Special ordering your 4Runner

[LSUMBA]

All those options are dealer/port installed.

Koz

When I special ordered my truck, I told them specifically that I did NOT want a single port installed option on it. I have seen some really bad port installed option hack jobs. A friend of mine had leather & a sunroof installed at the port on his 04 T4R. Since then, the leather paneling has come off the doors, the leather seats have pulled off the chair, and the sunroof leaks like a faucet. the dealer took care of all of it, but who wants the hassle?

As for pinstripes, undersealant, and VIN etching...I can get any of that stuff a lot cheaper aftermarket than I can to have them do it at the port.

 

[RL Lemke]

All those options are dealer/port installed.

Koz

You are right, the crap is a bunch of port items. The supplemental side airbags are what drove me to a special order. Once I was in that process, I could avoid all the crap Gulf States wanted to add on to the 4Runner.

I specifically wanted: 1) Sport Edition, 2) V8, 3) sunroof, 4) JBL, 5) 4X4, 6) DRLs, 7) supplemental side airbags and 8) rear spoiler. Nothing else. Every other 4Runner coming thru Gulf States had a lot of crap I was unwilling to pay for.

I ended up with a 4Runner that exactly met my wants, for about $32,000.

The same thing just happened to me when we bought my wife's Honda. There I told them that I wanted them to remove all the crap. They took off what they could, and didn't charge for the rest.

 

[abin]

All those options are dealer/port installed.

Koz

so if the options you want or you don't wnat is port installed, the special order doesn't have to go to Japan. This may shorten the waiting time from 6 months to 3 months.

 

[Uneek]

I agree with Koz from a couple posts above. I'm told there is no "special order" for Toyota's built in Japan, only ones built in the US. The dealer will put in a preference and hope Toyota in Japan will notice the preference and build that configuration. I believe it has to with distributors not allowing "special orders" and just forcing customers to go with what they think will sell, since distributors are the ones who get the vehicles from the factory for the dealers. Not every option on toyota.com is available based on your geographic region. Easiest way to find out what options are and aren't available as another member stated is by entering your zip code on toyota.com under build your Toyota. As my sales rep explained, there are also options that are not an option, and non available options. For my region, JBL is only on Limiteds, and all trim levels have moonroof, spoiler and tow hitch on V6's. My sales rep has preferenced a 4R with my specific options, V6 Limited with navi, moonroof, side airbags and spoiler--which did appear as an option package once in my region. He also said, only two V6 Limiteds in 2005 had navi and there's only one 2006 V6 Limited with navi in the US. I wonder if any member has a V6 Limited with navi.

But somehow it does seem possible though to get a "special order", another member here, matoolie, has a '06 V6 SE with navi and RSES. In NorCal, the only navi equipped 4R are V8 Limiteds, and you can't get a V8 Limited without navi. Seems to me the distributors are the restriction.

IMO on the terms: special order, preference and trade. Special order is when you're selecting specific options while excluding other options, basically pick and choose what toyota.com shows is available (i.e. SR-5 with navi, no rear spoiler--but of course including the required options, like HomeLink). There's preference where you're selecting a popular option package/group (getting the most important options along with other features that may or may not be there) and color--this is where the vehicle is or will be in production and the dealer is going to divert that configuration to their lot. I had preferencing done on a 2005 Tacoma and added running boards and SnugTop to it. Trade is when another dealer has the vehicle you want and your dealer is going to get that vehicle in an exchange with one they already have. You can usually tell if it's a trade on the window sticker, because it'll show the original dealer the vehicle was delievered to.

 

[Koz]

You are right, the crap is a bunch of port items. The supplemental side airbags are what drove me to a special order. Once I was in that process, I could avoid all the crap Gulf States wanted to add on to the 4Runner.

I specifically wanted: 1) Sport Edition, 2) V8, 3) sunroof, 4) JBL, 5) 4X4, 6) DRLs, 7) supplemental side airbags and 8) rear spoiler. Nothing else. Every other 4Runner coming thru Gulf States had a lot of crap I was unwilling to pay for.

They may have given you a build date but I don't think this was a "Special Order". It may have been a vehicle destined for a different region and none like this were in transit or built yet.

When I was looking for my vehicle there were none in this country, in the color and with the options I wanted. I found a stealer that promised me a

 

[Dennis]

The real truth about special ordering is a bit hard to discern, since different dealers evidently tell different stories. My dealer, in northern California, said he can order whatever exact combination of options I prefer. All options will be installed at the factory. (In fact, California doesn't seem to offer any port-installed options at all, e.g. you can't get leather except on a Limited.)

He said the special order will arrive in 4-5 months. I asked if the time would be shorter if I ordered one of the option packages currently listed at toyota.com for our region. He answered that he could probably locate a vehicle with one of those specifications at another dealer, or already on order by another dealer. If not, though, it would still take 4-5 months.

He also said that he usually quotes 3-4 months, but because of the normal end-of-year factory closure, he's guessing longer.

