Potental Buyer, Rattles, Price
10-14-09, 07:50 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Potental Buyer, Rattles, Price
Been a member for many years, but have rarely posted. Very interested in a new RX with the Nav Package. I've been to the local dealer and driven 2 different vehicles, each for several hours. I have developed a great admiration for the '10 RX and want to buy one. This will be my 5th Lexus from the same dealer, former purchases include an SC300, a GS400, an LS400 and LS430. The best they have offered is $1000 off of MSRP and $2000 lower than Kelley Blue Book for my trade. I'm very disappointed that I still have to go through this BS with them. Can you share the deals you got when you purchased yours?
The other question I have is concerning rattles. Both RX's I drove had rattles from the cargo cover. Most noise seemed to come from where the bar attached to each side of the cargo area. When I removed the entire cargo cover, I didn't hear the rattle anymore. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how was it fixed? On one of the RX's, there was a rattle coming from the B pillar. It sounded like it was coming from around where the seatbelt anchor height adjustment is located. Anyone else had this problem and again, has it been solved?
Strange, but in every other Lexus I have owned, with the exception of the SC300, I have had problems with rattles. Guess I am very sensitive to interior noises and please don't tell me to crank up the volume on the sound system. Don't think you should have to compansate on a $50,000 vehicle.
I'd appreciate any advice you guys can offer.
Mike
The other question I have is concerning rattles. Both RX's I drove had rattles from the cargo cover. Most noise seemed to come from where the bar attached to each side of the cargo area. When I removed the entire cargo cover, I didn't hear the rattle anymore. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how was it fixed? On one of the RX's, there was a rattle coming from the B pillar. It sounded like it was coming from around where the seatbelt anchor height adjustment is located. Anyone else had this problem and again, has it been solved?
Strange, but in every other Lexus I have owned, with the exception of the SC300, I have had problems with rattles. Guess I am very sensitive to interior noises and please don't tell me to crank up the volume on the sound system. Don't think you should have to compansate on a $50,000 vehicle.
I'd appreciate any advice you guys can offer.
Mike
10-14-09, 09:29 AM
#2
I'm not sure about the 2010, but the earlier RX's had a rattle issue with the latches for the car cover. If they were not pushed all the way in, they would rattle Simple once it was explained to me. I just drove a loaner with almost 6000 miles on it and it was tight and rattle free.
Steve
Steve
10-14-09, 09:42 AM
#3
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We paid about $4k off of MSRP for one with Nav. I have noticed the rattle from the cargo cover, but it doesn't really bother me. I can understand how you feel about rattles...they drive my husband crazy.
10-14-09, 09:46 AM
#4
Been a member for many years, but have rarely posted. Very interested in a new RX with the Nav Package. I've been to the local dealer and driven 2 different vehicles, each for several hours. I have developed a great admiration for the '10 RX and want to buy one. This will be my 5th Lexus from the same dealer, former purchases include an SC300, a GS400, an LS400 and LS430. The best they have offered is $1000 off of MSRP and $2000 lower than Kelley Blue Book for my trade. I'm very disappointed that I still have to go through this BS with them. Can you share the deals you got when you purchased yours?
The other question I have is concerning rattles. Both RX's I drove had rattles from the cargo cover. Most noise seemed to come from where the bar attached to each side of the cargo area. When I removed the entire cargo cover, I didn't hear the rattle anymore. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how was it fixed? On one of the RX's, there was a rattle coming from the B pillar. It sounded like it was coming from around where the seatbelt anchor height adjustment is located. Anyone else had this problem and again, has it been solved?
Strange, but in every other Lexus I have owned, with the exception of the SC300, I have had problems with rattles. Guess I am very sensitive to interior noises and please don't tell me to crank up the volume on the sound system. Don't think you should have to compansate on a $50,000 vehicle.
I'd appreciate any advice you guys can offer.
Mike
The other question I have is concerning rattles. Both RX's I drove had rattles from the cargo cover. Most noise seemed to come from where the bar attached to each side of the cargo area. When I removed the entire cargo cover, I didn't hear the rattle anymore. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how was it fixed? On one of the RX's, there was a rattle coming from the B pillar. It sounded like it was coming from around where the seatbelt anchor height adjustment is located. Anyone else had this problem and again, has it been solved?
Strange, but in every other Lexus I have owned, with the exception of the SC300, I have had problems with rattles. Guess I am very sensitive to interior noises and please don't tell me to crank up the volume on the sound system. Don't think you should have to compansate on a $50,000 vehicle.
I'd appreciate any advice you guys can offer.
