Test drives.

[ganzoom]

When we were looking our local dealer (Leicester) gave us keys to their loaner for the weekend almost striaght away. No questions asked!!!

I'm amazed your having such a hard time getting a test drive, its not like the IS is even selling well. I would have thought they jump at chance of making a sale.

[PaulWhitt20]

Sounds like you have already bought it in your head as you are still persisting in having a test drive.

The IS is not a sports car. If you want something to race around in and enjoy the performance the the eCVT is not for you. If you want to waft around in comfort then you will soon get used to the eCVT and enjoy its sublime smoothness.

[Eggie]

On 10/09/2017 at 5:09 PM, talaipwros said:

is that the LS500h??

 

if that is the case I will be really cross with them

Sorry for late response but been away on holiday. Yes it was the new LS500H. Super car. Might buy one if I win the lottery.

[bernieeccles]

33 minutes ago, PaulWhitt20 said:

Sounds like you have already bought it in your head as you are still persisting in having a test drive.

The IS is not a sports car. If you want something to race around in and enjoy the performance the the eCVT is not for you. If you want to waft around in comfort then you will soon get used to the eCVT and enjoy its sublime smoothness.
 

Nope ! I don't want a sports car with the associated noise and firm crashy suspension. I have a 1200 cc motorbike for speedy "kicks"

I do want a relaxing quiet drive with reasonable fuel consumption and road tax. It has to look nice to me as well. I don't want a diesel any more. I have had a VW Bora TDI for 12 years now and done nigh on 100k miles in it but that has none of the expensive emissions crap on it which a modern diesel has and  a new diesel will not be the sort of thing that would suit my driving profile. I also don't want a small capacity "revbomb" either.

Hence my interest in the IS. It would seem to fit the bill.

However, I would never just stroll into a dealer and buy one without a good road test. There are some things about a car, especially for long term ownership, that a half hour test drive is just not going to reveal.

Maybe, later on in the year, when the tumbleweeds are blowing through the car showrooms, I might get a bit more attention.

You would think that given this 24hr test drive initiative is being promoted by Lexus GB, it would be a bit better organised.

[Eggie]

On 10/09/2017 at 5:09 PM, talaipwros said:

is that the LS500h??

 

if that is the case I will be really cross with them

Sorry for delay in response I have been away on holiday.  Yes it was the LS500H.  Superb car. Will defo have one if I win the lottery.

[Eggie]

19 minutes ago, bernieeccles said:

Nope ! I don't want a sports car with the associated noise and firm crashy suspension. I have a 1200 cc motorbike for speedy "kicks"

I do want a relaxing quiet drive with reasonable fuel consumption and road tax. It has to look nice to me as well. I don't want a diesel any more. I have had a VW Bora TDI for 12 years now and done nigh on 100k miles in it but that has none of the expensive emissions crap on it which a modern diesel has and  a new diesel will not be the sort of thing that would suit my driving profile. I also don't want a small capacity "revbomb" either.

Hence my interest in the IS. It would seem to fit the bill.

However, I would never just stroll into a dealer and buy one without a good road test. There are some things about a car, especially for long term ownership, that a half hour test drive is just not going to reveal.

Maybe, later on in the year, when the tumbleweeds are blowing through the car showrooms, I might get a bit more attention.

You would think that given this 24hr test drive initiative is being promoted by Lexus GB, it would be a bit better organised.

I hope you get your test drive

[talaipwros]

3 hours ago, Eggie said:

Sorry for delay in response I have been away on holiday.  Yes it was the LS500H.  Superb car. Will defo have one if I win the lottery.

well, in that case they are not particularly clever. I bought a new CT from them last year. I told them that I am interested in the LS500 and even sentthem an email asking them to let me know ASAP they get the car

On September the 3rd I purchased my 67 plate 740d xdrive Msport with a list price of £91980 as I had no feedback and thought that LS wouldn' t be around for a year or so. If they have contacted me as they should, I would may have gone for the LS.

How silly is that?

Any way, the BMW is an excellent car so can't complain but there was an opportunity lost there

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, talaipwros said:

well, in that case they are not particularly clever. I bought a new CT from them last year. I told them that I am interested in the LS500 and even sentthem an email asking them to let me know ASAP they get the car

On September the 3rd I purchased my 67 plate 740d xdrive Msport with a list price of £91980 as I had no feedback and thought that LS wouldn' t be around for a year or so. If they have contacted me as they should, I would may have gone for the LS.

