flk 1

I'm in the market for a new IS350, and I can't figure out why it is so freaking hard to find one in Texas with Mark Levinson. I actually found this to be a problem last year too, when I was trying to find the same car. I ended up putting off the car search for one year, and it's still the same situation. Every dealer I talk to tells me its a special order that has to come from the factory. I don't want to wait 3-4 months. Are there any regions where ML is easier to find? If so, is there a financial reason why Texas dealers would rather make me do a factory order than getting an existing car from another region of the US? I don't want to take my search halfway across the country, but would rather do that than wait 4 months. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

You wait a year but can't wait for a special order?

(which shouldn't take 4 months unless your dealer is incompetent... mine was 2.5 months from order to pickup).

Generally a lot of dealers just want you to buy what is on the lot, since it's costing them $ for it to sit there, so they'll say whatever they think will discourage you from buying anything other than what is on the lot.

Me, I wasn't interested in spending 30-40k on something that wasn't _exactly_ what I wanted, and since it didn't exist outside of a special order I went with that.

If the config you want _does_ come in another region they can certainly get one from there, though right now will be tough since the '10s are about to hit and inventory of 350s configured a specific unusual way are probably slim to none anywhere.

someboy

iTrader: (6)

let me tell you dude, ML does not sound that much better than the stock. it only does if you listen to classic music, like mozart and such.... which i doubt you would listen to. one other advantage is that you can watch DVD on your nagivation. i was absoloutely crazy about having a ML equipped car. after comparing the stock and ML, i find not much difference between the two. and watching DVD??? for someone who does not buy DVD AT ALL and watches everything online. it is pretty useless for me right now...... besides showing off that i can do that on my car...

trust me unless you spend a lot of time with your car and loves to watch movies on your small *** navigation screen ( 09 model is slightly smaller than the 06). you dont need ML!!!!!!!

projectdna

iTrader: (56)

to the untrained ear (see above), the ML system and the oem (pioneer) audio system sound exactly the same.

however, though some may argue that the ML system isn't THAT great, it does offer better aural quality and additional functions that's not offered by the oem audio system.

there's also that exclusivity factor as you've found out, that ML-equipped 2is's are a rarity.

S to the K

I feel you player. I live in Texas too and flew all the way to Indianapolis, IN and drove the car back to get the vehicle equipped the way I wanted. I had to have a blk/blk sport or lux pkg car with nav & ML. That's what I was looking for and could only find it out of state.

I have colleagues at work who have IS's and do not have ML, and in my opinion from listening to their systems, the difference is pretty significant.

The ML has much better highs and overall separation of sound. It's pretty damn good for a stock system. It just needs a better sub. I'm sure there are better stock systems out there, but I can confidently say the ML was well worth the additional effort to find.

Go for the ML, it's definitely worth it. Especially with the nav hack, you can watch dvd's in motion. Good luck on your search.

ISmikeIS

I've had two IS's in the last 3 years, my IS250 was not equipped with ML. My 350 today is, and the first time I turned on my music I noticed a SIGNIFICANT difference between the 2.

Get what YOU want.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Let me third that if you don't hear a significant difference between stock and ML you might wanna get your hearing checked.

When I get a loaner car (non-ML) I have to turn it to NPR as even FM music is painfully worse to listen to, let alone anything else.

Xavier6162

How do you know if the car has the ML system?

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

There is a logo on the center stack if it has ML. I want to say it's under the DVD slot but I'm not sure.

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

And to answer your question, they probably keep less cars with ML because usually they are tacked onto other packages (i.e. the Lux or Sport package) which cost more and turn off a lot of people. They have a better chance of selling the cheaper vehicle so that's what they keep on the lot.

Xavier6162

Do the NAV equipe IS350 include the ML system? O can you have a NAV system that does not include the ML System?

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

You can have ML with or without nav. Unless you special order it, it's probably going to be bundled with the Lux or Sport packages.

benzo555

iTrader: (11)

ML is an option in itself. It can be had with or without navi which is much more rare.

I have to disagree to the people that say ML doesn't make much difference. To me its night and day. I used to be in heavy audio systems back in the day. But ML on the IS has to be one of the best factory equipped systems to date.

I had an IS250 as a loaner and wow can't really compare the two.

FisforFast

I would personally save the dough and buy a nice aftermarket headunit/multimedia center and system for the same money. The Mark Levinson audio isn't that good of an improvement over the standard one. I'd even go as far as saying that the standard audio system in my mother's Altima has much deeper bass and crisper sound.

Xavier6162

Just wondering. I've test drove 6 pre-owed IS350s over the last six months and all six had NAV and ML systems. The only non-ML/Nav car I’ve come across thus far was by a private owner who for some reason believed his car was worth several thousands more than what Kelley Blue Book advises. After six month the car is still for sale…same price. Apparently his insistence of the unmovable asking price, after the course, did not seem a sufficiently good advertisement for the brand.

I prefer not to have the NAV and don't really care for extra-quality sound systems as my listening preference is to AM Talk Radio. It is darn near impossible for me to come across a non-ML/NAV car here in Southern California. Perhaps the PO should try shopping in Southern California.