Do Lexus dealers want to sell cars?

[Flytvr]

Ok - of course they do. However, from my experience, I've not come across one Lexus dealer that excels in sales. Yes, from a service perspective I can't complain - but sales - simply shocking. In contrast, only this week a BMW dealer offered to fly me to Scotland to buy a car. In the same week I heard of a Lexus dealer quoting "As a premium brand, we won't discount by more than £100"

As an example, how keen are Lexus Gatwick to sell this RC-F? The pictures are abysmal. 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201808209683411?make=LEXUS%26model=RC F%26utm_source=Email_a_Friend%26utm_medium=Email%26utm_campaign=Email_a_friend_car

Dealers just don't appear to give a monkey's!

[emjay82]

From my experience I've found dealers to be purely reactive in their approach to sales. I've only had one call back (out of about 10 Lexus dealerships) to ask.... are you still looking or I've got another car you might be interested in etc. In addition, I've offered on cars, it's not been accepted, then the price drops very close to my offer but never received a call. Most seem happy to wait and rely purely on incoming enquires.... 

[st4]

My experience was different. I walked into Lexus Glasgow to look at an IS. I explained I found one at a good price in Lexus Newcastle on autotrader but I was calling in just to see one in the flesh. The salesman produced two cars, one at the same price which was older and a better one at a price beyond my budget. He did seem a little off hand at first stating that he didn’t want to put too much time into a someone buying a car from another group as it was clear the two IS250s he had weren’t for me but the Newcastle car was. He asked if I was potentially interested in a GS, I said yes and he had one just in as a PX and he did a lot to make the numbers work. A test drive and a few forms later the GS I have now was mine and his whole demeanour changed when I showed enthusiasm for the car he could sell me.

 

In short that car is right for someone and the right someone will walk in and buy it.

 

 

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[Flytvr]

2 minutes ago, emjay82 said:

From my experience I've found dealers to be purely reactive in their approach to sales. I've only had one call back (out of about 10 Lexus dealerships) to ask.... are you still looking or I've got another car you might be interested in etc. In addition, I've offered on cars, it's not been accepted, then the price drops very close to my offer but never received a call. Most seem happy to wait and rely purely on incoming enquires.... 

Yes - so frustrating. It just makes no sense.

On three occasions I’ve told a Lexus dealer I’m interested in buying a GS450H- never as much as a phone cal.

[emjay82]

4 minutes ago, st4 said:

My experience was different. I walked into Lexus Glasgow to look at an IS. I explained I found one at a good price in Lexus Newcastle on autotrader but I was calling in just to see one in the flesh. The salesman produced two cars, one at the same price which was older and a better one at a price beyond my budget. He did seem a little off hand at first stating that he didn’t want to put too much time into a someone buying a car from another group as it was clear the two IS250s he had weren’t for me. He asked if I was potentially interested in a GS, I said yes and he had one just in as a PX and he did a lot to make the numbers work. A test drive and a few forms later the GS I have now was mine and his whole demeanour changed when I showed enthusiasm for the car he could sell me.

 

In short that car is right for someone and the right someone will walk in and buy it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Sound like good sales at the time to offer you a different model but it's reactive. I think you're right that Lexus take a very relaxed attitude towards sales and the right person will pay the right money over time. 

[Flytvr]

4 minutes ago, emjay82 said:

Sound like good sales at the time to offer you a different model but it's reactive. I think you're right that Lexus take a very relaxed attitude towards sales and the right person will pay the right money over time. 

Yep - they'll sit back, push the car from dealer to dealer etc.

There's at least one IS-F that has taken 10 months to sell through the main dealers. Madness.

[Hadrian]

Although there is a Lexus service centre a 2 minute walk from where we live, there isn't a Lexus dealer. We do have a Toyota dealer though, and when I spoke to

one of the salesmen last year, he said let us know what you want and we'll get it here for a test drive. So earlier this year, one of them went to Cambridge

and brought back  the LS300 we were interested in. Bringing it to our house to look at..  I can't complain about the service I received

[st4]

Sound like good sales at the time to offer you a different model but it's reactive. I think you're right that Lexus take a very relaxed attitude towards sales and the right person will pay the right money over time. 

