Ordering vs buying off the lot

[JTK]

I started the ordering process only once in my life. It was back in the mid 1990's. I wound up cancelling the order a few days later because I got a better deal on another make/model vehicle from another dealership. I've never been interested in ordering a vehicle since, but like said above, one may not have a choice as time goes on.

I hate the thought of it. I only bite when I find a deal. This current market thing will force me to change my ways.

 

[Kestas]

Cars come with so many amenities that used to be optional, there are really no new car options that I consider "must have."

 

[JHZR2]

I dont mind the concept of ordering to get what you want.

I dont know how it will affect the loss leaders. Im not one for a ton of fancy overpriced options. I like my cars fairly simple. Sometimes the simpler ones, or ones with very specific options I want arent available. Notionally ordering will help that. The dealer gets a deposit and the buyer is pretty locked in.

We have had good experiences ordering BMW and VW vehicles.

 

[MCompact]

My Club Sport is the only car that I have ordered. There were only three options: premium sound, a limited slip differential, and a sunroof. I only wanted the audio upgrade and the LSD, but Munich tried to make me take a hole in the roof. My salesperson went to bat for me and my car was one of less than 10 Club Sports built without a sunroof.
In 2007 I wanted to order a GTI but the local dealers acted as if ordering a car was more difficult than achieving cold fusion- so I walked.
When I worked at BMW we could order from Spartanburg and sometimes get the vehicle in less than 3 weeks(assuming no Individual options were ordered).
I’m currently considering ordering an M240i when the RWD model becomes available- assuming I can once again delete the hole in the roof…

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

When you order, don’t you lose any negotiating power? I’d imagine you put in your options and pay the price…or do you see that suggested price and begin negotiations on the car you want to order?

 

[Nick1994]

I think I'd rather custom order if I'm buying new and get exactly what I want. Cars don't seem to be very customizable anymore though. Everything has black carpet, and maybe 2 interior colors.

I custom ordered my 21' Tesla Model 3 SR+, but Tesla released for a day or two some existing inventory that was selling like hot cakes. You would load the models and see a couple, refresh your screen within 15-20 seconds and they were gone. Wait 10 minutes and they'd toss a couple more up, then they'd get snatched up. I found the exact same spec Model 3 I had ordered and bought that one. I literally clicked on the car, reserved it with a deposit, ran a credit check, and got approved within 2 minutes. Done.

 

[gregk24]

The thing is, most "options" are rolled into trim levels. For instance, I would love to option v-tex leatherette seats in our "S" trim Jetta, but you have to get an "SE" which automatically rolls in a pano roof among other things.

 

[CarLuver]

if you don't mind paying msrp and waiting then ordering would be the way to go. but a car that is physically there at the dealership they have incentive to move it . the longer it sits there , it cost them money.

so those that have ordered a car. Does the contract state the price ? can the dealer play games like add a markup after the car gets there?

 

[930.engineering]

.
I can't even imagine taking a car from a dealer's lot. I never did that
and they most probably never will have a car sitting there that I'd buy.
Two doors, manual transmission and best (head) lighting available are
mandatory for me. Custom orders are much more common in Europe
though. Dozens of options that can independently specced for any VW
and even hundreds for any Mini, BMW, Mercedes, Audi or any Porsche.
.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

When you order, don’t you lose any negotiating power? I’d imagine you put in your options and pay the price…or do you see that suggested price and begin negotiations on the car you want to order?

I’ve ordered two cars. You agree to terms before you order the car, it’s pretty straightforward. You don’t have as much leverage than if they have 25 of them sitting on the lot, no. You can stipulate pretty much anything you want, my last car I said I wouldn’t pay over 3.9% interest at 60 months (controlled by the manufacturer) and the car had to be allocated to me by Feb 1 and delivered to me by May 30 (I ordered in November). This all goes on the contract you sign when you place your deposit, along with the selling price. The only thing you don’t have control of are manufacturer incentives, whatever incentives apply when you take delivery is what you get, but typically really good incentives only apply to vehicles in stock anyway at certain times of the year.

