# Custom Ordering a Car **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587 "2015-07-30T17:38:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/21 "2015-07-31T14:36:39Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > go look at the available colors for the Mercedes S-Class. four blacks, four silvers, two whites, and a few dark blues which might as well be black. He’s [not joking](http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehicles/build/class-S/model-S600V#tab=tab-exterior). But Mercedes will paint any model more or less any color you like under its _designo_ program (and charge you whatever _it_ likes). ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/22 "2015-07-31T15:01:19Z")
You could just get a stock colour and then go with a car wrap. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/23 "2015-07-31T15:39:42Z")
> [@brainstall](#): > > You could just get a stock colour and then go with a car wrap. I’ve done the occasional wrap. It’s not my job but I like doing them. A full wrap starts out at about $3k for a small car, $4500 for a midsize sedan to maybe $6500 for the larger SUVs. They can make an exotic car go from pretty to freaking gorgeous, but they’re not usually something you’d invest in for a Ford Focus. ---
**Author:** ![Beelzebubba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/24 "2015-08-03T03:51:52Z")
I’ve only factory-ordered one car and that was a 2015 Volvo S60. One of the most interesting things about ordering the Volvo is that certain exterior colors, interior/exterior color combinations and individual options were available (as opposed to the options being bundled in ‘packages’). But I also had to wait for almost 12 weeks to get the car. Most mainstream automakers don’t offer factory orders or, if they do, they don’t offer custom options (such as unique paint colors normally not offered on that model). ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/25 "2015-08-03T04:25:34Z")
> [@Terry\_Kennedy](#): > > There are actually two different things going on here: > > 1. You can order any “stock” color that is used on other models built _at the same factory_. Getting a color from a lesser model requires less hassle than getting a color from a more expensive model. Your dealer needs to know how to work with BMW and their contact at BMW has to be in a good mood. This generally doesn’t take longer once the car is in production - the delays are from getting BMW to process the order. > > 2. BMW Individual lets you order any color, stock or not, along with custom color trim, leather, etc. There are also things available that don’t exist on any regular model, like a cigar humidor in the center console. Traditionally BMW Individual was not available in the US without major effort (I have an Individual car, but without the humidor). They have become somewhat more flexible, but true one-off options are still rare in the US. It has been stated in the past that the reason for this is most states in the US require deposits to be fully refundable. So if someone orders a car with Barney Purple paint, lime green leather seats and orange wood trim, the dealer has to take (and pay for) it from BMW, but the customer doesn’t have to buy it. These orders can take more time, depending on how custom the options are. There are actually standard Individual parts (in Group 91) and then there are true one-offs without part numbers. BTW, the ugly car configuration I listed above is actually composed of Group 91 parts, not true custom ones. > > The more expensive or rare a car is, the more likely it is that you can order custom colors. My Atom has [custom color](http://www.atomacrossamerica.org/terry_kennedy_customcolor_samples2.jpg)s for both the body panels and the frame (it is an exoskeletal car). The body panels are Wildberry Metallic (a mid-90’s Eagle color) and the frame is Pearlescent Lounge Gray which is a custom color of my own design. The manufacturer didn’t save the formula for the frame powdercoat, and when they discovered the car was ordered with a rollbar, they had to ship the frame back to the powdercoater to have it matched. Having learned this lesson, I had them give me a 2 lb bag of the powder to be used for any future touch-ups. Anybody that drives an Atom is a hero in my book! ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/26 "2015-08-03T04:26:00Z")
We ordered my wife’s MINI Cooper custom back in 2002 or so. We wanted a particular combination of options that wasn’t going to be sitting on a lot. British Racing Green paint, green leather interior, automatic, navigation system, no sunroof. A few others. There were option packages, but they all involved a seat type that didn’t come in green and most included a sunroof. It took forever, but at least they kept us informed about when in left the factory, etc. That was a great car, until the transmission bricked just after the warranty expired. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/27 "2015-08-03T04:39:55Z")