The cars are such a niche - honestly I’ve been all over France and Spain and in the 5k miles I’ve not even counted 10 of them on the roads.

So, those who want them will seek them out - they, bar Bentley and Rolls Royce are the rarest cars on the road. The sales model works for them because they sell F all of the things.

In terms of aftersales, Lexus Glasgow has provided the best most hassle free car buying experience going.


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[Vlady]

Didn't happen to me but to my colleague who is driving an 18-plate Mercedes C-class, he wanted to buy a Lexus IS (before he got offered a good deal on C-class) and when he asked Lexus for a discount or a better offer, all  the salesman said "Sorry mate, this is not what we are here for, if we were a VW or any other car brand it would be possible", that tells me they are not after sales and the right person will walk in and buy the car!

[tomRCFcarbon]

I don’t know what drives that kind of attitude...I’ve done loads of sales jobs in the past and I’ve always taken the approach that someone who has taken the time to turn up in person at a shop (or dealership) is looking for a reason not to buy a product...rather than a reason to buy a product. Sure there are tyre kickers and time wasters, but beware the ones on the phone, not the ones who turn up in person...the ones who turn up in person will buy one day - trick is to make them feel welcome enough that they advocate for you and recommend others to come in and buy, many time wasters will be the ‘informed Friend’ who vicariously purchase through their friends and family who have the funds. 

When someone has taken the trouble to come to a dealership they are 7 or 8 tenths away from making a purchase, so remove the last two tenths. Explain you can’t make a deal on the price, but find other perks to offer - my local BMW dealership is offering free valeting every Saturday to any new car buyer...doesn’t cost them anything, the car cleaners are there anyway...or the old chestnuts of servicing and warranty. If these don’t work, turn the lack of a discount into a virtue - explain that Lexus is all about certainty and transparency, that unlike the others - Lexus isn’t about ‘doing a deal’ and that removing all the haggling out of a purchase makes for a more relaxed buying experience...yadder yadder yadder 

[doog442]

edited ..dont get me going about this

[MNMJ]

I was given an extended (36hr)  test drive in an ISF in 2010, but there was little follow up from the Sales Team. I bought one after 6 months of tracking the market...but from another Dealer. 

In 2015, it happened again; same dealer, overnight test in an RC-F,  no follow up, purchase 4 months later from another dealer.

Odd behaviour I think, though I have used the original dealer for servicing for 8 years; maybe that's where they see the value in me as a customer?

On both purchases there has been "no discount". That wasn't a surprise as I was hunting for months for the best deal so I was broadly happy with their sticker price. However, after some good haggling, I did receive £2,000+ more for my trade ins than Autotrader's online valuation

[rayaans]

14 hours ago, Flytvr said:

Ok - of course they do. However, from my experience, I've not come across one Lexus dealer that excels in sales. Yes, from a service perspective I can't complain - but sales - simply shocking. In contrast, only this week a BMW dealer offered to fly me to Scotland to buy a car. In the same week I heard of a Lexus dealer quoting "As a premium brand, we won't discount by more than £100"

As an example, how keen are Lexus Gatwick to sell this RC-F? The pictures are abysmal. 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201808209683411?make=LEXUS%26model=RC F%26utm_source=Email_a_Friend%26utm_medium=Email%26utm_campaign=Email_a_friend_car

Dealers just don't appear to give a monkey's!

I think it generally does depend on the dealer and the margin they have on that particular vehicle.

For example, Ive found Lexus Stockport, Leeds and Bradford to be fairly on it in terms of sales. They really do push hard to get you the deal you're looking for unless its completely unrealistic. 

Also, Cheltenham in terms of sales were pretty good as well I thought although the preparation of their vehicles is not as good as Stockport/Bradford. On the other hand, Lexus Edgeware Road were a hassle to deal with and Croydon weren't great either. I never received replies from Lexus Ediburgh/Glasgow. 

