Experienced RX owners, please help newbie here!
 

Am considering two 2012 RX 350's which the dealer will have in very soon - both vehicles under consideration have my color (white) and my interior (gray). Don't have my daddy any longer to help, now do I have any vehicle savvy male figures in my family.... so looking for feedback from you experienced Lexus owners, please. :uh: option 1: 2WD, fully loaded - with heads up, navigation, luxury pkg, comfort pkg, parking assist, towing prep pkg, premium audio - MSRP $51,902 - sale price $50,902 - with taxes, etc etc etc would be total of $54,456. option 2: AWD, navigation, comfort pkg, premium package, premium audio, towing prep, parking assist - MSRP $50,258 - sale price $49,258 - with taxes, etc etc etc would be total of $52,706. I'm torn between the AWD and 2WD, and whether I wants heads up display and luxury pkg or not. I already have my vehicle sold, so need to do something pretty soon. Questions: do I want AWD or 2WD and how do I decide? Considering their 'sale price' what do I counter with, and then what do I accept? Thank you in advance for any guidance you are willing to offer!:)

What state are you in if I may ask? Because those prices both seem a little high to me.

I'm in Texas.... I have cousins who have bought from this dealership and this particular salesman, and they've been very satisfied. But I have too much of my daddy's trader blood to just take things at face value, so therefore looking for input so I can make the best deal possible. I'm coming out of a real-life Lemon which is being repurchased by the manufacturer - so am REALLY cautious this time around!! Also, am being told that even though we don't have snow or much ice, the AWD is a safer vehicle on rain slick roads. But others say the 2WD is just fine and that I should save the extra $$. That just adds to my confusion.

Prices seem a bit high but since RX's have been in somewhat short supply since the earthquake it may just be a factor of the current marketplace, it's hard to say.

Living in TX you really don't need AWD, sure it's nice to have in rainy weather but it isn't something I would insist on in TX. The features in the Luxury Package are nice, but after living with the HUD on our RX it is a feature that has become indispensible. It is so much more convenient to be able to see the speed without having to look down at the speedometer. I would not purchase an RX without it, Lexus should make this feature more available than they do. Just my opinion.

Jump on cars.com and truecar.com and do some price checking, perhaps you can negotiate a better price for the vehicle based on market conditions. They can always go lower if you push the right buttons.

My vote is on your first choice. The FWD with HUD.
I used to live in New England before moving here in Cali. And let me tell you, FWD ( 2WD) is just fine.
If the weather is so extreme like 12-18 inches of snow, your AWD can't help you either.
And how many times do you get 12-18 in of snow anyway?

Negotiate the price down.. Should be able to shed 1000-1500 more.

Fiddledd, I'd go for option #1. It's nicely quipped. HUD is an awesome feature to have, luxury will give you even more toys. I doubt you'll need AWD that much in TX. Just in case, there are other safety features that'll help you maintain control in the rain on the FWD.

Price it out on Edmunds to gauge the price in your area. And don't be afraid to shop around. Good luck.

I have to say I would go with option 1. I have the HUD and the Luxury and would not want to give them up. I have AWD and live in the desert, I just wanted it. For your purposes the FWD would be fine. I would rather have the other features than the AWD. As far as price thats a tough call right now as the 2012's are just starting to come in. Not a lot of negotiating when they first come out and not a lot to compare to with what other people have paid. I would try for $3-4K off msrp. They can only say no and, so can you. Good Luck and lets us know what happens.