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OneHump

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  1. DVD video is a feature of ML I'd like to have as well. I'm thinking I'll put a good mini-series, like Band of Brothers or something in the DVD changer to watch while I'm waiting for people, or getting an oil change or whatever. That's certainly not a great reason to wait 3 months, but it sure puts the cherry on the sundae. :D I'm getting my ML-equipped 350 at the end of November, BTW. I got really lucky.
  2. After tons and tons of research, I have confirmed, at least to my own satisfaction, that no one on the West Coast will get ML any time soon. After looking into the allocations for the South, SouthEast, East and North East regions, I have discovered that ML is not an option there as well. I initially heard this was a first batch issue, but now I'm hearing several dealers say that ML is order only and there are no plans to ship with that option. MANY, MANY UNEDUCATED SALES PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU ML IS HERE - THE ARE WRONG! Obviously you can special order which is what I did. I can't imagine ML not showing up in the next 3-6 months, but I doubt it will show up before that. As for Sattelite, it looks like the Sirius kit won't be available until January. I'm not sure if that applies to XM. The vehicles WILL be ready for sat, but the dealer-installed kit won't be available until later; Not a huge issue. What I have found is that most of the vehicles hitting the ground are Premium Plus. These vehicles have little in the way of exciting features. There are very, very few Performance/Nav being shipped with slightly more Premium Luxury. Now, let's assume you put your deposit down for a Perf/Nav a year ago and are first on the list at the largest dealer in the country (JM Lexus in FL). You'll likely be given the opportunity to pick between 2 color choices. What if you are at a smaller dealer? Their allocation is likey to include from 2 to 30 vehicles with 0 Perf/Nav. Best case there is 1 or 2 Perf/Nav or Premium Luxury in some awful color combo. The bottom line here is that, if you want a specific vehicle, you need to order it. Be prepared to wait 120 days at this point. Now, is Mark Levinson worth 120 day wait? I think that question answers itself after you properly test both systems. That doesnt mean turn the radio on and listen to both. Spend 5 minutes in each with a CD of tracks that vary in range. You will then be asking for membership in the NO ML = NO IS camp.
  3. Is that car on the left Glacier Frost Mica? I heard it was one to stay away from but I really like the color in the pictures I've seen.
  4. :cries: One of the things I was really looking forward to was Sirius.
  5. That's pretty much the picture that has been painted. I've had a deposit down on this vehicle for a real long time and am pretty grumpy about this. I have done so much research that I have found that I know more about the vehicle than any dealer and Lexus customer service. That is a very sad state of affairs. After thinking about it, and considering the specs between the ML and standard sound systems, I'm dead-set against taking delivery without ML. Depending on how long that takes, I may have to look elsewhere. I was told it could take 90 days to get the vehicle I want. I would never have considered this as a potential issue when spending over $40,000 for a vehicle. Oh, and by the way, the dealer will tell you - "Mark Levinson is a $2,000 upgrade and doesn't sound that much better anyway." I would LOVE to hear that come out of their mouths when the ML option is available.
  6. That's really good advice. What does a "stock" system typically look like? I'm assuming less than 13 speakers. I also heard it comes with 13 speakers. Thanks for the input.
  7. Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I called 2 major dealers and Lexus itself today. Here is what I found out: 1. Navigation is a standard feature for the IS350. 2. Mark Levinson will not be available until the second batch of vehicles arrives. This means I get to wait I guess. I'm not buying one without ML.
  8. Well, the problem is this - If I'm going to spend over $40,000 on a car, I'd really like quality audio. This is an important feature to me. I'd be ok with standard audio if I could resolve that in the aftermarket. The problem is that this is not possible when considering the integration of audio components with Navi, climate control and other systems. Essentially, you get a $40,000+ vehicle with a Toyota stock stero. That's crap IMO. I agree, griping won't change it, but Lexus blew it by not offering this option after widely advertising it on their web site and the IS brochure.
  9. I was told today but the general manager of a local Lexus dealer that there will be no Mark Levinson option on the initial builds of the IS250 or IS350. He got this information from a meeting with the company. He also said all IS350s are shipping with 18" wheels, regardless of package. I'm pretty disappointed about the lack of a Mark Levinson option. Does anyone have any opinion about the Mark Levinson upgrade?
  10. I have a brochure for the IS350 and it states: "Tires with 18-in wheels are expected to experience greater tire wear than conventional tires. Tire life may be substantially less than 15,00 miles, depending on driving conditions". Can this be accurate, or are they just playing CYA? As absurd as this sounds, I'm going to be putting 30,000 miles per year on this car. I want performance, but I don't want new tires every 3 months. Obviously tread wear heavily depends on how the vehicle is driven, but I'm curious to know how 18" tires compare to your standard 17" and lower 50,000 mile tires. I can't imagine not pulling at least 30,000 as long as I'm not laying a path of rubber down the road. Your thoughts?
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