 

[Skippy722]

I’d be perfectly fine with build to order if they’d stop bundling options into packages. Some make sense, like if you want BSM you’re also getting parking sensors, rear cross path detection, and adaptive cruise. But why does say an upgraded stereo have to come with a sunroof? Or a heated steering wheel with leather seats? I understand it adds complexity and ultimately cost, but I’d be willing to pay $500-$700 more on a new car for a heated steering wheel and cloth seats!

 

[gofast182]

I've sometimes wondered about ordering a new vehicle. Yes, you do get the exact vehicle you want, but wouldn't you also give up some (or all) haggling leverage?

Not really in the case of BMW. Since all vehicles need to be spec'd either by the dealer or a customer that part doesn't change. From there, different dealerships are still competing for your business. I ordered our X5 and M340i, got both well below MSRP, each from a different dealer in order to get the best deal.

 

[AZjeff]

Not sure why you couldn't deal on an ordered vehicle. From the dealer's standpoint it's a guaranteed sale likely with a deposit that won't sit on the lot for who knows how long? Talking about normal times not right now. We've bought a few new vehicles over the years and there's always been a compromise about something we wanted or didn't want and lived with it.

We were told, and it happened, that the incentives and financing options that were in place when the truck was delivered would be what was honored, not what was in place at the time of the order. I checked with a life long friend in the biz and that's common.

 

[ryster]

I only ever special ordered a vehicle one time and will never do it again. Waited 6 weeks for the car, only to have it arrive with features missing and damage from transit. The dealer said there were "mid model year changes and those features were no longer included in the car I ordered." They just looked at me funny when I mentioned the damage. I told them to keep the car and refund my deposit since they didn't deliver what was ordered. They refused to refund the deposit. They put the car on the lot and sold it within a week, but still fought refunding my deposit. We finally got in touch with the owner of the dealership and he quickly refunded the deposit.

Now I just buy from dealer inventory and usually always get a car that meets my needs. However, the build-to-order model is being heavily pushed now by the automakers so I imagine the buying from inventory days are over.

 

[JustN89]

Now I just buy from dealer inventory and usually always get a car that meets my needs. However, the build-to-order model is being heavily pushed now by the automakers so I imagine the buying from inventory days are over.

Unlikely. Even OEMs, which like the idea of build-to-order, know how lucrative dealerships with inventory are for them. Even Ford, who has been the most vocal about shifting more towards build-to-order, is only expecting inventory levels to drop roughly 30%. Yes, that's quite a bit, but far from losing the option to just buy off the lot.

 

[ryster]

Unlikely. Even OEMs, which like the idea of build-to-order, know how lucrative dealerships with inventory are for them. Even Ford, who has been the most vocal about shifting more towards build-to-order, is only expecting inventory levels to drop roughly 30%. Yes, that's quite a bit, but far from losing the option to just buy off the lot.

Ford's goal is to go to a 50 day supply of dealer inventory (they used to target 75 days). Their goal is to keep prices up and virtually eliminate the need to offer discounts. So there will be some dealer inventory, but it will be sold near or at full price.

 

[Job]

Their goal is to keep prices up and virtually eliminate the need to offer discounts. So there will be some dealer inventory, but it will be sold near or at full price.

Is there a statement from Ford this part is their goal? Or is that your interpretation? It wouldn’t be too smart of their news dept. to say this is their goal.

 

[ryster]

Is there a statement from Ford this part is their goal? Or is that your interpretation? It wouldn’t be too smart of their news dept. to say this is their goal.

"Instead of a 75-day or more supply of vehicles, Ford is targeting a 50 days’ supply. To help manage this, Farley wants to move the company more to an order-based system instead of customers buying vehicles off a dealer lot. It will help lower discounts from the automaker and allow Ford to better manage its production, he said."

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[mightymousetech]

After doing EU delivery of a custom ordered car, and picking it up right at the factory, I don’t think I could buy a new car any other way now. It was truly the event of a lifetime that I will never forget.

 

[AZjeff]

After doing EU delivery of a custom ordered car, and picking it up right at the factory, I don’t think I could buy a new car any other way now. It was truly the event of a lifetime that I will never forget.

You've got yourself in a bad spot. If you can't buy a new car any other way will you never buy another new car? Will you ruin your event of a lifetime if you do it again? Will you have 2 lifetime events?

Seriously I know someone who did that with a Volvo and had a great time. I doubt going to Flint Michigan to pick up our new truck would have been the same experience.