How far in advance does a dealer know if they have allocations and for when?

Do they know they have X allocations for week Y, or do they place orders and the plant picks up what ever number of allocations they have for that week.

 

You beat me to the question. I would like to know as well!

 

Two answers.

1. Many dealers do not understand the allocation system. They think they can order a car and then it just does not work they way they thought. Of course they tell you that they can get the car you want, then they find out that they can't.

2. A small number of very large Corvette dealers (probably all of them are on this forum) understand the computer-based allocation system and can tell you before you place your order what they can get (car and "constrained" options). They will take your deposit with the written condition that GM will assign a code 2500 in the next weekly cycle, which means that GM has the materials to build that car and commits to put it into the production schedule for that dealer. Check some of the forum dealer postings and you'll see them listing what they can get in the next weekly cycle.

GM gives priority to dealers based on the number of Vettes they sold and the number they have in stock. You may not like the system, but that's what it is. Bottom line, if you want to order a car to your own specifications, work with a forum dealer or at least require code 2500 by the Wednesday after you put down your deposit.

 

Last year, we were told by a forum sponsor dealer that dealers know how many allocations they have PER WEEK for the next 4-5 weeks. They also know how many allocations they have for the 4-5 weeks after that, but not how many each week. I have not seen or heard a dealer confirm that it still works that way or not.

However, it does seem to be true that dealers get allocations based on how many corvettes they sold last year. When you put your order in with a dealer, he should be able to give you a reasonable guess when you'll get the car. If he can't or won't, go to another dealer. Better yet, go with a high-volume forum dealer.

 

Anybody else?????

 

I'm sure there's a good reason for the allocation system...but to me, who admittedly knows nothing of the auto sales/production industry, this sytem sounds needlessly complex.

I order = car get built. But hey, I'm a simple man living in fantasy land!

 

The system is built to make the big dealers bigger and to pump cars to the dealership that is most productive with those lines of business that they sold last year. If you visit dealerships in midwestern farming areas, you will find tons of trucks in inventory. If you visit dealerships in large urban areas, you will find more cars and more corvettes in inventory. The system is really a push system and not really an ordering system.

 

Customers always last!

 

If something is in short supply, why not provide more of the item to those who sold more of them last year? Makes sense to me.

 

You have to remember that you are the dealers customer. The dealer is GMs customer.

 

Ken, in his news letter, actually did a write up on this matter some time ago (in '05).

Might want to do a search, or send him an e-mail for a link to his article.

 

If I'm ordering one to be built...which is the demand part, is the factory limiting the supply, via production ability or something?? I'm confused. Is there a supply problem?

But if there is no supply issue (which there maybe, I don't know) certainly the plant, i.e. GM, shouldn't care where I ordered it from?