Stock car vs. factory order: Pros, cons and other considerations

When you get a new car, you either get a stock car or a factory order. One of the most commonly asked questions we get at OSV is ‘what’s the difference between a stock car and a factory order?’

The answer is quite a bit. Obviously, we aren’t just going to leave it at that. We explain stock cars and factory orders every day at OSV. So, in this article we’ll be talking about what they both mean, the main differences, and the pros and cons of each.

What does stock car mean?

A stock car quite literally means that the car is in stock. It could be on site at the dealership, held at a compound or sometimes can be held at the port and delivered straight from there. But, stock can also mean in stock somewhere abroad. So, it’s always best to check.

What does factory order mean?

If you factory order your new car, then this means that the vehicle is not yet built.

How long will it take for my factory order car to be delivered?

[vc_single_image image=”34985″ img_size=”article-image”]This is where it gets a little bit complicated. A factory order car will take longer to be delivered than an in stock car, and the delivery time can alter considerably. However, your vehicle supplier or dealership will get an estimated delivery time at the start of the process.

What are the pros and cons of ordering a stock car?

There are advantages and disadvantages to getting a stock car as opposed to a factory order.

And it’s important that you know this before you place your order. Some of the advantages are;

 

• You get the vehicle quicker
  • This is a fairly obvious one. If it’s already in stock, it can be delivered in a fairly short space of time.

• It’s easier to plan for
  • If you order a stock car and you know it will take roughly two weeks to deliver, then you will be able to plan accordingly.

• There is less risk of it being delayed
  • Your stock car is less likely to be delayed than a factory order. If it is, this will be down to things such as driver availability or issues with paperwork.

• You can secure a better deal
  • While this doesn’t always happen, it has done before. If dealerships are up against their targets then they may reduce the price of their stock cars. But, we’ll go into more detail about that in a little bit.

 

However, while it has its advantages, there are also disadvantages to getting an in stock car;

 

• It could still be delayed
  • While there is less chance of it being delayed, particularly by a significant amount, your car could still be delayed.
  • This could be down to driver availability, the volume of cars being shipped at that time, and when the earliest delivery slot is.

• It’s not going to be with you tomorrow
  • While you will receive your car quicker than you would if you have a factory order, it still won’t be at your door immediately.

• It might not have the specification you want
  • Because the car is not being built specifically to cater to what you want, there could be a chance that the in stock car does not have the additional features you want or need. If you want a more bespoke car, then you might have to opt for a factory order.

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What are the pros and cons of ordering a factory order car?

We’ve looked at the pros and cons of ordering a stock car so it’s only fair we look at the pros and cons of a factory order.

Some of the advantages of ordering a factory order car are;

 

• You have more choice
  • This is probably the most obvious one but with a factory order you can tailor your car to your needs and preferences.

• You get the latest version of the car

• When you get a stock car you get the latest version of that car, with the latest specification.
• Cars, like everything else, are constantly improving. So a factory order will have all the latest updates.

• You can have as many additional features as you want
  • Again, there will be additional features that stock cars will not have.

 

The main advantage of a factory order car is that you can tailor it to meet your needs. So, what are the disadvantages?

 

• You have to wait longer
  • Quite an obvious one. But, if you need a car within the next month or so, then a factory order is not the best option for you.

• There is more risk of it being delayed
  • The process of a factory order car is a long one, and there are many factors that can delay the build and delivery of your vehicle. This means it could take even longer.
  • You can read our article on what affects delivery date here

• It’s harder to plan for its delivery
  • Because the car will be delivered so far in advance, it can be hard to plan for it. Not many people know what they’re doing in over twelve weeks time. So, this can be a bit of an issue.

 

Stock Car Vs. Factory Order; Which is Cheaper?

We’ve weighed up the pros and cons but now which one is going to be cheaper?

 

Normally, cars that are in stock have extras you may or may not want. So, it could cost you more. Unless they are on clearance, in which case you could get a car with extras included at a reduced rate.

 

There is also a chance that the dealership may be keen to sell that stock car and therefore will sell it at a discounted rate. There have been times when we have seen dealerships make a loss just to meet their quarterly targets. However, this doesn’t always happen.

 

It should be noted that although a factory order car might be more expensive, it will be more bespoke. Therefore it may be a small price to pay for a brand new car tailored specifically for your needs.

 

As you can see, there are quite a few differences to getting a stock car and a factory order. They both have their pros and cons and it’s up to you to decide which is best for you. The advice we would give, however, is that if you are leaning towards trying to get a stock car is that you go through a broker with a wide network. They will be more likely to source a stock car for you. This is opposed to a broker that only has a small network or a dealership as they will be significantly more limited.

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