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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.

You should know that you probably won't be able to order a new vehicle during the last two or three months of the production year (those months usually fall between April and August). Although it does depend on the model and manufacturer of the vehicle, most production years usually end in the last few months of summer. Don't plan to special order a new car during this time.

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."

It doesn't always make financial sense to special order a vehicle either. You should special order if there is a certain feature that you just have to have, but if you order something out of the ordinary it may negatively affect your resale value. When you want to resell your car, it may be difficult to find a buyer if your car is too unique. Most people buy vehicles similar all the other cars out there, so it might be difficult to find a buyer who wants one that is very different.

The last thing to think about before you order a new vehicle is that you might be able to get a better deal buying off the lot. You may have to compromise on the color, or features, or both, but if you buy off the lot you're always going to get a good deal. In fact, buying off the lot is almost always the best deal. The reason? New car dealers have to pay interest on every car that's on their lot - every day that a new car sits on a lot, it costs money. Therefore, dealers try to sell the cars they have quickly so they don't end up paying a lot of finance charges for inventory.

Basically, car dealers are much more concerned with selling inventory they currently have on the lot before inventory they will get two months down the road. The days of ordering a car direct from the factory, in exactly the way you would like it, are slowly fading away.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Author Jason Lancaster, a car business veteran, developed AccurateAutoAdvice.com. You'll find accurate advice on special ordering a car and how much a new car should cost. This and other unique content new car articles are available with free reprint rights.

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