TheAirman

You're in the same boat as me. But at least your dealer gives you some information as mine leaves me completely in the dark.

I did notice the availability on cars.com went up to 207 the other day. That's almost doubled from a week or two ago. So there's some good news.

As for the CT, it went from 88 a few weeks ago to 177 today.

TheAirman

One just popped up on cars.com. It's newly listed and Obsidian in color. The bad news is that it is located in Littleton, Colorado.

Here's the VIN:
JTHBB1BA9B2045538

RJQMAN

Thanks for the tip. I do not mind the distance. And based on his listings, it would appear that a shipment has arrived somewhere. I am attempting to contact this dealer via e-mail tonight. Their listing does not give any real information on what is on the car, but the price point implies that it may be what I want.

I went by my local dealer today to look at a 250h he had gotten in trade that we both knew did not meet my specs - but he said I could take a look at it if I wished to. Then I got an odd reaction. The salesman first asked if I would give a $5k non-refundable deposit on the car, stating that a car with everything on it would be hard for for the dealer to sell if I did not accept it. It seemed bogus to me, but I went along, because I sincerely want the car.

BUT I would put a time limit of 8 weeks, and a 'general' limitation on max pricing, and if he could not get the car in that time or inflated the pricing, I would no longer be bound by the agreement and could get my deposit back.

Then the head guy came out to talk. He said he would guarantee a max price if Lexus did not change their pricing to him, but he could not guarantee the eight weeks, but should have it in 10 weeks. I said fine, I will give you the deposit now - 10 weeks is ok with me.

He then backed off and said no deposit would be needed, and he verbally guaranteed me a price not to exceed - and said that it would only change if Lexus changed their list prices and/or package options before the car came. I don't know if he was just testing me or what, but it was an odd exchange.

He said he had five specific orders in to Lexus, and I was the fifth. I thought he had placed an order for me before, or due to some weird Lexus thing, he could not do that. Sudden change of story about being able to order a specific car that was slightly disturbing.

I told him I had already been waiting 8 weeks, and that I would continue to look for a certified used model, but that it would seem unlikely that I would find one based on experience to date. He accepted that (not too joyfully, but I wanted to be up front), and I am back in the waiting game (unless this Colorado one meets my specs).

Now I wonder about the dealer. Any thoughts? Thanks for the help to all.

RJQMAN

That is interesting. It would seem a shipment did come in somewhere. Where do you find those figures?

TheAirman

They were in my head. I remembered each time I went there.

As for your dealer, what happened to the "Lexus Buying Experience"?

I'll tell you... These guys are hungry!!! Some have gone many weeks without a sale and will do anything to lock you in. Don't buy into it out of desperation.

Case in point, I went in to the Toyota Dealer the other day to see about a Camry Hybrid and to see if they had any info on the upcoming super secret 2012 updated Camry. All 6 dealers were sitting there with their feet up and didn't even look up when I walked in. Why? They had nothing to sell and nothing on the lot. Not even one Corolla. Why bother with me? When I asked one of them to check the system for ANY available Hybrid's in the area, he snapped to it right away with a smile on his face. Of course there was none to be had in my configuration.

I realize it's not their fault, but now days after the tsunami, the "Certified Master Lexus Salesmen" are no different than the shysters down at your local "Smiley's Honest Used Car Lot".

$5000 is too much to put on a deposit for a car. It's not a Bugatti. He should have placed the order when you went in some weeks ago, just like I hope my dealer did. I plan on searching here and out of state, and the first to come through, I'll buy from them. I have no problem walking in and getting my REFUNDABLE deposit back and then having them service my car I didn't buy from them. If and when I hear something, I expect my dealer to "DEAL". If not, then I walk and buy elsewhere. I don't care if he eats my special order car.

I hate playing the car buying game, and that's one of the reasons I had hoped Lexus would have been different. And to think just a few months ago, they had at least 12 on the lot they couldn't give away!!!

RJQMAN

I went by the Toyota dealer yesterday as well. There was one salesman - he was sitting on a golf cart in front of the store. I told him I would like to see a Prius V and he had to hold back laughing, but he was frankly very polite. They have no Prius cars on the lot (this is a big dealer in Fort Myers Florida), and he said he thinks they might get two cars in about a week, but the chances of getting a Prius V were somewhere between slim and none.

