We are in the process of purchasing a 2022 350h Luxury package as the allocations are sent to our local dealer. We’re curious if it’s common to have the Port Installed Options (spec sheets have PIO for these options) on these vehicles. These options typically include rear and side puddle lamps, 3M paint protection film, illuminated door sills, cargo net/wheel lock which add almost $2000 to the MSRP for options we don’t have interest. We asked if these could be deleted prior to the build date and were told this wasn’t possible.

We’re also purchasing a RAV4 hybrid for the family and the Toyota dealers are able to delete these Port Installed Options.

Thanks in advance on any feedback on how common the Port Installed Options are being added and if anyone has been able to successfully delete these options.

 

Those sound like dealer add ons to me. I had stuff like that tacked on before (I am in Canada) and I told the SA I would like to talk to the sales manager. He comes back and magically its not mandatory to have those on the car 🤷

 

Depending on how far along your car is in the build stage, they can 100% be deleted. If your car is a Japanese built model, there is a small window after the car is built and it appears on Dealer Daily where the dealer can modify these Port Installed Options. If your car is Canadian built, they can remove these options before the car is even built since North American built models receive temporary vins and allocations well in advance of the build date. I've had dealers tell me they can't remove them and its all a load of BS because they expect us as consumers to not know how the system works. I'd ask to speak to a General Manager or threaten to walk. They are just trying to increase their profit on the deal.

 

I'm in California and the dealers all told me that Lexus told me that currently Lexus isn't taking custom orders. They get allocated cars with predetermined options and they can't be changed so it's take it or leave it

 

This is indeed correct for FACTORY installed options. Port installed options can still be modified.

 

No for the dealers I worked with altering port installed options wasn't an option either. According to them, both factory and port installed options were decided by Lexus and non-negotiable. Not sure if it's different where you are but that's what 5+ dealers told me in California. They only offered to add things they could order like all weather mats.

 

I’ve personally sat down with the inventory manager at my dealer who has logged in to the Dealer Daily inventory system which is used nationwide by Toyota and Lexus dealers and she was given free reign to change any port options on allocated vehicles. Your location says it all. California is charging ridiculous markups and for those that don’t, this is just another way of jacking up the sales price of the vehicle. It’s one thing to not want to. It’s another thing to not be able to.

 

total bull****. I sat down with the sales manager at my Lexus stealership and we modified the port installed options that I wanted and did not want. There is a time window where they can delete them or add extras if you want. If they are telling you that it’s not possible they just want the markup. Some stealerships are more difficult than others to work with.

 

Thanks for the info! I just moved here and put a deposit on a car that is allocated and arriving at the port. The car has $1850 PIO and my dealer says they cannot be removed once allocated to them. Could you please tell me how long the window is for removing the Port installed options ? Can this be done at the time it arrives at the port or if it needs to be done well before that? Thanks in advance.