[Nightspore68]

Good options / Bad options

Hey, that's a good question. I wish I had asked before I got mine. Here are some options and what I think about them:

• Mark Levinson / Nav: The stereo is very realistic. I doubt you'll be able to find a more accurate aftermarket sound, but, as several in this forum have pointed out, some like more bass and have switched out the rear woofers for something "better". As an audiophile I love the stereo. I particularly love that it will play DVD-As in surround sound. They sound stellar in the car, but of course there's not that many titles available and I doubt there will be any new ones issued. The nav system I find lacking. The one in my wife's car (2005 Acura MDX) is easier to use and more accurate, though it lacks a touch screen. For example, I once had the IS F find the nearest Publix only to be led to an area that was only office parks. The Publix was about a quarter mile away. Also, god forbid you want to find a Starbucks. Usually the nav system will tell you the nearest coffee shop, clothing store, or home improvement store is hundreds of miles away and would try to lead you to a regional headquarters. So I rarely use nav. But I don't think you can get the ML stereo without the nav. Likewise I think the backup camera, which is INVALUABLE and should be standard on all cars, is only available with the Nav package.
• Parking sensor ("intuitive parking assist"): this thing is fairly annoying. It goes off every time I enter the garage, but it rarely goes off in public parking, where I might need it. Sometimes it notices other cars or the concrete footing of a light pole, sometimes it doesn't. I would skip this one.
• Radar cruise control: I don't have this one and can only say, based on a friend's similar system in an Acura RL, that it sounds like a good idea and useful, expecially if you do a lot of interstate travel (like he does).
• Satellite radio: I've got mixed feelings about satellite radio. I got one of the last Sirius units. I love some of the stations, but I don't really spend enough time in the car to listen to them. If you were considering an aftermarket stereo I think one benefit would be the ability to get HD radio and internet radio (which I hear is coming). I should note that satellite radio cuts out on occasion because of (I assume) excess foliage or rainy weather. On long trips, though, it's nice to be able to listen to a comedy channel or NPR or whatever you like across the nation. I have a hard time listening to music for more than a couple hours, so some other entertainment is nice to have.
• Cargo net: I'm sure this is cheap enough to add later, so might not be something you were interested in hearing about, so I'll just say I find it pretty convenient. It prevents fragile items from knocking around.
• iPod interface: I don't have one and wish I did. Maybe someone else can review this one.
• Wheel locks: I hate wheel locks, but they are $1900 wheels, so maybe they're not that bad.

I think that's all the options available.
Hope this helps,
-N

 

[Nightspore68]

Take your business elsewhere!

Thanx guys!!

What exterior color did you get which went so well with the Alpine interior?

Well yesterday i did go into the dealer and they only had one used "09" and said the 2010's would be in next month but would be identical.

It had 1800 miles on it and said it was traded in after only a month because the guy switched jobs and he could not afford the $1200 a month payment so they helpped him and sold him an IS-250.

They said it had been there for three weeks and one guy offered $51,000 and they told him to walk.

The sales guy said at this time they would "most likely" take $52,000(he suggested that amt.) and since it was Fathers day and just before closing he suggested coming back Mon.

I called him in the AM to remind him about our "deal" and to "make sure we could still do it" which he stated "oh yea we proly can but just come in and we will do it".

I showed up,test drove the car,corrected him on several things about the car and headed into the office to make 'this' deal.

After taking my info,no employment,debt ratio or FICA scores as i said i would paying cash(or check that is)he goes off to do the "dirty deed".

He comes back to show/tell me they have $56,750.00 into this car and would need that for it.

So he also joked the day before about how the unlucky chump who traded in the car (and BTW paid for another within a month)had paid "full price" for it.

So they made a fine profit on the 1st and the 2nd i am sure then tell me $52,000 and come back to tell me they actually paid $56,750.00 on a trade in>

Starting to know why i hate and never did trust car salespeople,just must have forgot that's all.

After a few comments about "is there anything we can do" we walked out and i just told him if he would have not told me something he was not so sure about(his deception about this was no mistake) i have come back to get the 2010 next month but now that cannot happen.

While we filled out the paperwork he talked about how the sales guys are really more for the buyers not the dealership cause if he don't sell he don't make his commission,what a bull line.

They must know some are juts stupid and the rest they can just make up for by purely using deception cause lets face it,most are in there to buy the car and haggling is a part of it.

Was a sad day for sales people in that i now have a the same old found disrespect for them today which i found many years ago.

The drive was great,wish i would have pushed it more now though,i think he only shit his pants one time.

No miles,a 2010,color i want inside and out and the options with better rates on financing,hell they may even have some incentives for 2010 but i wont hold my breath.

Think he will call me back?

That's terrible. Screw those guys. Do what I did (after a similarly distasteful
experience at the first dealer): try another dealer. The 2d one I tried was great. I even let the sales manager at the first place know his lousy saleswoman cost him an IS F sale. The first dealer wouldn't let me test drive an IS F ("store policy" -- odd because I have a policy of not buying cars I can't drive first) and I don't think would have negotiated on price, although I can't be sure because we walked out of there in a hurry. The second dealer let us drive one and gave us a below MSRP deal (this was when they were still new in spring 2008).

At the price of cars we're talking about you should get exactly what you want anyway.

Good luck!