Mike
10-14-09, 10:56 AM
#5
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Thread Starter
I did notice that the cover was not latched on both RX's, so I stopped and pushed both sides down until they locked. It still rattled, although less. On one, the seat was not latched, so that caused a rattle. I did notice, particularly on one of them, the cover only rattled when I hit larger bumps. It was quiet on smoother roads. If I buy an RX and the cover rattles, I'll try padding the area with felt if a legitimate fix isn't available.
10-14-09, 05:30 PM
#6
In a previous car, I bought a rubber washer and sliced it with an X-acto knife until I could fit/wedge it into the receptacle. It acted as a shock absorber.
Cost was under $5, and it worked beautifully.
Sandi
Cost was under $5, and it worked beautifully.
Sandi
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10-15-09, 12:13 PM
#8
no noise from cargo cover after 3k miles
i do have the B pillar noise, very annoying next to my ear, after 2 visits to dealer they're suppose to replace seat belt component next week. i'm not convinced it's the belt, sounds more like the door to me, we'll see
paid $4k under msrp for mine on last day of month, seen a few others getting $5k off
i do have the B pillar noise, very annoying next to my ear, after 2 visits to dealer they're suppose to replace seat belt component next week. i'm not convinced it's the belt, sounds more like the door to me, we'll see
paid $4k under msrp for mine on last day of month, seen a few others getting $5k off
10-15-09, 03:21 PM
#9
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Thread Starter
Thanks for the info about the discount pricing and your experience with the rattle in your B pillar. Please update us after the seat belt component is replaced.
My dealer has an RX350 coming in on Tuesday that is exactly what I want. It is Tungsten with light gray and has the Navigation package. The sales manager is telling me that the best he can do is $2300 off MSRP and $2000 below KBB trade-in for my car. That's a real bummer. Since there is no other dealer here, I have emailed 4 dealers in Houston and asked for a quote. I have not received a reply in 2 days, so I believe they suspect that I am not a serious buyer, but am only looking for a quote to use as leverage in getting my local dealer to reduce his price. That is not the case. I am willing to drive the 350 miles to save money.
The reason for the lackluster discount was that the 2010 RX is the only vehicle that is selling well enough to keep the dealership afloat, so says the sales manager. Normally, their discount is from $1000-1500, but because this will be my 5th Lexus from that dealer, they will allow a $2300 discount.
He also said that Lexus is continuing to reduce the gap between the invoice price and MSRP, so they don't have as much room to discount. I checked on line at kbb.com, edmunds.com and nada.com to get the invoice price, but after adding the options, the MSRP on all of those sites, disagrees with the MSRP on Lexus' website, so I don't trust the invoice price they list. Does anyone have an accurate MSRP/invoice price for the RX350, especially with the Navigation Package (which in my region includes the Comfort and Premium Packages with 19" wheels and wood/leather steering wheel)?
Sorry this post is so long, but I've developed insomnia, which I hope will be cured after next Tuesday.
Mike
My dealer has an RX350 coming in on Tuesday that is exactly what I want. It is Tungsten with light gray and has the Navigation package. The sales manager is telling me that the best he can do is $2300 off MSRP and $2000 below KBB trade-in for my car. That's a real bummer. Since there is no other dealer here, I have emailed 4 dealers in Houston and asked for a quote. I have not received a reply in 2 days, so I believe they suspect that I am not a serious buyer, but am only looking for a quote to use as leverage in getting my local dealer to reduce his price. That is not the case. I am willing to drive the 350 miles to save money.
The reason for the lackluster discount was that the 2010 RX is the only vehicle that is selling well enough to keep the dealership afloat, so says the sales manager. Normally, their discount is from $1000-1500, but because this will be my 5th Lexus from that dealer, they will allow a $2300 discount.
He also said that Lexus is continuing to reduce the gap between the invoice price and MSRP, so they don't have as much room to discount. I checked on line at kbb.com, edmunds.com and nada.com to get the invoice price, but after adding the options, the MSRP on all of those sites, disagrees with the MSRP on Lexus' website, so I don't trust the invoice price they list. Does anyone have an accurate MSRP/invoice price for the RX350, especially with the Navigation Package (which in my region includes the Comfort and Premium Packages with 19" wheels and wood/leather steering wheel)?Sorry this post is so long, but I've developed insomnia, which I hope will be cured after next Tuesday.
