Mike Thompson's, while not a shining beacon of customer service, is financially solid. So it is unlikely they wanted the money up front because they needed the operating capital.
If you order an expensive coach and go with atypical options or colors be prepared for a dealer to want a non-refundable deposit in the amount necessary to put the coach back to a standard build if for any reason you don't take delivery. Basically if you order a pink Allegro Bus with mohair seats and solid gold fixtures, you'll have to cough up a pretty hefty deposit to get it ordered.
Otherwise, any coach ordered as a standard build with conventional options and colors and no special modifications, like a cat door that leads to a kitty condo in the basement, should get by with a $5000 deposit only. Basically if you don't take it, they put it on their lot and sell it to someone else.