My wife would like a new SUV, probably either a Subaru or a Honda. Inventories in our area are pretty low and we’re not really in a hurry so I’m considering ordering one. If you’ve gone through the process, I’d like to hear about your experience.
You should definitely look up your state’s laws first. Some states require you the vehicle delivered through a dealer (which I imagine will involve extra fees), because of laws intended to protect the dealers’ monopoly.
Building a car online doesn’t automatically mean cutting the dealer out of the loop. I think in many cases, the car is delivered to the local dealer and picked up by the customer from there.
Done that twice myself. Works pretty well. You still go through the hassles of a lot of ‘up sale’ shit though.
Did it with my jeep. Built it online, printed it out, gave to the dealer and said “I want this”. Put down a deposit and he ordered it.
I ordered my 2022 Expedition that was delivered in July 2022 in October 2021. It was exactly as I ordered it, which I consider a good thing.
I also get company cars delivered exactly as I order them, and lead time varies, but I’ve been getting them since 2011. I get exactly the package I want at the price I expect, so, yeah, it’s a good thing.
In today’s conditions, though, I’d really hate to be in a position where I need a car now. I need to check my insurance to see if they’ll cover my rental while I wait for a new factory ordered vehicle instead of buying off the lot.
@enipla @Redcanoe @Balthisar How did you work out a price? Did you just pay MSRP?
Hmmm. I was told that the model I wanted was on it’s way to Colorado. On a train. But it had some running boards that I did not want. They took that price off and I bought it. I don’t haggle, and am terrible at it. Some people like to haggle. I don’t.
- A terrible year to buy an American made car. After 4 months the car I ordered was never delivered. I demanded my deposit back and bought a Toyota that day off the lot.
When you order a car online, you still have to buy it through a dealership, unless you order a Tesla, which (I believe) owns and runs all its own dealerships in the US. I ordered a Japan-built Subaru in mid-December. Original delivery date was “March 2023.” In early February, it was pushed back to “April 2023.” It’s now March 29, and I still don’t have a firm delivery date. The dealership communication has been lackluster. Good luck.
Probably not what the OP is looking for, but sort of. I get a company car as part of my overall compensation package with my employer, and I specified and ordered it through our third party fleet provider’s website.
In November 2021. It arrived last week.
I did what twocarrot did, if many years ago. I went to our fleet guy, said I wanted a car and I was able to pick exactly the build I wanted. It took some time but I was then told what day it would be built, what day shipped, when pickupable. Paid fleet price so no interaction with a dealer at all. At least as far as I could tell. Pleased.
I drove past our local Honda dealership a couple of days ago to check out their inventory. It was extremely low. The guy I talked to said that he’d check with other dealers and try to make a trade. When I called him back yesterday, he said that there were none to be found like I want and my best option was to come in and have them build one. At least, I think that’s his best option. I can continue to look elsewhere and order one if necessary.
They had 2 CR-V Hybrids on the lot. Those were their only CR-Vs. I guess nobody wants them.
I work for the manufacturer, so I get manufacturer pricing.
Build the car online and save the spec sheet. Apply for a loan and get it preapproved for MSRP. Email the sheet to all the dealers for that type of vehicle in your area (or at least as far as you’re willing to drive to pick it up). Tell each of them you have funding approved and want a no-haggle quote for their best out-the-door, cash price. Whichever dealership gives you the best price, go with them. Bring a check for the exact amount they quoted you.
6 of my last 8-9 vehicles were custom “built” online. When you’re paying that much for a new car, it’s best to get it exactly the way you want it and not “mostly” how you want it. Expect to wait several months for delivery, though.
When I did this BEFORE there was a shortage of cars (in 2018) all I got was a bunch of response that either:
- didn’t quote a price, just an MSRP and an invitation to come into the showroom
- quoted a price that was outlandishly high. Basically an FU
- told me that they don’t respond to these kind of requests
That’s shitty. What did you end up doing?
Found out a good friend of my wife’s is a “Purchase Partner” at a dealership and ended up buying from that dealership.
Here’s is one response I got from a dealer:
I’m not in the business of helping you buy a car elsewhere and or to be a pricing service. For that you can research through the innumerable websites now at your disposal.
If I live to be 100 years old, I’ll never understand why people are afraid to just buy a car at an established target figure of what they feel is fair…heck that’s what’s done on every other purchase consumers make, even a house!!! But with a car they worry about another $100 and then complain that buying a car is so difficult.
Was that last paragraph part of the dealer’s response? If so, his industry is largely responsible for making buying a car so difficult. They have a well-deserved reputation for using every dirty trick possible.
Here’s another (I ended up paying $38,400 for the exact model somewhere else):
I have an exactly the way you described with MSRP of $43610. When you have enough confidence to make an offer over $38000 within the next 72 hrs, we can continue the dialogue.
And if you can never come to the showroom at least once, my price doesn’t matter because Massachusetts State Law requires original signatures in order to consummate an auto purchase and registration.