Question for those who ordered their 1500’s

[Cuppedup]

After looking nationwide, I can’t find the truck I’m looking for, for the price I want. Pre-Covid I could find this truck on autotrader or cars app for around $40K (give or take) but am having no luck now. If I were to order this as a 2021, it seems way over my budget of $40K (listed on the ram website at $47K net price). What is the process for negotiating on an ordered truck. I’ve heard many say you get incentives at the time of order, or at the time of delivery, or whichever is higher. What could this truck realistically be negotiated to if I were to place the order tomorrow? Did you lock in a price before placing an order? I’m looking to stay right at $40K. Here is the breakdown of the ram I’d like to purchase...CC 1500, 6’4 bed, 3.21 gear, north edition with bucket seats and 33G tank. I chose the north bc I want color
Matched bumpers WITH e-locker and it seems this is the cheapest way to get it.

 

[CJR28]

I would go to your preferred dealer and price the truck your looking for out there. The price you see online doesnt include dealers discount or your local tax. The sticker on my BTS was $54XXX and after discounts and the dealer discount it was a touch over $42k.

 

[Dusty1948]

I ordered my '19 in April of 2018, soon after the 5th gen (DT) was announced. I still negotiated the price with about $3500 off retail. I also got a $500 rebate from Ram.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 040268 miles.

 

[Sarge48]

Incentives and rebates are applied when you order and if they are greater at time of delivery the you get that. Right now they are $4000 just ordered one. Also dealer holdback on $47000 should be around $1300 or right that. Ask for some of that holdback (you’ll get it) that should put you close to the $40000

 

[neddles]

How do you determine holdback on any given truck?

 

[SCasey89]

How do you determine holdback on any given truck?

Take your MSRP, subtract the $1695 Destination Charge, and multiply by 3%.

For example, a truck with a $57.5K MSRP, holdback is about $1,675.

 

[neddles]

Thank you, that makes sense. Is it still true that Invoice - holdback = dealer cost? Or have they complicated things further? Been a while since I purchased a new vehicle.

 

[Sarge48]

I think and maybe others can chime in here. Whatever the MSRP is subtract about 18% and thats roughly what dealer paid for it.I’m not 100% sure on that. Also when you make your deal you can “ask” if there are any “factory to dealer
incentives”that they may share with you. Won’t hurt to ask

 

[tjsadler]

I’m ordering a Longhorn. I built it on the site, saved the pdf, and emailed ~25 dealers in NorCal and Southern Oregon. Told them all to email me their best price or any questions. I made a spreadsheet to track responses. Deleted dealers who ignored my request and tried to call me to set up a time to come in... Received quotes that ranged from MSRP to ~$1,500 below invoice. That’s about an $8,000 spread so deals are out there if you shop around.
I’ve bought my last several vehicles the same way. Saves a lot of money, a ton of time, and an incalculable amount of frustration dealing with stupid dealer stunts. For four cars/trucks I’ve spent a grand total of about 2hrs actually in the dealership to sign and get keys.

 

[neddles]

I’m ordering a Longhorn. I built it on the site, saved the pdf, and emailed ~25 dealers in NorCal and Southern Oregon. Told them all to email me their best price or any questions. I made a spreadsheet to track responses. Deleted dealers who ignored my request and tried to call me to set up a time to come in... Received quotes that ranged from MSRP to ~$1,500 below invoice. That’s about an $8,000 spread so deals are out there if you shop around.
I’ve bought my last several vehicles the same way. Saves a lot of money, a ton of time, and an incalculable amount of frustration dealing with stupid dealer stunts. For four cars/trucks I’ve spent a grand total of about 2hrs actually in the dealership to sign and get keys.

This is exactly how I purchased my last new vehicle 11 years ago. It worked fantastically.

I don't remember who I sent them to last time. Did you just send the emails to their GM or to a sales manager or who?

 

[BNeal]

Incentives and rebates are applied when you order and if they are greater at time of delivery the you get that. Right now they are $4000 just ordered one. Also dealer holdback on $47000 should be around $1300 or right that. Ask for some of that holdback (you’ll get it) that should put you close to the $40000

At least in my case, this is not how the deal worked. I negotiated the purchase price before any incentives, as no incentives are figured in until the truck comes in. And then, once the vehicle arrives, you are entitled to whatever is being offered. But I was not able to claim current incentives at the time I ordered the truck. It may work different with other dealers.

