Factory Order Waiting Times.
Discussion
Last car change I found my choice of availible vehicles was severely curtailed by the fact I didn't start looking for a March delivery car about the 2nd week in February.
I had assumed cars were readily available and assuming I wasn't to fussy about colour and spec dealers would quite easily access whatever I fancied within a couple of weeks or so.
How wrong I was. Some cars I fancied I'd have had to have waited 6 months for (Polo GTI for example).
Are things as bad or does the fact car sales have slowed reduced waiting times? If so I'll need to get an order by late summer 2019 for a March 2020 delivery.
I had assumed cars were readily available and assuming I wasn't to fussy about colour and spec dealers would quite easily access whatever I fancied within a couple of weeks or so.
How wrong I was. Some cars I fancied I'd have had to have waited 6 months for (Polo GTI for example).
Are things as bad or does the fact car sales have slowed reduced waiting times? If so I'll need to get an order by late summer 2019 for a March 2020 delivery.
I think it depends on manufacturer. Some will only really build to order as they have a lot of optional extras.
Some manufacturers like Citroen and Vauxhall only have a few trim levels per car so I find the dealers can get you a brand new one in a week or so.
I know when i was looking for a cactus last year the only non dealer fit optional extra was a city parking pack. Otherwise there was just 3 trim levels to choose from.
I'd imagine they just pump out the cars and have them held in a compound waiting to be sold.
Some manufacturers like Citroen and Vauxhall only have a few trim levels per car so I find the dealers can get you a brand new one in a week or so.
I know when i was looking for a cactus last year the only non dealer fit optional extra was a city parking pack. Otherwise there was just 3 trim levels to choose from.
I'd imagine they just pump out the cars and have them held in a compound waiting to be sold.
It depends on the brand TBH VW group brands have always had long lead times for factory builds and with WLTP things are not good there at the moment, something like a Golf R is basically a summer delivery if the dealer even has allocation to accept your order, Polo GTI is Autumn.
BMW, Mini, Mercedes are more like 12 weeks for factory builds but with "stock" available for most models if you don't mind options, colour etc
Then you have Ford, Renault, Vauxhall and PSA where stock is readily available and options are limited so factory builds can be sourced quickly and probably by reconfiguring something already allocated for production. JLR seem to be between two camps in that there is stock out there but factory builds in the order 12 weeks plus.
BMW, Mini, Mercedes are more like 12 weeks for factory builds but with "stock" available for most models if you don't mind options, colour etc
Then you have Ford, Renault, Vauxhall and PSA where stock is readily available and options are limited so factory builds can be sourced quickly and probably by reconfiguring something already allocated for production. JLR seem to be between two camps in that there is stock out there but factory builds in the order 12 weeks plus.
I ordered a normal petrol a4 in the summer of 2017. This was before all the new emissions standards. It arrived 7th March 2018. Best part of nine months, it’s a 2 year lease and the Audi supplying garage gave me a screen shot of the order so I knew it had actually been ordered in the middle of July. I was given a build week but For various reasons they didn’t start building it until Feb. I’ve got 15 months left and based on that experience I’m already specing up a replacement!! This doesn’t answer any of your questions only to say that with VAG it appears to be normal service if you want a specific car built to your spec.
Edited by oldaudi on Wednesday 2nd January 00:34
I ordered my M140i on 30th November 2016 and it was delivered on 9th March 2017, about a month earlier than forecast. The dealer told me that BMW allocate them specific build slots in advance, but that demand for the model at the time meant that BMW increased production between my order and the scheduled delivery date. This meant extra slots became available in the interim, and so the delivery could come forward by a month.
There were stories on forums at the time that a number of cars were being delivered on the no-cost option runflats instead of the standard MPSS, due to Michelin struggling to meet the additional demand resulting from the increased production. Thankfully mine wasn't one of them.
I wanted a car from stock ideally, as I'm an impatient so-and-so, but there were just 5 available in the group nationally. 2 were bum basic spec, and the other three were absolutely fully loaded with stuff I didn't want, and were far too much money.
There were stories on forums at the time that a number of cars were being delivered on the no-cost option runflats instead of the standard MPSS, due to Michelin struggling to meet the additional demand resulting from the increased production. Thankfully mine wasn't one of them.
I wanted a car from stock ideally, as I'm an impatient so-and-so, but there were just 5 available in the group nationally. 2 were bum basic spec, and the other three were absolutely fully loaded with stuff I didn't want, and were far too much money.
Edited by Limpet on Wednesday 2nd January 00:47
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