Test Drive A Lexus, Get Free Software

[Brad Adrian]

http://www.handango.com/lexus/

If you want to enhance your Pocket PC, go visit your local Lexus dealer! Through May 31, 2003 everyone who test drives a Lexus I-S SportDesign gets a free $50 gift certificate from Handango!



All you have to do is take the test drive and send in a form that says you did so. Unfortunately, the fine print says [bracing myself] that this is only open to licensed drivers 21 years or older in the continental U.S.

Pretty cool, huh? I think it's GREAT to see companies like this tap into some of our passions and hobbies. I'd LOVE to see the demographic studies that went into developing this promotion; somebody, somewhere figured out that a lot of people who like cool cars also like other cool toys like PDAs.

Now, as an interesting aside, if you go to the Lexus Web site, you'll see that they offer the ability to download car specs to your "PDA" for offline viewing.

Unfortunately, when they say "PDA," they really mean "Palm," so this won't work on a Pocket PC. This is a fabulous idea, but I REALLY wish people would wake up and include Pocket PCs in this kind of application.

[Brad Adrian]

http://www.handango.com/lexus/

If you want to enhance your Pocket PC, go visit your local Lexus dealer! Through May 31, 2003 everyone who test drives a Lexus I-S SportDesign gets a free $50 gift certificate from Handango!



All you have to do is take the test drive and send in a form that says you did so. Unfortunately, the fine print says [bracing myself] that this is only open to licensed drivers 21 years or older in the continental U.S.

Pretty cool, huh? I think it's GREAT to see companies like this tap into some of our passions and hobbies. I'd LOVE to see the demographic studies that went into developing this promotion; somebody, somewhere figured out that a lot of people who like cool cars also like other cool toys like PDAs.

Now, as an interesting aside, if you go to the Lexus Web site, you'll see that they offer the ability to download car specs to your "PDA" for offline viewing.

Unfortunately, when they say "PDA," they really mean "Palm," so this won't work on a Pocket PC. This is a fabulous idea, but I REALLY wish people would wake up and include Pocket PCs in this kind of application.

[Pony99CA]

Originally Posted by Brad Adrian

If you want to enhance your Pocket PC, go visit your local Lexus dealer! Through May 31, 2003 everyone who test drives a Lexus I-S SportDesign gets a free $50 gift certificate from Handango!

If I test drive an iPAQ, can I get a gift certificate for a Lexus? :-D

Seriously, it would be nice to extend the promotion to actually give you a PDA (hopefully a choice of a Palm or Pocket PC) if you bought a Lexus. If Michelin can give a Zire away for buying four tires, I'd think Lexus could up the ante.

Steve

[jizmo]

Originally Posted by Brad Adrian

I REALLY wish people would wake up and include Pocket PCs in this kind of application.

Maybe they're not that interested in the puny 5-million user base of PPC in their marketing plan :lol:

/jizmo

[trachy]

Originally Posted by Pony99CA

If Michelin can give a Zire away for buying four tires, I'd think Lexus could up the ante.

Have you seen that Zire up close and personal? A guy I work with bought a set of Michelins and got one. He actually gave the thing away to another one of our coworkers. I don't know as I'd even give the thing away to my 8 year old. It looks like Palm partnered with Mattel when they designed the thing. Cheap plastic and a green screen that looked about half the size of my 3835.

[trachy]

I wonder how well this promo will work. It's not like you're stepping on a Lexus lot to test drive an economy car. Upper end car dealerships are notorious for not wasting their time on customers that don't outwardly appear to have the means to buy one of their vehicles. Considering how most of us pinch pennies when it comes to buying accessories, it's probably a safe bet most of us can't afford a Lexus.

[GoldKey]

Printed this offer a few weeks ago. Was actually in the market for a new car anyway only to realize that we don't have a Lexus dealership here. Bought the Infiniti G35 and have been very happy with it.

[GoldKey]

Originally Posted by trachy

I wonder how well this promo will work. It's not like you're stepping on a Lexus lot to test drive an economy car. Upper end car dealerships are notorious for not wasting their time on customers that don't outwardly appear to have the means to buy one of their vehicles. Considering how most of us pinch pennies when it comes to buying accessories, it's probably a safe bet most of us can't afford a Lexus.

Actually, the near luxury market is one of the fastest growing automobile segments. This includes the low end Infinti/Lexus/Jag/Mercedes/BMW/etc. These can be had from the upper $20's to mid $30's which, while not cheap, is really not that expensive compared to alot of other vehicles on the road. A similarly equiped Accord will run you around mid 20's, so for a bit more, you can get into this class. Compare this to the cost of alot of the SUV's on the road and it seems pretty reasonable.

[dh]

Originally Posted by trachy

I wonder how well this promo will work. It's not like you're stepping on a Lexus lot to test drive an economy car. Upper end car dealerships are notorious for not wasting their time on customers that don't outwardly appear to have the means to buy one of their vehicles. Considering how most of us pinch pennies when it comes to buying accessories, it's probably a safe bet most of us can't afford a Lexus.

I can relate to that. A few years ago I had been installing some equipment in a customers plant all night and in the morning stopped at a Lexus dealership while driving a Chevy rental car. I was a bit dirty and scuffy so the sales guy basically told me to clear off.

I'm sure that if I was wearing my regular clothes and drove the 328i that I had at the time, they would have loved to see me.

In any case, all three German competitors, 3 Series, C Class and A4 are ten times better than that IS Lexus.

[bdegroodt]

As a former IS owner, I think this would work out very well. It's right up the demographic alley of the IS buyer.

Regarding pinching pennies and not being able to afford such a vehicle. I'd have to say that's incorrect. It's fairly well documented that computer geeks such as ourselves are of a higher income bracket than non-geeks (On average).

[bdegroodt]

Originally Posted by Goldkey

Printed this offer a few weeks ago. Was actually in the market for a new car anyway only to realize that we don't have a Lexus dealership here. Bought the Infiniti G35 and have been very happy with it.

Nice choice Goldkey. I got to sit in one at the NY Auto show a couple of weeks ago. No question why it's a Motortrend Car of the Year. Fiances father just bought one as well and loves it.