When my wife factory ordered her current BMW, she was given a specific URL to use so she could see where her car was in production. Once io hit the production line, there were short videos posted, with descriptive titles like “Here’s the moment when the engine was put in your car” or "Here’s the moment your car first rolled on it’s own wheels”. When I ordered my Elise, I got a ragged scrap of paper and a year and a half of wondering if I was actually going to get a car at all. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/28 "2015-08-03T06:20:44Z")
If you want to buy five Escapes, then you’d qualify as a fleet buyer and then be able to paint them anything you wanted to. But, yeah, Ford dealers are happy to order a car from Ford to your exact specifications. Keep in mind that most factory and dealer incentives, though, only apply to existing dealer stock (read that fine print). ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/29 "2015-08-03T06:27:36Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Anybody that drives an Atom is a hero in my book! Since I’m pointing to my completely non-commercial site (not even ad-supported) and this thread has been answered, I think I can link this: [An Atom Across America](http://www.atomacrossamerica.org). > [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > When I ordered my Elise, I got a ragged scrap of paper and a year and a half of wondering if I was actually going to get a car at all. When I ordered (and paid a 5-digit deposit on) my Atom in 2005, the US factory was new and hadn’t built any cars yet. Just a few days shy of a full year later, I picked up my completed car (one of the very first ones built - Jay Leno got the first and a few ordered after mine were completed ahead of mine, as I was the first customer to order some unusual options). > [@](#): > > When my wife factory ordered her current BMW, she was given a specific URL to use so she could see where her car was in production. Once io hit the production line, there were short videos posted, with descriptive titles like “Here’s the moment when the engine was put in your car” or "Here’s the moment your car first rolled on it’s own wheels”. That’s nice. When I ordered mine (10+ years ago), I had to keep asking the salesman for status. I happened to order at a time when lots of changes were happening (the MY 2003 LCI) and mine was built in the first week of new production. Took about a month and a half to get it. Took over 2 months after the dealer got it (and a threat to lemon-law it) before they made it work properly. ---
**Author:** ![Beelzebubba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/30 "2015-08-03T07:07:49Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > When my wife factory ordered her current BMW, she was given a specific URL to use so she could see where her car was in production. Once io hit the production line, there were short videos posted, with descriptive titles like “Here’s the moment when the engine was put in your car” or "Here’s the moment your car first rolled on it’s own wheels”. I’m just curious, did your wife order an X-series vehicle that was built at the Spartanburg, SC factory? I’ve toured more than a dozen automotive factories over the last few decade. But only two stand out in my mind (for totally opposite reasons)- the GM factory in Doraville, GA (closed in 2008/demolished) and the BMW factory in Spartanburg, SC (aka- the ‘X-plant’). I’ll save my GM tirade for another day, but BMW’s operation was nothing short of amazing! It’s amazing that they build EVERY X3/X4/X5/X6 (and soon X7) for the entire world in rural South Carolina. They ship them all over the globe from there. The place is amazing and well worth a visit if you’re ever in the area. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/31 "2015-08-03T13:11:11Z")
> [@Terry\_Kennedy](#): > > When I ordered (and paid a 5-digit deposit on) my Atom in 2005, the US factory was new and hadn’t built any cars yet. Just a few days shy of a full year later, I picked up my completed car (one of the very first ones built - Jay Leno got the first and a few ordered after mine were completed ahead of mine, as I was the first customer to order some unusual options). … there are options for the Atom? I’m having a hard time imagining what they might be. A six inch windshield instead of a three inch one? 😃 In all seriousness, I’m hella jealous. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/32 "2015-08-03T14:01:41Z")
> [@Beelzebubba](#): > > Most mainstream automakers don’t offer factory orders or, cite? I’ve ordered rather than buying off the lot, from “mainstream” brands. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/33 "2015-08-03T14:04:22Z")
> [@Beelzebubba](#): > > It’s amazing that they build EVERY X3/X4/X5/X6 (and soon X7) for the entire world in rural South Carolina. It’s amazing that anyone buys them, you mean. Those things are Aztek-level ugly. ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/34 "2015-08-03T14:06:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > … there are options for the Atom? I’m having a hard time imagining what they might be. A six inch windshield instead of a three inch one? 😃 In all seriousness, I’m hella jealous. Actually, yes. There are a variety of options, from nothing to the bubbles like on my car to “gunsight” wind deflectors to a full glass windshield. [Here’s](http://www.atomacrossamerica.org/?p=11) the option list with prices for my car. Note that this is from 2006 and is from the previous US manufacturer, before they raised their prices (they discovered they weren’t making any money). By the time that company stopped making Atoms, my car would have cost about $40K more. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/35 "2015-08-03T14:52:11Z")