It is interesting to try "building" a vehicle at www.kbb.com. Unlike Edmonds, they don't offer just the options available in your region. Instead, they list all options for all regions. This is a huge list, almost none of which is available in California, and is probably port-installed.

 

[T?@\7]

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

i too

 

[Boston_Runner]

I get impatient when I wait in line at McDonalds.

 

[snap315]

I had several dealerships here in Southern California tell me there is no such thing as special order on vehicles from Japan.

They said the best I could do was either a Preference Order or to just settle for something close to what I wanted.

I'm not big on settling on a vehicle that will cost over $40,000!

I told all of them to sick it and came to this board for help. One of the members suggested I contact a specific salesperson at a specific dealership. He took my info and put in an order (preference / special) for exactly what I wanted.

I received a ship/delivery date after about month later with details including all the features I'd asked for.

My 4Runner arrived almost two months later EXACTLY as I'd specified. Everything was what I wanted; No Compromise! :awais:

 

[LSUMBA]

I am just curious for all of those who say that a special order is not possible...if it is, in fact, impossible, why would I have been given the following information from my dealer on my truck that is currently on special order?

Snipped from my special order post found here

I was told that my truck was in the "allocation queue". Basically that the order had been placed. They do not issue any kind of confirmation number or tracking number at this phase of the build process. He then told me that once the truck begins the actual manufacture process, it is assigned a temporary VIN. This is used to track the truck until it reaches another step where it is assigned a permanent VIN. At that point, they can give me the permanent VIN & the truck can be tracked using that number.

With all the different rules in all the different regions, I think it is safe to say that what is impossible in one area is 100% possible in another. That means that California may not be able to get a special order, but Southeast Toyota can.

 

[Dennis]

With all the different rules in all the different regions, I think it is safe to say that what is impossible in one area is 100% possible in another. That means that California may not be able to get a special order, but Southeast Toyota can.

It is indeed possible that different regions work differently because Toyota works through distributors in some, but perhaps not all, of the regions. I'm in northern California, and special orders are available here--at my dealer, at least. It seems that, for unknown motivations, different California dealers tell people different stories.

 

[Uneek]

It is indeed possible that different regions work differently because Toyota works through distributors in some, but perhaps not all, of the regions. I'm in northern California, and special orders are available here--at my dealer, at least. It seems that, for unknown motivations, different California dealers tell people different stories.

I agree, because of the distributor relationship between dealers and Toyota, each region operates differently. I also highly doubt that a sales rep will say s/he can't "special order" when in fact s/he can. Simply, based on the logic that who wouldn't want to sell a car and make a sale, because some buyers (like me and others here) are not willing to settle or accept a compromise for a lesser equipped vehicle, especially given a $40k one. IMO, the customers who are specifically looking for certain features, options, or configurations are the serious buyers and not just window shopping or kicking tires. With that said, I'm hoping Toyota will build a 2006 V6 Limited with navigation, moonroof, spoiler, and side airbags. Every car we've bought has had specific options we wanted, and we bought from the dealer that had the configuration we wanted. We only ended up getting more options than we wanted, but nothing less.

BTW, Dennis has your dealer given you any information on when the "special order" of your configuration has been accepted by Toyota?

 

[Dennis]

BTW, Dennis has your dealer given you any information on when the "special order" of your configuration has been accepted by Toyota?

I stopped by the dealer today and got some paperwork pertaining to my order. There is a brief cover memo from the Vehicle Supply Manager of Toyata, San Francisco Region, saying that attached is a copy of the "Special Vehicle Request". This is what Toyota calls it instead of an order. Attached are computer printouts specifying the details of vehicle, the options, etc. The last eight digits of the VIN is noted, as those are assigned when an order is accepted.

Now all I have to do is wait.

 

[Pirate VI]

I am just curious for all of those who say that a special order is not possible...if it is, in fact, impossible, why would I have been given the following information from my dealer on my truck that is currently on special order?


With all the different rules in all the different regions, I think it is safe to say that what is impossible in one area is 100% possible in another. That means that California may not be able to get a special order, but Southeast Toyota can.

Im pretty sure you cant special order in south east either. I went to a dealer looking for a scion tC and they told me they would special order it, when it finally came in it was more expensive then i was originally told and they said that its not really special order its just what they can find from other distributors, which is exactly opposite of what they said in the first place. When i went to get a Rav4, we "special ordered" one, and it turned out to be all dealer and port installed things, when we found a scratch on the hood they told us they could have everything switched over to a different car, and told us how it worked. We instead got the 4runner for the same price as we were going to get the rav, althought the 4runner was a year old but im much happier.

 

[ruthdog23]

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.

I am interested in special ordering an 2007 Sport Edition with NAV System and Bluetooth, but without the backup cameras. What do I need to know? How close to invoice can the dealer do, since they have really no costs involved? Also, when do I have to be approved for financing? I am going to finance it through my credit union. Do I need to get approved at the time of order or at the time of arrival?

Thanks for any input you provide!!

