Here's the deal, I am trading my BMW for a is350. I did the usual homework and research and contacted the local dealer in my area via internet with the configuration I wanted. This particular dealership are the only 2 locations in my area (2 location but same dealership). So the first dealership got back first and we could not come to a agreement on the OTD price based on the price of car and trade. Then the other location contacts me and saids they have the car on the lot. I go in and the internet mgr was on vacation so I talk to one of the sales guys. He tries to locate the car that was supposed to be there and finds the keys but not the car? Anyway, they said they can locate one so we work on a OTD price. I initially wanted ML as part of the configuration but was told that it would take a long time since the ML is very limited in the southeast. So we configure the car that I want minus the ML. I leave my deposit and walk out. I get a call the very next day that there was a is350 on a truck on its way to the dealership that had the options I wanted, plus some extra including ML, which I wanted initially anyway so I was ok with this and the higher price tag. I go in the next day thinking I would drive away in this car. I arrive and the sales guy I was working with went on vacation which I knew from the day before so I was ok with this. So i work with another sales guy and we go check out the car. Surprise, NO ML, but it was 2K over the original car they were supposed to find for me because it had other options I didn't really care about. Also, I noticed this car had a front license plate holder drilled into the bumper because they got it from a state that requires front plates (the state I live in does not require front plates). I *****ed about not having the ML since that was the only reason I was willing to take the other options and pay the higher price. I was about to walk out the door but then the sales mgr comes out and asks me to listen to the ML and the premium audio so I do this and quite frankly I could not tell that much of a difference and the front license plate was annoying but I thought I could be ok with it. I think about it and agree to take the car IF they would agree to put on a clear bra at no cost. So we make the agreement and I go home. Few days later I come back and think again that I would be driving with the new car. I go to check out the car and the clear bra looks like a highschool kid had put it on, the bra did not line up, the holes for the front parking sensors looked like they were cut out with hedge clippers and there were creases and bubbles everywhere. I was pissed and a different sales mgr comes out and tells me that the bra would never be perfect and that the crease and bubbles would go away over time. I told them if the bubbles and creases went away that's ok but the bra not lining up and the holes that were cut out with hedge clippers would not go away over time. At that point I just wanted my deposit back and walk out but I gave them the benefit of the doubt again and I am supposed to try and pick this car up again on Mon. Just seems to be one issue after another and although they wanted me to go ahead and pay for the car and drive with a loaner, I refused and if again Mon turns to be another issue, I am walking out with my deposit. I think I am already making compromise with the higher price of the car and the 4 front holes drilled on the front bumper for the plate. But this dealership actually thought I would accept a shoddy job on the clear bra and this makes me think of the service I would receive post sale.

Anyway, sorry for the long post and I want to get the is350 but I am thinking I may have to go to the next nearest dealership which is far away. I wanted to get your opinions?

 

Now I see why you are considering an out-of-state dealership. Time for a deep breath and step back from the situation. Ahhhh...ok, very good dear... No one is immune from the "buying a new car" experience. After all, the new car smell is intoxicating and we all want one NOW.

My suggestion: Purchase the car YOU want, not what they want to sell you and be sure it is for a FAIR price. When that new car smell wears off, you want to be happy with your purchase and avoid buyers remorse. Sitting in the show room, the stock stereo sounds great. However, the ML is definately a more refined system. If you can wait the 90 to 120 days, why not just order a new car? Have you called Cindy at JM Lexus yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

BTW... after 2 bad BMW experiences, I personally take a pass on "the ultimate driving machine". More like, "the ultimate mechanic's wet dream".

 

Thanx. Yea, I am seriously considering going out of state for the car but not sure how and if they would do a trade.

 

great wall of text

 

LOL Therapeutic for him to vent.

 

Another example of a buyer getting tangled up with incompetent and/or dishonest sales people. Never take anything for granted when the dealer tells you something. Almost anyone on these boards has more knowledge of these cars than the order takers, correction, 'sales consultants', that the dealer employs. Most are worthless and are just looking to make a quick buck. If they could make more by selling home theater gear over at Circuit City they would be there in a heartbeat.

If you know what you want then you should be able to get it. However, many of us trip over ourselves into trying to get the lowest possible price. With something as complicated as a car it is often better to pay a little more and deal with a professional rather than the hacks at most dealerships. Over the course of a few years a few thousand dollars is peanuts. Example, say it costs you $3k more to deal with a professional. If you keep your car four years (the length of the warranty period) the extra cost per month is $63. To me that is worth the peace of mind of doing a smooth transaction and GETTING WHAT YOU WANT. Why don't you contact JM Lexus and just special order what you want? Others, DropTopGal and jdadon as examples, have done well special ordering a car from them. At least you won't get jerked around.

