roxy208

I was just guessing. I saw it was included in the UL package and just assumed.

lesz

I think that demand (and supply) for a particular package can vary widely from one region to the next. I can't speak for the greater Chicago area because it has been years since I lived there, and the situation there could well be different from the one in the wider Midwest region, but in that wider Midwest region, I suspect that demand for UL ES vehicles is considerably lower than it is in some other areas. I've dealt with two Lexus dealers (Madison, Wisconsin and Davenport, Iowa). When I've been at the Madison dealership, I've typically seen one or two ES UL vehicles in their entire new car inventory. A little under half that inventory has consisted of luxury package vehicles, and over half has been premium package or base package vehicles. When I asked the sales manager there about the lack of UL vehicles in his inventory, he said that they just don't have demand for them, and, thus, they don't get them. When I was there last summer, they had one ES UL in their used car inventory, and that same vehicle was on their lot when I came back there 2 months later (and it was being offered at a substantially reduced price).

It has been a couple of years since the last time I was at the Davenport dealership, but, when I was last there, the situation was similar, and I'd guess it is still the same now.

Riverpilot

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes, Lujack (Davenport) doesn't have many on the lot, I think 8? None of them have all the features I would want, and none of them unfortunately have the ultra package. I would really like to see the glass roof in person.

It looks like, according to edmunds site anyway, that the msrp for the ultra is $49,500 compared to the luxury/nav package at $46,500. All approximate of course.

I'm not worried one bit at the resale value. I have an 08' es, and expect to hold onto this one 5+ years as well.

lesz

I find it amazing that Lujack's could have that few ES vehicles in their inventory. The Madison dealer usually has 25-35 at any given time, and the last time I was in Davenport a couple of years ago, I thought that Lujack's had a similar number.

I'm in the northwest corner of Illinois, and there just aren't a lot of Lexus vehicles on the road in the area or across the river in Dubuque. I'm not sure whether it is because the closest dealers are almost 100 miles away or whether it is the case that the reason why Lexus doesn't have dealers around here is because they know that there isn't much demand for their vehicles in this area.

I would say that close to 90% of the Lexus vehicles that I do see on the road around here are the RX model. Of the ES vehicles that I've seen since the 2013 model year, I can recall having seen only one UL ES on the road, and that one appeared to be owned by people from Chicago who were vacationing in the area. In the last couple of years, I've seen a handful of the GX model (one of them is mine) and an occasional IS. In those last couple of years, I can only recall having seen 1 LS, 1 LX, and 3 or 4 of the GS.

The bottom line is that, if you drive a Lexus (other than a RX) around here, you may never cross paths with another Lexus vehicle identical to yours.

airgas1998

yep, i'm in central iowa, and Willis has not a single UL pkg'd es 350. also there is no doubt in this area the RX model is king of popularity.

wowzer

I own a 2015 ES300h with luxury package and nav, so yes it ispossible.however, i do not have the larger tires. From what ive read, I'm better off without the larger tires...

lesz

That is because, as I said earlier in the thread, the Lexus website is not an indication of what configurations are possible. It is only an indication of what configurations are currently being built and shipped to dealers, but those configurations change during the course of the model year.

It is likely that vehicles with different package and option configurations were built 2 months ago and that many of those vehicles are still in the inventories of dealerships. It is also likely that, a few months from now, still other configurations will be built at that time.

Riverpilot

Ok, so let me make sure I have all this straight.

I can get the luxury package with navigation package. This navigation package comes with the ability to use your iphone for remote start, etc..

Does this navigation package also have the Lexus sos button, which monitors the air bags, etc.. enform with safety connect?

It looks like Peoria actually has the two models I'm looking at. One with the ultra, and one with the luxury. Road trip upcoming it looks like.

lesz

Yes, it would have the SOS (Lexus Connect) button. However, after the one year free trial, you need to purchase an annual subscription from Lexus to be able to use it.

With regard to the remote start, if you get the remote start (RES) that works with the key fob, there is no charge to use it, but with RES+, which allows you to use your phone, there is also an annual subscription for that. There have been some threads on this board about RES and RES+, and some who have the RES+ have talked about it being somewhat buggy. Also, for the 2013 and 2014 ES, getting RES was about a $500 option, and getting RES+ was, I believe, about a $700 option. I'm not sure about the $2015 ES, but I believe that the remote start features are still options and not included on all vehicles, regardless of package.

Mike728

In 2015 the only RES option, that shows on the Lexus website, is "Lexus Enform Remote". This is similar to RES+, but a completely different system. It only shows being available with the ML audio system, but I believe it's included with navigation. The site currently shows nav only available with ML, which we know is not really true.

Neoxagon

That's one of the things I really dislike about Lexus' website. 1) it's very poorly designed; 2) doesn't let you add options "a la carte" or "dim sum" style

lesz

I just checked the Enform page on the Lexus site The annual subscription for only Safety Connect is $139.95. The annual subscription for Safety Connect and Enform Remote is $219.95. The annual subscription for Safety Connect and Destinations is $264.90 per year, and the annual subscription for the complete package, including Safety Connect, Remote, and Destinations is $344.90 per year.

If you were to get the complete package of Enform services and add a Sirius/XM subscription (at its regular price), you would be at over $600 per year in subscriptions.

LexBob2

That's way too much IMO. Plus unless things have changed, Lexus doesn't offer any savings or specials on renewals.

jollick

You can sign up for as many as 4 years and save a little.

Riverpilot

I don't mind the costs associated for the sirius and the remote start, etc... For me, it's a small price for convenience and enjoyment.

One thing I didn't even realize, the 2015s are now built in Kentucky? Does that mean ALL the 2015 model year ES were built their, or does that mean only the cars beginning in January 2015 are being built in Kentucky and all the previous 2015 were built in Japan?

I'm always a little leery about any changes on a first model year.