OK, never bought a new vehicle before. And I might not, but to get what I want I'll probably have to and have consider it. I get X-plan from work. The options I want I've never seen in a truck on the lot (basically a base model scab with 4x4, manual 6spd and manual xfer and hubs, 5.4l, no power crap, no carpet, no gps, no moonroofs etc etc). I know just getting a 6spd is pretty rare and is the main issue...

But you can 'order' a truck from the factory right? And if thats the case can you still use X-plan and also get all the current rebates? I assume there has to be some kind of catch or dealers wouldnt hardly stock anything and just order as needed.

 

There's no catch. You can order what you want from the factory, but only what the factory offeres. You can't delete things that are standard, and you can't order things that are not offered. But as long as what you want is something that the factory will build, you can order it and get X plan and all incentives that are available at the time of delivery.

Dealers stock vehicles because they would lose most of their sales if everyone had to order a vehicle and wait 6-8 weeks for delivery. It's MUCH easier to sell something that the customer can take home with them.

 

You've gotta be looking at a F250 right.....since a F150 won't come with a six speed manual

 

Ryan - yeah a 250.

Mark - I guess you got a point - most folks cant wait 6-8 weeks. So is what the factory offers very limited, meaning they wont offer any combination that I can build online? Guess I got to get to a dealer just to find out my options.

 

You don't have to go to the dealer to do that. You can go to Ford Direct and build it. It won't let you add options if they are not available to the truck you are building. Matter of fact, if you know your companies code, go to Fordpartner.com and enter it and it will show you X Plan on Ford Direct on vehicles in stock at local dealers. However, it will not show you X Plan on the vehicle you are building. After you price it out and get the MSRP, and if you can't find anything remotely close to it to get an idea of X Plan, go to edmunds or carsdirect and build your truck with the same options as you did on Ford Direct. You will be able to see invoice, and X Plan on a Super Duty will probably be just a few dollars under that.

As to why most don't order vehicles. Some buy cars because theirs has seen better days, or it finally quit on them. Some people buy cars just like they buy everything else. If it ain't in the store, they don't know they need it. Some wake up one morning and decide "hey, I'm going to look at cars." They don't know what they are going to buy, they are just going to buy something. Others might not even be looking at cars, but they see a nice Lariat sitting on the front row at the local dealership, or see that ad in the newspaper. You gotta catch these type of people with inventory.

Fleet trucks are easy. White is the obvious choice, and most shoppers only care about very few options. Tow package, a/c and maybe limited-slip. This will fit the needs of 95% of the people shopping for work truck.

I have no clue what percentage order their vehicles, but I know it has to be very small. And people like me and you, we're downright rare I will recommend two options to you though...the 40/20/40 vinyl seat and XL Decor package. These two combined will add about $470 to your X Plan price, but are well worth it.

 

What you can build online is usually what the factory will build. Sometimes the online site is wrong, and if you are at the end of the model year, like we are now, some options will not be available. A dealer can tell you exactly what you can order.

Sometimes I hear people say they are going to factory order a truck the way they want it, like having a Cummins installed instead of a Powerstroke. That's not going to happen.

We bought our last car off the lot. My wife totalled her car, and she needed a new one RIGHT NOW for her job. We couldn't wait even a couple weeks, so I found a car that was almost exactly what she wanted. The only thing she wanted that it didn't have was automatic headlights. She's learning to turn the lights on and off with the switch.

 

Thanks guys for the advice. So pretty much anything I can select online under 'build a vehicle' then the factory can do, unless they are limited due to being end of the model year. Mark - no I'm just talking about regular options lol. When I said a truck like I want doesnt exist around here was talkign about a truck that simply isnt decked out with leather and power. The last time I was at a dealer a few years ago they said "pretty much anyone who is going to spend for 4x4 also wants all the options".

Speaking of end of the model year, does this mean the incentives right now are as good as they are going to get? I see $4000 right now but thats take delivery by 4/30 which aint going to happen. Anyone care to guess just how long I have until the incentives drop or it rolls into 2009 model year? Its a tough decision right now, were looking at new houses as well and its quite possible wont be able to do both at least in the same year. The housing search isnt going well though, so it might just be a new truck instead.