I picked up the car today, and below is a picture that should lay to rest the confusion about ML being a stand alone option without Nav.

 

Congrat's on your new ride!

Glad to know the car can be had this way!

Of course now I'm totally jealous

Enjoy!

TripleL

 

Oh, where art that know-it-all Timbo when the crow is being served. LOL

TIMBO, we have a little black birdy to feed to you.

A couple of questions for you:

1. The ML system is supposed to be 5.1. Does your system play back movie soundtracks in surround? Any DVD-A or multichannel Super Audio CD's lying about to check that aspect of the playback?

2. Timbo wants to know why you Photoshopped that obviously bogus picture?

3. How do you enjoy living in Denial? Is the weather nice?

Understandably, Lexus wanted to nick the early buyers for the full $4,000 package, but the patient get thier just reward ... Congrats.

 

Is it possible to watch DVD movies on the navigation system without any modifications?

 

Congrats on your new purchase...and enjoy that ML sound!

 

Yes it is possible when the vehicle is in park and the parking brake is engaged. Or you can check out the FAQ at the top of the forum to see how you can view DVD while the vehilce is in motion. )

 

I hope dmacneill enjoys it.

I guess graciousness isn't your strong suit CRB.
Ok, so you CAN get standalone ML, that doesn't make it right!

I suppose well now be hearing from people asking how to add DVD-A and/or Nav to their standalone ML's.

 

Diablo1 -- you just have to e-mail a link to this thread to your buddy Tyrone. I'd love to see his response.

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Thanks for your response. When I ordered the car this way I realized I would give up the Nav and DVD parts of the combined system. The ML sound, however, is quite nice, in both the front and back seats. I am confident that I'll enjoy listening to it over the years.

 

HAHAHAHA.....OWNED!

Congrats on your new ML car!

 

Oops I missed this thread a couple days ago. Thanks for the pic dmacneill. This does lay the issue to rest once and for all. I will write to Tyrone and see what he says. Although he never got back to me after I said that a fellow member of an enthusiast forum had ordered the stand-alone ML. What terrible customer service from Lexus. I have to say I'm pretty disappointed that their customer service specialists were just 100% wrong about this one.

PS - moderator, can you change the thread title to: "CONFIRMED: stand-alone ML *is* available on Lexus IS"

 

center console looks very different without a navi

 

You have to pay the state tax when you register, no savings on HI tax.

 

Especially not for me, since VA tax is 3% (which is Title Tax, not sales tax). Of course I also pay property tax every year...

 

The customer service specialists are not to blame. They have limited information and are paid to stick with the company script. Car companies have a real interest in keeping the number of diffferent variations to a minimum and Lexus just assumed that if someone was willing to bite on a ~$1000 stereo upgrade that that same person likely would swallow a $4000 package...and in most instances they are RIGHT!!!!

It is the persistant , stubborn guys like dmacneill that get the car they want and will not "take 'em the way they build 'em".

Basicly, the handwriting was on the wall from the begining because the sheets that dealers got listing options showed a stand alone ML and both Edmunds and MSN auto show ML being a standalone. IMO, Lexus just decided to keep the information off of thier corperate website and told the customer service reps to push the package (ML + NAV) to rake in a bit more profit and limit the "standard build" variations from the factory. Simple and effective way to move the ML+ NAV packages.