How long does it take from Dealer to Handover, on average?

[HGUS]

How long for a build to order once arrived at Dealer should it take to Handover?  Obviously it's likely to vary a bit but just wondering what experiences people have had.

[NemesisUK]

Once the car arrives at the dealership it can take a week to prepare for the handover. Obviously depends on how busy they are. My first took 7 days, the second 3 days. Actual handover allow a couple of hours, depends on the paperwork and how detailed the salesman is in explaining the cars functions etc,.

[HGUS]

2 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

Once the car arrives at the dealership it can take a week to prepare for the handover. Obviously depends on how busy they are. My first took 7 days, the second 3 days. Actual handover allow a couple of hours, depends on the paperwork and how detailed the salesman is in explaining the cars functions etc,.

Thanks Peter,  I got notification that my Lexus arrived at the dealer on Monday but I haven't heard anything from the dealer yet.  It's good to hear about other people's experiences so that I know what I can roughly expect.

[Linas.P]

Not that I have personal experience, but from what I have heard it is 1-2 weeks usually. Perhaps depends on how busy they are. 

[HGUS]

2 hours ago, Linas.P said:

Not that I have personal experience, but from what I have heard it is 1-2 weeks usually. Perhaps depends on how busy they are. 

Linas, I must insist that you become more optimistic !! 😉😀

[Linas.P]

7 minutes ago, HGUS said:

Linas, I must insist that you become more optimistic !! 😉😀

I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic, it is just how long it takes. If they have one car being delivered that week, I am sure they can wrap it up in few days, if they got 20 cars that they received it will take longer. Anything more than 2 weeks I would say would be unreasonable.

There is actually Lexus instructions on what exactly dealer needs to do before handling over the car to customer, it includes multiple checks, cleaning, removal of packaging material etc. As well if car has some shipping damage, scratches, or it is dirty it may take additional time to polish the scratches, clean the car etc. Car as well may have dealer installed options, like protection pack, ceramic coating, rubber mats, muds flaps etc. etc. again extra time should be allowed if you opted for those. Still I would expect that to be done within less then 2 weeks, unless something is missing or went wrong. 

Again I have not bought brand new made to order car from Lexus specifically, so I am not really talking from experience, but I have seen the instructions of what takes place before it could be handed over and it is not as simple as just scheduling appointment. As well what needs to be considered - cars are not perfect "off the ship", or from the factory. I think that latter is less of an issue with Lexus as Lexus is known to be factory inspected before shipping, but other makes are not so good. Still for example if car took long time to ship it could be the case that starter Battery is dead on brand new car and has to be replaced.

[HGUS]

30 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic, it is just how long it takes. If they have one car being delivered that week, I am sure they can wrap it up in few days, if they got 20 cars that they received it will take longer. Anything more than 2 weeks I would say would be unreasonable.

There is actually Lexus instructions on what exactly dealer needs to do before handling over the car to customer, it includes multiple checks, cleaning, removal of packaging material etc. As well if car has some shipping damage, scratches, or it is dirty it may take additional time to polish the scratches, clean the car etc. Car as well may have dealer installed options, like protection pack, ceramic coating, rubber mats, muds flaps etc. etc. again extra time should be allowed if you opted for those. Still I would expect that to be done within less then 2 weeks, unless something is missing or went wrong. 

Again I have not bought brand new made to order car from Lexus specifically, so I am not really talking from experience, but I have seen the instructions of what takes place before it could be handed over and it is not as simple as just scheduling appointment. As well what needs to be considered - cars are not perfect "off the ship", or from the factory. I think that latter is less of an issue with Lexus as Lexus is known to be factory inspected before shipping, but other makes are not so good. Still for example if car took long time to ship it could be the case that starter battery is dead on brand new car and has to be replaced.

Hi Linas,

My optimism suggests that .....

* "If they have one car being delivered that week ...."   ->>>> It will be mine and they will have it done and dusted in a couple of days.  😉😀

* "if they got 20 cars .... " ->>>> Mine will be put to the front of the queue and they will have it done and dusted in a couple of days.   😉😀 

[NemesisUK]

I was invited to view both my new cars before they had undergone any dealer preparation. Each time the car was extensively covered in white film on the panels. The alloys were protected by hard plastic 'discs' and the seats and steering wheel had soft plastic covers. The floor was protected with paper covers.

Attached is the PDS document for the RC (2015, not sure if anything will have changed for newer models). As the D/C Cut fuse is removed at the assembly plant I wonder how they move the cars around? A number of ECUs require initialisation when the fuse is replaced, seat ecu, parking guidance ecu. The TMPS has to be started as this is disabled at the plant as the radio wave frequency doesn't comply with Japan regs. So, apart from preparing the bodywork there's a fair bit to do...

 

RC300H PDS instructions.pdf

[HGUS]

5 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

I was invited to view both my new cars before they had undergone any dealer preparation. Each time the car was extensively covered in white film on the panels. The alloys were protected by hard plastic 'discs' and the seats and steering wheel had soft plastic covers. The floor was protected with paper covers.