I also strongly dislike the car buying game and hoped that Lexus would give a better experience, but so far it has been borderline at best. I do understand that the 250h is a rare bird, and I understand that a lot of people do not like the car for various, valid reasons. But I do not accept that he could not sell a 250h that was loaded, unless someone else can confirm that there is some truth in that. I think I was getting a line of BS, and that erodes my confidence in them quite a bit.

It looks like these and the Rx hybrid's are really holding their value on the used car market, at least at the moment. Both look like 1st year resale drop in value is only about 8-10%, and once in a while, the certified used ones are actually selling for about the same as or more than people paid for them new during the first part of the recession.

DDS62

I cannot recall a period the HS has been in abundant supply during the last year - or at least August 2010 when I started looking for one. And it appeared to go from bad to worse after the Tsunami. Fact is RJQMAN should heed the possibility he may never be able to order the car of his choice. I waited three months to do just that before I gave up. There is a legitimate reason his dealership does not tell him when he will be able to order. When I bought mine, it happened because I happened to call the sales person (again) and he said I was in luck he was getting a couple that day - to come down asap. I did and I arrived before the HS's did. The other one sold sold while I was waiting for mine to be prepped.

Hey RJQMAN I know you are in love with the HS, but go look at the Infiniti EX. It is very thirsty and it has minimal rear seat room, but other than those bad points, it is a phenomenal automobile.

TheAirman

I really don't think that is the case, and I really HOPE that's not the case, never being able to order the car of his choice or my choice.

What we both are dealing with is, the tsunami AND the lengthy period the HS was put on a "stop sale" for the gas tank filler neck recall and fix. At one period the dealers thought there would be no 2011 HS models, then the earthquake hit adding further to unavailability of the HS.

In my case, I started my car search last year, and looked at everything. And right now all the models I looked at are unavailable because of the Japanese parts supply. That includes the Audi A3 TDI, the Nissan Altima Hybrid, the Toyota's, the Ford's (Fusion Hybrid), and the Honda's. The only one I know of that might be on the lot is the Lincoln MKZ. And it's really not a bad car, it just does not have the build quality of a Lexus.

In January, my dealer had no less than 12 HS's that he had to get rid of because of the recall. The were all used, and had been loaners for service at the dealership and all had miles on them. No new ones because of the recall. He even had a fully loaded one on the showroom floor, which in hindsight I should have bought. They sat and sat. Once gas started going up, it hit that magic number of $4 per gallon and triggered something psychologically in peoples heads, and within one week, all 12 were sold. Then the earthquake hit and the rest is history.

I went in around late April or early May and put $500 down on one with the explicit instructions that it have those illusive LED headlights. And that in itself is weird because in Japan the HS comes with LED headlights as standard equipment. He pulled out some sort of special Lexus paperwork and started marking down my color choices and option codes. He told me the order was in and that's the last I heard. I also told him to call as soon as the first CT comes in fully loaded, and I pretty much gave up on that one too.

So here I sit, wanting to buy but can't. And there they sit, wanting to sell but can't. Something has to change soon..............we hope.

RJQMAN

I appreciate the reference to the Infinity, but I did drive several different Infiniti Models and was not impressed. They were very nice, some very powerful and sedate, but they just did not have the intangible magic that I find in the HS250. The only other car out there that does impress me, and I know it has fewer features, is the Kia Optima Hybrid once they get over the initial launch issues. I guess I am blue-collar at heart.

Appreciate it thought. And thanks for your thoughts, Airman. I just find it odd that this guy seemed to think he would have so much trouble selling a loaded HS250h if I did not take it. Oh, well. Time will tell.

TheAirman

Well? Any update? Did the black one in CO. pan out?

I did notice the number of new one's for sale on cars.com was up, though. Still none in my area unfortunately.

RJQMAN

I had a death in my immediate family, and by the time I could get back to check, it was apparently sold. I am pretty much resigned to just waiting it out, unless some other make car comes up with something I like better while I wait. Seems like the certified used ones are selling for almost as much as the new ones. Hardly seems worth the effort to buy a car with 20k+ miles on it for just a couple thousand less than a new one.

RJQMAN

Well, it looks like there will be no more HS250H imported after January 1st. It seems to be a big secret, but it is leaking out. So I WANT A SECOND ONE. If anybody sees a fully-equipped one come in out there, let me know. I bought one and now my wife wants one. And I suspect the replacement model the 350 or whatever it is won't have the electronics, or I would definitely wait for it. I want the HUD and the radar stuff. I really never want a car again without the HUD. So if anyone really knows the specs of the new 2012 300 series hybrid, maybe it will have those features. I wish it was not such a big secret.