calboy76

iTrader: (1)

after viewing some friendly advices, i am finally more inclined to go with the IS350 instead of the IS.F.


so, is used the way to go? or new? i have my mind set on only two colors, starfire pearl, or metador red. but i find myself, in the long run, more inclined to have starfire pearl with luxury package, (i figure for the cosmetic upgrades, i can always add them on, so, no need for the sports pakcage)

so, how much am i looking at here? for those lucky owners of is350, can you share your input and the purchasing price you pay for your car.

help me become an IS member here, thank you

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

There's an extremely long thread (dozens of pages) with what people paid for their IS.

My general advice is to buy new, based on my looking at used when I decided I wanted an IS350 and finding that besides selection being limited, prices were barely any lower than I could get a brand new one for.

If you have specific options and colors in mind, that selection will be even more limited in the used market- whereas you can order exactly the car you want new.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Used is the way to go if:

--The car is Certified Pre-Owned.
--It has a clear title.
--It has no major damage.
--It has (personally acceptable) low mileage.
--It's a good bargain when compared to Nada or KBB values.
--It has properly-installed aftermarket goodies that doesn't add value to the car, but does add "bells and whistles" to the purchase.

slee18

iTrader: (1)

I agree with Kurtz. Luxury packages are very hard to find new. Just image finding a used one. I think you can probably find the sport package easier. My local dealer only sells the basic premium package w or w/o NAV. they dont stock any sport or luxury package.

Dont know why they had a loaner that was a luxury package. Had alot of miles on it for a is250.

Janizary

I was pretty much set on having to go to California to pick up a new IS350 as our local dealer doesn't 'deal' more than about $1K off MSRP.

I had looked at used and ran into the same issues mentioned above (low availability, high prices, or high miles). Recently I saw a few lower miles IS350 cross the used lots here, but they were gone pretty quickly until one day I happened upon a low miles 07 IS350 going for a very good price. Even though I had pretty much set myself on buying new the car was in such great shape with low miles (7K less than a year old), I ended up picking it up.

Just under $10K off what 'new' MSRP would be as equipped, and about $6K under KBB, but that number seems WAY too inflated to be realistic.

I'm very satisfied, and I usually do NOT purchase used. Perhaps I am paranoid, but I always wonder what was done to the car before I got my hands on it.

calboy76

iTrader: (1)

what's included in the luxry pakcage

slee18

iTrader: (1)

Auburn bird's-eye maple interior trim
Perforated leather-trimmed interior
Power tilt-and-telescopic steering column
Lexus Memory System to control power driver's and front passenger's seats (except lumbar), outside mirrors and steering wheel
Heated and ventilated front seats
Illuminated doorsill scuff plates
Power rear-window sunshade
Rain-sensing intermittent windshield wipers with mist cycle
Electrochromic (auto-dimming) outside mirrors with auto tilt-down in reverse
Bi-xenon High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps
Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
18 x 8.0-in alloy wheels with 225/40YR18 tires front, 18 x 8.5-in alloy wheels with 255/40YR18 tires rear

The bold is the premium package. Mine came with some basic options that are italicized

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

And FYI sports package is identical except-

Delete rear sunshade
Delete wood trim (you get aluminum instead)

Add sports suspension
Add sports pedals
$500 cheaper than lux package

If you prefer the woodgrain and don't care about suspension the Lux package is the way to go, otherwise sports is a better deal

mikes rx

iTrader: (14)

I agree with this, except for the Certified Pre-Owned.

Lexus certified pre-owned only gives you 3 yrs or 100K miles. So, if you don't drive all that much (or if the car is only 1 year old), it's completely useless, as the factory warranty is 4 yr/50K anyway. Also, certified pre-owned are only available at Lexus dealers, which will likely mean more money than private sale automatically. AND...the dealers usually get a pretty premium if it's a certified vehicles.

Instead, you can get a good deal on a non-certified car, and just buy an extended warranty (ie- 7 yr/ 75K miles). Going this route (depending on the initial resale value), you can get an almost new, relatively lightly used car (say, 1-2 years old and less than 15K miles), and have less in it after the extended warranty than what it could be bought for new and with a lesser warranty.

mikes rx

iTrader: (14)

However, let me add one caveat:

Lexus has such good resale value, that depending on your market it may not be worth buying used, which is what Kurtz mentioned.

But, first, you must be open to different colors and other options. If you're not willing to compromise, then used is not for you. But, if you're willing to compromise on a color or whether or not it has nav or something, then you may be able to get some great deals.

meefer

iTrader: (8)

In the great state of California, Lexus dealers are very aggressive in pricing. I would say new. You'd just spend the money you saved on mods to make it look current anyways =P

calboy76

iTrader: (1)

meefer, Go BEARS!!

inxexisten

buy a new one... you can get invoice in california easily... and just pay for it in whole... used is only a few grand less...

calboy76

iTrader: (1)

get invoice? get you give me some more clues? thank you

mikes rx

iTrader: (14)

Even if you can buy at invoice, I would still recommend trying to find used.

Buying at invoice *should* means that the value of a comparable used car should go down even more.

Example: seller has used car at $24000. For $26000, you can buy it new. The seller would HAVE to go down on price, otherwise they will just sit on the car, and it will never sell.