Some FL RC's are already on sale

Linas.P · March 12, 2018

I have spotted this "used approved" (no - it is not, probably demo) FL car already available to buy. It doesn't say F-Sport, but "premier pack" seems to indicate it is RC300h F-Sport (now included Safety +) + premier pack (sunroof + ML). Car is as well on 18 plate:

https://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/en/used-lexus/Lexus/RC-300h/25-F-SPORT-2-dr-Coupe-r1bmaug

Sadly no pictures... so one would need to get to Sidcup.

J Henderson · March 12, 2018

Seems you can't order a new one in this spec anymore. Only the Premier can have the ML system.

Linas.P · March 12, 2018

No, there are following grades: Premier, F-sport (cannot have ML... probably) and F-Sport with "Premier pack" (which have both ML and Sunroof standard)... Personally, the best possible option in my opinion as it has ML + Sunroof, but yet can be chosen in Graphite Black with Rose Leather and F-Sport looks from outside (unlike Premier). So your sort of right in the way - you cannot order ML as standalone option - actually, you never could, as it was only available with premium satnav. Because premium satnav is standard now, Lexus bundled ML with Sunroof into premier pack - so you have to have sunroof to have ML on F-sport.

I know many people going to hate it, but that is perfect for me (sort of... in principle) as currently it is very hard to find second hand F-Sport with both sunroof and ML, it is either one or the other and if both - then the colour will be wrong. Now there will be plenty F-Sports with premier packs and then you would need to choose colour.

One strange thing - Lexus haven't updated their configurator tool. One would assume they would update tool like 6 month before the FL release to better advertise it and not wise versa where they already have cars for sale, but configurator tool shows the cars you cannot order any longer.

Chafford1 · March 12, 2018

Lexus still haven't updated their website for the 2018 models.

Linas.P · March 12, 2018

Yes, that is what I said above - strange.

Maybe they prefer face to face marketing and consider online tool as sort-of secondary/tertiary tool. I would not be surprised actually with the reputation Lexus has (as old people car) that view is that majority of customers going to come to dealership to look at printed brochures and most important thing is to have good sales staff and nice brochures on the floor.

I wonder how many cars actually gets ordered directly online via configuration? I reckon not many even in this "digital age".

Chafford1 · March 12, 2018

16 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

Yes, that is what I said above - strange.

Maybe they prefer face to face marketing and consider online tool as sort-of secondary/tertiary tool. I would not be surprised actually with the reputation Lexus has (as old people car) that view is that majority of customers going to come to dealership to look at printed brochures and most important thing is to have good sales staff and nice brochures on the floor.

I wonder how many cars actually gets ordered directly online via configuration? I reckon not many even in this "digital age".

Sorry. Missed that line in your post!

Linas.P · March 12, 2018

No problem... Have you actually tried RC300h - as I understand you considering getting one?

Chafford1 · March 12, 2018

Currently considering options to replace my Passat.

J Henderson · March 12, 2018

2 hours ago, Linas.P said:

No, there are following grades: Premier, F-sport (cannot have ML... probably) and F-Sport with "Premier pack" (which have both ML and Sunroof standard)... Personally, the best possible option in my opinion as it has ML + Sunroof, but yet can be chosen in Graphite Black with Rose Leather and F-Sport looks from outside (unlike Premier). So your sort of right in the way - you cannot order ML as standalone option - actually, you never could, as it was only available with premium satnav. Because premium satnav is standard now, Lexus bundled ML with Sunroof into premier pack - so you have to have sunroof to have ML on F-sport.

I know many people going to hate it, but that is perfect for me (sort of... in principle) as currently it is very hard to find second hand F-Sport with both sunroof and ML, it is either one or the other and if both - then the colour will be wrong. Now there will be plenty F-Sports with premier packs and then you would need to choose colour.

https://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/en/used-lexus/Lexus/RC-300h/25-F-SPORT-2-dr-Coupe-Prem-Nav-Sunroof-Mark-Levinson-vdbl8lv

2016 model though.

Linas.P · March 12, 2018

I know this one, found it earlier today and at the same time the FL one - it was added recently and as you rightly highlighted it is perfect match to my requirements. But it is the first one for over ~1 year I am looking at these cars. As such I was thinking very seriously to make an offer on it... and actually still considering.

My problem is that - it is perfect.... hmmm ... right now. But the current price in my opinion doesn't represents the upcoming FL impact. My point, by October I am almost certain that I will be able to get FL F-Sport + Premier Pack for say £33-35k with probably even less miles and 2 year newer. That is if FL going to follow same trends as current model - which I don't see reason why not, actually FL's usually have worse depreciation in first years. Either that, or I will be able to pick-up same or hopefully another pre-FL model at ~ £26-28k.

So in summary I don't think now it is right time to buy it, Lexus reasonably won't discount it to October prices and I don't want to pay for rapid depreciation when nearly new FL's going to start hitting used market. Another elephant in the room is obviously RC-F - I am trying to fight myself and be reasonable and get hybrid, which I know I am going to hate from power perspective or for nearly the same price I can get RC-F... which will be outright stupid as daily.

My biggest fear is depreciation... I don't mind paying whatever for the car and maintaining it, but I hate when the value you paid is simply lost. Not because of the car condition becoming worse, but because of rapid depreciation in UK market. Next factor is my car depreciation.. or lack of it. Which means doesn't matter if I trade it in today or after year, it will have very similar PX value. So why should I trade it for say £2500 now and loose the same amount solely for depreciation, if I can wait for FL to impact the prices and still get £2500 in October?

