jen9

Well, LexusLover ... I hope the info your salesman gave you is correct because like I've said elsewhere, that's sure not what appears to be headed to the Midwest.

Now, the dealership that is holding my deposit says that they can trade with anyone in the country so...if it's available anywhere, I want to know. Mainly b/c I don't trust him to do the legwork on his own. (i.e. he'll try to sell me whatever is easiest to get - and just tell me what I want isn't available).

Speaking of deposit - does anyone think it is unreasonable to ask where on the waiting list we are? As in, are we 1st or 201st. I posed this question to my salesman and his response was, "Hey, I told you you'd be in a 330 by May." I should have said more at that point but I didn't. Maybe I'll press him on the issue tomorrow when they actually find out their allocations.

LexusLover - Please post what you find out - We're looking for "fully loaded" also!!

j4ydubs

He should have told you what number you are. I'm number 16 on our waiting list (which I hear is up in the 40's now).

John

jen9

Thought I'd pass along the tiny bit of info I was able to extract from the rep at the Lexus Customer Service #...

Anyway, here's what I was told ... (some of which has already been reported here)

- yes, different car configurations are being shipped to different regions ... "based on what the dealers say will sell or what the dealers order"

- the adaptive lighting (NOT HIDs) is a $600 STAND ALONE option ... NOT part of the performance package ... (this is different than what I had previously been told)

- HIDs are only in the performance or premium plus packages

- MSRP of performance package is $5,455

- release of cars has officially been moved to March 26, 2003 to avoid the April Fool's release date

They could not/would not tell me configuration of cars being shipped, etc.

Jennifer

j4ydubs

Everything I have read (from both Lexus and others) says that the AFS is only available with the performance package. HID's are an option, but included with the performance and premium plus packages.

I think they might have been confusing AFS and HID.

John

cfisher

Yet another nugget in this looong drawn-out chapter...My salesman finally confirmed what everyone has been suspecting. ONLY the east coast region is getting Performance w/Standard Nav (no ML) accounting for the oft-mentioned 3%.

Maybe this isn't a surprise to some but I was holding out some hope that the rumored "3%" would be spread about the country a litte bit. Special Order really isn't an option for me any longer ,so I suppose I can either take what the midwest is getting for top o'the line or get into the back of the line again on an East Coast list.

Have to admit feeling a little disappointed!

Anyone know of an EC dealer who might get me into a Black/Flint on Black VP/NV before June? Thanks!

nx2000

I talked with my local Lexus dealer today in the California bay area. I got to walk through the computer allocation sheets, and we did some dealer lookups on up comming allocations to the west coast. As far as he can tell from the west coast allocations, none of the cars coming in with the performance package (VP) have the Mark Levinson (VN) package. Moreover it looks like this is how cars are going to come in to this area for the foreseeable future. He called up some main Lexus office that does the allocations, and they told him it was impossible to get a car with both VP and VN and that you can't even order one because Lexus won't build it. Thus for those who want to wait the 3 months for a custom car, you still may be out of luck!

This is totally screwed and am hoping that either information is just sparse at the moment, or that Lexus will get their act togeather. Please, lexuslover chime in here and prove this guy wrong! Let us know which car you got. Anyone else out here on the West coast with anymore information please chime in also.

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

According to my factory rep, the Mark Levinson cannot fit inside the dash with both the Navigation AND Performance Package. They call it a "conflict". So, unfortunately, it's not because they won't build it, it's because they can't.....

nx2000

Thanks Longo Lexus, that's what we thought, but then again I would find it hard to believe that a suspension system and a car stereo would conflict. My next question then is what is the difference between the standard stereo that comes with the VP package, and the levinsion package? The standard stereo has 8 speakers and the ML has 11, but where are the extra speakers and are they just extra, or are all 11 speakers different from the 8 that come with the base model. Also is the head unit the same or different. Finally is the amp system different or do they just add on an extra amp for the extra speakers. Any answers to these questions would be a great help.

cfisher

NX - just curious as west coast allocations are definitely too far for me - did you happen to see if the West Region was getting any Performance Pkgs with ANY sort of Nav?

My understanding is there's an NV code standing for the "regular" Nav - NO Mark Levinson included. ONLY the East Region was supposed to get that config (Performance w/NV) for some silly reason. At least that is what my research has yielded so far.

Just curious as to whether you discovered something different out west.

Seems to me Performance with Nav is really more of a "Total Package" than many of the other "loaded" configurations found in other regions.

As an interesting side note, there is a dealership out east that indicates out of 120 pre-orders, not one person has asked for the Performance Pkg. They even have one coming in - unfortunately it's Gold and tan. Just kidding, it's Black and tan - I've got kids so only black interior is going to work for me. Hated to pass it up though.

j4ydubs

What dealer is that? I can't believe the demand for the performance package isn't greater. Guess I'm in the minority...Hopefully it means I can get the car I want.

John

nx2000

cfisher,

We did alot of searches. I do remember seeing 1 car that had Performance package, and the NV package (No levinson) that also met other criteria we were looking for. That car was in Colorodo, which was out of range for the West Coast.

I read one review that said the Performance package had really good handling which is what I really want. I still have not driven the car, so right now I want to drive both (one with and one without the performance package) and see if it is really worth it.

cfisher

J4 - If I were you...I'd look in CT...

laterldf

I snuck a peek at my salesman's RX 330 allocution list for the midwest region. There were NO vehicles coming into this region for the next four or five months that had the VP (performance package) AND the NV option (nav system with the r/v camera & compass). Grrrrrrrrr. I also called the Lexus Customer Assist number but they couldn't/wouldn't clarify this matter but claimed they'd "get back to me".

The problem with trying to custom ordering this combo is that it would take four months or more to receive it, if at all, AND there would be no guarantee that the car would be built in Japan instead of Ontario which is suppose to come on line later this year. **** poor planning on Lexus's part IMHO. I did put a deposit on a black 330 (vin # in hand) that has the VN, HH (heated seats), FT (18" wheels), and TO (tow) packages on it plus a couple of minor things, which will be here early next week. The msrp is 44,968. I believe that ALL the midwest 330's will come with the tow package on them. Of course, I guess Lexus could reconfigure their packages if they got enough feedback, but it'd probably take a while. later, ldf

j4ydubs

Thanks for the info. I just talked to my Lexus dealer and they are still clueless. I did find out that I'm #1 on the list for the performance package (I'm #16 total). They said they should know be the end of the month. We'll see, but I'm starting to look at the alternatives more now...

John

johnnieliu

Anyone know when the first Canadian Built 330's will arrive?