Ready to order - any last minute advice?

[darth_hangover]

I'm finishing up the price negotiation, and I'm getting ready to order my new Ex. I'm going with Kona Blue, with Light Medium Stone interior, since I've been told either I can't order Tuxedo Black or ordering it will add 2-3 weeks to the order time.

I should be ordering by the end of the week. Is there anything that I need to make sure that I have or should do when order time comes around to make sure I get the vehicle as quickly as possible? For example, I have the sheet on the incentive protection program to at least guarantee my current incentives ($500 current, $750 private, and $500 recent graduate).

I've seen talk in this forum on different order types like dealer allocation. Is there a certain order type I should try to use to speed up the process? I tried to configure my Ex with what I want plus keeping it close to configurations I've seen (briefly) in dealer inventory: 4WD Ex Limited, 302A, 20" Wheels, Moon Roof, Tow Package, DVD Headrests.

Any additional thoughts would be helpful!

Thanks!

DH

 

[rsomers]

I would suggest asking about the order type and priority. Type should be 1 retail (customer order) rather than 2 dealer stock. The dealer can assign down to priority 10 which perhaps they will do if you request it while ordering. The scheduling happens on Thursday nights, so you want that to happen asap or there will be another week delay.

 

[shoeman]

Hey Darth ,Welcome to the forum. There is nothing per se that you should be concerned about re option packages or colors at this point. The one issue that I believe you will run into is a factory order. I believe last day for factory order was the 15th of April,for build out,check that out.

 

[darth_hangover]

rsomers/shoeman,

Thanks for the quick replies. If I understand the above correctly, I may not be able to place a Customer Order (Type 1) at this point since it's after April 15th? If that's the case, then I would be stuck with a dealer allocation order? Would that take longer, potentially? Shame that none of the dealers have mentioned that...

 

[drober30]

You can order Tuxedo Black and it should not take any longer than any other color unless something has changed.

I know someone who ordered Tuxedo Black last week and got a VIN the next day.

Ordering from a high volume dealer will get you a VIN faster. They have more allocation.

 

[shoeman]

rsomers/shoeman,

Thanks for the quick replies. If I understand the above correctly, I may not be able to place a Customer Order (Type 1) at this point since it's after April 15th? If that's the case, then I would be stuck with a dealer allocation order? Would that take longer, potentially? Shame that none of the dealers have mentioned that...

Hi Darth. You would have to take a unit that is either on the lot , built and in transit or a unit that is already ordered by your dealer but not scheduled for build as yet. Either way pretty much everything from now till start of 2012 MY is in the books . There are lots of units hitting the dealerships now,just a matter on being a little flexible on either color or specific options.

 

[rsomers]

I agree with choosing a high volume dealer.

Shoeman... I'm not familiar with the term "factory order". The only ones I've heard of are retail, stock and fleet. Did you hear they stopped taking retail orders.

 

[Explorerfamily]

Whatever you do, don't order one. Scour the internet to find one on a dealer lot unless you don't care when (if ever) it will ship.

 

[shoeman]

I agree with choosing a high volume dealer.

Shoeman... I'm not familiar with the term "factory order". The only ones I've heard of are retail, stock and fleet. Did you hear they stopped taking retail orders.

I was at my dealer finishing up the paperwork for my EX. It is on a slow CHOO CHOO from the factory, should have it end of week. I deal with the general sales manager there for over 20 years, he told me that the order bank for 2011 shut down on April 15,for all orders, retail client ,stock etc. He has not had an EX on his lot for almost 2 months. I deal with the largest dealer in the Toronto area. They placed as many units as there allocation would allow when the order bank opened ,and have been selling them from the orders ever since, I placed my order on Feb 22 and it did not get picked up for build ,due to allocation till early April. Finally built April 12 .

 

[darth_hangover]

Oh boy. This is getting a lot more complicated than I was hoping for. I have a few dealerships in my area - one small one and one that's a part of a dealer that has 6 or 7 dealerships across the area. I'm going to assume that the second one is higher volume than the first. Is there any other way I can tell?

I've been scouring the internet to find a matching vehicle, but either they've already been sold or they don't have the options that I want. I really want Tuxedo Black, but I don't really want to wait until MY2012 (August).

Ugh. Let me see what I can do with the dealers I'm talking to...

DH

 

[bkool2323]

I really want Tuxedo Black
This statement says it all. Why settle get what you want you are going to have the explorer for a long time. The kona blue is a great color, but resale value is not that great. It is known as "No Sale Blue" in the used car market. I know I will be flamed for saying this, but it is true.

 

[darth_hangover]

Good point, and you're right (regardless of the resale value), I really want the black and have already informed the dealers I'm negotiating with. Have found at least one that can still order it, hoping that one a bit closer to me can, as well....

 

[Joe Dirt]

I was going to say (but you seem to be already there) not to settle on a color that you're not in love with. The 'niche' colors as I call them, like Kona, copper, yellow, etc... are novel, but not everyone will love them as much in 2 years as they did the first time they saw it. If you want black, get black, even if it adds a few weeks. Waiting a month more or whatever isn't huge considering that you will live with the choice for at least a few years in most cases...

...nothing worth having is going to be easy to get