BertL

I have a new RX450h on order. Does anyone know at what point in the manufacturing/shipping cycle Lexus sends the VIN (and list of associated colors/options that entails) to the dealer? It of course is assigned at the factory, but does Lexus send confirmation of the build and imminent delivery before it is shipped to the US, or once it is received here at the delivery center (Long Beach in my case)?

...just wondering, as I'm almost at the 10-week mark since receiving order confirmation and I hope to be hearing something any day now from my dealer. (Unlike say BMW when you place a custom order, it appears when a Lexus is ordered, the dealer gets confirmation and acceptance of the order after it's placed, but it's a big black box for a number of weeks until the dealer receives "the VIN". At that point, the dealer has visibility to the vehicle and can track it to their dealership.

Thanks!

InRBigness

When I ordered mine the dealer as you mentioned was given an confirmation. Then when I went in 2 months later they had the production schedule that showed it was in production and it had a vin number. Production only takes a day so when they attach the vin number I am not sure. I did know mine before it even left Japan though.

RJLEXUS96

Dealer's dont get the vin until the truck arrives, then each car is added to inventory and written up for its pdi.

InRBigness

That is not the case I dont believe. I had my vin number as soon as the vehicle entered production in Japan. They has a list of all the cars that were ordered for them as well as all the ones that were ordered by different dealers that were not already sold. They can then cherry pick for customers as needed. They all had VIN numbers beside them. The vin contains the information on the options and the paint color etc so it has to be assigned at the factory at which point it seems it was available.

kitlz

VINs for incoming RXs are available like Jairus said. The dealer has the listing. I went the special order route so the only thing I had for a few months was a confirmed order and an approximate build date. I didn't ask about the VIN.

GRPFAN

So on a side note:
Because there's no VIN on your written order form, is that a legal sales document,
and can you back out of the deal with a return on your down payment????

Because the dealership wrote a order on a nonexistent vehicle.

I had a friend do this to a dealership on a order for a new Toyota Venza.
No Vin #, NO DEAL.
They refunded his down payment.

BertL

I don't have a legal sales document as of yet other than a receipt for my credit card deposit and I am absolutely not concerned about my ability to back out and get a refund for it if I wanted to at any time. The dealership is being very up-and-up with me having committed to a price and trade-in value for my RX400h several months ahead of delivery (where they would have to absorb any cost increase they may see before delivery -- we had that discussion), and took an order for a vehicle that had to be placed into the production cycle (way before VINs are assigned by any manufacturer) back in November. No worries on my part. If anyone has anything to worry about, my view it's the dealer, as I'm the one that could walk and they would be left with an almost fully loaded RX450h (unlike most they receive).

kitlz

Special orders may require deposits up to 10%. I placed a smaller down payment on my 450h. If I did back out, I'm sure I would have gotten a refund since I've bought all of my RXs from them over the past 13 years. I did that on a 450h they had coming in (non-special order). I realized it wasn't what I wanted so I called up my sales guy to let him know. He issued a refund. We met two months later and placed the special order.

InRBigness

My dealer only asked for 2k as a deposit on a 75K vehicle. I am sure that as long as you dont do somthing hideous they are not worried about the car selling to someone else. When I ordered my 450h they did not have any in stock and they only had 2 2011 RX's. I gave them 45K and showed I was serious and that helped me get my price.

rxsuperman

Wow, I did not know a loaded RX450h can cost that much ($75K???) even assuming MSLP!!

InRBigness

I paid just over 70K with some throw ins icluding taxes and fees. MSRP specs out at 74K plus the PDI, Taxes, freight etc. I have all the options available. I am not sure you can buy this vehicle in the states without special ordering. I found it very confusing to try and price it out to compare the two countrys..

I have the HUD, Mark Levinson, Rear Seat Entertainment, Radar Cruise, AWD, Parking assist, LED headlights, Trailer Package and hitch, the wallet key, 19" wheels and some more stuff. We get three choices here for the 450 to upgrade to. Touring, Ultra Premium and what I have the Ultra Premium II. The base model comes well equiped for 59K in Canada.

Barrington

My dealer had the VIN# at least a couple weeks before mine was trucked up to Roseville, CA from the port in So. Cal. They gave me a copy of the window sticker showing the VIN# and al the options at the time of writing up the deal. I don't know how long before it leaves the factory they are given the VIN. They usually have a list of what was ordered and what was allocated but that list in the beginning won't have the VIN# yet.