noladave

Newbie, looking at the ES350, and I have a couple of questions for anyone that might know.

New Orleans car show was a joke, so I'm heading to ATL show next weekend. Anyone know if the ES350 will be there?

Anybody ever deal with the Lexus dealer in New Orleans (Metairie - suburb of New Orleans)? Any comments?

Lastly, I've searched, and couldn't find any DVD options for people in the back seat, or while driving. I read that the DVD/NAV system can paly DVD's, but only while in park. Any comments?

Thanks in advance.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

There are no factory or port installed DVD options for rear seat passengers.

You will be able to hack the DVD/NAV system (only if you have the Mark Levinson audio package) to play DVDs in drive, but please be aware of your local/state laws regarding this. Most states make it illegal to have a video screen in front of the driver's shoulders.

badgis

Hi noladave,


Lexus of New Orleans is first class. Bought my ES330 there and they are great. Just bought my last lexus in November from Lexus of Baton Rouge and they are Great. From everyting i hear and read you cant go wrong. To even be a lexus dealer they have to go throught so much training and perform to a very high standard or they dont keep thier franchise. LEXUS does the best job of any car make picking its dealers. You cant go wrong.

badgis

Lexus does offer head rest replacements with the DVD players built in . They are installed by the dealer so it wont Hurt your warranty. It only takes them about half an hour to install. They are original factory replacement so they match your color and style.The cost in about $1800.00 installed and included two factory replacement headrests with DVD player in both, remote, and headphones.

noladave

Thanks, I hope they do offer the DVD / Head rest option, as it is probably the only thing preventing me from buying this car - other than the test drive of course!

Do you know if the New Orleans shop has a 350 in the showroom?

jeffofla

What cars in this class have the DVD/Head Rest option AND all the options it has currently that you would buy? Not trying to be flippant, but I'm also looking at the MB E350. I have been trying to find all the options on one car without special ordering it from the factory, and quite frankly, I can't. So I think I'm going to save $20k and buy the ES 350, staying in the Lexus family. While the LS will have the drop-down rear seat DVD as an option, I would not let that stop you from buying the ES just because it doesn't have it.

noladave

Well, thanks for your opinion, but it's not my opinion.

We've been dealing with the whole portable dvd players mess for 2 years now, and I'm tired of it. If I'm going to spend 40K for a car, I'm going to make sure it has some sort of entertainment for the kids. If the dealer can install it, then I'm fine with that.

Lyn06

I have a question about satillite radio. I bought my blk/blk ES 350 May 1 and was looking forward to enjoying the satillite radio. Since I paid sticker for the car they waived the installation fee. I was told the kit has not arrived yet and they will call me when it's in. I have read other posts on another site that they have had XM already installed. I asked about XM and the dealer told me they use Sirius and that I would be unhappy with the XM installation. I live in an area where there aren't many radio stations to choose from and I can't wait for my satillite radio!
I was also wondering about the car cover. I would like to purchase one for this car since I have a carport and the cats love to sleep on it. Has anyone purchased one through Lexus or is there somewhere else I can purchase it. I would like it to be the one specifically for the 350.

Also, I did a big booboo. I'm being overly cautious about parking my new car away from everyone else. The other night I pulled into a spot next to a curb and the front bottom left of the skirting scraped the curb! Yikes. Since my car is black it now has a white scrape under the skirting. I was sick. I am definitely getting it fixed. I just wanted to warn people that the front skirting hangs a little low and to be careful.

slider71

unhappy with XM? Both they and Sirius use satellites, so I call BS.

I'm told that Sirius specifically was delayed until Summer 2006....but XM is available now, either via dealer or port installation.

Lyn06

I would prefer XM. I'm a big NASCAR fan and XM carries the NASCAR channel. The dealer told me that if I got XM instead of Sirius I would have an extra box on the front of the dash and that I would not like the way it looked.

By the way, I took the car to two body shops for quotes for my scrape boo boo. The first said they would have to take the whole front bumper off , strip the paint, sand and repaint. $535.00
My husband said no way to taking the bumper off. We went to another body shop we had used in the past. He said they could spot fix it and it would look like nothing ever happened. His quote is $125. I feel better about that.

slider71

There is nothing on my dash for my XM...I'm using the stock radio headunit controls. I also don't see a box in the trunk...perhaps its behind the lining somewhere. Your dealer seems very poorly informed about XM, on the take for Sirius, or wanting to welch out on his delivery promise to you.

CactusMatt

Sirius is doing all the Nascar stuff next year by the way.

wizhill

This is funny - I got the exact opposite story from my dealer. They said there were problems with the Sirius receivers, and that every Sirius installation they had done had resulted in the customer coming back and swapping it for XM. They also said I would be unhappy with the Sirius programming. (I have listened to both and much prefer Sirius, but I digress...)

They said that they normally installed Audiovox recievers for Sirius, but that they were switching to another brand to solve some of the problems. Anyone else heard this, or know anything about it?

dp5

I got the same story from my dealer. They are using an aftermarket antennae to try and solve some of the Sirius connection problems. They said that they warn every customer purchasing Sirius ahead of time that the reception is intermittent but virtually everyone calls and complains afterwards. My salesman strongly recommended XM so I went with it even though I prefer the Sirius content.

wizhill

Do you happen to know if they were using the Sirius receiver from Audiovox, or the other brand? And does anyone know the name of the other brand?

I think I'll hold off on either until I see some results on CL on the alternate receiver.