WDNL

We are "attempting" to purchase an 05 RX330 (w/NAV) ... About 3 weeks ago, we put a 2k down payment at the dealer who said the car was due in on June 6 ... I just contacted the dealer and they are now tellling me that the car won't we available until the end of June ...

Based upon what they told us, we planned a June road trip ... which will now be without our new NAV toy!!!!

I'm curious is the dealer was trying to "hook" us (since we were seriously looking at another car) or if they could be legit ... being the skeptic that I am, I think the car was never due in on June 6 (or if it was, it was destined for someone else) ...

Any thoughts?

-hooked and very patient ...

rxdriver

I'd try going to another dealer and play stupid. See if you can get a feel for how many units with nav they have in stock, and find out what they say is the lead time for more.

Cars can't be selling so well that there's a problem with inventory. I bought my RX 330 right after it was introduced in spring of 2003, so I waited 13 weeks for one with nav in the color I wanted. They couldn't give me a definite date until about 2-3 weeks before it came. They couldn't allocate stock until the car was unloaded from the boat at the port, even though I'm sure Lexus knew exactly what was on the boat. But that was back when the car was the hottest thing out there - it shouldn't be anything like that today.

During that 13 weeks, I called both my Lexus regional sales office and Lexus corporate to find out why it was so hard to get a delivery date. With today's computerized systems, you'd think they should be able to allocate a VIN to an order before they even start building it. They never really did answer the question, but they freaked out the dealer a little. ("How did this guy get our phone number?") So, I'm afraid calling Lexus probably wouldn't help.

HarrierAWD

It may not be your dealer's fault. Dealers don't have control of delivery date except the inventory on hand. When you place an order, the dealer gets a delivery date from Toyota Sales USA. Sometimes it gets delayed at port of entry or in transit. That's beyond your dealer's control.

My sister's Prius also got delayed. She had to wait an extra week than originally promised (for a total of 3 months.) It's shipped from Japan though.

krpster

It still is. Both plants have increased capacity to meet market demand.

The VIN does not get assigned until the vehicle has started being built. A portion of the VIN is a sequential number that gets assigned at the mfg plant.

Techman36

Demand is that high. My local dealer can't keep any RX330s in stock. They seem to sell in under a week. Funny thing is, I just talked to my salesman today and they just got 3 400h that they were not expecting.

Either way, I have been waiting about 3 weeks for my Thundercloud that actually had a VIN and was on the boat from Japan, and I am still waiting to take delivery. I find it amazing how slow and how many delays they get when importing vehicles. Considering my city is only about a 6-7 hour drive from the L.A. docks, it certainly seems to take a while.

jayskinner

In the Washington, D.C. area there's high demand for NAV units, and you usually have to order one. I got lucky at the end of 2004, and bought one that was still unclaimed and due in a week later. I signed the paperwork Dec. 30, and took deliver Jan. 4. From the Mat sales figures, it looks like demand has only increased for RX 330s across the board.

lexuslover

i agree that it's sometimes beyond the dealer's control, but if you are wanting the car asap, you should feel free to shop around. i am assuming your deposit is refundable, most dealers do it that way (although 2000 is steep IMO).

i don't know how many dealers you have at your disposal, but in my area, i always check 5-6 to double check on avail and pricing to get the right color combo and price.

Lexy GS430

I too was looking for a fully loaded RX330 without RSES they told me they could build it, then a week later they told me they couldn't build one, and they ended up giving me a fully loaded one for alittle less $46K. They didn't have the color or options that i wanted, but they found one in louisville, kentucky. It even has a hitch setup , then i told them to put on the clear bra, and they did that so it was a done deal. Demands for RX330 are steady, and i think that if they really wanted to get you the RX that you wanted they can it's just a matter of trading around for the one that you want, and how far they are willing to work for your money, and if they still aren't trying hard enough, tell them you are going to take your buisness elsewere, and call it a day.
Good Luck.