Ordering a New Car From the Factory: How It Works and What to Ask

Ordering a car means asking a dealer to request a specific build from the manufacturer, then waiting for it. You get exactly the color, trim and options you want and nothing you do not. In exchange you accept a wait and some uncertainty about price and incentives between order day and delivery day. Most of that uncertainty can be removed with a short written agreement up front.

How ordering actually works

For most brands sold through franchised dealers, you cannot order from the manufacturer directly. The dealer places the order, and it is the dealer's customer of record until you sign the final paperwork. A few brands sell direct and take orders on their own websites; the mechanics there are simpler, and the price is usually fixed.

Three terms explain most of what happens:

• Allocation. Manufacturers give each dealer a limited number of build slots for each model over a period. How slots are handed out differs by brand, but dealers that sell more of a model generally receive more. A dealer without an allocation for your model can take your deposit, but your order may sit in a queue until a slot appears.
• Sold order vs stock order. A sold order has a customer's name attached. A stock order is a car the dealer is ordering for its lot. Some brands prioritize sold orders. You can also ask a dealer to change an unbuilt stock order to match your spec, which can be faster than starting from scratch.
• Incoming and in-transit units. Cars already built or scheduled that have not reached the lot yet. If one matches what you want, you can often reserve it, and your wait is only shipping time.

Before you order, search /cars for the model and trim. If the build you want is already listed nearby, ordering buys you nothing but a wait. The listing history also shows how long similar cars have been sitting, which tells you how much demand the dealer is really seeing.

When ordering makes sense

Not sure which options you would pick? Read how to choose a trim level first. Changing an order after it is accepted for production is often impossible.

Timelines: ask, do not assume

Wait times differ by brand, plant, model and even by a single option that happens to be constrained. Any general number you read online may be out of date. Ask the dealer these instead:

1. "Do you have an allocation for this model right now, or will my order wait for one?"
2. "How many sold orders are ahead of mine?"
3. "Are any of the options I picked on a constraint list that could delay the build?"
4. "What were the actual order-to-delivery times for the last two or three of this model you delivered?"
5. "How will you update me: order confirmation, production date, VIN, shipping?"

Once the manufacturer accepts the order, the dealer can usually see status codes, and at some point the car gets a VIN. Ask for the VIN when it is assigned. It is the clearest sign your car exists, and you can use it to get insurance quotes.

Get the price settled before the deposit

The most common ordering problem is a price that changes at delivery. The dealer is under no general obligation to honor a verbal number months later, so settle it in writing on order day. Negotiating an order is the same as negotiating a car on the lot, and email works well; see how to negotiate car price by email.

Questions to ask about price and deposit

• Selling price. Is it stated as a dollar figure or as a relationship to MSRP (for example, "MSRP" or "$500 under MSRP")? A relationship to MSRP is clearer if the manufacturer changes prices.
• Price protection. If MSRP rises before the car is built, who pays the difference? Policies differ by manufacturer and sometimes by model year, so ask the dealer to state its policy in writing.
• Markups and add-ons. Will there be a market adjustment or any dealer-installed accessories at delivery? Get "no market adjustment and no dealer add-ons" written down. Dealer markups and market adjustments explains what to look for.
• Fees. What are the documentation fee and any other dealer fees? They belong in the agreement too.
• Incentives. Rebates and special financing usually apply as of the delivery date, not the order date, and they change monthly. Ask whether the brand offers any incentive protection for sold orders, and plan as if the incentives may be different.
• Deposit. How much, is it refundable, under what conditions, and how quickly is it returned? Deposit rules depend on the dealer's terms and your state, so the written terms are what count. Pay by credit card if the dealer allows it.
• Trade-in. A trade value quoted today will not hold for months. Expect a fresh appraisal at delivery.

A written agreement you can copy

Send this by email and ask the sales manager to reply confirming it:

I would like to place a sold order for a [year, model, trim] in [color/interior] with [options and packages]. Please confirm in writing:

1. Selling price: [MSRP / $X under MSRP], with no market adjustment.
2. No dealer-installed accessories or add-ons unless I request them.
3. Your documentation fee and any other dealer fees, itemized.
4. Deposit of $[amount], fully refundable at any time before I sign a purchase contract.
5. What happens to my price if MSRP changes before delivery.
6. That you will send me the order confirmation and the VIN when assigned.

A dealer that orders regularly will answer this without fuss. If the answers are vague, try another dealer; the same build can be ordered from any dealer of that brand.

While you wait

• Hold off on the loan. Pre-approvals expire. Apply close to the delivery date, as described in car loan pre-approval.
• Save the build sheet. Keep the order confirmation showing every option code.
• Watch the market. If inventory builds up and discounts appear while you wait, it is reasonable to ask the dealer to revisit the price. If your deposit is refundable, you have real room to do so.

Delivery day checklist

1. Compare the car's window sticker to your order confirmation line by line. The Monroney label lists the options and the manufacturer's suggested price, and federal law requires it on every new car.
2. Check that the VIN on the car matches the paperwork.
3. Compare the purchase contract to your written agreement: price, fees, no added products.
4. Inspect the paint and interior in daylight and check the odometer. A new car should show only delivery miles.
5. Ask which incentives were applied and confirm none you qualify for were missed.

If the numbers do not match what was agreed, show the email and ask for it to be corrected before you sign. A written agreement makes that a short conversation.