Allocations per dealer (Canada ideally)

[Neils]

I realize there are probably less Canadians on this forum, but I am trying to find data on the largest Lexus dealers in Canada or those who we know have the largest allocation count for GX.

My local dealer in Montreal told me last night that they have zero visibility into allocations and with their 40 person wait list, it could take years to get thru that list. He also said that the factory decides at any given moment what trim they will build, so people on the list can be bypassed if their trim comes up first.

I can tell you, based on sales history, the top Corvette C8 dealers in the US and Canada, so looking for something similar for either GX specific or Lexus volume sales in general. Like a database showing sales per dealer.

Where are my Ontario peeps at (I am next door in Montreal and willing to cross province shop)?? Doubt I can import from the US.

 

[jpto]

Totally anecdotal & off the top of my head - Don Valley Lexus, Lexus on the Park, Erin Park Lexus, Northwest Lexus are the larger dealerships in the GTA, I don't think they're going to sell out of province though because when I was shopping for my GX I called a number of dealers outside of the GTA and they said Lexus had advised them to only sell locally.

I would take what the dealers say with a grain of salt. The dealer probably does have 40 people on paper but how many people are on multiple lists and how many people are going to buy something else after languishing on the wait list. My advice, just get on a waitlist or multiple if you're willing to give your dealers a free loan. I'm not a lawyer but I'm pretty certain a dealer can't keep your deposit unless you actually get a VIN/allocation and then back out. The paperwork I signed for my deposit said the contract was only valid for 90 days and if they can't deliver a car in that time you can walk. I think that also means they can play with the order of the waitlists vs first in first out.

In terms of allocations the GX was never a volume seller in Canada, according to this site 2023 Lexus GX Sales Figures - the best year ever in Canada was 662 total units, Google says there's roughly 40 Lexus dealerships across Canada, even if Lexus allocated the CA market 3X it's best year (3X would never happen from a product planning perspective) that's still only 4.1 units a month per dealer.

Toyota is a conservative company since we haven't bought the GX in large numbers historically Lexus isn't going to increase CA allocation. My theory is that Lexus is looking at the CA market as a pig in the python situation, once the initial hype gets digested they don't want to be caught with inventory that some dealers might struggle to move. Canadian's always buy a step down vs the US on the model hierarchy, i.e. If American's buy the RX in volume, we're buying the NX in volume, US Camry, CA Corolla etc.

 

[Neils]

I think the difference between my 2 year wait for the C8 and this GX is that GM was always producing corvettes at high(er) volumes and still had to add an extra shift to deal with the hype that lasted a few years. They wanted to make more to be able to sell more.

I am not getting the feeling that Toyota really cares if they have a hit on their hands and wait lists building up at dealers everywhere. They will just keep producing what they can and allocate as they see fit.

It’s like having the security guard build up a line outside the designer outlets store, generates curiosity and makes people think, I want what they are waiting to buy so will line up too to get in on the action, with everyone hoping the security guard will let them in, only to turn away many when the store closes or is too full.

Was a crazy ass wait for that C8 and I cannot believe I want to torture myself all over again on a truck that looks bad ass but with horrible gas mileage and little storage compartments (taking jabs at the obvious).

Thanks for the dealer list in ON !!