As to the advert in question, it must have been changed recently because when I looked a couple of weeks ago the pictures were quite clear. 

With discounts, I've found you can get up to £1k on most cars unless you buy new £3-10k depending on model. I was actually offered a brand new GS-F for £10k below list price. 

I think the issue is that there are so many cars out there now that dealers don't bother with chasing unless they know you really want the car. Lots of people test drive and buy something completely different so it isn't efficient to try and get a sale from someone who will just buy another German marque

[Mark G]

I have bought from 4 different Lexus dealers and never had a problem, however I walked in and knew exactly what I wanted and knew they had the car there, they do seem to operate differently from other dealers, they seem to stand back, not push too hard or in some cases at all, and let the cars and reputation for reliability and customer service bring you into the dealership instead of ringing round "potential" customers.

As for discounts, they seem confident in "the price is the price" and if you don't like it or cant afford it then buy something else which in a way sort of works for me, I see a car I like the price so I get it, although I understand that mentality doesn't work for everyone.

Lexus remind me of Scania trucks back in the days I was in transport, that's the truck and that is the price, if you don't like it go and buy a Volvo/Daf/Renault etc They are very very confident in their product, i think Lexus are the same.

[B1RMA]

I actually like the rather laid back attitude, but then I find car dealership people irritating at best.

Lets face it in this day and age you have to offer as low a price as possible to even get a start on negotiation or at least that's how I work.

For instance a few weeks back I test drove a very nice BMW M3 it was up for £33K and was worth it. I said to the guy any negotiation on price and I think because I was there in the showroom he said about £300. So I politely said thank you for the test drive and left, I followed it up the next day with another very courteous e-mail thanking them for the test drive etc and offering £30K for a cash sale. He then phoned me and said if I could do the deal that day he would accept the offer. Now I dithered because there were other cars I wanted to check out so asked if I could think it over. Two days later he sold the car, so I guess there is a moral there somewhere.

Although I didn't hear back from the Lexus dealership where I tried the RCF I did get a decent discount on the one I've just bought. I think you have to be polite but firm and make it clear you will buy straight away if the price is right.

[Big Rat]

@Mark G And your take on it is exactly mine, knew what I wanted prepared to travel as in the case of the ISF I owned.

There is a tendency for the buyer to over value their car at times, but want the maximum off for there intended purchase.... if you value residuals you need to be a realist.

There are times as well the customers attitude and behaviour I’ve seen it many times where they simply alienate themselves.

They are a quality niche product which I for one wish I had discovered earlier if those think the grass is greener on the other side it’s your money you spend it how you want, for me I’m staying put.

Big Rat

[Big Rat]

2 minutes ago, B1RMA said:

I actually like the rather laid back attitude, but then I find car dealership people irritating at best.

Lets face it in this day and age you have to offer as low a price as possible to even get a start on negotiation or at least that's how I work.

For instance a few weeks back I test drove a very nice BMW M3 it was up for £33K and was worth it. I said to the guy any negotiation on price and I think because I was there in the showroom he said about £300. So I politely said thank you for the test drive and left, I followed it up the next day with another very courteous e-mail thanking them for the test drive etc and offering £30K for a cash sale. He then phoned me and said if I could do the deal that day he would accept the offer. Now I dithered because there were other cars I wanted to check out so asked if I could think it over. Two days later he sold the car, so I guess there is a moral there somewhere.

Although I didn't hear back from the Lexus dealership where I tried the RCF I did get a decent discount on the one I've just bought. I think you have to be polite but firm and make it clear you will buy straight away if the price is right.

@B1 RMA Absolutely 

🐀

[C.B]

I have had a few experiences where I have made an offer on a car at a dealership, they have turned it down, then weeks later they drop it to the price I have offered and never rang me.

I understand when they first get one in they want to try their luck, but as enthusiasts monitoring the market for months we know what price they are actually selling at better than anyone.

I think it is almost a pride thing they dont want to ring me back and say yea you were right about the market value after all, its yours if you still want it.