Ryan

 

[Uneek]

I am interested in special ordering an 2007 Sport Edition with NAV System and Bluetooth, but without the backup cameras. What do I need to know? How close to invoice can the dealer do, since they have really no costs involved? Also, when do I have to be approved for financing? I am going to finance it through my credit union. Do I need to get approved at the time of order or at the time of arrival?

Thanks for any input you provide!!

Ryan

Ryan,

Your special order is not possible, or at least not the request with the removal of the back-up camera and nav. Maybe there's some confusion with the term "special order" but think of it as a request for a certain configuration or the ability to check off certain options. If you goto a site like Edmund's, KBB, or MSN's CarPoint where you can select specific options and equipment for invoice and MSRP pricing, that's what you can do with a "special order". Also, you cannot bypass prerequisites, like the rear-seat DVD entertainment (RSES), you must have the moonroof and JBL sound system. (In other words, you're not going to be able get one with RSES and no moonroof or JBL sound.)

Special ordering doesn't allow you to put 3rd row seats on a SE, have X-REAS on a SR5, get a SE without the hood scoop, or have factory leather on a SR5 or SE. However, the dealer may be able to change the items around with the exception of X-REAS and the 3rd row, i.e. port installed leather or aftermarket, swap the hood out. Toyota doesn't allow for ordering like BMW, where you pick a particular interior trim and leather combination.

Special order pricing depends on your dealer, most dealer charge MSRP plus TTL for a special order. It all comes down how badly you want or must have the truck with the options you want. Dealers are always more willing to discount or sell what's already in their inventory. Shop around, the pricing and a dealer's willingness will vary (I had many say it can't be special ordered, only ones with nav are the V8 Limiteds). Most dealers will require a deposit of $500-1000. I didn't finance my truck, so I'm not sure about it. I would guess, you need to have financing approved during delivery.

I hope this answers your questions. I also had my truck ordered, if you have more questions in regards to the process, let me/us know.

Good luck.

 

[Atomic 4Runner]

Special Orders Are Possible

I special ordered my 06 Limited V-8 4X4 in December '05, and received the truck in May '06. During the wait, I was told when the order was accepted by the factory, when the order changed to allocation status, and finally when it moved to freight status.

Allocation status meant my special order was actually scheduled to be built, and it would soon be on the production line. Freight status meant it had arrived in the states and would be shipped to my dealership. (I got the VIN number when it showed up on the Freight status.) It took approximately 3 weeks in transit from port (on the west coast) to my dealer in East Tennessee. I was able to watch my truck come off of the delivery truck, and I took possession two hours later when it had 2 miles on the odometer.

I didn't want DRLs or a Rear Spoiler, and I wanted a Limited with X-Reas and navigation. A special order was the only way to get exactly what I wanted. The dealer checked what trucks were on lots already, and they could even view new vehicles due to arrive in the states. Nothing matched my requirements, so the special order was the only way to get it.

I just finished a 5k mile two-week vacation with it, and it was sure worth the wait.

 

[TRBenj]

Re: Special Orders Are Possible

I know Im bringing a thread back from the dead, but I just got off the phone with Toyota Customer Service and have some good information to share on this topic.

There are 4 steps a dealership will take to locate a vehicle for a customer:

1. The dealer looks on his own lot and sees if he has the desired vehicle in stock.
2. The dealer checks with other dealers within his region to try and locate the vehicle.
3. The dealer contacts the regional sales office, who can redirect a vehicle destined for a different region.
4. The dealer submits a special request to the factory.

The Customer Relations Manager at the dealership is responsible for submitting the special request to the factory. Toyota Customer Service could not tell me if the dealership makes the request directly or if the line of communication goes through the regional sales office.

The factory DOES NOT GUARANTEE that they will build the vehicle requested. It is exactly that- a REQUEST! Toyota Motor Sales does not have total control over Toyota Manufacturing, though they do have some influence.

Dealerships submit requests for vehicles once a month as part of their regular ordering schedule. They will submit the special request at this time. The exact date of the submission may vary by dealer. There is no way to verify that the dealership submits a request to the factory (as opposed to attempting to have a vehicle redirected from another region- #3 above). The customer is completely reliant on the dealer to do as he says.

Whether the factory accepts or denies the request depends largely on the manufacturing logistics. If the factory denies a request one month, that does not necessarily mean it will be denied the following month. Customer Service is careful not to influence a customer in regards to a particular dealership, so they are very careful with their words- but after some prodding they said it "may be possible" that a large volume dealership may be more influential in getting the the factory to accept a special order.

As far as deposits go, they are normally required by the dealer to place a special order. If the request is denied by the factory for two consecutive cycles (60 days) and the customer wants the deposit refunded (and the dealer refuses), the customer can call Toyota Customer Service who will in turn contact the dealer. This is not a guarantee of the deposit being refunded, however. How the deposit is handled is completely up to the dealer, and they often want something in return for all the time they have invested locating the customer's vehicle.

It is not a bad idea to be in contact with Toyota Customer service throughout the special ordering process. They will create a record documenting important dates- when an order is placed, etc.

Hopefully this info will help anyone considering placing a special order!