Purchasing A 330

[glr]

I sure would appreciate advice regarding options and strategies to get the best bang for my buck. For example Consumer Reports advised against the Adaptive Variable Suspension...good advice?

Also I am interested in the navigation system and the ML audio. Comments regarding both are welcomed.

Lastly, I will hold onto this car for a long time. I have had very good luck with my 1994 6 cyl Camry after 220K. Maybe my attention to the "break in" recommendations helped. I was wondering what Lexus recommends for the 330.

Pricing information seems to be readily available but comments regarding that topic would be useful to me too.

greg

[amf1932]

Welcome to the club. ;)

I noticed that you live in Ohio. All ES330's delivered to your area do not have the option of Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS). Of course you could special order it, but that would mean the dealer would have to locate one for you and that most likely would take some time since this option is available only on the West Coast.

Personally, I drove one with AVS when I was in California and I didn't think it was that great. I found that using the normal suspension setting gave me the best of both worlds concerning smoothness & handling characteristics.

On the other hand, I love my ML sound system & Navigation. The NAV has helped guide me tremendously when driving to obscure areas. I would definitely recommend these options.

[SW03ES]

Alan's right, you're not going to be able to find one on the east coast with AVS, its just not availiable. I also have the Nav/Lev and love it. A nav system is the kind of thing you never thought you'd use until you get one, and then you'll never want another car without one.

You'll love it!

As for break in, just go easy for the first 1000 miles.

[iammikey]

Greg,

I have an ES330 and think it's the best daily driver I've had in a while! The AVS doesn't do much other than entertain passengers and I when driving on the freeway. Even though the suspension change is subtle, I could have spent the money on adjustable aftermarket springs and affected handling as well.

The ML is money well spent if you enjoy music. Just don't expect too much until you break in the speakers, then enjoy the sounds of instruments you didn't know existed on a cd.

The Navigation is a must have! Best adult car toy ever invented.

As far as buying technique, just know what you want to get and locate the car. Once you settle on your wants/needs, then remember to keep your emotions out of the negotiation. If possible, then locate as many dealers you are willing to travel to and see if they have the car you're looking for. Call around and speak to a fleet manager or internet sales person with the VIN # of the car you're interested in so they can verify you're really interested and have your cash ready because they may have one in stock with your specs at a better than expected deal. I flew 400 miles to get my car but saved around $4700 last September when I called a dealer and told him I'll fly tonight for the right price.

As far as break in, drive responsible and vary your speed for the five hundred miles. Some of the dealerships I spoke with stated that there is no break in period, so I just pretended there was one and didn't hurt a thing.

[Lexusfreak]

Is that for the AVS on ES model years 2002 - 2004 that are mostly on the west coast? Why do the folks on the west coast choose that option more so than us here in the east?

[amf1932]

I guess that was Lexus's corporate decision to have different options in different areas of the country. I don't understand their reasoning either??? :(

[SW03ES]

Well, people in california tend to like to have every option more than people on the east coast. My fiance is looking for a Mazda 3 5 Door in a particular equipment package and guess where she can get it? California its not availiable here.

[dropspace]

it may have to do with the fact that cars they sell in califiornia have to be, in amlost every case, special cars because of the emissions restrictions there.

since the orders going into cali are handled differently at the factory, they may just use that line as a test bed for other options rather than put then on the 49 state models that go out to the rest of the country.

so you folks in cali get to be guinea pigs

[amf1932]

Well, people in california tend to like to have every option more than people on the east coast.

Not necessarily. I think that the people on the East Coast are just as option crazy as the West Coaster's. ;)

[SW03ES]

Eh I don't know, things like chrome wheels etc that you never see here are everywhere in CA, they are more image concious.

[glr]

:D Thank you!

OK...I think I get the picture...get the ML sound and the Naviagation system...I intended to and you reinforced my inclination. Skip the AVS..don't need it and it would be difficult to find in Ohio anyway.

Car.Com and Edmunds.Com agree the MSRP for the ES330 and options is $37,880 including the $625 Destination fee. Invoice is $33,217 or there abouts. Edmunds suggests a fair price to be $35,401 or about $2,200 over "Invoice".

The advice about not letting my emotions enter into the equation and not limiting my shopping to the home of the Buckeye's will be honored.

Nonetheless I would appreciate the forum's experience as to what a reasonable premium over invoice might be.

Thanks again for the assist!

[Lexusfreak]

Thats intresting......I have the AVS suspension on my ES, found it without a problem. Funny thing is, I haven't found it since on about 30 ES's that are available as my dad is intrested in an ES now lol

[SW03ES]

Edmunds is usually pretty conservative in the TMV. I see no reason why you can't expect $1000 over invoice.

