Rx330 Or Rx400h?

[patt]

There's at least a one-year waiting list as we speak. After getting booted out of my #2 spot on the Highlander waiting list, I called around to find that the shortest list in this area is 50+. Luckily, we are #15 on the RX400h list. Dealers are telling me that if you are just signing up, you shouldn't expect to actually get one until 2006.

There may be some list inflation. I know we are on a list in the LA Area where we are #7, but we are also on a list of over 100 in the Bay Area. The Bay Area dealer was only asking $100 refundable deposit so it is possible that a lot of the people on his list are phantoms who may not chose to buy when the cars actually come out or who also are on multiple lists.

On Toyota customer service, some of the dealerships do a very good fine job. I've been extremely happy with Maita Toyota's service over the years. They do the repairs properly, did fine on the few warranty items that popped up, get the car ready when they say it will be, etc. I've been going there for a lot of years and can't recall any problems. There is another dealer in town that is more conveniently located for me but I've tried them a couple of times and found them very lacking. Toyota probably doesn't control dealer quality enough, but there are some very good dealers out there.

[RX400h]

I agree that it is very possible for someone who is fairly far down on the list to get bumped up quickly, especially if you consider all of the impatient people out there. My brother-in-law is a good example. He had a 3 year-old Sienna van and told me a while ago that he had hoped to buy the latest Sienna van within the year. Since I know that he endures many hours per week sitting in traffic and drives more than 60 miles per day, I advised him that Toyota will be coming out with a hybrid van that would inevitably increase his milage (and decrease his constant trips to the gas station) tremendously.

Could he wait just one more year? ........not a chance! He picked up his new, 21 MPG Sienna last weekend. So, as you can see, there is no shortage of impatient people out there.

BTW, the service I receive at the local Chevy dealership is superb - isn't that a surprise!

[SW03ES]

On Toyota customer service, some of the dealerships do a very good fine job. I've been extremely happy with Maita Toyota's service over the years. They do the repairs properly, did fine on the few warranty items that popped up, get the car ready when they say it will be, etc. I've been going there for a lot of years and can't recall any problems. There is another dealer in town that is more conveniently located for me but I've tried them a couple of times and found them very lacking. Toyota probably doesn't control dealer quality enough, but there are some very good dealers out there.

Toyota just doesn't control the quality of dealers like Lexus does. Sure there are some great dealers but there are real crappy ones too, it just depends on the individual owner's business philosophy. Unfortunately I've found that on the whole the dealers are subpar, hence their low dealer satisfaction rating (its 4th from the bottom I think).

[denslexusgx470]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5941899/

[RX400h]

"New birthing system

Lexus this week said it will provide wait-list customers with detailed information on manufacturing and shipment schedules. Customers will even get to take part in the birth of their car, Lexus said, as dealers will be able to assign a customer's name to a specific 400h before production and then track it through delivery."

GM has had this opportunity for future Corvette owners for quite some time. I was able to track mine from the factory to the dealership and finally to my front driveway. It's a great experience!

Thanks for the link; the day grows closer....

[SW03ES]

Very cool!

[denslexusgx470]

yea, but it would suck for those who are just gonna put their name on the list for an rx400h. :chairshot: although i have a hunch that a lot of those people will back out, sometime, somehow!

[SW03ES]

Thats the difference between "pre-sold" which means they are already purchased and name on a list I believe...

[denslexusgx470]

Thats the difference between "pre-sold" which means they are already purchased and name on a list I believe...

but even though they paid the whole price, or a down payment, isn't it still possible to back out and get ur money back??

[RX400h]

I haven't heard of anyone paying the whole price and I don't see how they can, since a detailed options list is not available. I put down $1000 to hold my spot and that amount is fully refundable for any reason whatsoever. Dealers that have long waiting lists are asking for $500 only, but I'd rather be near the top of a list than have to wait one year or more.

[SW03ES]

Could be that way, not sure how they're doing it. I know they don't offer a "pre-sold" plan to Prius owners.

As to whether or not you can get your money back, yes and no. Some dealers allow refunds some don't.

[patt]

I haven't heard of anyone paying the whole price and I don't see how they can, since a detailed options list is not available. I put down $1000 to hold my spot and that amount is fully refundable for any reason whatsoever. Dealers that have long waiting lists are asking for $500 only, but I'd rather be near the top of a list than have to wait one year or more.

I expect that they will have the option packages and prices out before they take the pre-orders. My guess is that we are months away from that. Probably once you get to that point, there will be a non-refundable deposit. It seems very unlikely that full price would be expected before you take delivery - some people will have loans to get their car and the loan company wouldn't be keen to issue money before there was a car.

This seems like a good way for them to shake out the lists to get rid of duplicate sign-ups and the non-serious so they can get a better view of the demand.

[RX400h]

I agree. My salesman told me that he expected brochures during the Fall, so we may be close!

[denslexusgx470]

wait, will the 400h have any wood grain at all? i saw some pix, didn't see a single piece of wood in it! :chairshot:

[SW03ES]

Not base, but there m,ay be an option.

[denslexusgx470]

there better be. anyone know the available option packages for the rx400h??? :whistles:

[SW03ES]

Interestingly enough after carefully inspecting my RX330 loaner the wood on the console and doors is actually fake. The only real wood in the RX330 is the steering wheel and shifter.

[denslexusgx470]

yeah i noticed that too when I got my loaner rx330 last week. But at least the ones on the console and door look real, and at least it's "wood" unlike the pix i saw of the rx400h, it's all replaced with silver! :chairshot: steering wheel looks ugly without the wood! :P

[denslexusgx470]

i just read from a magazine that the 400h won't come out, until april 06??? correct me on this! :cries:

[ColinBarber]

Still nothing confirmed but should be April - June 2005 as a 2006 model.

[LexRexBlue]

Still nothing confirmed but should be April - June 2005 as a 2006 model.

←

Having received the 400h letter from Toyota, I called my salesman with whom I paid a deposit. He had no new info on the 400h. Yesterday I called the Lexus Customer Assistance Center. They said their information says February or March. I hope this is accurate because I need another car and will have to try something else if it isn't forthcoming asap.

[denslexusgx470]

Still nothing confirmed but should be April - June 2005 as a 2006 model.

←

i hope it was just a typo...

[RX400h]

Still nothing confirmed but should be April - June 2005 as a 2006 model.

←

Having received the 400h letter from Toyota, I called my salesman with whom I paid a deposit. He had no new info on the 400h. Yesterday I called the Lexus Customer Assistance Center. They said their information says February or March. I hope this is accurate because I need another car and will have to try something else if it isn't forthcoming asap.

←

My salesperson told me that the first 400hs will be here in March of 2005.

[shortbear]

be careful whenever buying any new model of car the very first year it comes out. There usually are a lot of defects that are not fixed until the following year.

[RX400h]

be careful whenever buying any new model of car the very first year it comes out.  There usually are a lot of defects that are not fixed until the following year.

←

As SW has mentioned before, the technology has been out for several years now (Prius) and the rest has been proven/perfected in the RX330. I don't expect many problems with the 400h for these reasons.