<p>Okay, so I’ve been taking competitive bids from Lexus dealers from miles around and I’m ready to pull the trigger on my purchase. I think I’ve done really well. What do you think?</p>
<p>RX 350, msrp $42,171 for $33,426.</p>
<p>Sounds like an amazing deal. Just curious, why not by a year old model that has already taken the big depreciation hit?</p>
<p>Good deal. Go for it. I used to drive an RX (1999) and I loved it. The newer ones are even better. Does that include the DVD navigation? Ask if they can throw in some 0% financing.</p>
<p>Hmom, I’m buying the 2009 and the 2010’s are already out, so I think that’s what I’m doing, if I understand you correctly.</p>
<p>Bunsen, I’m going in with a pre-approval on a 4.64% loan, but I’ll certainly give 0% a shot!</p>
<p>Certainly sounds like a good deal since I think its less than I paid for mine (a 330) when I bought it in 2005! Go onto the Edmunds forum into the section on deals and prices paid. Its really helpful in negotiating. However, sounds like you have a great deal. One last suggestion-- send an email request for a price to a few dealerships within a 50 mile radius-- ask if they have the model you are looking for (put exact color, trim line, options, etc) and ask for their best internet pricing. If it’s better than what you have, your dealer will match it. My s bought his first car recently and got the price down an additional $2k by doing this!</p>
<p>Jym, that’s what I did! I sent out emails to dealers far and wide (they’re all 55 to 90 minutes from me) and played them off against each other. I do still have one iron in the fire…but he’d have to bring it down by quite a bit for me to buy from him–he’s quite the slimeball. Of course…I might be able to get the deal I have now down using the slimeball’s offer if he’ll put it in writing.</p>
<p>Are you buying cash or do you need financing?</p>
<p>I use Edmund whenever I buy a new car. I usually add a few hundred $ above the dealer price and I buy it on the spot if they agree to my price. I also ask them to throw in free maintenance for the first 50,000 miles. It’s worth a lot to me, but cost very little to them. I have them deliver the car to me with all paper work for me to sign at home.</p>
<p>In today’s market, the car prices are way below invoice. My s looked at the Edmunds prices, but got a price about $2500 below invoice (not sticker, invoice) plus a decent price on the trade-in of my old minivan.</p>
<p>My price is very nearly $4,000 below dealer invoice! I LOVE the 50K free maintenance idea, Oldfort! The home delivery is a great idea too. A friend is driving me to the dealership 90 miles away. If the last iron in the fire comes back lower, I’ll ask for both the free maintenance and the delivery (although, I do want to drive it :D).</p>
<p>What kind of a discount should a dealer be giving on a 2008 car still in the showroom (it is a gorgeous, but outrageously expensive, 74K sticker price, lots of whistles and bells, BMW X6 in a wonderful metallic red)? Hard to believe they will sell it, but what might they have to let it go for?</p>
<p>Dealers <em>should</em> be giving huge discounts on the '08’s, especially if the '10 models are out for that car (some are, but not a lot yet)</p>
<p>When I bought my RX, it was a hurried deal as my s’s car died and he took my car. I needed a car quickly. Called our credit union’s car buying service on a Tuesday and by that Friday, 3 days later, the car was delivered to my driveway. We got what was considered a good deal back then, but not as great a deal as SchmooMcgoo is getting, and it didnt occur to me to ask for free maintenance (but then again we use a dealership for service closer to home than the one we bought it from, and only used the dealer for the first few services and any warantee work). <em>WARNING</em>*** Basic service on that car is obscenely overpriced (I think you are paying for the fancy customer waiting area and free Starbucks coffee). But, no one needs to spend a few hundred bucks for a basic oil change/tune-up and a cup of coffee, no matter how good that coffee is. Oh, and I do refer to this car, as much as I love it, as a year’s tuition under my a$$. We don’t usually spend this kinda $$ on a car.</p>
