Hi Everyone,

Now I know the used car market is on its backside at the moment but I was somewhat astonished last week when a local Audi garage gave me a price on my car. Mine is an IS220d Sport. June 2006 (06 Reg). 29k miles, all the kit barring MM (which I know affects the value quite a bit). Lexus Tottenham are selling the exact same spec of car, 2 months older and 10k more miles for £15995. What did Audi offer me as part ex?????? £9500!

Now is it just me or does that seem a bit low? Put it this way, I've given up looking at cars because at that value, the IS won't be going anywhere.

Any comments?

Cheers.

think the problems with is 220d have affected the resale value.......

I know for a fact Lexus will never do another oil burner

Shouldn't have done the first one, but guess I'd better not bring that up again

i dont think theres anything strange in the offer, they always try and have your pants down both ways, with the p/x price and the price of the car you are buying,
the 10k they give you for your car will end up for sale at 13/14k there in the business to make as much money as possible, no doubt if there desperate and you left your details they will be in touch with a better offer,
i have just had a vip letter from lexus, they are closing for 3 days and are selling of pre-reg and used cars at what they say is less than cost price with 0% apr to existing customers,

Nothing to do with it.

No cars are shifting, no one buying as trade in's are so low effecting used stock which is growing, so dealers arn't buying so anything they do take they want cheap and are pricing it to sit on the forecourt for a while.

Lad at works mate works for a Mercedes garage and he said it is like some one has turned off the tap, no one phones, no one comes in the delears, they need to sell 40 cars a month to keep their heads a float and they are down last month to 5, this month is worse and Decemebr and January are always very bad times

Look on autotrader anything which is not highly sought after, in limited supply or is cheap run about (road tax and fuel) is dropping like a stone. Nearly bought a 08 08 VW tourag 3.0tdi Altitude 2K miles fully loaded for £24.5K, a £42K car new, this was from VW stock!! was put of by the road tax

You don't say agaisnt what car (new/used A4/A6 ...) you were seeking the P/X value?

Against a spanking new A4 (for example) I would suggest you should have been offered around £13.5K - much lower if against used.

Prices are always shocking (good times or bad) but it is just the cost to change that matters.

Yep, just heard on the local news that Honda are cutting down the Civic production in Swindon due to lower demand. They're saying no job cuts at the moment, but guess that will depend on how long it continues. Worrying thing is that it's global demand that's backing off, including China.

You're going to get a low price at the moment - book values are falling month on month. My wife's Audi dealership have made 30+ people redundant, including all the centre hosts and most of the back room staff. Business has just died and they have no interest in taking part exes at the moment unless they are paying buttons for them. And this is Audi who are actually doing far better then Mercedes and BMW at the moment - so god knows how bad it is at your local Merc or Beemer dealership.

That's interesting - I can see that decision costing them dear in the long run.

Most of the new shape IS I see on the road is the 220d, diesels are by far the most popular choice in the smaller premium saloons.

I suspect new Lexus sales are being decimated at the moment because they don't offer a really class-competitive diesel option.

What they have done wrong is use an underdeveloped Avensis engine with problems. They should have bit the bullet and developed a top class six cylinder diesel engine suitable for putting in the IS and the GS, surely they'd have increased sales massively in Europe by doing that.

I'm petrol all the way but I could see Lexus doing a lot better with a good diesel IS and GS.

I got £12k for my base IS220 a couple of months ago. I was lucky as I have good connections with the dealership I bought my replacement from. I was shown the book, which indicated the diesel IS is shedding pounds rapidly. (Couldn't say what is happening with the 250.) Down £700 in the last period before I got rid. That and with the fact the economy has taken a sharp downturn, I reckon your offer is a reasonable one. I warned at the time anyone looking to part ex should be prepared for a big shock.

Lexus is a funny manufacturer in that they aspire to make quality cars but it's aimed at people who are used to buying German or Swedish. The vast majority of them stick with what they know. That for me makes taking on a Lexus as a part ex a risk if you want to shift it at similar figures to the other marques as your customer base is going to be smaller. Especially when the other marques can offer a decent diesel engine range. The bad news stories with the IS220 can't have helped resale values either.

All in it leaves you with a dilema; take the hit now accepting that all cars have lost money or hang on and take it further down the line when your car is going to be older and your new one isn't going to be any cheaper. Good luck.

I think if you want an Audi, go to a dealership that has Lexus within group - such as Sytner (unless you already did). It is worth an xtra £1500 at least from my recent experience. You have to remember that when they take a PEX, esp. now, they either have to sell it on through a trader or direct to a franchise garage (and always try and make a profit), else it may hang around on their forecourt for potentially many months, and will shed another 10-15% of the price just sitting there...