 

[tjsadler]

This is exactly how I purchased my last new vehicle 11 years ago. It worked fantastically.

I don't remember who I sent them to last time. Did you just send the emails to their GM or to a sales manager or who?

I look at the website and try to find the fleet manager if possible. If there aren’t any email addresses I fill out the contact form as a last resort. It seems like 90% of dealers are still doing the old style “come on in and we’ll talk for hours” crap but there are always some who get it and have moved on. They’re usually a higher volume dealer where the fleet manager is also in charge of internet sales. I get the exact vehicle I want at a good price and they make a small profit without either of us wasting time playing games. If I was east of the Mississippi I’d probably buy from Koons or Criswell and drive it home. I did that ten years ago with a dealer in Long Beach who was a forum sponsor when I bought a Mitsubishi Evo X. I saved about $4k vs local dealers, got the exact options I wanted, and they picked me up at the airport and the whole thing was done in a half hour. They had over 200 Evo’s on their lot so that’s basically their whole business model. Plus I got ten quality hours with the new car on the way home!

 

[Sarge48]

This is exactly how I purchased my last new vehicle 11 years ago. It worked fantastically.

I don't remember who I sent them to last time. Did you just send the emails to their GM or to a sales manager or who?

At least in my case, this is not how the deal worked. I negotiated the purchase price before any incentives, as no incentives are figured in until the truck comes in. And then, once the vehicle arrives, you are entitled to whatever is being offered. But I was not able to claim current incentives at the time I ordered the truck. It may work different with other dealers.

I didn’t know that either in fact the first deal I worked I was told that same thing. I ordered that truck only to find out gear ratio miscommunication occurred ( truck was built with 3.21 ratio instead of me having option with 3.92 anyway went to different dealer. Negotiated the deal then immediately was given 4 grand off and was told when truck arrives on their lot if incentives and rebates are greater that I would get the greater of the 2?!!? Good folk to work with

 

[LakesAZ]

I’m ordering a Longhorn. I built it on the site, saved the pdf, and emailed ~25 dealers in NorCal and Southern Oregon. Told them all to email me their best price or any questions. I made a spreadsheet to track responses. Deleted dealers who ignored my request and tried to call me to set up a time to come in... Received quotes that ranged from MSRP to ~$1,500 below invoice. That’s about an $8,000 spread so deals are out there if you shop around.
I’ve bought my last several vehicles the same way. Saves a lot of money, a ton of time, and an incalculable amount of frustration dealing with stupid dealer stunts. For four cars/trucks I’ve spent a grand total of about 2hrs actually in the dealership to sign and get keys.

That is an excellent idea and one I will use for my next vehicle purchase! Thanks!

 

[z0n3]

I am currently in negotiations with a local dealer to order a custom build and trade in my bighorn. For those that have done this how does the trade in work? Will they hold my trade in value for the 10weeks it takes for my truck to get built and delivered? I cant image that would be the case.

 

[Finn5033]

I am currently in negotiations with a local dealer to order a custom build and trade in my bighorn. For those that have done this how does the trade in work? Will they hold my trade in value for the 10weeks it takes for my truck to get built and delivered? I cant image that would be the case.

It’s been a while but I did this back at the end of 2013 when I ordered a 2014 Ram. If I remember correctly once we agreed on the trade in value we also agreed that I wouldn’t put more than X amount of miles on the truck before my ordered one came in. And of course any new damage. I just figured out how many miles I would use in that time frame and it was a non issue.

 

[z0n3]

It’s been a while but I did this back at the end of 2013 when I ordered a 2014 Ram. If I remember correctly once we agreed on the trade in value we also agreed that I wouldn’t put more than X amount of miles on the truck before my ordered one came in. And of course any new damage. I just figured out how many miles I would use in that time frame and it was a non issue.

That makes sense and seems like a fair approach. Much better than what I thought. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[RAM EAGLE]

I had mine built, took delivery late Dec 2019. The incentives were time sensitive. If the truck had come in after the last day of the incentives I would have been out of luck.