It wasn’t too many years ago that you could visit your local car dealership and order a new car from the factory, but that is not the case today. The auto industry has made every effort to be efficient in the manufacturing processes and building a special car just for you is not an option when we talk about most new cars. There are some extremely high-line brands and models that will allow you to have your car custom built, but these vehicles are usually selling for six-figures and definitely not a large volume automaker.
The automakers have scheduled the vehicles they will build for a month or two before they actually begin the process. They know how many models of a particular vehicle they will build, plus the options and trim levels for each vehicle. They also know how many of each color they will paint when they are built. So if you think that the auto manufacturers are going to change their well-laid plans so you can order a new car from the factory you better think again.
Dealers and Ordering a New Car
Some dealers may tell you that you can order a new car from the factory when in fact all they are doing is taking a deposit to take you out of the market. Then they will try to do a dealer locate which means they will attempt to find and trade the car you want from another dealership. They will also find out what they have coming in and other dealers may have coming that will fit your specifications. Finding the car you want could take anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks if the dealer is willing to do the work and you are willing to wait.
Not all automakers build cars the way you might want your car built regarding model, trim level, options and colors in you area or region. Most manufacturers have their trade areas broken up into several regions, which usually cover several states or districts and cars, are built and scheduled to be built according to what has sold in a particular region or district. As you can see the whole manufacturing and distribution process is well planned and not about to change so you can order a new car from the factory.
A good dealership will explain the process and do all they can to get the car you want, but don’t expect to pay the same price that you would pay when a dealer has a vehicle in their inventory. Locating a new car for you takes time, energy and money to locate, trade and find so you can expect to pay a few to several hundred dollars more to get your new car and wait for a couple of days to several weeks. However a dealer that is willing to do this extra work will make it feel like you did order a new car from the factory and get you the exact vehicle you want to purchase.