Have you ever order a car from the factory?

[musiclawyer]

You know, discovered that local dealers just didn't have the car you want configured, so asked one of them to get it from the factory. What was your experience, problems, caveats etc? Thanks

[BOSSHOG]

1. Kinda did

About 15 years ago my wife wanted a Grand Prix and the local dealer didn't have exactly what she wanted but they found her one in a dealership about two hundred miles away. They sent a guy there to pick it up and drive it to our dealership. Worked out great, waved the delivery charge, we had it the next day, spotless. They put it in their showroom for us to pick up. I know not from the factory but the dealership did work with us to our satisfaction.

[seemunkee]

2. Do you mean order it so it is exactly what you want

But still pick it up from the dealer? I did it with my Mini. No real problems except the wait. Check, recheck, then double check the order. Find out what the cancellation policy is and if you have to accept the car when it shows up.

[Xithras]

3. Yep

Just make sure you have back-out rights if the car isn't delivered the way you want. When I bought my Subaru, I walked into the dealership knowing exactly what I wanted (cloth seats, rubber mats, weatherband radio with 5 disk CD player and an iPod jack, factory tow kit, power moon roof, windshield and side mirror defrosters...I even knew the exact color combination I wanted). They didn't have it it, and after 30 minutes wasted trying to convince me to buy something off their lot, they relented and ordered it for me.

My problem arose when the car arrived a few weeks later. They had EVERYTHING I wanted EXCEPT the factory tow kit. They offered to have an aftermarket tow kit installed, but I refused. The Forester with the factory tow kit has a slightly modified rear bumper to permit increased receiver clearance, and the welded kit sits higher in the frame and doesn't eat up ground clearance like the bolt-on models do. Plus, it's welded and stronger.

The dealership was furious at me, but I refused the car. It was in the contract that I could do so if the car didn't meet my expectations, and I stood on that clause. They ended up shipping that car off to another dealership somewhere, and my car came in a few weeks later...exactly as ordered.

Also, be aware that you're not going to be as successful haggling the price down on a factory ordered car. Dealerships allow some price haggling on cars sitting on their lots because the dealerships have an investment in those cars and they want to recover it as quickly as possible. Requesting a special order means that you are ALREADY sold on the car, and that there's no financial risk for them. It gives them less incentive to negotiate.