Forum Discussion

Mike_E_'s avatar
Mike_E_
Explorer II
Mar 23, 2015

Factory ordering truck?

Hey everyone,

Wife said: "Maybe we should look at trucks again." GAME ON :)

Looked at Ram 2500 and F250 gassers.
Naturally, the only one's left on lots are white, without some of the options we want.

Been onto both sites to "Build it Now" and come up with prices.
Just wondering what the "real" build it prices would be if you went into the dealership.

Assuming the online "Builds" are retail, whereas doing it at the dealer would be working off their invoice costs?

Total newbie in this regard.....so, school me :)

Cheers,
Mike

27 Replies

  • Hi,

    I am also looking at ordering a Transit van. I want the color "Blue Jeans" and it seems like the only thing that the dealer management wants to order is white.

    I also want dual A/C and windows in a van. I do not want the much more expensive window van, because it comes with side curtain air bags, and do not want those, because I will be installing a lift, and the two are not compatible.

    So I will have to order one. It will be about the same retail price as picking up one at the dealership that does not have the options that I want in a color that I detest.

    And I will not have to 'settle' for a vehicle that has options that I don't want. Like the Sync system. It is a expensive option, that I do not want to pay for. And the $1,500 navigation system, it is out of touch with the portable GPS that is only $100 or so.

    I do like the rear camera. Totally out of touch with the $30 ones from China, but still worth the $250 cost to have it built in.

    Make sure that you get the price that you want. Don't pay retail. With a retail order, they purchase the vehicle from Ford, pay interest or 'flooring charge' for the vehicle, and other fixed costs. When you buy the truck before it is built, there is no flooring charge to the dealership, so it actually cost them less to sell the truck to you than to sell you one that has been sitting on the lot for a few months. However that 'unsold' truck is costing them $250 a month to sit there unsold, so they want to get rid of the white trucks that nobody wants to buy, because the dealership's management ordered a lot of white trucks.

    To bad that dealerships do not order more trucks with some color on them!

    Fred.
  • Check to see if you qualify for Chrysler preferred pricing. I did (CDN Police Association) and paid $58k for my truck that had an MSRP (Window sticker) of just under $71k with zero haggling.
  • I have been working on ordering one and I am sitting at about $10000 off MSRP I may try and throw in a few things with it warranty and or maintenance.
  • Tell the dealer you want the same discount on the truck you want.
    Show your build sheet and let him find it or place an order.
  • From my recent experience with Ram and Chevy I would think you would be about $7,000 to $8,000 below MSRP (online build cost) at the dealer. The truck's I was building were priced around $43,000. Dealer was at about $35,000.