How silly is that?

Any way, the BMW is an excellent car so can't complain but there was an opportunity lost there

Was that Lexus Chester by any chance that didn`t call you back Vas ?

[talaipwros]

Nope, it was Bolton.

Fine team, no problem with them and had purchased a GS250 in the past from their team when they were still in Manchester ( before the Manchester branch closed down)

But, they didn't call me back

[talaipwros]

well, just been in Bolton Lexus for service

 

they said that noone had an  LS500h test drive as the car is not here yet.

Their technicians has just been to Milano ( I think) for training and that's it.

[Guest]

There is a 500h at Lincoln and I was offered it when my car is in for new wheels. 

[Guest]

We have just returned from Lexus coventry as the better half wanted to test drive a Ct200h and they immediately offered a 24 test drive.We declined and she just had a normal test drive but everyone was very helpful as usual.

[talaipwros]

1 hour ago, Comedian said:

There is a 500h at Lincoln and I was offered it when my car is in for new wheels. 

thanks for the information, I may pop in then to have a look

[Fsport]

So decided to try the 24 hour offer that keeps popping up on this site.  Registered my details and then got a call from my local Lexus dealer. Receptionist who called me asked me to come in on the Sunday and to do a normal test drive before taking the car for the 24hr test drive (Lexus NX).  I wanted the 24 hour test drive so that my wife could check it out with me without the pressure of the saleman.  She would never do a test drive at a dealer.

Sunday came and it was ****** down with rain. I was also a bit tired from the night out before and didnt really feel in the mood to go to the test drive that morning.  However decided to force myself out of bed and honour the pre arranged meeting with the salesman.

Drove there by myself and was asked to wait 5 mins for the saleman to come out.  He sits me down, asks me a few questions before telling me that there are no NXs available for a 24 hour test drive.  Also the fact that a new NX was due soon meant that doing a normal test drive wasn't going to be worth it.  I was taken aback by the reluctance of the salesman to allow me to drive any car so decided to walk pretty annoyed.  Should have just stayed in bed.  He further annoyed by asking me silly questions about my supercar I arrived in.

It looks like the 24 hour test drive thing Lexus currently do is a lie but rather an exercise to obtain more contact information to bombard you with spam later on.

Maybe I should try another dealer but the next one is 90mins away. 

[Steve]

@Fsport Can you tell me which dealer was this please?

[Steve]

So we can try and improve the offering with Lexus we have a survey.

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/lexus-24-hour-test-drive-experience-survey/

Anyone who has taken up the campaign and had good or bad experience please complete the survey. Please bear in mind this was offered to the club and we have no input in the offer. But we can send our feedback to Lexus which we hope will improve things.

[bernieeccles]

39 minutes ago, Fsport said:

So decided to try the 24 hour offer that keeps popping up on this site.  Registered my details and then got a call from my local Lexus dealer. Receptionist who called me asked me to come in on the Sunday and to do a normal test drive before taking the car for the 24hr test drive (Lexus NX).  I wanted the 24 hour test drive so that my wife could check it out with me without the pressure of the saleman.  She would never do a test drive at a dealer.

Sunday came and it was ****** down with rain. I was also a bit tired from the night out before and didnt really feel in the mood to go to the test drive that morning.  However decided to force myself out of bed and honour the pre arranged meeting with the salesman.

Drove there by myself and was asked to wait 5 mins for the saleman to come out.  He sits me down, asks me a few questions before telling me that there are no NXs available for a 24 hour test drive.  Also the fact that a new NX was due soon meant that doing a normal test drive wasn't going to be worth it.  I was taken aback by the reluctance of the salesman to allow me to drive any car so decided to walk pretty annoyed.  Should have just stayed in bed.  He further annoyed by asking me silly questions about my supercar I arrived in.

It looks like the 24 hour test drive thing Lexus currently do is a lie but rather an exercise to obtain more contact information to bombard you with spam later on.

Maybe I should try another dealer but the next one is 90mins away. 

