[Crispy3]

I need some help... I am considering on getting a is300 but i'm not too sure on where to start.. a couple of friends says to just go to a dealer and ask for 500 bux above the invoice price. That sounded a little too good to be true. Can someone refer me to a good lexus dealer? one that they had a decent experience with? I am in California and around the bay area. Some other friends told me that the Santa monica and beverly hills lexus dealers are the best they give you all the good options and still has the best prices..

my other question is regarding trade ins I current own a 93 civic hatchback it's in perfect condition just went over 100k miles how much do you all think I could get if I went for a trade in or should I just try to sell it somewhere else? if so wut should I price it at?

 

[viggen]

Your friend's advice might work with some cars, however, there is no way you will get an IS for $500 over invoice. The IS is selling like crazy and many dealers are getting sticker price for them. As for your Civic, go to http://www.kbb.com to figure out what it's worth.

Originally posted by Crispy3:
I need some help... I am considering on getting a is300 but i'm not too sure on where to start.. a couple of friends says to just go to a dealer and ask for 500 bux above the invoice price. That sounded a little too good to be true. Can someone refer me to a good lexus dealer? one that they had a decent experience with? I am in California and around the bay area. Some other friends told me that the Santa monica and beverly hills lexus dealers are the best they give you all the good options and still has the best prices..

my other question is regarding trade ins I current own a 93 civic hatchback it's in perfect condition just went over 100k miles how much do you all think I could get if I went for a trade in or should I just try to sell it somewhere else? if so wut should I price it at?

 

[Crispy3]

What kind of prices should I ask for then? what should the initial price I should ask for at a dealer and wut should I compromise at? I am looking at no sunroof and just the leather package btw what does LSD stand for? I don't like the wood option either any other options I should consider?

 

[ckolsen]

Two comments:
1. If you go in an ask for Invoice+$500 on a car that sells close to sticker, you look as much as an ass as the guy who pays sticker for a car selling at invoice. If you appear knowledgeable you'll get a better deal.
2. Dealers shaft you on trade in, you'll almost never get edmunds trade-in value, usually 10-20% less depending on how popular the car. Sell it on the internet if it's worth anything (i.e. 20% of $2000 is not worth the trouble)

 

[kota]

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[This message has been edited by kota (edited October 19, 2000).]

 

[viggen]

LSD = limited slip differential.

Originally posted by Crispy3:
What kind of prices should I ask for then? what should the initial price I should ask for at a dealer and wut should I compromise at? I am looking at no sunroof and just the leather package btw what does LSD stand for? I don't like the wood option either any other options I should consider?

 

[Crispy3]

Originally posted by viggen:
LSD = limited slip differential.

and that is.... (sorry I don't know much about cars) :/

 

[kota]

From http://is300.net/faq.html

"What does the Limited Slip Differential (option code LD) do?
It is a mechnical device in the rear of the car (directly between the two rear wheels) that distributes power from the driveshaft to the rear wheels. The limited slip function ensures that power will go to the wheel with the most traction, so that you are not going to get one wheel stuck (spinning freely) on a slippery surface (like mud, ice or snow) as long as the other wheel still has traction."

 

[TEG]

If you dealer is willing to sell under MSRP, I think you should just ask for some fixed discount (like $500, $1000, $1500 or $2000) _UNDER_ list price.

My theory is that they are using to giving big $ discounts because most other Lexus models are alot more expensive.

For instance, they probably give alot of $1500 off on $50K GS430 or LS430s, so you might get them to bite on a "$1500 discount off of list", where "amount over invoice" starts to sound less appealing to them.
If you get $1500 off of a $32,000 IS300 you got a better "deal" than someone who got $1500 off on a $50K GS430.

 

[DonCorleone]

thing is, if the dealer won't budge on MSRP, they'll give you a high trade in, at least thats what has been reported...don't expect 500 over invoice unless you find a desperate dealer, the IS isnt selling, you get a dumb salesman who ranks high, you are related to an employee of the dealer, and got skills up the ass, otherwise a 1500 above invoice is probably the best you'll see, they'll most likely throw in freebies like tint, dash kits, spoiler, or something aong those lines and give u a decent trade in, but they won't move too much off MSRP...make sure to get them to throw in a free watch, tshirt, model car, keyring or something for your trouble...

 

[mkaufman]

In my experience the decline in price of popular cars from MSRP is gradual over a four to six month period. Dealers don't get desperate if a car sits on the lot for a week if they fully expect to get MSRP after that week. Right now, depending on the dealer, they are either still filling orders or sitting with stock in hand, but discounting more than a token amount is just not happening yet. Except for the few lucky people here that got in the $1,500 range off, of course, but those are exceptions.

For instance, Lexus Carlsbad has a barebones (no moonroof, cloth interior) black IS with 18" chromes in the showroom and white, graphite and blue (!) IS's on the lot, for sale. And they were delivering a white one and an Auburn Sky while I was there this Saturday! But will they truly discount off list price? Not likely! Not for a while yet. Lots of money in the area, lots of buyers (3,000,000+ in San Diego, and only three Lexus stores over more than 1,000 square miles!). Smaller areas with less buyers would discount sooner.

[This message has been edited by mkaufman (edited October 02, 2000).]