Should You Special Order a New Car?
With most products, special ordering means that you are going to get exactly what you want. However, special ordering a new car isn't always that simple. Once upon a time, car manufacturers would be happy to build you what you wanted. Today? Not so much. Here are a few things to consider before you special order a new car, truck, or SUV.
Most automakers don't accept orders on new vehicles between two and three months before the end of the production year. Generally speaking (depending upon model and manufacturer) you can't order anything between the months of April and August because production years tend to end in the last few months of summer.
The auto manufacturers that produce their vehicles overseas usually prefer not to accept special orders. The two months it takes to special order a car becomes four months because it usually takes two months to ship the car overseas. Although overseas auto manufacturers may accept special orders, it is usually discouraged.
When you're thinking about special ordering a new car, keep in mind that some automakers force you to buy some options as part of a package. Toyota and Honda, for instance, are famous for making customers buy certain options in groups - a lot of times they won't sell you a car with a sunroof unless you buy the "sunroof package." The "sunroof package" might include leather seats and an upgraded stereo, in addition to the sunroof itself. Don't want the leather or the stereo? Then you might not be able to get a sunroof because these features are "packaged."
Special ordering a car doesn't always make the most financial sense. If there's a special feature or package that you absolutely have to have, than by all means do a special order. But when you order a specific feature or package, try not to order something too out of the ordinary because it will effect your resale value. If your car is too unique, you may not be able to find a buyer when you're ready to sell. People tend to buy vehicles that are similar to the other automobiles on the road, so don't order a car that's so different no one will want it.
You should always consider buying a car off the lot before you special order one. If you can compromise on color or specific features, you will save quite a bit of money buying off a dealer's lot. Buying a car off the lot usually gives you the best deal because dealers are paying interest on their inventory (the cars on the lot) every day. Because they're paying daily interest, dealers try to sell those cars as quickly as they can to avoid huge finance charges. That usually means you get a big discount.
In other words, new car dealers are more interested in selling the inventory they have on the lot right now than the inventory they're going to get in two months. Auto maufacturers don't want to honor any special requests - they're too hard to produce and they take too much time. So, if you're thinking about a special order, remember that ordering a car isn't what it used to be.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
Author Jason Lancaster, a car business veteran, created AccurateAutoAdvice.com. You'll find accurate advice on ordering a new car and how much a new car should cost.
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License, which means you may freely reprint it, in its entirety, provided you include the author's resource box along with LIVE links (without "nofollow" tags).
by: JasonLancaster
Total views: 22
Word Count: 529
Rating: Not yet rated