We just took delivery of a custom-ordered Audi A4. In our case, the reason we needed custom delivery was that I wanted a manual transmission, and there were approximately 6 manual transmission A4s in the entire Midwest. There were more on the East Coast, but literally all of them were black or white. So we did a custom order, which was nice, since we could pick a color combination that isn’t that common around here (not black/gray/white, and not black interior). It took about 3.5 months for the car to be built and get here from Ingolstadt. In between when we placed the order and when the order was completed, Audi swung the A4 from the 2015 to the 2016 model year (with only minor changes), so we ordered a 2015 car and wound up with a 2016. Which saved us some money, since a few formerly optional items (that we had ordered) became standard. ---
**Author:** ![RagingxMarmoset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@RagingxMarmoset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RagingxMarmoset)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/36 "2015-08-03T15:22:22Z")
Ford dealers have a Mustang order book. You can pretty much build the car as you see fit. As for colors, you’re stuck with what they have available, unless you go aftermarket. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/37 "2015-08-03T16:06:13Z")
> [@Terry\_Kennedy](#): > > When I ordered (and paid a 5-digit deposit on) my Atom in 2005, the US factory was new and hadn’t built any cars yet. Just a few days shy of a full year later, I picked up my completed car (one of the very first ones built - Jay Leno got the first and a few ordered after mine were completed ahead of mine, as I was the first customer to order some unusual options). Some of my issues with the Lotus order are not necessarily the factory’s fault. I put my money down before the car was formally announced. Then the first dealer I worked with did a whole bunch of shady stuff with their waiting list. I yanked my deposit and went to a dealer that added Lotus late in the game and got one of that dealer’s first cars. A little unfair to other dealers, but them’s the breaks. > [@Beelzebubba](#): > > I’m just curious, did your wife order an X-series vehicle that was built at the Spartanburg, SC factory? > > It’s amazing that they build EVERY X3/X4/X5/X6 (and soon X7) for the entire world in rural South Carolina. They ship them all over the globe from there. The place is amazing and well worth a visit if you’re ever in the area. Yup! The system for seeing your car in production was pretty slick. Although to be honest, I don’t know how I’d tell the difference between _her_ car on the line and _any_ car of the same color. Could have been canned vids and I’d never know. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/38 "2015-08-03T16:58:23Z")
The only time I’ve been moderately picky was when I really wanted a manual transmission and the dealer didn’t have any in stock. Still, I told them the exact model, what options, what color and so on, and they found on about 700 miles away. Ordered it and had it for me the next day. If you’re willing to wait, though, you can get anything. When I bought a Civic Hybrid in 2006, they were in incredible demand, such that there was no stock at all in the US. They had a list of unclaimed cars in production, and so I selected the trim package and options I wanted, and when it came to color, they looked and said my first choice in color would be about 8 weeks, while they could do silver with the options I selected in only around 4 weeks. It shipped directly from the factory in Japan (the hybrids weren’t being produced at the Ohio plant) to my dealer to me. ---
**Author:** ![Beelzebubba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/39 "2015-08-03T17:09:38Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s amazing that anyone buys them, you mean. Those things are Aztek-level ugly. The X4 is the only one that I find to be truly unfortunate looking, but the X6 ain’t much of a looker either. I just don’t get the point of either, since they’re based on the better-looking, more conventional X3 and X5 but cost more!? I actually think the X5 is pretty sharp. ---
**Author:** ![Beelzebubba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587/40 "2015-08-03T17:13:51Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > cite? I’ve ordered rather than buying off the lot, from “mainstream” brands. Forgive me for misspeaking (or mistyping, as it were)… Most non-domestic mainstream brands don’t offer factory orders. You can order almost any new Ford, GM or Chrysler, if you wish. The European luxury/premium brands (Audi, BMW, M-B, Volvo, etc.) also can be ordered. Do any Japanese brands offer factory ordering now? I know that Honda/Acura and Mazda don’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-ordering-a-car/726587.md?page=3)