I managed to get £15750 for my 220d SE/MM in July...that was after quite a battle with the BMW and Lexus dealer both "guzumping" each other for the business...against a £29k slightly used BMW or a brand new IS250 SE Auto with MM. Lexus were giving me £3500 off list price too...I was getting phone calls from my Lexus dealership whilst I was supping coffee at the BMW dealership - offering to beat any BMW PEX by £250...

Now just take a look at 2nd hand 7 series prices...you can get a 730dSE or Sport <8000 miles, 2007/8 (that means 57 or 08 plater) for much less than £30k - 'cos the new model is around the corner and the credit munch. That is a positive bargain, when you consider it's a £50+k car....I actually wish I'd waited, and even if they gave me £10k for my old Lexus, I'd have taken a virtually new 7er for £28k anyday!!! Some are going for less than £25k

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details...AHM22050DN39428

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details...AHM22090DN39657

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details...AHM22030DN39914


Having said that, as NBLG said Audi are not doing too badly, so will pick and choose what PEX's they take...but at the same time they should be offering you at least 6-8% off the price of a new Audi. If it's the A6, even more.

Use www.drivethedeal.co.uk to get a dicounted price and start there...you'll be surprised what you can get at the end of it....it has worked every single time I have bought new cars in the last few years...because they are the dealers that are affiliated with the internet broker (most dealership right now are) and you have to be abrasive enough to tell them that....

PS - Paradroid - you are 100% spot on IMO. Lexus have spent a lot of dosh developing Hybrid technology, and have forgotten what is needed right now in the UK and europe...the hybrids are good (450h and 400h less than 200grams per Km of Co2), but thy are "performance" and american markt orientated rather than economy (I suppose you tak a Prius in that case)...if you look at the sheer "derv variations" you can build into a BMW, Audi etc - all with Auto 4 and 6 cylinders and 50mpg etc....

For me though, the biggest "shocker" is the new Audi S4...3.0TFSI and 333BHP - good for 0-60 in 5.1s and Co2 of 219g/km....that's what I call performance and reasonable economy of 29mpg...all for £36k!

Either way - in times like these, Lexus will get hit quite hard I fear...

PPS - my old IS was for sale for £17,850 and sold within a couple of weeks...but it was immaculate

That's really bad news on the 220d, although not unexpected. I'm due to change in the New Year, and don't expect v. much for mine, although like Jamboo's it's immaculate, especially with the new (free) replacement alloys.

Jamboo - I looked at DrivetheDeal to see what the discount would be on a BMW 125i Coupe SE - and it came back with - ZIPPO. No discount. Why is it that I always want the one with no discounts...

Any other suggestions?

NEVER? It would be interesting to know where you obtained this info

All BMW's show £21 or so on there (and have done so for a while), so may be BMW are not allowing the dealers to join...

Having said that, most BMW dealers will be considering at least 6-8% normally - so right now, I reckon you should be looking at least that or more on car's in stock...

www.broadspeed.co.uk (or com) was another site, which no longer gives on-line prices. Your best bet is to call different BMW dealers and push with one that a lexus dealership within group.

Times aren't good, and November is a notoriously difficult month to sell new cars in...start now with a view to doing a deal 2nd half of November...should work out well when they see they'll miss their targets by the width of a small barge!!

a friend of mine was invited to Lexus Manchester (where he wought his car ) for a "VIP weekend". they were offering special deals for valued customers (this was his 2nd car from this particular dealership)
his car is a 2006 GS300 SE (heated cooled leather, MM, xenons etc. etc.) with 23000 miles and ofcourse full history from said dealership.
he had been interested in an RX (not the hybrid ) they had on the forecourt, and asked about a PX deal. The RX was a 55plate with leather but no MM pack, more miles than the GS and in a champagne gold colour.
As a rough estimate of his car in its condition etc. we thought a private sale might fetch around £17000??
The RX was up for £18000, and after careful consideration the guy at Lexus told my friend that for his car and £6000 tha Rx was his!
As you can imagine my friend left and a deal was not made!

im off to a vip weekend next week,i have a 220d on a pcp which i can end now with no further payments and hand back, in my case the pcp has worked well as im not bothered about what the car is worth and been in negative equity
it will be interesting to see what deal they can do to keep me as a lexus customer,

No chance of 17k private for his GS300 i should think, dealers knocking similar out for roughly the same price

This is why I hate dealers with a passion (you're all bored of that statement from me no doubt)!!

They treat you like a t t each time you walk in. The car "sales industry" is totally run by dealerships who put their profits before any common sense...and even a Lexus dealrship hich pides itself on Customer Satisfaction drops to the loest common denominator at times like these - GREED!!

How can an older RX, with less spec and more miles command £6k premium over the GS, which in the current climate is likely to shift off the pitch a lot quicker than the RX?? I know they are there to make money, but something like £2-1500 plus the GS might have been a better plac to start...

