is my lex dealer telling me porkies????

[willtang]

this may be a a 2 part post. it all depends on what i can find out today about another matter regarding the lex dealer in question and if anyone can can shed any light on this matter.

i saw my dealer last night about a problem i had on my is200 sport(i'll post the details of this once i get some response from this post) and during a friendly chat & a coffee conversation LED on to the new shpae IS, which according to him was coming out in 2005. he sensed i was a bit concerned about the new arrival and since from a pervious visit i had shown an interrest in the IS300 sportscross, he said when i wanted to get a new car, he would lend me the sportscross for a couple of days (nice guy!)

anyway conversation went a bit further and he made the statement about the numbers of IS's in the country, saying that "Lexus only allow 6-7K IS's in the UK each year as opposed to the 30K+ BMW 3 series" on another occasion, i was told that Lexus are only intending to to release 250 SC430's in any one year in the UK as well....

Is there any truth in these figures?

Is my lex dealer telling me porkies to make me feel... special?

will

[JOHNNY-BOY]

I believe the statement of only bringing 7k IS's in per year is due to import restrictions, any body know different :?:

[sholao]

I've heard something along that line as well, and I think it had to do with Lexus wanting to keep depreciation low.

[Andy_IS200]

I've also heard a similar story on both counts firstly regarding the IS to keep numbers low and secondly to maintain depreciation levels at a minimum. I believed it given the small numbers you actually see on the roads.

[lexicon]

I think I read that in it's first two years, only about 12 thousand IS200s came into the UK and this was a deliberate ploy by Lexus (not an import "restriction" as such).

Although they seem to be making more of it's success now, what with new models (IS200 sportcross etc) and more advertising.

[Claire G]

6,000+ Sapphire Blue ones seemingly. And I wanted to be different

[djanderso]

I don't think it is to do with import restrictions as my understanding is that if a Japanese manufacturer is restricted, it is only restricted to 100 per year (e.g. Nissan Skyline). I read something a while back that Lexus are limiting supply to the UK to maintain residual values and also to keep the car exclusive and therefore desirable.

[UltraViolet]

Call me skeptical, but I personally believe the only restriction on the number of IS200s in the UK is the number of sales they can obtain.

I don't doubt that there are more 318 BMWs (one single model) in the UK than the entire total of Lexus cars...... but I think it is badge snobbery by the British that is leading to that, nor Lexus wanting to protect the value of our cars.

I agree it is desirable to the marque to have low depreciation - just don't think they will limit sales to achieve it.

[UltraViolet]

Yep - I remember him saying that too.

Call me sceptical still - but I remember BMW also saying this back in the mid-eighties!

[trevorx]

It seems second hand ones are in short supply also as I got a letter from my dealer saying there weren't enough out there, and would I like to sell mine back to the garage !

[javadude]

Now I'm coming over all sceptical :smug: - sounds like what they really want is for you to spend more money with them and buy another lexus!

[sholao]

Originally posted by trevorx

It seems second hand ones are in short supply also as I got a letter from my dealer saying there weren't enough out there, and would I like to sell mine back to the garage !

I had one of them letters from my dealer as well. :?:

[djanderso]

My local centre told me they were "desperate for used IS stock".

[UltraViolet]

Yes - but either of you asked them what their 'cash' offer is (not trade in - selling the car and walking out!) :eyes:

[sholao]

Dodn't bother, as I was not intrested. :D

[tonb]

Interesting about them being exclusive .... seems to be loads of them in Aberdeen!! :(

I'm with Claire on the exclusivity thing and Sapphire Blue :flaming:

[Claire G]

Originally posted by tonb

Interesting about them being exclusive .... seems to be loads of them in Aberdeen!! :(

I'm with Claire on the exclusivity thing and Sapphire Blue :flaming:

Being in the Thames Valley too, you see tons. I was at Gatwick airport this morning and counted more than 10 in the short stay car park while I was driving around like an idiot trying to find a space :(

[djanderso]

I've seen loads of IS's while down here in Woking this week. I even saw an Aztec Fire last night which is a very rare sight!!

The funny thing is I've found myself longingly looking at them as if "I wish I could have one"! I know, I know, I'm sad but I've never loved a car so much as my IS :P