Attached is the PDS document for the RC (2015, not sure if anything will have changed for newer models). As the D/C Cut fuse is removed at the assembly plant I wonder how they move the cars around? A number of ECUs require initialisation when the fuse is replaced, seat ecu, parking guidance ecu. The TMPS has to be started as this is disabled at the plant as the radio wave frequency doesn't comply with Japan regs. So, apart from preparing the bodywork there's a fair bit to do...

 

RC300H PDS instructions.pdf 890.94 kB · 0 downloads

Many thanks for your comment Peter,  I may give my dealer a call and ask to have a peek.  Interesting doc too!

[Jgtcracer]

On 11/2/2023 at 3:27 PM, NemesisUK said:

I was invited to view both my new cars before they had undergone any dealer preparation. Each time the car was extensively covered in white film on the panels. The alloys were protected by hard plastic 'discs' and the seats and steering wheel had soft plastic covers. The floor was protected with paper covers.

Attached is the PDS document for the RC (2015, not sure if anything will have changed for newer models). As the D/C Cut fuse is removed at the assembly plant I wonder how they move the cars around? A number of ECUs require initialisation when the fuse is replaced, seat ecu, parking guidance ecu. The TMPS has to be started as this is disabled at the plant as the radio wave frequency doesn't comply with Japan regs. So, apart from preparing the bodywork there's a fair bit to do...

 

RC300H PDS instructions.pdf 890.94 kB · 8 downloads

Interesting document that…. Thanks very much.  Like to think about the journey the RCF went on during its lifetime before me!

 

[Gary H]

I've bought two Lexus' new. Both from different dealers and the experiences were like chalk and cheese. 

My UX in 2020 came from my 'second closest' dealer. The car was their showroom model. It was already sitting there. So from signing for it to collecting it was roughly a week. Something like six days from memory. It would have been a few days shorter, but had to delay it because of a work colleague who was ill at the time. 

The handover? I can't remember exactly how long I was there, but it was at very least two hours. Probably closer to two and a half. I was taken into the handover room, given a bottle of wine and then the car revealed in the next room with glitzy lights. Most features very well explained. Very nice indeed and I have no complaints, but no better than I had from the likes of Audi previously. 

The NX I have now (from my local dealer), which I collected in September? Dear me... If you want all the hassle in the run-up, read the '2023 Delivery Date' thread. I haven't explained every single issue I had, but you get a good 60/70% of what I had to endure. 

Anyway, after a sixteen month wait for the car to eventually arrive (minus second key and locking wheel nuts of course), it was about a fortnight from it rolling off the transporter to me collecting it. Not entirely their fault as I was waiting for the September plate change. If it wasn't for that, I'm confident enough it would have been in my hands in less time.

The 'handover'? Well...I was taken into the salesman's regular office, followed by heading out to the regular car park where it was sitting. Not in any handover room or anything. No gifts... All in all, I think the whole process took them about 45/50 minutes. It didn't quite make an hour. Most of that time was waiting for the car to go onto the DVLA database after registration and the salesman setting up the app thing. To be fair, given my very poor experience of that place up until that point, they probably done what they thought was right - to deal with me and see me on my way ASAP. However, far from impressive and quite easily the worst new car collection experience I've had in 20 years. I've actually collected a used car in the distant past which I was given more time, care and consideration. 

[HGUS]

36 minutes ago, Gary H said:

I've bought two Lexus' new. Both from different dealers and the experiences were like chalk and cheese. 

My UX in 2020 came from my 'second closest' dealer. The car was their showroom model. It was already sitting there. So from signing for it to collecting it was roughly a week. Something like six days from memory. It would have been a few days shorter, but had to delay it because of a work colleague who was ill at the time. 

The handover? I can't remember exactly how long I was there, but it was at very least two hours. Probably closer to two and a half. I was taken into the handover room, given a bottle of wine and then the car revealed in the next room with glitzy lights. Most features very well explained. Very nice indeed and I have no complaints, but no better than I had from the likes of Audi previously. 

The NX I have now (from my local dealer), which I collected in September? Dear me... If you want all the hassle in the run-up, read the '2023 Delivery Date' thread. I haven't explained every single issue I had, but you get a good 60/70% of what I had to endure. 

Anyway, after a sixteen month wait for the car to eventually arrive (minus second key and locking wheel nuts of course), it was about a fortnight from it rolling off the transporter to me collecting it. Not entirely their fault as I was waiting for the September plate change. If it wasn't for that, I'm confident enough it would have been in my hands in less time.

The 'handover'? Well...I was taken into the salesman's regular office, followed by heading out to the regular car park where it was sitting. Not in any handover room or anything. No gifts... All in all, I think the whole process took them about 45/50 minutes. It didn't quite make an hour. Most of that time was waiting for the car to go onto the DVLA database after registration and the salesman setting up the app thing. To be fair, given my very poor experience of that place up until that point, they probably done what they thought was right - to deal with me and see me on my way ASAP. However, far from impressive and quite easily the worst new car collection experience I've had in 20 years. I've actually collected a used car in the distant past which I was given more time, care and consideration. 

That handover ain't good at all Gary.  You/I expect much more from a premium brand!  My previous Lexus collection was 👍 but different dealer this time so hoping my coming new Lexus pickup at the weekend is going to be just as good if not better. 🤞