Thanks to helpful advice from the knowledgeable people on this board, I've decided that a new V6 will be suitable for my mountain use. My next problem was getting a package of options that I wanted.

I learned that Toyota sets up certain standard option packages that are available in a geographic area. You can see what these are by "building a car" at toyota.com. There is no suggestion that a customized option package might be available.

Well, the dealer told me that custom was no problem. So...I ordered exactly what I wanted. Once we had agreed on the price, though, he let me know that delivery would be expected in 4-5 months. Gulp! I went ahead with the order, but I'm thinking maybe I should have gone with a standard option package instead.

Anybody here know about this stuff?

I ordered, and waited for, my 4Runner. Well worth the wait to get exactly what I wanted.

Check my thread out. I special ordered my '06 3 weeks ago. They are estimating I should have it before New Year's Day. I am not holding my breath on that, but I would think I will have it no later than the end of January. It sounds like the dealer told you 4-5 months to scare you into buying one off the lot. If you put a deposit down on it, I would hold their feet to the fire & have them update you each week on the order status.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...threadid=14224

I custom ordered my 4Runner in April '04 and it arrived in 3 months. The salesman told me 3 months was typical but sometimes the order can drag out to 6 months. I guess I got lucky...

I was told that there really isn't any special ordering. What they do is input a request for what you are looking for and have that vehicle (or close to what you what) diverted to the port near your area. The dealer is giving him/herself enough time (4/5 months) to find what you are looking for. I had supposedly had a special order in (same 4 months) when my regular dealer (I had bought 2 other Toyotas from) found one and diverted it from a different region/area that was coming to the same port. He told me to call the stealer that I had the order with and ask him exactly how he was going to special order the vehicle and have him refund my deposit if was just going to find one as described. He refunded my deposit (took him 30 days).

Koz

It took 4 months for my order to arrive. Toyota has maintained a number of exclusive distributorships in the US. I live within the Gulf States region. They configure their vehicles however they see fit. Unfortunately for me the only Sport Edition 4Runners they ordered from Toyota came without side airbags. Gulf States wouldn

Mine just had to be dealer transferred. I guess our Canadian ones come with more standard features than the American ones, so its easier to find a suitable on here... mine is a dealer transfer from Edmonton. Which is kinda silly... I live in Calgary, my new truck is in Edmonton.. 21/2 hrs away.. but, since we bought the truck out of Vancouver, it has to be transferred from Edmonton to Vancouver which is when I get to fly out to Vancouver and drive it back LMAO.

There is a lot of good information offered above, but it seems no one factually knows the standing of the option packages offered.

As near as I can figure, these packages are what the dealers use when ordering for inventory. Because of that, they are the option groupings you are likely to find at your dealer, or for relocation from another dealer in the region.

My problem is that I want an option package that is only listed for V8s, but I want a V6. I'm stuck waiting somewhere from two to five months, I guess.

No. Option packages are determined by each of the exclusive Toyota distributors. Then ordered from Toyota. You might be able to find a package you want in a different distributorship area. Toyota dealers are told what they will sell by their distributors.

Toyota's relationship with the distributors reminds me of the old way the American auto makers used to business. At least, that I what I have heard about the old days. This distributor relationship started when Toyota first came to America. Now it is just too expensive for Toyota to buy them out. Anyway, have a look on the internet to find each of the distributor areas and the packages they offer. How to do this you ask? Use a zip code for different states in your build option from the Toyota info site. Soon you will be able to identify the few different distributors out there. There may even be a few states supplied by Toyota directly, but I'm not sure.

Oh, you are in California. That changes things because of the "special" rules California offers. Waiting is probably your only option.

From what I was told there is no such thing as "Special Orders" directly to Japan. The options are bundled into several packages and are available by country, area/region (you can divert a vehicle from a different region). If someone here has actualy "Special Ordered" a 4Runner please let us know. This means ordered single options that are part of a package (without the package). An example would be A V6 Limited with only nav as an option, A Salsa Limited with gray interior when only tan is shipped to your country.

Koz

When I ordered my 4Runner, my dealer received a build date from Japan. After it was built, about 3 months after I ordered it, the 4Runner was placed on a ship and delivered to Houston. A truck delivered it here to Dallas. I'd call that a special order which was sent to Japan.

I spent a lot of time discussing this with the dealer, as I am a detail person. This is how I learned about the distributor system Toyota uses.

Sounds like a Special Order!

Koz

I'm getting the idea that dealers try and talk buyers out of a special order. I'd suggest that this is in an effort to deal with the existing inventory here in the US. When I ordered my 4Runner in October of 2003, the car market was a bit different than now. Maybe my 4Runner displaced a 4Runner being built for Canada or the US.

When I ordered my 4Runner, the dealer let me pick any individual items I wanted included on the base SE 4Runner. I wasn't pressured in any way to take any of the packages the Gulf States distriburor requires. Great dealer to deal with. But then, I was dealing with the fleet manager.

What options did you get that required a special order?

Koz

I wanted a V6 Limited 4x4 that is pretty much loaded except for the third row and the DVD entertainment.

There are only two packages available in my market, and neither offers X-REAS. So my special order is basically to get X-REAS added. An alternative was to get a V8, which has more option packages available here.