The Navigation package includes many comfort and convenience features. The display is used for the back up camera, phone book/use, traffic information. Also includes premium sound system, heated seats, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, wood and leather trim steering wheel, park assist and rain sensing wipers and more. $3000 for a map would be ridiculous.
Buying a $45,000 car isn’t for someone who “cannot really afford it”.
You could also tell her that the Acura ILX will make her look young compared to driving around in a Lexus.
Good idea on the ILX.
Robert it’s apparent to me you’re trying to help someone that wants to make a decision based on emotions and feelings. She’s fallen in love with the vehicle (i.e. impulse buy). I don’t think you can change her mind talking about the Lexus, options or even other vehicles in a logical way. Try a new approach - talk about dollars and cents. How much can she afford to pay for a vehicle? What kind of payment can she afford? How long does she want to make payments etc. Or you could suggest a used Lexus. How about a 5 year old vehicle? Maybe that fits her budget (even with a GPS). If none of that works then she wants what she wants (some of us call someone like that a wife ;-)).
The nice thing about an in-dash nav system is that it is a lot more convenient to use than add-ons or the one on your smart phone. The turn-by-turn is loud and clear and on most cars it will display the turns right in front of the driver on the display in the instrument cluster, so there is no need to look over to the in-dash unit.
That said, $3,000 is a lot of money for this add on unless it comes as part of a package with other items that she’ll use. The free Google Maps app with turn-by-turn on my Android phone is superior to the in-dash system in my 6-year old car, but certainly not as convenient.
The Mark Levinson Package, which includes the GPS, is worth less than $500 as a 2012 trade-in on an ES 350. And the MSRP for this package on a new 2013 ES 350 is $3745.
It Is So Not Worth It.
I suggest that she look at the 2013 Honda Accord EX-L (without Navigation). It is fully $11,000 less than a Toyota ES 350 with the navigation package. The navigation package is $1800 on the EX-L. You can buy a really nice portable GPS and still take a nice vacation with the remaining $1500.
Folks, a woman who wants a Lexus because her friend has one is not likely to want to buy a Garmin, stick it on the windshield, and plug in the cigarette lighter. Better deal? Sure. But notgonnahappen…
I bought a great gps garmin, lifetime updates for maps, traffic, voice command,5" touch screen and thought $200 was steep, It can also connect to a cell for better updates, read ebooks, and I think back to our ford van from 03 with vcr player for passenger view and audio through the car sound system, The vcr playback is not going to help my resale!
Well, you’re asking for opinions so here’s mine. I think this woman is letting her emotions run common sense clean out of town on a rail.
All of the reasons given by her for doing this will come back and make her rue the day pretty quickly.
"All of the reasons given by her for doing this will come back and make her rue the day pretty quickly."Agreed. With her meager income I think she is crazy to spend that much money on such a vehicle she does not need and for GPS she does not need.
Denver streets are very easy.
She already knows where all the places she visits are.
(I’m the one who needs GPS when a hospital calls and I don’t know the best route to it from where I happen to be.)
I suggested she buy used.
She wants NEW.
"As soon as you drive it off the lot, it is now “USED”, I told her.
She says you only live once and this is her last chance to get one. She plans to keep it manyears.
She’d be better off buying a decked-out Camry or a certified used Lexus if she’s that brand-conscious. Or buying a decent used car and renting a luxury car when she feels the need to indulge–the purchase price of a new Lexus could buy an awful lot of frivolous rentals without the hassle and costs of insurance, maintenance, etc.
If automobiles were sold with a maximum 24 month note and 20% down payment was required what would we drive?
We are letting Ron Popiel fill our every dream and the payments are painless.
Robert, explain to her how much the payments will be and how long she will have to make them. That may talk her out of it. Show her a 2 or 3 year older version of the car she wants and how much less it is.