehicle, there is so little demand that they will not invest into it. I doubt it, there's probably not going to be any changes at all in the 2008"
(For those of you who missed the big announcement --> http://www.lexus.com/fcv/lx.html)
So anyway, against my better judgment, I keep talking with him, and ask him to appraise the value of a car I would trade in (my 2001 LX470). After a while, he comes back and gives us a price that is almost insulting. I've been to 4 other (non Lexus) dealers and the price he gave me is not even in the same ballpark. A full 25% lower than the lowest price I got elsewhere, from a Cadillac dealer.
Then, of course, he says "so what do you want to do"? And I tell him, well, for this much money (the sticker on the 2007 was an eye popping $79k), I'm going to look at other full size SUVs in this class, like the Range Rover, Cadillac, Audi, Infiniti, and so on. Then he gets this look, I swear it was almost a sneer, gives me his card and says "look, you're a Lexus owner, a Lexus driver. Go ahead and look, you'll be back. We'll be talking soon."
And thus endeth the conversation - at this point he shook my hand and walked away. As a 3 time Lexus buyer (94 SC400, 01 LX470, 03 GS300) I don't ever recall an experience like this, and to be honest it was a real turn-off. Who cares that the dealership has free water and coffee and drinks and popcorn? That the waiting area has a putting green? My wife and I couldn't wait to get out of there. It felt like he was doing us a favor to have the opportunity to bestow a precious Lexus vehicle into our unworthy hands.
How the story ends --> from Lexus, we went down the street, purchased a new Infiniti QX56, and drove it home that evening.
You be the judge of how Lexus sales is doing these days.
So we're shopping for a replacement for my wife's LX470, and we go to Lexus of Glendale, to look at 2007 LX470s (yes, knowing that the 2008s will be completely re-designed with new everything and hoping to get a deal on an 07).
So we're looking around and we're in the LX470, checking it out, and a salesperson comes up to us and asks if we need some help, blah blah blah. I tell him we're looking at the LX470 and whatever... first thing he does, is he says "I think you'd be better off in a GX470, it's got this, that and the other". At this point, he leaves us and walks away to the GX470 and starts to tell us about the features and whatnot. Trying to be polite, my wife and I walk over there and look around, sit in the seats, etc. and basically we decide it's not for us. And we tell him that we like the "bigger" size of the LX, not a fan of the 2nd row of seats in the GX, or the side opening rear door, etc. I don't want to sound rude, but he starts to kind of argue with us, telling us, look you only have 1 child, the GX is very big and comfortable, etc. Finally, I tell him, look, I'm not interested in the GX, we'd really like to stick with the LX since that's what we're used to. And for whatever reason, he doesn't really like this direction we're going in and makes it fairly apparent to us through his facial expression. Anyway, he tries to tell us about the LX, and it's obvious he doesn't know much. We asked him about the 2008s and he tells us, well, he doesn't know when or what, but "Lexus is not really interested in this vehicle, there is so little demand that they will not invest into it. I doubt it, there's probably not going to be any changes at all in the 2008"
(For those of you who missed the big announcement --> http://www.lexus.com/fcv/lx.html)
So anyway, against my better judgment, I keep talking with him, and ask him to appraise the value of a car I would trade in (my 2001 LX470). After a while, he comes back and gives us a price that is almost insulting. I've been to 4 other (non Lexus) dealers and the price he gave me is not even in the same ballpark. A full 25% lower than the lowest price I got elsewhere, from a Cadillac dealer.
Then, of course, he says "so what do you want to do"? And I tell him, well, for this much money (the sticker on the 2007 was an eye popping $79k), I'm going to look at other full size SUVs in this class, like the Range Rover, Cadillac, Audi, Infiniti, and so on. Then he gets this look, I swear it was almost a sneer, gives me his card and says "look, you're a Lexus owner, a Lexus driver. Go ahead and look, you'll be back. We'll be talking soon."
And thus endeth the conversation - at this point he shook my hand and walked away. As a 3 time Lexus buyer (94 SC400, 01 LX470, 03 GS300) I don't ever recall an experience like this, and to be honest it was a real turn-off. Who cares that the dealership has free water and coffee and drinks and popcorn? That the waiting area has a putting green? My wife and I couldn't wait to get out of there. It felt like he was doing us a favor to have the opportunity to bestow a precious Lexus vehicle into our unworthy hands.
How the story ends --> from Lexus, we went down the street, purchased a new Infiniti QX56, and drove it home that evening.
05-14-07, 10:31 PM
#2
Lexus Connoisseur
Sorry to hear your experience Jonathan. But congrats on the new ride.
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05-15-07, 11:19 AM
#9
i hate sales people like that. not surprised though. i dont know how many dealers ive been to where they know very little about what they are selling. In all my time the past year or so looking for cars ive always gotten the best service and most knowledge about the car that are being sold from other car makes, especially the european brands.
05-15-07, 12:03 PM
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I have to second that... Longo sales was very VERY convenient, no hassle, and the best thing.. they got what I wanted without the BS. Service though, is blah... I've been to better Honda dealership services.
Glendale Service though is top notch. Not sure about how the sales staff is... but after reading this thread, it might give them a warning sign of at least ONE of their sales staff.
Glendale Service though is top notch. Not sure about how the sales staff is... but after reading this thread, it might give them a warning sign of at least ONE of their sales staff.
05-15-07, 07:14 PM
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The experience at Lexus of Glendale was pretty unexpected, thanks all for being a good sounding board. Part of me wants to rub their nose in my new car, but it's just not worth it. Not taking business there in the future is the only measure of "revenge" that matters.
For those of you who have been asking, here's the QX56.
I'll be the first to say that it's not built like the LX470, especially the interior materials. Since I have a FX35 as well and familiar with the Infiniti product line in general, it's not altogether unexpected. However, it's a great value. Having saved $30K over the price of a 2007 LX470, I can live with a little less wood, a little less leather. For just a smigeon over $50K OTD (inc tax!) I have a fully loaded vehicle, with navigation, rear DVD, tow package, backup cam, 3rd row seat, power rear liftgate, sat radio, HID lights, the works - all stuff I didn't have in our old LX470. When the QX first came out in 2004-2005 it was complete junk, but everything I've read suggests that the 2007 model is a solid one. So I've got my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.
So the GS300 is the lone Lexus vehicle in my garage... hope that still qualifies me to hang around here!
For those of you who have been asking, here's the QX56.
I'll be the first to say that it's not built like the LX470, especially the interior materials. Since I have a FX35 as well and familiar with the Infiniti product line in general, it's not altogether unexpected. However, it's a great value. Having saved $30K over the price of a 2007 LX470, I can live with a little less wood, a little less leather. For just a smigeon over $50K OTD (inc tax!) I have a fully loaded vehicle, with navigation, rear DVD, tow package, backup cam, 3rd row seat, power rear liftgate, sat radio, HID lights, the works - all stuff I didn't have in our old LX470. When the QX first came out in 2004-2005 it was complete junk, but everything I've read suggests that the 2007 model is a solid one. So I've got my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.
So the GS300 is the lone Lexus vehicle in my garage... hope that still qualifies me to hang around here!