Is this normal behavior? It is a 2018 with about 30k miles and the dealer says they will only allow me to test drive if I agree to purchase and do finance paperwork first! I I want to test drive a 2018 as I want to understand the differences between 2018 and newer cars. The car is also not in the color I want.

I have never heard of this before. I would like to complain to Lexus Corporate. Does anyone know how I can do this?

 

Well, scheduling a test drive without any intention to buy may not be the best behavior, but presumably the dealer doesn't know of your non-intentions - so, yes, that would be quite odd of the dealer. (Or does the dealer know that you have no intention to buy?)

 

The dealer does not know that I am not intending to buy this particular car. I requested a test drive from autotrader and got that email back.

 

Well, that certainly is bizarre behavior by the dealer. Expecting someone to essentially purchase a vehicle before a test drive - bizarre and seemingly unprecedented, not to mention unproductive.

 

I am going to find out how to report the dealer to Lexus. This is not a half a million dollar exotic, neither is it new. If people dont drive, how do they compare!

 

Run, don't walk, away from a dealer that responds in this fashion.
With an attitude like this right out of the gate, how can you ever feel comfortable with what's to follow?

FYI - Just to be honest with you, I have driven a 2021 and there is NO perceptible difference from my 2018 driving at in town and normal freeway speeds. They feel IDENTICAL.

 

I am curious of the transmission logic fix made and apparently the ride is less harsher than in 2018. But, need to drive a few I have no plans to track this car, but do go out on fast group drives with misc car clubs every few weeks.

 

I am trying to be careful here but if feels like there may be some profiling going on

No point in giving your business to a store that does not show respect for you as a customer and does not try to earn your business

 

I will say again, There is NO PERCEPTIBLE difference from my 2018 driving at in town and normal freeway speeds (this would include what would be called a 'fast group ride'. This includes the 'transmission logic' change and the suspension revisions. My 2018 has been changed to Michelin RF tires (same size as original). The tire change made more of a difference than the suspension revisions made by LEXUS. I would defy anyone that say they can tell a difference if they were blindfolded.

 

Hmm, strong words

I agree I may not be able to tell the difference, but I still want to drive one 2018 and one newer in my journey of LC ownership

 

Please don't get me wrong, drive as many and as often as your heart desires. It's a great car. My only intent was to maybe save you some time and hassle.

 

That's ridiculous....

 

New and pre-owned $100k cars are not like shoes that get routinely "tried on" by multiple folks before being purchased.
The risk/benefit calculation that dealers make regarding all test drives goes right off the scale when big dollars are involved.
If you carefully state your specific research project (the shift logic improvement?) and present yourself as a legitimate buyer
of that particular car then the store ought to accommodate your needs. You are however following vastly more drivers that
may very well want to buy a car like this some day in the distant future when they get a better job... The requirement that
you prepare the financial path for buying is a step in legitimizing you as a buyer. You pay at the first window before you
pick up the sack of burgers at the second window, right? Not making light of any heavy handed approaches that some
agencies may employ but once someone bends a car on a joyride it spoils the fun for everyone.

 

Bottom line is, if a customer wants to test drive this car, they should be allowed to, This is not a Ferrari, this isn't even a NEW LC. The dealer has no way of knowing the financial wherewithal of a prospective buyer. Ive never been asked to prove my ability to purchase a car in order to test drive it, including much more expensive cars than a used LC...let alone to commit to purchasing that specific car before I even drive it.

Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mclaren, Rolls Royce, even perhaps a Bentley...fine. But a used Lexus LC? Thats ridiculous lol. You can buy one at Carmax!

 

the dealer is free to do as they wish, and you are free to refuse. following up on what mcomer wrote, this is a rare car and i don't know what kind or brand of dealer this is, but maybe this is a very unique sale for them and they want to pre-qualify buyers. really nothing wrong with that.