Help with ordering and figuring allocation

[DLAv8r]

New to GM ordering. I've ordered a few Ford trucks over the last few years and am familiar with the process, but it appears different for GM.

Looking to order an RST with the 3.0 LM2 and some standard options. Reached out to a dealer with a good rep in a smaller area. They said they can order it no problem and require a $1k non-refundable deposit and it would take anywhere from 6-16 weeks. I have no problem with a deposit..seems a bit steep. All the Ford's I ordered were $500.

What I question is about allocation. I'm a bit hesitant to plunk down this non refundable deposit with a dealer that I have no idea has the allocation to fulfill my order. Do I need to go to a bigger dealer? I'm eligible for GM supplier discount and this dealer would honor this pricing on my order.

I'm trying to research on here. Should I be shopping dealers based on allocation? I'd just hate to be stuck with one dealer and find out another could have ordered it and be driving it sooner. I'm patient, current truck took me over a year to get. I just want to make sure I understand the process correctly before proceeding.


Thanks

 

[BrokerThis]

Ask the dealer to place your order as retail sold, and once they get allocation you will place the deposit, due to the unknown timelines of the order being picked up due to the diesel constraint percentage.

It's a numbers game depending on the options/packages you choose vs the dealers allocations. So your best bet is to do the above at two+ local dealers. As well as keep your eyes open on chevys inventory website doing a wide milage search

 

[todayusay]

it'd be tough to put down $1k on an order that may never get built. sure they may have some exceptions in the policy but I agree with the post above as only being willing to put down the deposit once it's accepted. If they are saying 6-16 weeks...what happens at week 18 and it hasn't been accepted/built/delivered? The answer to all of those situations would probably determine if I'd put the deposit down or not.

We ordered a Z71 early last year - same order at two different dealerships, one was never built and the other was delivered in April 2022. Bigger dealer should get more allocations, but may also have a bigger wait list.

Probably the aspect you aren't going to find as common would be dealers willing to accept supplier pricing. Imagine someone will post that bought theirs at supplier as well, but there still isn't any inventory sitting on the lots so dealers don't have the incentive to discount below sticker.

 

[StephenPT]

I tried the ordering route - I don’t think I’d ever do it again. At least not with GM. I ended up finding mine on the GMC inventory site and got a one-way plane ticket to drive it back home.

I’d say the #1 problem with GMs ordering process is that a dealer can order as many vehicles as they want. They could gather 1,000 SUV orders (deposits) and in that build year only be given 50 allocations. GM does not keep a dealer from doing this and it leads to a lot of frustration. I haven’t ordered a Ford but the way I understand their process is that they are given their allocations in advance and when they sell those they’re done for the model year. At least with that process you’re not playing the waiting game of hoping your dealer is given allocation for the exact model/options you have ordered.

Duramax is not easy to come by, especially at a smaller dealer. I don’t think they make up more than 30% of the T1 SUV production, so if you take that ratio to a smaller dealer that only gets a few allocations a month, that isn’t very many diesels in a model year.

I’d shop around a bit more be for dropping a $1K non-refundable deposit…

 

[ColeBlooded]

Unless they can prove to you that they have an allocation, which I highly doubt, I'd pass on the non refundable deposit.

Maybe try and talk to a manager and see if they're willing to bend the rules.

 

[Blueinterceptor]

allocation Is hit or miss. I have the only 23 Chevy premier suburban allocated to my dealership this model year. And that’s because they didn’t get a premier Tahoe allocation yet. I settled for my spec-Ed out suburban.