Factory Order Placed April 6

[Desert Snow]

For those considering a factory order I thought I'd give a running account of my order placed yesterday. I will update this post as I reach milestones.

Ordered a Ram 1500 Limited 4x4 with just a few options checked -- 5.7 eTorque, Limited Level 1 and Technology Packages. I couldn't find a single truck configured this way anywhere in the country in Billet Silver, so put in the order.

Dealer can't promise a delivery date -- just the usual "typical delivery is 8-12 weeks" -- but they told me a couple trucks came in this week that were ordered 10 weeks ago. Fingers crossed it's only 10 weeks with the chip shortages, Covid, etc.

I did the entire search and purchase via email. I was given a build sheet to sign, a deposit receipt, and a purchase contract that listed MSRP, discount, doc fee, tax, registration, and a deliver-by date. No additional mandatory dealer fees (though I'm sure when I go to pick it up I'll get the usual pressure to buy a collection of unnecessary options and extended warranties).

 

[GTyankee]

It sounds like you went through the dealership's Fleet/Internet Sales Dept.
I applaud you for doing that

I believe that the Limiteds are the 5Th Gen Rams & they are built at the Sterling Heights Michigan Assembly Plant

Orders are accepted in the first few days of each month, so up at the main office in Auburn Hills Michigan, your order will be processed at the beginning of May.

You may get a notification of Status C or D
But you may need to go to the Ram owners website & register with them

https://www.mopar.com/en-us/sign-in.html

Status C means basically that your order has been accepted & has been issued a VON, ( Vehicle Order Number )
Status D means that they have everything needed to build your Ram & at that time, you may receive a VIN, ( Vehicle Identification Number )

If you have a really good dealership & salesman, they may also give you the Build Status updates

 

[El Toro Blanco]

Desert Snow,

Not trying to hijack your thread...just adding another reference point.

After 5 years of the Mrs. on me about getting a new pickup, I started haggling Oct 2020 via emails (I was in no hurry, just trying to get the best deal) with multiple dealerships. I finally special ordered a 2021 Ram Big Horn 2500 Crew Cab 4x4 6' 4" bed. I special ordered because I wanted many options that I was not able to find on a dealer lot inventory vehicle. My process was basically the same as yours (entire search and purchase via email...given a build sheet to sign...a deposit receipt, etc.)

Timeline:
- Feb 17th order officially placed.
- March 10th I was provided the VIN of my special order.
- March 26th I was given an 'estimated ship date' of 5 Apr

Since it is likely coming from Mexico, I told my salesman I would contact him two weeks after est. ship date (19th Apr). Hopefully he calls me before that date.

Dealer had initially said expect 6 - 8 weeks (14th Apr) I expected 8 - 10 weeks (14 - 28th Apr).

This week I read other threads on this site that detailed waits of months in 2020! I'm hoping for the best, but preparing for the worse. Thankfully I still have my trusty '95 Dakota Ext Cab V8 4x4! I am the original owner and have someone patiently waiting to be the next caretaker, once 'El Toro Blanco' (The White Bull) arrives.

Here's to both yours (and mine) arriving on time!

Cheers

 

[Desert Snow]

It sounds like you went through the dealership's Fleet/Internet Sales Dept.
I applaud you for doing that

I believe that the Limiteds are the 5Th Gen Rams & they are built at the Sterling Heights Michigan Assembly Plant

Orders are accepted in the first few days of each month, so up at the main office in Auburn Hills Michigan, your order will be processed at the beginning of May.

You may get a notification of Status C or D
But you may need to go to the Ram owners website & register with them

https://www.mopar.com/en-us/sign-in.html

Status C means basically that your order has been accepted & has been issued a VON, ( Vehicle Order Number )
Status D means that they have everything needed to build your Ram & at that time, you may receive a VIN, ( Vehicle Identification Number )

If you have a really good dealership & salesman, they may also give you the Build Status updates

GTYankee

Appreciate the information. Yes, I ordered through the internet manager. I was able with very little time commitment from my end to email about 30 dealers soliciting best price. When several let me know I got a smoking deal on it that they couldn't touch it made me feel good about the process.