[Aboli De]

I was quoted $34000 for ML Navigation Options package by a dealer which has following:

- Navigation System/Mark Levinson® Audio Package

- High-Intensity Discharge Headlamps (HID) with Rain Sensing Wipers

- Heated Front Seats

- Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)

- Wood and Leather Steering Wheel

- All-Season Tires

- Power Rear Sun Shade

- Cargo Net

- Trunk Mat

- Wheel Locks

This is for 2004 ES330 Millenium Silver w/ Gray Interior.

[glr]

Well gang...I pulled the trigger and took delivery of an ES330 last week and I love it.

My options included everything that Aboli De noted plus the power sun shade. List was $37,934. We negotiated to $34,064. By my calculations, a $1,500 profit was made on the deal. Who knows whether I got the best deal but I'm :) .

I sure do appreciate the advice I learned from this and other threads in the forum...thanks!

Alabaster w/

- Navigation System/Mark Levinson® Audio Package

- High-Intensity Discharge Headlamps (HID) with Rain Sensing Wipers

- Heated Front Seats

- Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)

- Wood and Leather Steering Wheel

- All-Season Tires

- Power Rear Sun Shade

- Cargo Net

- Trunk Mat

- Wheel Locks

- Power Rear Sun Shade

[SW03ES]

I think thats probably a pretty good deal.

[loco1216]

EXCELLENT DEAL. 34k is becoming very common for a loaded es330 and I think is because the Acura TL and the Nissan

G35. Just look at the new TL price/options and rating for 2004.

.

[SW03ES]

Thats been a reasonable price for a loaded ES for a while. I got my ES for $35500 back when the MSRP was $39675.

[amf1932]

SW03ES-

I know that both our cars have the same equipment, but you got a better deal on yours. I paid $35,857.27, and I thought I made a great deal. Hmmm!

[allexus]

I just purchase my wife es330 with prem Pk< No Nav. List is about 35,000, Invoice is 31,386. New York area. I paid $31,700 plus the dealer is paying my last payment of lease on a honda ($335.00) So The total purchase price I'm paying is 31,365.00 Not bad. right. I would say between 0 to $500 over invoice price is good, for this car. So cars you can get good deals and buy it below invoice paid. But Lexus and some hot car infiniti G35 coup good luck. I have a G35 coup and paid $715.00 for the MSPR. And I could of made money the day I picked it up, because someone wanted to buy it from me for $1000.00 more then I paid. I didn't bite, because the taxes was about $3000.

allan

[SW03ES]

Alan- When did you buy yours? I bought mine in Jan. and Jan and Feb are the worst two months in the car business, sales are almost nonexistant. Best time to buy a car is January ;)

allexus- Theres more bargaining room on the base car than there is on the car with nav/lev as its a lot more rare. Only about 20% of ES' have the nav/lev and most dealerships only get 1 or 2 a month in their inventory if they ask, otherwise none. Dealerships have plenty of base cars. $1500 over invoice for a nav/lev is a good deal, $1000 over is GREAT.

[amf1932]

I took delivery of the car exactly 1 year ago yesterday(March27th.). I bought a Birthday cake and I sung Happy Birthday to her, as a duet, with the NAV girl. :D

Actually, the dealer had about 20 ES's with only 1 with the NAV-Levinson Audio, which is now mine. ;)

[SW03ES]

Thats why, March is when business finally starts picking up as people buy new cars for the summer ;)

Happy birthday Alan's ES! lol

[hilchan]

Personally, I drove one with AVS when I was in California and I didn't think it was that great. I found that using the normal suspension setting gave me the best of both worlds concerning smoothness & handling characteristics.

Before test driving the ES330, I tested the 04 Acura TL and 04 Infiniti G35 and love their handling and I know these cars are being marketed as sports sedan. But after driving the ES330 without an AVS, I walked away from the dealership as the ES330 has too much body roll.

Later found out about the AVS option and was lucky enough to test drove the only available AVS on the lot and was sold after that. The AVS will not handle like G35 or TL but you will see improvement over the standard ES330 suspension as if give you more confident on sharp turns due to less body roll with stiffer suspension.

Anybody else tested with and without AVS ? The difference to me was big enough not to purchase this vehicle if AVS wasn't available.

[SW03ES]

But you're concerned about handing, most ES owners are not. From a ride standpoint the AVS doesn't do anything to make the ride BETTER, it just can make it firmer.