I also registered my details and waited for some sort of confirmation from first one then another dealer. Heard nothing despite a couple of polite emails, then sent an email to Lexus GB who responded by saying they had forwarded my email to them on to the dealers in question. Again, heard nothing until a few days ago, I received an email from Lexus GB saying that I had to call in to the dealers to arrange insurance as per the dealers email to me.

Suffice to say, I didn't receive an email from the dealer asking me to do this.

Poor communication somewhere methinks, but I will go to the dealers, when my wife and my work timetables coincide with a free day.

[wharfhouse]

Seems to be rather dealer specific - I can't speak for the current offer but a year ago I completed the form on the Lexus website asking for a 24 hour test drive and was contacted the same day by Lexus Reading. I met the sales person a couple of days later at the showroom, had a chat about what I was looking for (an IS 300h) etc. and he organised a car for a day for me to try for a few days later. I could have had the car for 24 hours but as I was away the day after the test drive day I decided to collect first thing and return it that evening. All that was needed was a check of my driving licence with DVLA for the insurance (didn't cost me anything) and I was on my way and had the car all day. Off the back of that test drive I loved the car and went back a couple of days later and bought one.

[Fsport]

23 hours ago, Steve said:

@Fsport Can you tell me which dealer was this please?

It was Lexus Sidcup.  If they have no cars available for the 24hr test drive offer which they told me upon arrival, they should not have asked me to come in in the first place.

 

Maybe I should try Lexus Reading.

[wharfhouse]

8 minutes ago, Fsport said:

It was Lexus Sidcup.  If they have no cars available for the 24hr test drive offer which they told me upon arrival, they should not have asked me to come in in the first place.

 

Maybe I should try Lexus Reading.

I was very specific that I was definitely changing my car - no ifs and buts - and went through the questions the sales person had - I think that is only fair as I hate it when people waste my time when I am looking to sell my services and they aren't serious about buying

[Mikeyb999]

Dealerships attitudes to test drives vary a lot.  Years ago I was looking for a specific model of Audi - local dealer only interested in a quick accompanied drive (didn't bother), but kept ringing me afterwards.

Went to another smaller dealership who were happy to get the one I was interested in from another branch for the day - guess who I bought from.

I sometimes wonder with these publicised test drive offers if the dealers get a lot of time wasters who just see it as free car rental so they are naturally cautious 

[wharfhouse]

8 minutes ago, Mikeyb999 said:

Dealerships attitudes to test drives vary a lot.  Years ago I was looking for a specific model of Audi - local dealer only interested in a quick accompanied drive (didn't bother), but kept ringing me afterwards.

Went to another smaller dealership who were happy to get the one I was interested in from another branch for the day - guess who I bought from.

I sometimes wonder with these publicised test drive offers if the dealers get a lot of time wasters who just see it as free car rental so they are naturally cautious 

If I was a dealer I think I too would be cautious as I am sure there are time wasters - as there are in all walks of life, especially when something is "free" - so you would expect them to do their job and ask the right "qualifying" questions to sort out if the person is really in the market to change their car in a reasonable period of time - only fair and I do the same in my business - out of 10 leads there are only ever a few that pass this first test of answering some basic questions! However, if there are no sales people coming back to ask the basic questions then the dealer has some issues! 

[Mr Vlad]

Hello Bernie. Just read your thread with interest. I think you'l not like the IS300HI initially because of the CVT box. I' on my 2nd is300h in the space of 14 months. 1st one lasted 5 weeks because of the CVT and the ride and other niggles. The car was a Premier Premium. I chopped it in for a ford mondeo titanium x sport ecoboost which had an auto box  (great training for a CVT).

So most definitely get a 24 hour test.

My current car is a Premier Premium and I knew what to look out for. I knew I wanted this car within a few minutes  (after deliberately hitting a pothole ) as the car responded superbly.

Economy for a petrol car is very good. I' in my 3rd week now of ownership and am still getting used to it. Going up motorway hills needs the loud pedal pressing more than the 1/4 I do normally. However in sport mode and with some juice in the batteries and you floor it beyond the detant in its travel then it flies. Rev counter goes to 6000 revs and it sounds great and is almost as quick as my previous mondeo.

The ride is sublime and so comfortable and quiet. The sound system is really good.

I suggest getting quite a few 'short' test drives from either lexus dealers or independants or see if you can hire one for a weekend. 

Let us know how you get on.