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Buyers resent low inventories, prices over MSRP, study says

Vehicle inventory low, vehicle transaction prices high, customers fretting … welcome, J.D. Power, to the era of supply and demand. In a recently published survey from one of the auto industryÂ’s top analytical firms, findings show that customers' satisfaction with vehicle purchases in the United States this year has dipped for the first time in 10 years. The 2022 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study found that overall sales satisfaction has dropped to 786 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 789 in 2021. In that year, higher than expected trade-in values softened the effect of new vehicle price increases. But in 2022, on top of trade-in prices shrinking, many dealers elected to charge more than the ManufacturerÂ’s Suggested Retail Price, a factor that did not sit well with buyers. “When dealers charge more than MSRP, particularly with long-term loyal customers, they risk a potential long-term negative effect on customer advocacy and service business," said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. Satisfaction among buyers who paid more than sticker price is 757, while satisfaction among those who paid the sticker price or less is 850, the Power report said. The lack of dealership inventory was also a customer irritant, J.D. Power found, a point that automakers and their dealers may want to consider. Many have maintained, or considered maintaining, a smaller inventory in the wake of the pandemic, keeping costs down and driving more customers toward factory orders. Regarding those consumers shopping for electric vehicles, the survey said that more than a third of them “failed to get instruction on EV charging before they left the dealership, which notably affects satisfaction.” Said Sutton, “Salespeople donÂ’t need to show gas-powered vehicle buyers how to fill their tank, but they do need to show EV buyers how to charge their vehicle.” There are positives to the Power conclusions, however, especially for Alfa Romeo dealers. The Italian brand ranked highest in customer satisfaction among premium brands with a score of 833, with Porsche a very close second (831) and Lexus (819) third. Alfa is on something of a roll these days, with its compact Tonale crossover due for release in the spring, and a new sports car in the works. Meanwhile, in PowerÂ’s “mainstream brand”” segment, Buick ranked first with a score of 825, followed by Dodge (816) and Subaru (804), all performing higher than the industry average.

Lexus GX 460 SUV gains technology on the road, and off of it

Lexus has updated its GX 460 SUV for 2020. The GX 460 is one of the longer-running SUV models on the market, as it was originally unveiled around a decade ago and it's still based on the sturdy Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which is a touch more compact than the U.S. market Land Cruiser. The refresh gives the model some new touches to keep it in line with other current Lexus products, including a more contemporary spindle grille and new headlights, but it's restyled along the same moderate lines as the previous updates the GX 460 has received during its tenure. There are color and trim adjustments, including the addition of very red leather, but the powertrain remains the same: the 301-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 with 329 lb-ft or torque. But still, the ladder-frame GX 460 has off-road agility thanks to its Prado DNA, and those capabilities are now enhanced with a new Off-Road Package made available on the Luxury trim level. Cameras feed to multi-view and panoramic monitors to give the driver a better idea of the vehicle's surroundings off the beaten path, and Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Select make it easier to handle the surfaces underneath the GX 460. Crawl Control keeps the vehicle progressing steadily in low range, also utilizing what Lexus calls "virtual" locking diffs. The GX 460's drivetrain comes with a Torsen limited slip differential, too. Multi-Terrain Select regulates wheelspin and can be automatically set to perform best in mud, sand, loose rocks or other driving surfaces. There's also downhill assist and hill-start assist as well as active traction control and vehicle stability control. As for on-road safety, Lexus has made its Safety System+ suite standard, and it comprises a Pre-Collision System together with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, automatic high beam control and high-speed dynamic radar cruise control. Our test of the 2018 model lamented the lack of the latter in standard specification, but that matter has now been addressed. For on-road comfort, there's also the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, or KDSS, and an available adaptive variable suspension that has electronic control instead of just a fluid-based setup as in the KDSS. Any pricing adjustments have not yet been announced.

Sell your own: 2003 Lexus SC 430

This is part of an occasional look at what's for sale on Autoblog. Looking to sell your car? We make it easy and free. Quickly create listings with up to six photos and reach millions of buyers. Log in and create your free listings. At the Lexus SC 430 preview - in the spring of 2000 - the disappointment among automotive journalists was palpable. Lexus had taken the truly captivating design of the first-generation SC and essentially disregarded it, replacing the earlier architecture with one drawn by Toyota's team in Europe. The contrast wasn't as strong (or dysfunctional) as when the Jag E-Type morphed into the most unfortunate XJ-S in 1976, but it was close. Some seven years after production of the SC 430 ended, however, a coupe/convertible prospect has the benefit of both hindsight and nostalgia. Lines that once looked almost awkward when juxtaposed against the first SC are softened by time. And while the SC 430's retractable roof wasn't the first execution of a coupe/convertible hardtop, you can assume it works more predictably than its German counterparts. While purportedly seating four, this is a tight 2+2. But with V8 power and a 3,800 pound curb weight, the SC 430 is a substantive, comfortable way of propelling yourself down the road; think of it as a Miata for those wearing 'plus' sizes. This for-sale example, with 165,000 miles, is well-used, and its $9K asking price is at the top of the dealer range. But if you like its color and equipment, a well-maintained Lexus should - and could - give you another 100,000 miles of reliable service. Related Video: