Luxury Package w/o Navigation
 

I'm looking into buying a new ES350 later this year. I stopped into one of the local Lexus dealers yesterday and asked the Sales Mgr. if I could get one with the Luxury Package but without Navigation. I use my phone for navigation and really don't want to spend money for the navigation option. His answer was yes but it would be a special order which would mean a 4-5 month wait for the vehicle. I could be wrong but I'm thinking 8 to 10 weeks for a special order. My guess is he gave me the long wait time to discourage any special order. Dealers want to move their inventory. What do you think? Am I right or is he? Anybody have an experience with a special order?

A special order could be 8-10 weeks, or it could be 4-5 months. It depends on how the timing works out between when you place the order and when the production lines will be building cars similar to what you want to order.

There are a couple of things that you should consider. First, if you do a special order, the level of discounting from MSRP will likely only be a fraction of the discount that you will get if you buy a car from a dealer's inventory. That difference in the discount level will likely be somewhere near what the cost o the navigation system will be. Also, note that navigation systems, especially on a car like the ES, return a higher percentage of their cost at re-sale or trade-in time than most other options. Especially for a Luxury Package ES, many used car buyers won't even consider buying a used Luxury Package ES without navigation, and that lower level of demand will have a significant effect on re-sale or trade value. Thus, when you consider both the lower level of discounting that you will get with a special order and the lower level of demand at trade-in or re-sale time, you will likely be dollars ahead by buying a car from the dealer's inventory with the Luxury Package and navigation.

I've used the built-in navigation for several years. I find it more convenient. The phone may be a little more accurate, but unless you're traveling on new roads, or looking for that burger place that opened last month, it shouldn't be any issue. I use it all time on road trips to find the next gas station, look for local food, etc. I've only used my phone maybe once or twice over the years. And as Lesz said, the resale value will diminish. When buyer sees, "without navigation", the mind thinks, "a lesser car". So dealers don't typically order them configured like that.

There is some very good information here. I would also recommend spending some time in an ES to get familiar with the other functions that are integrated into the system. Maybe even meeting a the dealership's tech expert and have them demo all of the features and functions. It might be in your best interests to consider one with navigation vs. special ordering one without.

Thank you all for your replies. I'll probably check out the operation of the car's navigation system during a test drive. I presently drive an IS250 without navigation and I know it's worth less than one with navigation when I sell it. Since I'm planning to buy toward the end of the 2018 model year I'm sure I'll be buying one off a dealer lot somewhere in my area. I have no intention of waiting and paying a premium for a special order. I read in a Wall Street Journal article recently that new car buyers, especially younger buyers, are beginning to request cars without navigation due to the smart phone apps that serve that function. The Lexus Sales Mgr. said they are getting some requests for navigation delete cars in the IS and NX models.