Best way to go about custom ordering and timeline?
 

Looking for some guidance on doing a custom build for a G550.

Local dealers here in AZ have very little if any inventory so we have to go with a custom build. Reached out to a local dealer and they were not able to provide any timeframe, said if we go this route it's unknown as there are already a couple people ahed of us. I dont know if that's true or not or if they were trying to push the single G550 that they do have in stock.

Would the best strategy be to contact an out of state dealer, say in Southern California? They have exponentially more dealerships and I'm thinking get more allocations?

From my experience so far, it feels like dealerships dont really take the buyer seriously, or at least dont show any real interest, in moving the project forward.

I’m actually surprised more car companies haven’t gone to custom ordering new vehicles. It’d be nice to just get online, build your car and then pick it up when it’s finished being built. Dealerships could have so many vehicles in stock to test drive different options. I’ve custom built almost every car I’ve purchased with the exception of one ML350. Up until the 19 G, I’ve always been able to get the same discounts as cars on the lot at the time. I’ve found that if the car isn’t exactly the way I want it, I’ll get tired of it faster and want to trade it in earlier. Traded in that ML350 less than 10 months after buying it.

Do custom order builds get priced at MSRP?

They should I would assume, unless the dealer decides to mark them up. My issue right now is finding a dealer that is actually interested in taking it up.

Why don't you "try" the dealer you bought your 17 E300 from - or am I missing something ?

By the way - I would suggest you visit a dealer face-to-face and be ready to put down a deposit... the rest is just playing "air guitar"

I reached out to them, they dont have any any no allocations either.

Thats why Im looking for some advise, whats the best way to actually find one, or an allocation. I guess just reached out to various ones across the country?

G wagens are limited production vehicles. I doubt anyone has any excess allocation.
The July build cars are already allocated.
That should be the last 2019 allocation.
The first 2020's should reach the US in October.

That is the next move in a lot of brands. I know Bentley is going to start having a showroom with a build center and you go in and custom build your car to your spec and the car will be build in reduced time. It avoids all the cost of inventory, not only for the manufacturer but the dealership as well. There is very little margin any more in new vehicles and having a car sit too long wipes out any profit on that new car.

Most American car buyers are too impatient to go this route. They are used to browsing inventory and driving a car home when they want to.
We have people coming in expecting to see a row of G Wagens and being upset/disappointed when there aren't any.