Can someone fully explain the GM new car ordering/buying process?

[V]

So I recently went to a local dealer and talked to them about purchasing a new car, built with my desired options. The salesman went through all the options as we built the car on his computer. When we were done, he printed out the specs and wrote up an order form. He took a deposit and said his manager would submit the order the following day(it was almost 8pm).



When I had first asked the salesman about availability and if GM would definitely build the car, he said it all depends on if they accept the order and that would take a little time. I also asked about the time frame for the actual build process and he said its no longer 4-8 weeks, closer to 4-8 months.(well maybe not that extreme)



Does anyone here have any insight or experience with the order acceptance part? I have no problem waiting for the car, as long as I know GM will definitely build it. From what I've read online, it could be 2-4 weeks until they move it along and accept it. Others have talked about finding out the order status online, like a status 1100 means still waiting to be accepted by GM, and 1200 or 1300 means it will be built. I'm not sure if I have an actual order number to reference online since I assume that would only be generated when the manager submits the order. I'm going to call the salesman next week to see if there are any updates, but I doubt there will be any news yet.



I know 2021 C8 builds that were accepted and to be built in July were cancelled and the dealers or buyers needed to change the orders to 2022 model year. My car would be a '22 to begin with, and not a C8, so that scenario doesn't really apply to me but just shows how GM is changing stuff up with supply issues and plant shutdowns. I also read about dealer allocations and how/what they order and got very confused. Its a larger dealer so hopefully they have the allocation. If all goes smoothly, I still don't expect to take delivery until after the new year, maybe spring.

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

I have custom ordered a Ford Transit Connect, a GMC Savannah and a GMC Sierra 1500 in December, so my info may be out of date by now. However, Ford was like normal. GMC had to accept the build, like you said. My Savannah had to be a Gas v6 or diesel as the new 6.6 V8 was denied. Sierra went through after acceptance with minimal delays, got it in April. Savannah build date keeps getting pushed, most recently I had a 8/18 build date that never happened. No one seems to really be able to get much info out of GM

[V]

Ok, good to know. I stopped by the dealer a few days ago to see if I could get the order number but they still didn't have it. In this case it seems they are waiting on their allocation first, then placing the order. I've read dealerships can do it either way. It is a larger dealer so hopefully something happens soon, or at least before winter.

[LS1ow]

I ordered a Sierra 1500 in January and it was a pretty bad time tbh. Deposit taken and truck ordered last week of Jan. Apparently each dealer only gets certain allocation even on regular vehicles. That was new to me. I figured on stuff like a Vette/V, etc, but i didnt think a 1500 pick up reguired allocation. Anyways, 2/3 weeks before a slot for a 1500 Double Cab/Standard 6.5" bed opens up. Truck is submitted, and accepted for build with in a week or so. That put us at the end of Feb.

Fast forward to the first week of June and i still do not have a truck. Got the whole chip shortage story blah blah blah. I work in a dealer as well, so i know what it is like so cant be to upset.

They ended up swapping in a truck that was pretty much what i wanted. All the main stuff was there, it just didnt have the spray in bed liner(which they actually did for me for free before picking up) and the center console.

It does have the fancy pants tailgate, which the original order did not.

[V]

At first I was kinda annoyed that I didn't get an order number even after a week, even if it wasn't accepted by GM. Ther'es a ton of people with 1100 status for their order number but not accepted yet. After going back and asking the salesman about it last week, that's when he mentioned that the allocations come out on thrusdays and all that stuff. That night I started researching the allocation thing and saw how some dealers wait, and some submit anyway before. And it seems just to even get the 1100 status it has to meet allocation. So i'm a little more understanding but I always thought if you ordered a car, and the dealer took a deposit, the car was as good as built, despite any production delays obviously. In the mean time, i was considering adding some more options before the order gets submitted. I kinda rushed to get an order in thinking time mattered, lol, and went very light on options, also to keep price down. Ill go though GMs build and price a few more times to see if i can justify any add-ons.


edit: didnt find any additional options i needed

[PolarBear]

Whatcha buying?

[V]

Got my order number earlier this week. I have yet to check the status online yet.

I had started with plans to get a c8, even though it had no manual trans option. But with losing my GTO, I need a car with a backseat for my boys. I then decided on a 6th gen Camaro zl1. After going through countless reviews it seems the Camaro backseat might as well not even be there. My 5th gen was just barely manageable. So that was out too.
So in the end, decided on a sweet 4dr, manual, and blue.... chevy spark.


Another update: I checked the status at the corresponding gm website. Says dealer submitted order, just not accepted by GM yet and to check back Later. I'm still expecting a delivery date of late winter or spring 2022.




badass, right?

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

are the export tails and bumpers already ordered?

[JL8Jeff]

I can just see the slicks sticking out the back!

[V]

Or like 305/35zr19's on the rear.

Order still not officially accepted by GM yet. I check the status every night lol.




update 10/7/21: Still not officially accepted by GM. I don't know why I feel the need to check every day, especially if it'll be weeks of waiting. Its been just over 3 weeks since I placed the order at the dealer and maybe 13 days since the order was actually submitted so it's still early in the process. And I really hope some of you know me well enough to know that I'd never really buy a Spark...

[V]

Still waiting for order acceptance.

[sweetbmxrider]

[Blackbirdws6]

What flavor of BW are you chasing?

[V]

The 5 in electric blue

[V]

Not too thrilled with yesterdays update of pending orders. It seems orders are either at 1100 status(submitted by dealer, not officially accepted by GM) or have moved to 3000/3400(accepted, with a target production week). A 2000 status means accepted by GM but on the list of around 100 orders, none are at 2000 anymore, or have moved to 2000. I'm not sure if that means they halted acceptance either temporarily or completely. The latest target production date for a 3000 order I saw was 12/20/21. That was a ZVxxxx order, mine is a ZZxxxx. So anything getting accepted after that will defiantly be built in late winter 2022. I'll just have to keep waiting and checking I guess.

[Blackbirdws6]

Nice choice and that's a fun color. What status are you in now? The allocation game is a fun one. Rarely do you get any guarantees and every week will be the same story until they get one or you just keep waiting. I dealt with this on the hellcat. I eventually worked with another dealer, allocation came in a month of waiting and car was built in around a month.

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

Originally Posted by V

The 5 in electric blue

You didn't get back to my question about export tails/bumpers!

[V]

Originally Posted by Anti_Rice_Guy

You didn't get back to my question about export tails/bumpers!

AFAIK, the lights/bumpers are probably the same now. Saves GM money to meet as many global regulations the first time around. But i will look into it...

[V]

I'm still at 1100. Called around to other dealers to work with and most are charging a premium of 10k +. I do have a list of some that are charging msrp that I'll be calling.

[V]

Latest update is that there is a rumor that all bw production has come to an end, mainly due to parts shortages. Not sure if they'll resume or not. Also not sure if they plan on making them for 2023. May be out of luck.

[Blackbirdws6]

That's a bummer and hopefully not true. That will keep them way up in the used market for a bit.

[wretched73]

Get in line for a z06

[V]

So production is up in the air. No new orders seem to have gone to 2000 status for almost 1 and a half months. Many are stuck at 1100 for months. Right now the discussion is that the outcome is unknown still. Maybe they'll restart production in the new year, or maybe that's it. Just a waiting game now.


So while I wait... I bought something to keep me busy. Its NOT a V btw, but i do want to get a V front bumper since I like that look much better than the v6 one.

[sweetbmxrider]

nice

[V]

I'm going to make so many cadillac people upset when I drop my GTO LS1/T56 in it.