And then they have the cheek to call you "Valued" and invite you to a "VIP" event. They really do take the p1ss sometimes...

Its the price you pay that matters & nothing else ofcourse:@ the current rates of Depreciation we will all be in the ISF in 12mnths. time assuming we are relatively ok!!!!!!!!
Tel

It's a bit morbid, but I'm totally looking forward to that!

It's funny, my dealer was saying that they're getting a lot of people coming in looking for mk1 IS200s and the like for around the £8k mark but no one wants to spend any more.............if that demand continues, then perhaps I'll be able to get a cracking p/ex on my IS and jump into an IS-F for not a lot more

Here's hoping anyway

Was at the delears today and cant believe how much Lexus's have dropped!!

New IS250SR manual £18995, with 18" wheels £19995, new RX400h £28995!

A car same as mine 07 07 IS220d base was up for £14995 two weeks ago and today it was up for £12995.

P.S not one person in the delears even looking just me and a couple of salesman who where dashing about looking busy?

Wow look at those prices.

Having said that, there's a reason the IS250SR manual is so cheap - the tax band. Any ideas of the price of an auto?

I don't know why I'm asking though, I shouldn't be!

take a look at broard speed there is a 2k+ saving on that model.

Yep there are some crazy deals going around at the moment, but the way I see it it's only going to get better - each month that goes by without them selling cars, the more the prices will go down

Thanks dgman. Was at BMW dealer yesterday, not interested in my 220d which is unsurprising given they don't have a Lexus brand dealership. The satnav on the 1 series is almost £2k, and bluetooth is another £500!!! That's theft...

All the prices are on the Lexus UK site for comparison. I thought I would never want an Auto but now I'm sold. Yes, they are in a lower tax band but would not allow that to make the difference, because £200 more is a nuisance and unjustifiable, but is a drop in the ocean of overall car expenses, and well worth it for the car you want - especially if there are "recession" bargains around. With the IS 250, I think the auto is a better car but the real deal is the MM version either way although I would never consider a diesel - but only because a lumpy, sluggish four cylinder diesel just doesn't cut it. Although diesel technology has come a long way, so has petrol and the diesel IS remains the car for those who need to do high mileage, want the badge, but don't like cars - or whose companies lease the base version for a sort of down-market prestige.

Hi, just been reading through this and appears that prices are going crazy.
Sorry if its going a little off topic, but i currently have an 06 IS250 auto with MM + 18" wheels and was looking at possibly changing my car, not particularly lexus maybe something else. It will be 3 years in July since having the car, so do you guys think it best to try and get a deal now within the next few months or wait until next year?

I'm still unsure as to what to go for, was thinking audi A5 or porsche cayman?? Wouldn't buy new, but just not sure whether to wait until next year when the prices will probably go down further however wont get as much for my Lexus, or try now??

Any suggestions??

Thanks

Car sals are down >23% in Oct compard to last.

Now is probably a good time to do it - there are a plethora of nearly new exdemo's and management cars everywhere and November is normally a very quiet month....which means you get a huge choice...

Porsche - history has shown that brands like Porsche will not get hit-overall-so they might offer you a crap deal. Audi too are seeing a sales bonanza - so again you might struggle on an A5 which is in demand...

the longer you leave it, the less interested dealrs will be in taking a Lexus...which they have to pass on again through the trade...so you will be offered £500-1000 less than CAP to cover any losses they incur, unless they can pre-sell (which many can and do).

Like I've said - best to go to a dealer (any make) who have Lexus within group...

Good luck

sales guy at a few lexus dealers have said they "modified 2009" model is coming out in 250 spec n 220d spec. the spec line ups are different to the current range i.e s, se, se-l n sport will be different when the new 2009 is out. supposed to be mid november!

also the co2 output on the 22d is slightly reduced whereas 250 stays same. also modified RX out next year

the BMW engine plant at Hams Hall is going on short time as well

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately it doesn't ideally suit me to sell just now and like you said the cars i'm interested in dont seem to be coming down in price too much.
Someone said to me that it would be better to trade in my car around March or September, something to do with the new reg etc coming out, dont know if any truth to it though?
However i may hold off just a little while longer, surely better deals on the A5 will be available since it only came out this year.
May just pay a visit to the Audi garage and see what they say??

I'd say March/Sept were the wrost times to trade in as every man and his dog will be shopping for a new plate car. With a shed load of trade ins hitting the market it will hit the price of your trade in. November to January and June July are the optimum times for me. The first because the new plate period has gone and Christmas is approaching or gone. Punters have their minds on spending money on other things. The second because again the new plate novelty has gone and summer holidays/kids off school and need entertaining time arrives.