Elevation crew cab standard box

SeaDogAther · May 12, 2020

This is my second time ordering a truck because like the OP, I wanted very specific configuration and features.

Don't shy away from negotiations, Dealers know negotiating causes most people to have anxiety, so they price accordingly. Those 'no haggle' price offers you see are all set with lots of profit margin the dealer knows it normally wouldn't get. So always negotiate and negotiate everything; here are a few tips;

- Always know your BATNA or Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement. So what is your next best option. This generally goes way down once you order a truck, so you can't expect to haggle too much.

- Get it in writing. Handshakes are great, but I got burned on the first truck I ordered because I shared my list of requirements, and they built a truck that "matched" those requirements and beat the other dealer's price. Truck arrived and it didn't have all the features I wanted, but I had put down $1000 earnest money and had already sold my previous truck so I literally had no better alternative. lose $1000 and wait months for another truck from another dealer.

- everything is up for negotiation in the order process, trade in value, earnest money deposit, service contracts, rebate on dealer installed parts and accessories, everything you can think of. Me personally, I would make sure that the earnest money you put down is low enough that you can still walk away from the deal if the truck is delivered and isn't what you want or the incentives shift wildly (highly unlikely) and its no longer practical for you to buy the new truck. On my most recent order I was also able to negotiate a locked in value for my trade in. The dealer agreed to give me $11500 for my trade so long as I didn't exceed a certain mileage, and had no new reported accidents, which was actually $500 more than originally offered. That gives me a bit of a hedge against wildly changing incentives.

- shop around at different dealers. If you live in an area where there are multiple high quality reputable dealers, shop around; talk to them and ask them each what is the best price they can offer on the exact truck you want, regardless of manufacturer incentives. Even if you have always done business with one dealership, its worth the extra time to get a comparable price from other dealers as well. Those dealers who have larger sales volume or are part of a chain of dealers can normally offer a better price. Side benefit is that you can also have your trade evaluated several times over so that you know you're getting a fair offer for it.

just my $.02 happy hunting!

SeaDogAther · May 12, 2020

This is my second time ordering a truck because like the OP, I wanted very specific configuration and features.

Don't shy away from negotiations, Dealers know negotiating causes most people to have anxiety, so they price accordingly. Those 'no haggle' price offers you see are all set with lots of profit margin the dealer knows it normally wouldn't get. So always negotiate and negotiate everything; here are a few tips;

- Always know your BATNA or Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement. So what is your next best option. This generally goes way down once you order a truck, so you can't expect to haggle too much.

- Get it in writing. Handshakes are great, but I got burned on the first truck I ordered because I shared my list of requirements, and they built a truck that "matched" those requirements and beat the other dealer's price. Truck arrived and it didn't have all the features I wanted, but I had put down $1000 earnest money and had already sold my previous truck so I literally had no better alternative. lose $1000 and wait months for another truck from another dealer.

- everything is up for negotiation in the order process, trade in value, earnest money deposit, service contracts, rebate on dealer installed parts and accessories, everything you can think of. Me personally, I would make sure that the earnest money you put down is low enough that you can still walk away from the deal if the truck is delivered and isn't what you want or the incentives shift wildly (highly unlikely) and its no longer practical for you to buy the new truck. On my most recent order I was also able to negotiate a locked in value for my trade in. The dealer agreed to give me $11500 for my trade so long as I didn't exceed a certain mileage, and had no new reported accidents, which was actually $500 more than originally offered. That gives me a bit of a hedge against wildly changing incentives.

- shop around at different dealers. If you live in an area where there are multiple high quality reputable dealers, shop around; talk to them and ask them each what is the best price they can offer on the exact truck you want, regardless of manufacturer incentives. Even if you have always done business with one dealership, its worth the extra time to get a comparable price from other dealers as well. Those dealers who have larger sales volume or are part of a chain of dealers can normally offer a better price. Side benefit is that you can also have your trade evaluated several times over so that you know you're getting a fair offer for it.

just my $.02 happy hunting!

SeaDogAther · May 12, 2020

This is my second time ordering a truck because like the OP, I wanted very specific configuration and features.

Don't shy away from negotiations, Dealers know negotiating causes most people to have anxiety, so they price accordingly. Those 'no haggle' price offers you see are all set with lots of profit margin the dealer knows it normally wouldn't get. So always negotiate and negotiate everything; here are a few tips;

- Always know your BATNA or Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement. So what is your next best option. This generally goes way down once you order a truck, so you can't expect to haggle too much.

- Get it in writing. Handshakes are great, but I got burned on the first truck I ordered because I shared my list of requirements, and they built a truck that "matched" those requirements and beat the other dealer's price. Truck arrived and it didn't have all the features I wanted, but I had put down $1000 earnest money and had already sold my previous truck so I literally had no better alternative. lose $1000 and wait months for another truck from another dealer.

- everything is up for negotiation in the order process, trade in value, earnest money deposit, service contracts, rebate on dealer installed parts and accessories, everything you can think of. Me personally, I would make sure that the earnest money you put down is low enough that you can still walk away from the deal if the truck is delivered and isn't what you want or the incentives shift wildly (highly unlikely) and its no longer practical for you to buy the new truck. On my most recent order I was also able to negotiate a locked in value for my trade in. The dealer agreed to give me $11500 for my trade so long as I didn't exceed a certain mileage, and had no new reported accidents, which was actually $500 more than originally offered. That gives me a bit of a hedge against wildly changing incentives.

- shop around at different dealers. If you live in an area where there are multiple high quality reputable dealers, shop around; talk to them and ask them each what is the best price they can offer on the exact truck you want, regardless of manufacturer incentives. Even if you have always done business with one dealership, its worth the extra time to get a comparable price from other dealers as well. Those dealers who have larger sales volume or are part of a chain of dealers can normally offer a better price. Side benefit is that you can also have your trade evaluated several times over so that you know you're getting a fair offer for it.

just my $.02 happy hunting!

SeaDogAther · May 12, 2020

Sorry for three identical posts, my computer sucks.

bshort · May 12, 2020

1 hour ago, AdamAT4 said:

Must be a US thing, here in Canada to do a factory order that seems to be the only way to order it.

You could factory order an odd ball truck and not take it, then the dealer would be left trying to sell it. So I'm very surprised you can order vehicles that way. My buddy ordered a Ram limited with 8.4" screen instead of the standard 12", that truck is probably 1 of 1.

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I did order an odd ball Chevy and went with a GMC prior to delivery. Took the dealer a year to sell that Chevy.