Mike
10-15-09, 05:19 PM
#10
i never had much response from lexus email requests, even though i emailed their internet sales reps, & i hit up 5 different states
call your next closet dealer & tell him you current offer & ask if he can make it worth you drive to him
also, make your local dealer an offer, tell him what you see others paying & what you're willing to pay & that you're in no hurry
call your next closet dealer & tell him you current offer & ask if he can make it worth you drive to him
also, make your local dealer an offer, tell him what you see others paying & what you're willing to pay & that you're in no hurry
10-16-09, 08:09 AM
#12
Mike, I'm in MA and there are lots of dealers (at least 8) within 1 hr, so maybe that's why I was able to get about 4k off my 350 with Nav. It sure sounds to me like your dealership knows they have a 'sure thing' with you and therefore feel no need to bargain. Perhaps a phone call rather than email to other dealers will yield better results. Make sure they know how serious you are, inflate the offer you got from your local dealer, tell them you're pissed at the local guy and are ready to switch and see what they'll offer. Unfortunately, dealerships generally make more on service than they do on the profit from the sale of each vehicle, and knowing how far you live from them, the long distance dealers can be pretty sure you won't be going to them for service (of course, you might work near them??). Anyway, it's worth a try. Good luck.
10-16-09, 08:33 AM
#13
Lexus Test Driver
I agree with jclem. Call the other dealers in Houston, tell the salesman you are ready to buy and the price you are willing to pay. If they are interested, they will call you back.
10-16-09, 09:37 AM
#14
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Maybe a phone call would be better, because I'm not getting much by using email. I sent 4 dealers the request for a bid on Tuesday. Since I had not heard from any of them, I sent each another email yesterday asking that they reply by Saturday at the latest, because my local dealer was getting a car in on 10/20/09 that was to my exact specs. Within an hour, I received emails from 3 of the 4.
One dealer said I would be better buying locally and they only sell in their region.
The second dealer did not give me a bid on my car in trade, but would give me their "Internet special" which is a $1500 discount.
The third would give me $2583 off MSRP, but only allow $24,000 for my car in trade. In a later email, they said they might increase that by another $1000 if the condition of my car warranted it.
My local dealer has offered $27,000 for my car and a $2300 discount on the RX350.
So there is a substantial difference in the price quotes I received from the Houston dealers compared to my local dealer. I realize that face-to-face negotiations and having the Houston dealers physically inspect my car would bring their bids closer to my local dealer, but I'm not sure it is worth driving about 400 miles with a night's stay in a hotel unless I had more assurance of that. I believe in supporting my local dealer and would buy from them even if their price was $1000 greater than an out-of-town dealer, at least one as far away as Houston is from New Orleans. My guess, from the current offers I have received from the Houston dealers, is that they will not be offering a better deal than I have on the local table.
Mike
One dealer said I would be better buying locally and they only sell in their region.
The second dealer did not give me a bid on my car in trade, but would give me their "Internet special" which is a $1500 discount.
The third would give me $2583 off MSRP, but only allow $24,000 for my car in trade. In a later email, they said they might increase that by another $1000 if the condition of my car warranted it.
My local dealer has offered $27,000 for my car and a $2300 discount on the RX350.
So there is a substantial difference in the price quotes I received from the Houston dealers compared to my local dealer. I realize that face-to-face negotiations and having the Houston dealers physically inspect my car would bring their bids closer to my local dealer, but I'm not sure it is worth driving about 400 miles with a night's stay in a hotel unless I had more assurance of that. I believe in supporting my local dealer and would buy from them even if their price was $1000 greater than an out-of-town dealer, at least one as far away as Houston is from New Orleans. My guess, from the current offers I have received from the Houston dealers, is that they will not be offering a better deal than I have on the local table.
Mike
10-16-09, 09:52 AM
#15
If you have a CarMax in your area... may want to try to sell old car to them. I got $200 under KBB Excellent Condition for my 2008 Infiniti EX35. Simple, painless process.
Depending on the road, I have occasionally gotten the seatbelt height adjuster rattle... has to do with harmonics. I don't think you can get away from it... especially with 19" wheels. Doesn't happen consistently.
Look, every car is going to have rattles... it's the nature of the beast and the quieter the car, the more likely you're going to hear rattles. The LS is dead silent and let me tell you, even it has rattles and they're even more pronounced than the RX.
Depending on the road, I have occasionally gotten the seatbelt height adjuster rattle... has to do with harmonics. I don't think you can get away from it... especially with 19" wheels. Doesn't happen consistently.
Look, every car is going to have rattles... it's the nature of the beast and the quieter the car, the more likely you're going to hear rattles. The LS is dead silent and let me tell you, even it has rattles and they're even more pronounced than the RX.
Last edited by tazdevl; 10-16-09 at 10:00 AM.