Custom Ordering Is 250 From Factory

[smatn5]

I'd like to buy an IS 250 with specific options (luxury package & navigation) for a fair price. My dealer mentioned they never get that configuration in stock without custom ordering. He said they WILL place a custom order, but only for an IS 350 LOADED (44k+ MSRP, 18", speaker upgrade, etc). He also said they cannot negotiate price at all on custom ordered cars, even with a hefty deposit.

Should I call another dealership? Is it possible to get a custom order IS 250 with luxury package & navigation at a reasonable price (3k below MSRP)? Or was the dealership speaking the truth about having to order an IS 350 and pay MSRP? Please let me know, would love to buy an IS but this sounds odd and turns me off a bit from Lexus.

[tex2670]

I'd like to buy an IS 250 with specific options (luxury package & navigation) for a fair price. My dealer mentioned they never get that configuration in stock without custom ordering. He said they WILL place a custom order, but only for an IS 350 LOADED (44k+ MSRP, 18", speaker upgrade, etc). He also said they cannot negotiate price at all on custom ordered cars, even with a hefty deposit.

Should I call another dealership? Is it possible to get a custom order IS 250 with luxury package & navigation at a reasonable price (3k below MSRP)? Or was the dealership speaking the truth about having to order an IS 350 and pay MSRP? Please let me know, would love to buy an IS but this sounds odd and turns me off a bit from Lexus.

You should call AS MANY dealers as possible. I have an '07 AWD with nav and lux. It was hard to locate, but they were out there. I'm in PA. Try to find the largest volume dealer in your area.

Another possibility is finding a dealer out of your area that stocks that combo, buying it from them, and having it trucked to you.

Best bet--try and find a dealer that thinks they can get it. Many have reported they got good pricing even with a special order. But I don't think you want to walk in and start with asking about special orders.

[1990LS400]

A dealer should be able to easily search the nationwide inventory - even for cars in the pipeline and not yet delivered to dealers.

About 10 years ago, a local Kansas City Toyota dealer found one of the few 98 Camrys with TRAC, ABS and side airbags that was in the pipeline and was able to have it diverted from being delivered to a Minnesota dealership to his own dealership for us to buy. Surely a Lexus dealer can do the same thing.

[Lexusfreak]

A dealer should be able to easily search the nationwide inventory - even for cars in the pipeline and not yet delivered to dealers.

About 10 years ago, a local Kansas City Toyota dealer found one of the few 98 Camrys with VSC, ABS and side airbags that was in the pipeline and was able to have it diverted from being delivered to a Minnesota dealership to his own dealership for us to buy. Surely a Lexus dealer can do the same thing.

Agreed.....and call as many dealers as you can. Might even want to speak with the sales managers directly & avoid the 'middle man'. Keep us posted.

[smatn5]

Thanks for the replies, I was not even sure Lexus did custom orders as my dealer claimed they do not. If it is possible to custom orders that is good news, I'll just have to shop around until I find the right dealer. :)

Will definitely try and get them to search nationwide inventory also.

Thanks again for the info! Kinda annoyed at my local dealer saying they could not custom order as the factory would not allow, should have just told me he would not allow it. (this was the sales manager talking)

[smatn5]

Does anyone know a dealer that will work special orders at a fair price? Don't mind a decently long drive to get the car I'd like at a fair price.

[smatn5]

Did a little searching on the forums and found this dealer, looks like high volume and located maybe 3-4 hr drive from Orlando, so hoping I'll be able to get good deal on special order. Will post results here, wish my dealer in Orlando was not being so rude with their refusal to special order except for a loaded IS350 at MSRP. And they told me they couldn't special order anything except a loaded IS350 due to Lexus' factory rules, which from reading various posts here seems like total bs as special orders are possible and just require a little paperwork and waiting. Just kinda frustrated with em I guess, ah well someone else will get my order.

