I'm glad to hear that.

I was shocked when the salesman said I'd have to pay MSRP. He gave me a nonsense story about how they'd have to "stop the assembly line" just to build my car and they'd therefore want MSRP. I was afraid this was something Lexus was doing universally to discourage special orders.

 

And if you can't find a reputable dealer in your area, you can also go to a dealer not in your area. Good Dealers can and will arrange for you to have your car.

 

Of course when you sum up the parts of the option packages, the price is somewhat unreasonable. But I think most people just understand that as a profit margin for the car. You'll sleep better convincing yourself that the premium package, HID, and 18 inch wheels are essentially the base car.

I do agree with the MSRP theory. Lexus and the dealers need to make money on this car. You take away option packages, there's not much there to earn. If your dealer won't back away from around MSRP, and you still really want the car, you might as well take one from the in-stock inventory and end up paying the same, since those will be discounted...

 

That is such a lame excuse.

Every car that comes out of the production line is made the same way: with computers!!

Don't listen to that BS...

 

I'm pretty sure as long as you give them a down payment for your special order they will get it for you in a few weeks (usually these downpay are fully refundable once the car arrives so you're not obligated to make the purchase for any reason).
I'm also pretty sure when the car arrives and you talk about price you can treat it as just another ISx50. At a big enough dealership they don't really care how much money they're making off of you as long as they sell you a car a bit above invoice. IMO this whole "paying MSRP for special order" is not true. Ultimately dealers want to sell you cars, it could be today or a month from now, as long as they get that sale.

 

I believe I have researched the IS350 options, but perhaps I am missing something. Any advice is appreciated.

I noticed several people above mentioned the "Premium Package." That $1,290 package includes just maple trim, leather interior, and heated seats. Those individual option packages listed on the Lexus web site are not available separately in the northeast. I apologize for the confusion. The option packages available here contain some combination of those individual packages + additional options. The northeast option packages actually cost between $7,400 and $8,000.

From my perspective, the other options available in those packages appear to be useless nonsense:

- nav system
- HID headlamps
- powered tilt steering wheel
- rain sensing wipers
- intuitive parking assist
- illuminated doorsill scuff plates
- power rear window sunshade
- headlamp washers
- ugly rear spoiler

I can't imagine having any real need for these options. I suppose some of them would be cute, but they're not worth another $7,000 to me.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic here, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Are any of these options really something I can't live without?

 

I can't do without HID. Once you have them, it doesn't feel the same driving at night w/o them. The other stuff is mostly preference. Nav is quite handy though when you make a wrong turn or want to find something out of the blue.

 

I would atleast get the premium package. I ordered a base G35 coupe in 05 trying to keep the cost down mainly payment. Thinking that who needed premium package and the sort well a short 8 months later I did not like my car payment so I decided to sell and I could not sell a base G35 for anything and I had dumped some money into it also everyone liked the car and when they asked how much and what options as soon as I said base model they would run as fast as they could the other direction. Spring for the premium package if you can.

 

Wow... you might have to pay the MSRP... and thats what... bad??? I payed 700 over MSRP and i consider myself lucky since i only have ONE stealership to goto, UNLESS i buy in cali and have matson ship it over... pssh yea right...

Nani wo iiutteru no, nani mo shiranai kuseni...

 

Yes, the Premium package is probably not worth $1290, especially in Northern CA, since the heated seats will never get used and the ventilated seats aren't as necessary because of the dryish weather.

but you live in MA... don't heated seats come handy?

And I don't think the rear spoiler is so bad looking. The price is not too bad considering an aftermarket buy, paint, and installation.

Again, it's not rocket science to see that the packages are expensive. Understanding why they are and what that means to the dealer is the logic you are struggling with as you search for a base car at a few bucks over invoice...

 

Of course you can live with out them, thats why they are OPTIONS. But the ones you might really want to consider are the Adaptive HID's. But if your local dealers dont have what you are looking for your only options are going to be work with dealers outside of your area or special order specifically what you want.

 

Yep, all useless nonsense until you have them and use them. I have them and use them all. Except the spoiler and lighted doorsills of course. Those lighted sills just impress the neighbors!

My first car had ALL the options and that included ...drumroll, backup lights. Useless junk but the car was loaded!!!

 

I waited a couple of months for my base IS because I ordered it when they first released the car in September of '05 (wow, has it really been that long?!?). And, of course, whenever you're the first to buy something, you pay more - so I paid MSRP, which I didn't have a problem with at all. I was quoted a couple thousand ABOVE MSRP by a couple of dealers, which I obviously did not buy from. I was in the middle of moving to California when I was shopping around, and i discovered that the base IS (no nav, etc...) was not available west of El Paso, TX. All the 2IS's west of that point were in a different Lexus Region, and came with some sort of package. The base configuration was only available in the Southern/Southeast Lexus region. I was stupid and impatient and wanted my car AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE (mainly because I had already sold my previous vehicle and had none). So, I was fortunate in that I was one of the first people stateside with an IS350, taking delivery the last week of October 2005. All the dealers I called in the western US told me the same thing - to get NAV, I would have had to wait another 2 months, and I was just too impatient to go through that... If I had to do it again, I think I would have waited just for the NAV - all my 2IS friends have it, and it's awesome. That's the one thing I truly wish I had in my car (aside from a supercharger... )

Javier

 

I'm in the Pacific Northwest so my story may be of little help...but here goes.

I was looking for a IS350 with premium package only and was told over and over again this configuration wasn't available (but we'd love to sell you something on the lot).

I was about ready to give up and settle on another car when I thought I'd try one last effort. So I emailed all the dealers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho asking if they had a 350 with just premium. Within a day or two I was surprised to find not 1 but 2 IS 350s configured exactly they way I wanted...even down to the color! Not only that, but I was able to make a great deal because the dealers had the cars on the lot, paying in the end $34,500 for a brand new IS350!

Turns out the dealer I bought the car from got it as part of a trade with a Lexus dealer in Southern California and was anxious to get it off the lot because it was so close in price to the IS250s.

Like I say your situation may be different in the Northeast, but I hope this at least inspires you to reach out to as many dealers as you can before settling for second choice.

 

First, other options exist in the Northeast (like Sports package). I've seen many. However, probably no base IS350s without the useless (to you anyway) junk.

Second, special ordering the car does not mean you need to pay MSRP. That was THAT PARTICULAR dealership who is playing that game on you. Try others. I special ordered my car to get the ML sound system (along with some useless junk) and I paid well below MSRP.