<p>Other thing-- be sure, if and when you take it to the dealership, that you get a free loaner car. You are entitled to it. Sometimes I had to push a bit, but always got it when I needed it. Last time I got the RX hybrid. That was fun.</p>
<p>Keep us posted, schmoomcgoo and lorelei. </p>
<p>*** and by the way, my s’s 2009 car, which was about $2200 under invoice (I was off a little bit), was a LOT less expensive than an RX. Invoice was about $16,800.</p>
<p>jym, re: service. We found that there was a huge price difference between the two dealerships in our neck of the woods. One is all marble, escalators and Chihuli glass (just kidding, but it does have glass art), the other has a few marble tiles on the floor and a barista, but charges much less for the same stuff. It pays to shop around. And it also pays to bring along H who always gives the service manager the evil eye and asks “And you are going to this WHY? Is the car going to die without it?”</p>
<p>Sounds like you could perform this service for your friends who hate to deal with car dealerships and charge them $$$. You should register your purchase on the CC best buy of the day thread!</p>
<p>BunsenBurner-
We used the dealership only for the first few early services (what were they-- the 5k and whatever else was “required”) but use our local, certified/authorized repair shop for subsequent service. Much, MUCH cheaper and its walking distance from my house. I will hve to se, though, if I can get my DH to work on that “evil eye” thing 
There are several dealership sin our metro area, but all but one would be a long drive and major inconvenience in our horrible traffic. However, if the price difference was huge, it might be worth it, though again it would take some major logistical planning because of the locations of the otehr dealerships.</p>
<p>LMNOP, I think I would enjoy that…not much demand for such a service here in Podunk, though.</p>
<p>Jym, when you say, “certified/authorized repair shop”, what do you mean? I have always had my cars serviced at the dealer. I know, people say they’re much more expensive, but I have always felt well cared for. I suppose the fact that I’ve gotten the occasional free oil change means I’ve paid for it somewhere along the way, but I’ve been very happy with their attention to warranty-covered systems (which, I confess, I’m oblivious to–I never noticed a problem with my Odyssey’s transmission, for instance, and the dealer replaced it under warranty twice because they noticed).</p>
<p>Now, the Lexus dealers are all quite a drive away, so it would be great to find some kind of “certified/authorized repair shop” that’s not a dealer. Are some independent shops certified/authorized specifically by the manufacturers?</p>
<p>Also, the salesman at the closest one intimated that I won’t get the pampering there that customers who buy from them get (they would bring me a loaner–an hour away–take my car to have the oil changed, and bring it back to me) if I don’t buy from them. I do go there from time to time anyway, so it’s not that big a deal, I guess, as long as they are not plain nasty to me. (I can’t imagine they would be as I’ll still be a paying customer.) If I do manage to get free service from the dealer I’m buying from it’ll be a bit of a pain to travel an hour and a half, but at least I’d have an excuse to go to the big city, which I love.</p>
<p>If you take your car to a repair place that is ASE certified/uses ASE certified technicians ([ASE</a> - Certifying the Automotive Professional | Home](<a href=“http://www.ase.com/]ASE”>http://www.ase.com/)) this meets the criteria so that your warantee remains valid.</p>
<p>And I think the salesman is giving you a line of bunk. I dont think the service dept has much to do with the sales dept. and I’ve not felt treated any differently by the service dept b/c my car wasnt purchased there. I think the salesman is just trying to get your sale in a slimy way.</p>
<p>Thank you for doing your part to keep the economy moving ( just a little humor)</p>
<p>No way that I am in the market for a car…just wondering how much they discount 2008 models. It will be a long time before we give the economy any automotive boosts!</p>
<p>I live in an area where Lexus, BMW, Mercedes,Audi are common brands. I have noticed a drastic reduction of people upgrading to a newer model.
The only people I know getting new cars seem to be buying hybrids.
Enjoy your new car!</p>