Anyway... the matter is far more complex than I am able to explain

rayaans · March 12, 2018

Some dealers haven't got their demos yet. The website hasn't changed either most likely because they have some older models in stock to sell.

The Facelift ones seem to have similiar discounts to before. Carwow have £5.2k off. I built a naples yellow f sport with Clove interior just to make sure it was a facelift

Linas.P · March 12, 2018

But if you have unsold stock which is already built, then online configurator tool not going to help to shift it... because the point of the tool is to allow to configure the car to your taste and as such adds no benefit of selling existing pre-configured stock.

On the flip side that is exactly where I see salesman in dealership to fit... in sort of fashion of "yes you can get this fully built to order car in 3 month time, for full price or can get this car from existing stock with caveat it has wrong colour seats, but it is available today and I can make it £5000 off the list price - you choice, and additionally I will drop this lovely protection pack and convenient 2 years service for 1 year price in the same bucket".

rayaans · March 13, 2018

11 hours ago, Linas.P said:

But if you have unsold stock which is already built, then online configurator tool not going to help to shift it... because the point of the tool is to allow to configure the car to your taste and as such adds no benefit of selling existing pre-configured stock.

On the flip side that is exactly where I see salesman in dealership to fit... in sort of fashion of "yes you can get this fully built to order car in 3 month time, for full price or can get this car from existing stock with caveat it has wrong colour seats, but it is available today and I can make it £5000 off the list price - you choice, and additionally I will drop this lovely protection pack and convenient 2 years service for 1 year price in the same bucket".

Thats exactly what they do - they usually say you can order a facelift one with £5k discount. However, we have these available - in stock models, fully loaded and chances are they can find the colour combo unless its really rare (like red on red for example) and they have £7-10k off list.

Most Lexus cars are pre-configured anyway and sold whilst on the ship. If you want a special build, the waiting time is roughly 3-4 months

Linas.P · March 13, 2018

So.. yes - the outdated configurator doesn't really help to sell old stock, nor in fact new stock. It seems the only purpose is to help for customer to visualise the options available and it doesn't help if FL is already out, but configurator still shows old model option which are no longer valid. Anyway... I am sure it will be updated in during next month, when FL going to hit mainstream and Pre-FL is going to run-out

Chafford1 · March 14, 2018

Website now updated.

rayaans · March 14, 2018

1 hour ago, Chafford1 said:

Website now updated.

It has indeed.

Can't remember the prices on the pre-facelift ones but is it me or has the RC got cheaper? Seems to come standard with pretty much everything that were options on the previous car i.e. premium nav etc. Premier pack is pretty good value for money.

J Henderson · March 14, 2018

Some weirdness in the configurator.

HEATED, AUTO-DIMMING, AUTO-FOLDING OUTSIDE MIRRORS WITH MEMORY FUNCTION, REVERSE TILT FUNCTION

Is listed as standard when you compare all 3 grades. Yet, it's one of the options available when building an F-Sport.

rayaans · March 14, 2018

1 hour ago, J Henderson said:

Some weirdness in the configurator.

HEATED, AUTO-DIMMING, AUTO-FOLDING OUTSIDE MIRRORS WITH MEMORY FUNCTION, REVERSE TILT FUNCTION

Is listed as standard when you compare all 3 grades. Yet, it's one of the options available when building an F-Sport.

A no cost option though.

Its definitely a glitch though

Linas.P · March 14, 2018

6 hours ago, rayaans said:

It has indeed.

Can't remember the prices on the pre-facelift ones but is it me or has the RC got cheaper? Seems to come standard with pretty much everything that were options on the previous car i.e. premium nav etc. Premier pack is pretty good value for money.

It is £1500 more expensive per grade (previously Luxury was ~£38k and F-sport was ~£40k and premier £41.5k), but now it became better value for money, because now Premium Sat-Nav (£1995 option) and Safety+ (ACC/PCS previously only available as £1000 option on Premier) are standard on all grades. So you get about £3000 more equipment for price of £1500 + 10inch screen instead of 8 inch.

However, early last year I seen Lexus presentation (I believe from 2016) where they made the goal to make Lexus cars the leaders in the road safety and unveiled the concept of "Lexus Safety System+ (LSS+)". The key point was that currently there are multiple different options available, but some are standard, whlist others are optional and not all the cars have all the available safety systems in place, so the goal was to make single system, which would be completely the same and standard across the whole range - the LSS+. First cars to come with it were NX and FL-mk3 IS, then I believe FL-mk4 GS, LC and new RX... and the rest to follow. I believe FL-CT has it as well.

I remember saying back in the day that it is very sensible move from Lexus, because they are kind of behind on "self driving cars", so it makes sense to throw conventional and readily available safety options as a bundle, sort of until they have self-driving capabilities. Kind of play the card - "we don't test our systems on our clients, instead we add tested and trusted technology as standard with all our cars"(they might even used those specific words..). However, I don't think they kept it true to their ambition, because looking at recent document it is clear that LSS+ is pretty empty shell and greatly varies from car to car and there are still plenty safety systems which are optional (see below). What it adds specifically to FL-RC is just ACC/PCS (which is great), but you would still need to get Premier pack (£1900) with ML to get BSM and RCTA... looks like standard case of over promising and under delivering.

https://www.lexus.com/documents/safety/Lexus-Safety-System-Plus-062017.pdf

Now I am not moaning - I feel like new line-up and options list is much more sensible and miles ahead of say German pick-list of billions expensive options including some crazy things like folding and dimming mirrors for extra price.... just when somebody makes such bold statements I don't like them to go unnoticed.