And believe me, if you have any sort of ears you WILL notice the difference between the ML system and the stock Pioneer system. Don't let the dealer BS you.

Good luck.

 

i got a friend of the family who works in the main office there to set me with a dealer, so it was really nice for me, i told her *the dealer* what i want and she went and looked at the computer and said, 'do you wanna take it today? cuz its at the docks?', i said, 'nah i dont wanna wait while you prep the car', *this is on a tues* so she says, 'hows thrus noon', i say 'sure'. Went back on thurs and now my garage really looks nice.

ps: sometimes its not what you know but who you know.

 

welcome to CL. don't mind the rabid fellow 2is owners; we just love what we drive.

anyhoo, this is a situation where you definitely should not compromise or settle for an alternative. you have something in mind, it's what you want, and that's what you should get - not what the dealer wants to sell you (and wants you to overspend on).

good luck, and definitely keep us updated.

 

Come up here to the DC area. About a 4 hour drive if you do it at the right time. There are at least 4 good dealers in this area. Again, you won't find ML, but most other options are available.

 

any installer that cut holes for the park sensors does NOT know what they're doing or is just lazy. They're suppose to remove the sensors first, then clear bra, cut the hole, and push the sensor back in.

 

I understand your frustration, but you are the customer. It's your money, and you need to be happy with your purchase. It sounds like your dealer is only concerned about his happiness.

I went through a bit of a shuffle trying to find my car as well. I went to two dealers in NorCal and asked for a common package in an uncommon color (because I buy the color the wife likes - I couldn't care less what color the car is.) One looked at his allocation sheet and told me he wouldn't have anything I want for at least the next 90 days. I told him to call me when he had my color. In two and a half months, he never returned my call.

Another dealership, this one in the Bay Area, gave me pretty much the same run around. No, we don't have that color 350 with nav and lux, and I don't see it on allocation for any NorCal dealer. Unfortunately for him, I went back three days later and saw the exact car I wanted in PDI with a sold tag on it. Probably sold before it arrived, but saying they didn't even have one to look at was a huge mistake.

So I did a search on Autotrader, and found the exact car I wanted at two dealerships. One in NorCal (!!!) and one in SoCal. The NorCal dealer refused to negotiate on price, so I sent emails to a number of SoCal dealerships and two had the car I wanted. One was willing to give me a deal more than $4k off MSRP. The discount paid for the flight to SoCal, a night at the Ritz in Marina Del Rey with dinner, and the return trip to Sacramento with a lot of spare change.

All the negotiation was done by phone/email. We got picked up at the airport by our sales rep. Delivery took less than 2 hours with more than an hour spent on going over all the features of the car, pairing my BT phone, and a test drive to ensure there were no rattles, squeaks, or blemishes to sour the deal. My wife said it was the BEST car deal she's ever had (thank you Elise at Longo Lexus!) Happy wife, happy life!

Don't feel restricted to your local dealerships. You could save a lot AND get exactly, and I mean EXACTLY what you want by just sending a few emails and making a few phone calls. It really paid off for me.

 

thanx for all the reply. yea the more I think about it the more I think I am being taken for a ride. these sales mgr crack me up by acting surprised at the "deal" I was given by the initial sales mgr and saying they have never seen anything like that. The more I thought about it this weekend, I will probably take my deposit and take my business elsewhere. I forgot to mention that on the second delivery attempt I also noticed they stuck on their dealership sticker on the back of the trunk which was not there the first time. I also didn't notice this sticker on any of the other cars in the customer delivery room, a GS and a LS. Again, I didn't think it would be that big of a deal since I would just ask them to take it off but all these issues adding up just makes me wonder if they really want to sell this car or if they are pushing the limits of what they think I will drive away with. Seriously, I should have taken a picture of the clear bra they stuck on the car, what a joke.

I really want to get the IS350 but this has been the worse car buying experience to date. So bad, I almost thought about buying another BMW : )

 

Ok so after another boondoggle trip to the dealership (I actually didn't expect to drive away with the car since my expectations have become lower after each failed delivery attempt). I went and saw the redo of the clear bra and this time there was a huge scratch mark on the hood which they said was on the plastic on not the hood and they would redo it again. The holes for the sensors were still cut out with pliers or something jagged because the holes looked like screwed up octagons (btw thanks to the person that posted on how this should have been done). So at that point I got my deposit back. Of course they brought out the sales mgr again and gave me that look that I cannot expect this bra to be "perfect". I didn't expect perfection and if it was easy, I would have done it myself, obviously it's a difficult install that's why I wanted a professional doing it. Anyway, my search for the IS350 continues, now I'm on a mission : )