Ordering a Car from the Factory

The answer is yes - in fact about 15% of all buyers special order their vehicles. But the truth is, you can't actually order a vehicle yourself, you still need to do it through a dealer.

Advantages

Some types of vehicles, such as pickup trucks, come with so many different options and configurations that it's impossible for a dealer to stock them all. You may have a difficult time finding some obscure option installed on the car you want - and special ordering may be the only way to get it.

Another benefit to ordering your car directly is that the dealer may offer you a better deal. It's an easy sale for them and they won't have to incur any financing costs for keeping the car in inventory. This is especially true if you're wanting a hot-selling car that's in high demand. If you're willing to special order it and wait for delivery, you'll likely get a better deal.

Disadvantages

One of the biggest issues with ordering a car from the factory is the wait time. It can sometimes take several months to get the car delivered, and oftentimes, you won't have any idea when that will be.

In a worst-case scenario, the unions may go on strike and shut down production. You could end up waiting a few extra weeks or even months.

Another disadvantage is that you may not get the same incentives being offered at the time you placed your order. Incentives are applied when the car is delivered - so if the manufacturer decides to discontinue their rebates while your car is being built, you're out of luck.

If you have a trade-in, the car will likely have to be re-appraised when the new car is delivered. If the wait time has been months, your used car may have dropped in price by a good amount. I recommend that you don't involve a trade-in if you're going to order a car from the factory.

Finally, special ordering is usually limited to the domestic brands. You can order a foreign car, but the dealer will just simply try to fill your order with the closest match instead of actually having your car custom built at the factory. BMW is an exception - they're currently testing out made-to-order vehicles for some of their models.