ES330 With ML Audio and no Nav Does Exist!

Lexus customizes available option mixes for different markets. I would guess that they've determined that not many people need or want Nav to navigate around an island that is only 20 miles or so square, but they do want high-end audio systems. So they offered this combo in Hawaii, but decided that if you're a mainland high-end stereo customer, you probably want the Nav too.

I'm not saying this is a good idea, but this is the way Lexus does things. And one reason why I just sold my Lexus and have a Mini - a car that actively encourages the customer to choose from literally millions of possible option combinations.

- Mark

They figure they can screw people in the mainland US into buying the whole package to gross up the purchase cost.

The island of Hawaii is the size of Connecticut. Large place.

It probably isn't on the map software.

Correct. I know someone who lives in Hawaii and has a recent model Toyota that does have the Navigation option. She says it's useless, because Hawaii is not on the map DVD.

As far as bundling the Nav and ML audio are concerned: Most people who buy high end luxury items like Nav or ML audio want a "loaded" car. Lexus' distributors simply order cars designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, i.e., they order the least number of configurations that cover most of the demographic groups that buy that model of car. It's no different from bundling the HID headlight option with the rain-sensing wiper and VSC options. People who want one of those things typically have no problem getting the others thrown in with the deal.

-Doug in VA

I'm not sure how my discerning ear for high end audio renders me a good candidate for an electronic map.

You can always custom order the car from your delaer, just be prepared to wait 12-16 weeks for delivery. IMHO if your buying a 38,000 car loaded is it that big of a deal to save the 1800.00 for the nav option?? BTW the dealer will usually cut a better deal on a car in stock or he can locate as opposed to a factory order. So your final cost difference will probably not be the full 1800.00.

Myles

Steve Lars> I'm not sure how my discerning ear for high end audio renders me a

Large place!?

Hawaii (big island) sq/miles: 6,423 Connecticut: 4,845 San Bernardio *County*, CA: 20,054

I honestly don't think my 2002 ES was worth more than the 33000 I paid, even if it had the Nav option. I was willing to spend a little more to get the ML option, but to spend 1800 more would have pushed the ES beyond a reasonable price to value ratio. I think at 33,000, the ES is stretching its value a bit thin for the basic package. To go to the upper 30's just to get the ML option would have been nutty. If I had that kind of money to throw around, why in the h*ll would I drop it into an ES??

Because the LS is twice that. What else is there? A used LS? Maybe... or BMW? too many trips to the shop with that bad boy... really, the ES is almost the perfect car.

I doubt the island of Hawaii has a Lexus dealer. My guess is that we're talking Oahu and perhaps Maui. In both cases, most cars never leave the island.

- Mark

Yep.

Also, 50% of the big Island is not accessible... Something like 90% of Kauai... But I am surprised Navtech doesn't have that mapped. I thought mapquest.com uses navtech data, and mapquest has all the streets of all Hawaii Islands mapped... this is weird...

Yeah, I thought about that. I probably would end up paying about the same for a special ordered one w/o Nav. Also, by the time it arrived, the '05s would be here!

probably not

useless,

Exactly. About 75% of Hawaii's 1.3 million people live on Oahu which looks like it's about 50 miles long from end to end in my atlas. Not much value in a Nav over there.

But that doesn't explain why you can buy the ES330 with the ML audio and no Nav in Canada. The problem is that you end up with the big numbers on the speedometer being in kilometers per hour rather than miles per hour.

Apparently, the decision is made by the distributor and there are different distributors in these 3 areas. It makes life easier for the dealers to have these packages. So blame the distributors, not the manufacturer.