[NothernDan]

If they are unwilling to engage in striking a deal then it makes the job of discounting that car as one of your potential buys that much easier.

I see all of the negatives from a "they are poor at sales" perspective listed above as massive positives from a "making my decision making process easier" perspective.

Everybody likes being charmed into a sale and being made to feel like they got a good deal but the no nonsense approach means you can quickly qualify a car as "out" or "in" if the deal you want on it does not exist at that time at that dealer.

I applaud Lexus for being unwilling to discount their prices. They are maintaining their (and our) brand worth in the process.

Discounting to your best offer 3 weeks later is frustrating but simply increases their chance of getting a better price in the interim. It's not like we've all stopped buying them is it!?  If cashflow is not their focus then they do not care how slowly they achieve their bottom price as they'll probably do a better deal on the way there.

yes, they may miss out on a quicker sale but an impulse buy leaves the door open for upselling paint protection and all the stuff where as a focussed "I want this specific thing" like most of us are does not. They are actively trying to avoid selling to the likes of us in almost every situation.

I'd pose the question "are we buying clever"? The best deals can be had end of month, end of quarter, end of year, with cash not part ex, with an open mind to alternates. If we are not ticking those boxes they will not tick ours.

The only other thing I'd add is that if we are all looking for the deal of the century then what are we all doing buying from main dealers!

On that note if anybody is in the market for a 1990 MR2, let me know!! 😜

 

[doog442]

I think they are trying very hard to stick to a set way of marketing and selling their vehicles. Some Lexus dealers can pull it off, some are sadly lacking. 

I personally think its a little outdated.

1 hour ago, NothernDan said:

I'd pose the question "are we buying clever"? The best deals can be had end of month, end of quarter, end of year, with cash not part ex, with an open mind to alternates. If we are not ticking those boxes they will not tick ours.

 

I'm not sure I agree about the best deals being with cash. Nowadays its all about finance and cash is almost a dirty word. Most dealers make the bulk of their profit through finance...(although I've just seen the open mind bit to alternates and agree - ie finance 😀)

However In that respect Lexus have traditionally offered competitive finance rates across the range. 

Do Lexus UK actually make a profit I wonder ?

[Womble72]

My first Lexus was from Lexus Southend, went on a 3hr test drive with the wife n kids, a lovely no hassle sale, the same with Lexus Coventry, although not 3hrs. What I like is the “no pressure sale” approach, I don’t the “alright mate” approach!.....BMW sales seam are more like “fords” sales teams these days, that feeling of “exclusiveness” has long gone with the whole process of feeling special.......the numbers show the real “production” volume the same way as most average family manufacturers do these days. 

[First_Lexus]

Last year when I bought my first NX, I used CarWow and had three dealers fighting over the sale. In the end, Lexus Swindon won with a BIG discount and great service. The Lexus dealers I dealt with certainly wanted my business - test drive, good negotiation, and a good price.

[LexusIS300h]

I don’t like pushy salesmen or women anyway, so I was very pleased with the lack of a push, although as mentioned by others earlier in this post, I had done a fair amount of pre qualifying as a buyer before we even got to the dealership in Derby. A tyre kicker doesn’t travel 80 miles to do that.

As it transpired we didn’t buy the car we test drove, but found a newer one in the dealer lot just walking around afterwards. It was a little more than what we had in mind, but it was newer, so we weighed that up and said, ok we will buy it. No pressure from them. 

Maybe we didn’t get the deal of the century but we got more for our part ex than they originally offered, so everyone saved “face”, no discounting from the dealer and a better trade in price for us. Everyone happy. 😊

[steveledzep]

All my three Lexus' have been bought from independent dealers.  It's all about the cost of the new one and the p/x price combined.....i.e. cost to change !

[Stuno1]

They have been reducing them a lot on auto trader recently. Pretty sure the one on the link started at about 44k.... even so you would expect at least 1-2k off just because it feels like you have made a good deal. Maybe that’s possible at some dealers and not at others. Be interesting to see how I get in when the time comes. I’d like to think If you found the car you wanted and made it clear you were ready to buy a deal could be struck.