Bash4

We bought a Ruby w/black from Merriville today. I originally ordered a Ruby w/cashmere a month ago. That combination is so rare and the dealer did not know if he could get one by August. Also they gave an extra $500 to take the black interior. Another factor was the swivel Xenon head lights and parking assist. These options are not available right now. Sticker is $41249, paid $39249. I'm very happy with my price concidering other Lexus dealers in Chicago area are not dealing. I just wish I could have gotten cashmere. I may trade this in next year for a Ruby w/cashmere. Never know. My salesman also said all new 350s are comming in from Japan as $37170 premiums, $40289 premium plus, or UL if lucky. That's it. We pick the car up Saturday. This is my first Lexus. I hope I don't have any transmission problems like others have. This seems to be Lexus least reliable car to date. Hope I'm wrong.

twister

Congratulations!!! I'm waiting for mine to arrive next Saturday too So, did you get Premium+ package?

Tranny problem was found only on the early models in May. My dealership, here in NJ, informed me that Lexus factory implemented new testing to screen out transmission problems. So, all the new builds from Japan starting from June will be 100% good!!!

amf1932

I definitely wouldn't say that! The percentage of people that had the transmission problems with this model are extremely small.
I've owned 4 Lexus ES's since 1990 and they proved to be the most trouble free automobiles of any manufacturer that I've ever owned.
I'm sure you're going to love your new ES350 just as most of us.

Good luck.......and enjoy.

Alan

PsychDoc

You are 100% correct. My transmission is smooth as silk (other than a bit of "hunting" when decelerating from around 20mph down to 10mph and this is really no big deal).

I'll take this car any day of the week compared to my '02 ES 300 in which every transmission they made was a total disaster.

Bash4

Yes I got premium plus with every option. Next option would put me in a UL package. I'm a little worried my car was manfactured in April. It has been sitting in Merriville for a month. I hope Lexus figured out the tranny problem.

andejes

You are so right about Chicago dealers. I live in Chicago and one dealer offered me $200 off as if he was doing me a favor. This was on a UL package. I also heard from a couple of Chicago dealers that they have people waiting with deposits for a Ruby/Cashmere and there has been no luck. One dealer said it didn't exist. I am sure it does but it's not easy to come by out here. You're getting your car just in time to get your city sticker without paying the God awful penalty.

cleblanc

I'm surprised to hear that about the ruby/cashmere. I guess I should consider myself lucky. That's what I got the first week the car came out. There was actually another one on the lot too already spoken for. The dealer mentioned it was a rare combination but I thought maybe he was just trying to make me feel good about my purchase. Mine is not a UL though. I think the UL cars are rare anyway. I have not yet see one.

amf1932

You can recognize the UL Edition from the outside if it has the panoramic moonroof and also the Graphite coated 10 spoke wheels.

Hitsme

I'm really surprised at the Ruby/Cashmere shortage. I got mine, a Ruby/Cashmere UL, the first week they came out (a week late).

I've told this on other threads, but . . . My wife and I had studied the choices for several weeks prior to the release, and went to Longo in CA to buy a Granite/Light Gray premium plus. Longo has a huge underground lot. We went there and picked out one of several Granite/Gray cars for our salesguy to drive up to the front of the building. We walked past the Ruby/Cashmere, looked at each other with that OMG look, and calmly asked him to also bring that car upstairs. The Granite came up first. When the Ruby came up and was parked next to the Granite, my wife gave out an involuntary yelp (not a good bargaining tactic) and that was all she wrote.

It was during the first days of anyone selling/buying the car, so we got literally thousands off the siticker, got the Sirius with a 9 month subscription thrown in, and accidentally ended up with what appears to be a highly sought after car. I'm a happy guy.

P.S. - I've been stopped many, many times, 3 times just this weekend by people wanting to look at it and talk about it, and it's the Royal Ruby Metalic that starts the conversation.

P.P.S. - Bash4, I'm sure it will look stunning with the black interior.

LexFather

Congrats!!

Macklin

Exactly! That's a dead on description. I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice this. Really bothered me at first, but I've gotten used to it. Do you think this is associated with the "engine brake" feature mentioned in the manual? It does almost feel like a mild braking sensation at times.

PsychDoc

Interesting observation. I really don't have a clue. Bottom line, it really is a very minor anomaly and I don't find it too annoying at all that it "hunts" a little when decelerating at slow speeds. Like I said it's orders of maginitude better than the disasterous transmissions they put in the '02's.

Bash4

Hi andejes, I don't live in Chicago thank God. I love Chicago it's just the driving and cost of living I can do without. I live about eighty-five miles south of Chicago. Gasoline here is $3.05 for reg and $3.25 for premium. That's crazy. Anyway Lexus of Merriville was the only dealer to lower the price on a 350. I did here McGrath was offering $500 off but I can't stand that dealer.

Bash4

PsychDoc, You have my color combination. Is your inside ceiling color grey ? If so how do you like it? Do you wish you had cashmere or does it not matter to you?
Thanks Bash4

CyclopStan

I have the same color combo and the only grey is on the dash & console. The remaining areas are all cashmere.