I will register with that website. Hopefully that will improve transparency. Looking at posts here some dealers struggle with that. So far though I must say I chose the dealer not just because of the price but the professionalism. Aydin at Bud Clary in Auburn, WA has been excellent to work with, so I'm hoping that continues throughout the waiting period.

 

[Desert Snow]

Desert Snow,

Not trying to hijack your thread...just adding another reference point.

After 5 years of the Mrs. on me about getting a new pickup, I started haggling Oct 2020 via emails (I was in no hurry, just trying to get the best deal) with multiple dealerships. I finally special ordered a 2021 Ram Big Horn 2500 Crew Cab 4x4 6' 4" bed. I special ordered because I wanted many options that I was not able to find on a dealer lot inventory vehicle. My process was basically the same as yours (entire search and purchase via email...given a build sheet to sign...a deposit receipt, etc.)

Timeline:
- Feb 17th order officially placed.
- March 10th I was provided the VIN of my special order.
- March 26th I was given an 'estimated ship date' of 5 Apr

Since it is likely coming from Mexico, I told my salesman I would contact him two weeks after est. ship date (19th Apr). Hopefully he calls me before that date.

Dealer had initially said expect 6 - 8 weeks (14th Apr) I expected 8 - 10 weeks (14 - 28th Apr).

This week I read other threads on this site that detailed waits of months in 2020! I'm hoping for the best, but preparing for the worse. Thankfully I still have my trusty '95 Dakota Ext Cab V8 4x4! I am the original owner and have someone patiently waiting to be the next caretaker, once 'El Toro Blanco' (The White Bull) arrives.

Here's to both yours (and mine) arriving on time!

Cheers

El Toro Blanco,

Not worried about a thread hijack, in fact I appreciate the additional data points. Please keep me updated on your vehicle. There is probably some correlation between your experience and mine, though as you said yours comes from Mexico and I think mine comes from Michigan. Hopefully Covid has run its course enough so that long delays from 2020 have resolved.

If delivery takes longer than anticipated I'm in the same boat as you -- driving a low mileage 2012 Tacoma that I still love, just wanted something a bit larger and upscale. I really don't understand people settling for what's on the lot -- when spending this much money I want exactly what I want, and am willing to wait.

I'm gonna need a name for the truck. Maybe Silverback. Of course, at my age that also describes me!

 

[Desert Snow]

Received a VIN today from the dealer. Order Status D.

 

[space4092]

Received a VIN today from the dealer. Order Status D.

I hope your "D" status won't be as long as some others.

Mine has been in "D" status for 8 weeks and 11 weeks since ordering. Good luck

 

[Desert Snow]

I hope your "D" status won't be as long as some others.

Mine has been in "D" status for 8 weeks and 11 weeks since ordering. Good luck

Sorry to hear that. Is your Rebel coming from Mexico or Michigan? I’ve seen people with delays on vehicles from Mexico. I’m pretty sure the Limiteds are from Michigan and aren’t experiencing the same delays.

 

[Pudge]

I hope your "D" status won't be as long as some others.

Mine has been in "D" status for 8 weeks and 11 weeks since ordering. Good luck

Mine has been in D status for 5 weeks. So I guess I might have to wait a while longer. Not sure if my dealership was just blowing smoke, but the manager told me that Ram hasn’t been updating statuses well lately and the dealership has had some D status units flip all of a sudden into a status of shipped. My order is a Power Wagon, coming from Mexico.

 

[JoeCo]

Sorry to hear that. Is your Rebel coming from Mexico or Michigan? I’ve seen people with delays on vehicles from Mexico. I’m pretty sure the Limiteds are from Michigan and aren’t experiencing the same delays.

Rebel would be coming from Michigan, I believe it's just the heavy dutys being made in Mexico currently.

 

[space4092]

Sorry to hear that. Is your Rebel coming from Mexico or Michigan? I’ve seen people with delays on vehicles from Mexico. I’m pretty sure the Limiteds are from Michigan and aren’t experiencing the same delays.