Anyways, the dealer in south FL: http://www.jm-lexus.com/

Also read in another thread this dealer will cut a fair deal, further from FL but I'll drive a state or two if I have to :P http://nitra.lexusdealer.com/johnson-durham

[Jay P]

I'd like to buy an IS 250 with specific options (luxury package & navigation) for a fair price. My dealer mentioned they never get that configuration in stock without custom ordering. He said they WILL place a custom order, but only for an IS 350 LOADED (44k+ MSRP, 18", speaker upgrade, etc). He also said they cannot negotiate price at all on custom ordered cars, even with a hefty deposit.

Should I call another dealership? Is it possible to get a custom order IS 250 with luxury package & navigation at a reasonable price (3k below MSRP)? Or was the dealership speaking the truth about having to order an IS 350 and pay MSRP? Please let me know, would love to buy an IS but this sounds odd and turns me off a bit from Lexus.

I'd say they're lying. A dealership can special order anything, with any specific packages. It just takes 4 or more months to get it. They have even more package options to choose from than what is posted on www.lexus.com. Most of the options are scaled down versions of the website options.

They pay the same invoice cost (with respect to added options) than they would getting the car in a normal yearly shipment. That means they have the same price wiggle room (MSRP - invoice). It sounds like they are lazy and don't want the hassle.

I would deffinately not deal with these jokers. Talk to other dealerships, even if they are a couple hours away it's worth it. One warning though, if you do special order, do not expect to be told an exact date for delivery. They have an absolutely terrible tracking system. They do not know the car's location or the expected delivery date, even after it has been loaded on a truck.

[Knightshade]

I'd like to buy an IS 250 with specific options (luxury package & navigation) for a fair price. My dealer mentioned they never get that configuration in stock without custom ordering. He said they WILL place a custom order, but only for an IS 350 LOADED (44k+ MSRP, 18", speaker upgrade, etc). He also said they cannot negotiate price at all on custom ordered cars, even with a hefty deposit.

Should I call another dealership? Is it possible to get a custom order IS 250 with luxury package & navigation at a reasonable price (3k below MSRP)? Or was the dealership speaking the truth about having to order an IS 350 and pay MSRP? Please let me know, would love to buy an IS but this sounds odd and turns me off a bit from Lexus.

I'd say they're lying. A dealership can special order anything, with any specific packages. It just takes 4 or more months to get it. They have even more package options to choose from than what is posted on www.lexus.com. Most of the options are scaled down versions of the website options.

They pay the same invoice cost (with respect to added options) than they would getting the car in a normal yearly shipment. That means they have the same price wiggle room (MSRP - invoice). It sounds like they are lazy and don't want the hassle.

I would deffinately not deal with these jokers. Talk to other dealerships, even if they are a couple hours away it's worth it. One warning though, if you do special order, do not expect to be told an exact date for delivery. They have an absolutely terrible tracking system. They do not know the car's location or the expected delivery date, even after it has been loaded on a truck.

There's no reason it should take 4+ months. Mine took 2.5 months, and once it was on the ship from Japan they knew the date it would reach port in the US, as well as a 3-5 day window when it'd arrive at the dealership after that.

One sorta 'catch' is AFAIK all the special orders for a given month have a cut-off date (I want to say the 15th) so it it doesn't go in by, say, March 15th, then the order doesn't actually get submitted until April 15th and the clock starts from there... which I suppose might get you nearer 4 months if you just miss the cut-off for a given month.

[Lex Law]

Any dealership that tells you that you cannot special order or that you have to get the most expensive IS ever or will not negotiate with you on price is bad news. Stay away.

Since you are in FL, you should e-mail the internet sales manager at Wilde Lexus of Sarasota. He gave me a much better opening price than anyone in my area. I special-ordered it exactly as I wanted. I even added an option a couple of days after my order went to the factory. The orders are processed by the factory on the 15th of each month. Mine was ordered just before 10/15 and arrived in my home state 2/1. That's 3.5 months. Tell him a KY lawyer sent ya--he'll know me.