In Europe, people have traditionally purchased custom-built vehicles based on their orders from the manufacturer. From Aston Martins to Land Rovers, for more than a century, Europeans have chosen from an array of options to create exactly the car they desire, then patiently waited for the automaker to build it. Not so in America, where mass production innovation took hold early on in the auto production industry. So, what has occurred to move the U.S. closer to the European car-buying model?
Raw Materials Shortages Limit Vehicle Supply
In the U.S., automakers typically build a few prefabricated versions of a vehicle, and then ship a specified number of each to dealerships throughout the country. This enables car buyers to visit a sales lot, choose a car or truck, buy it, and drive it home that day. That worked fantastically until raw materials shortages sprang up during the first year of COVID-19. The lasting shortage of microchips has limited automakers’ production numbers and pushed them to offer a more European way of doing things.
Ordering A Custom-Built Vehicle
Ordering from the manufacturer doesn’t mean you avoid the dealership altogether, although it can. Many people visit the dealership for assistance with navigating the ordering process on the automaker’s website. In this process, the buyer picks the exterior and interior paint colors, finishes, and packages they want after deciding on a trim level. Each vehicle trim level offers different options, from the base level trim to opulent luxury trims.
What Changes and What Doesn’t in the Buying Process
The vehicle purchased costs the same. Sometimes, buying directly saves money since it can eliminate the dealer markup. Because the vehicle gets custom-built, you wait a few weeks, sometimes months, for your new vehicle to arrive. The typical wait time hovers around 10 weeks.
Vehicle Care Stays the Same
The vehicle’s care needs don’t change. Each manufacturer sets recommended maintenance schedules. For instance, according to AAA, regardless of manufacturer, a vehicle needs an oil change every 5,000 to 7,000 miles. Having the dealership’s service center conduct the vehicle’s regular maintenance proves the better choice because each automaker provides specialized training, software, and diagnostic tools to the technicians and mechanics at authorized dealerships.
Although 75% of vehicle owners take their autos to independent auto repair shops, the 25% going to dealership service centers benefit from enhanced vehicle care. Many automakers provide free manufacturer’s recommended maintenance for the first year to three years through these dealership service centers to encourage better vehicle care.
Buying Custom for Less by Purchasing a Used Vehicle
Buying a used car, truck, SUV, or minivan lets you nab a higher trim level in your favorite color at a lower price than new. In the auto industry, used vehicles fall into a few categories. The typical used situation refers to a vehicle trade-in, which could be of any age. A dealership may examine it and repair things before selling it or may only clean it before placing it for sale.
A certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle comes in two varieties – dealership and manufacturer. To earn a manufacturer’s CPO sticker and warranty, the used vehicle must come with a complete service history, which increases vehicle value by 23%. It also must have had a single owner and qualify as a recent model year. Typically, these CPO vehicles came off the manufacturing line less than five years ago.
Buying a Custom-Built Vehicle
When you invest in a vehicle that’s new to you, you have options that let you purchase exactly the auto you want. Custom ordering a vehicle from the manufacturer doesn’t cost more money but does increase your wait time to drive it home. Purchasing a used, dealership CPO, or manufacturer CPO vehicle lets you buy a vehicle configured the way you want it without the wait time and for less money.