It is a Ram Rebel, should be built at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, so not far at all from where I live, but I heard that production for Canada seems to be slower for whatever reason.

 

[dieseldave]

Mine has been in D status for 5 weeks. So I guess I might have to wait a while longer. Not sure if my dealership was just blowing smoke, but the manager told me that Ram hasn’t been updating statuses well lately and the dealership has had some D status units flip all of a sudden into a status of shipped. My order is a Power Wagon, coming from Mexico.

I think your dealer IS blowing smoke

 

[FireCaptain]

Week 6 since I was given a VON and VIN for my Rebel order, but still no status with RamCares or using the Mopar site?

 

[GTyankee]

Look up your VIN #

https://fcacommunity.force.com/RAM/s/equipment-listing

 

[GTyankee]

https://fcacommunity.force.com/RAM/s/article/Can-you-tell-me-the-order-status-of-my-new-vehicle

https://fcacommunity.force.com/RAM/s/equipment-listing

 

[FireCaptain]

Thanks, I have tried the link with the VIN the dealer provided me and it tells me no records are found. Guess I will reach out to the dealer and see if they have any additional information....fingers crossed!

 

[Papa Red]

Thanks, I have tried the link with the VIN the dealer provided me and it tells me no records are found. Guess I will reach out to the dealer and see if they have any additional information....fingers crossed!

From what I remember when you search you VIN and you do get results your truck is built. From there it's shipping and that takes time. Mine took three weeks from Mexico.

Red

 

[Vinny Canalie]

So when you factory order, is a price agreed upon and then upon delivery you have to either pay cash or work out financing? Does that all have to be done at a dealership? Thanks.

 

[El Toro Blanco]

So when you factory order, is a price agreed upon and then upon delivery you have to either pay cash or work out financing? Does that all have to be done at a dealership? Thanks.

Vinny,

In my case I worked with a dealer via email.
- I determined everything I wanted in the build (used the Build A Ram website) & provided that to multiple dealers
- I negotiated an out-the-door Price with multiple dealers
- Narrowed it down to the best deal
- I put $500 down as earnest money with that dealer using a credit card (they sent me a form via email)
- They placed the order

While I wait on the rig to be shipped I have been pre-approved thru my credit union, but will sit down with the dealer's finance dept. when I go to pick it up, to see if they can beat the credit union rate. Since we agreed on an out-the-door price, I don't know that I will have any 'wiggle' should incentives change since the order was placed. Obviously I would only be interested if they were in my favor. Lol!

This process lasted weeks (almost two months), as I was not in a hurry...but holding out for the best deal.

Hope this helps.

 

[Desert Snow]

So when you factory order, is a price agreed upon and then upon delivery you have to either pay cash or work out financing? Does that all have to be done at a dealership? Thanks.

Vinnie,

I contacted about 30 dealers by email (internet manager), told them exactly the build I wanted, attached a PDF I got from the Ram build site so they could get order codes, asked for their best price, told them I was contacting multiple dealers, and that I’d be back in contact with them to give an opportunity to beat the best price I received.

I heard back from probably 25 of them, and received about 20 price quotes. Some wanted to speak via phone, and a couple wanted me to come in, but I did the entire process by email. Some dealers bailed when they knew I wouldn’t budge on doing it all remotely.

One quote was substantially less than the rest, and ultimately that’s the one I accepted. Many dealers never bothered responding when I gave them the quote to beat. Those who did respond I thanked for their professionalism.

I got a sales contract with final price, full build details, and a CC deposit receipt. The dealer is in WA and I’m in AZ, so a locked-in deal was mandatory for me.

I don’t have a trade and won’t be financing through them, so I can’t speak to how those might work if you will be.

With this process I was able to get 17% off MSRP, not bad for a factory order in the age of Covid. And it probably took less time than driving to one dealership and enduring the negotiation Kabuki theater.

My dealer is Bud Clary in Auburn WA, salesman Aydin. If you want his contact info let me know.

Good luck!