What are the main features of Toyota’s “Build Your Toyota” program?
So I just built and put a deposit down on a ‘23 TRD OR DCLB for MSRP. You can definitely build a vehicle exactly how you want, but you need to find the right dealer. A lot of dealers want to sell the cars already allocated to them, so they’ll tell you they can’t build one just for you. They actually can do a build, but it’s not as easy as just placing an order. Once you find a dealer willing to work with you, bring in a build sheet with your exact preferences. When they take your deposit, you enter that dealer’s queue. When you’re close to the top and a vehicle that’s “close enough” to what you want comes in, the dealer has 24 hours from when the allocation is sent to them to request changes so that it matches what you’re looking for. But here’s the catch: you need to have a deposit on the car for them to even think about making those changes. In my case, I locked in my price for exactly MSRP with the options I wanted and no extras. If the dealer is local to you, you might be able to negotiate out the dealer markup. Many dealers I talked to had a rule where anyone coming from beyond a 50-mile radius would face a markup, but locals wouldn’t because they’ll likely return for service and future car deals. Don’t get discouraged; it takes time, but there are dealers who will work with you and do good business. Good luck with your search
Thanks for the info. I’ll give it a try next time I’m in Florida. There are a few Toyota dealers nearby, so I’ll take a day to talk to some of them
So did you actually get all the options you wanted without any you didn’t want?
Yep, exactly how I wanted it with no extra dealer adds. Mine was a DCLB in Lunar with the Premium package and Advanced Technology Package only. The Advanced Technology Package was the tricky one that needed waiting and dealer markups. Sadly, a few weeks after I placed the deposit on the taco, my car got rear-ended and totaled, so I had to cancel my reservation and buy something else since I couldn’t keep waiting on the taco. I did ask for my deposit back when I got notified that the car was allocated and scheduled for building. It is totally possible; you just need the right dealer willing to help. But I should mention that depending on what you’re after, you probably missed the boat on a 2023 by now. I placed my deposit in early October, and based on when it was scheduled, they told me I could expect to pick up in mid-March. I wish I could have gotten the taco, but it looks like I’ll have to wait a few more years
I tried to do a build and got a message saying it’s out of stock but not out of reach. Right now this vehicle isn’t available in my region. I’m in Georgia
I’ve been getting that message on and off too. Try again later, and it might work
The website doesn’t really help much. It’s only good for seeing what packages and options Toyota offers and the suggested retail pricing. It’s not an ordering tool, and it doesn’t show any dealer price adjustments. Just remember, Toyota doesn’t do custom orders for dealers. They allocate the most popular vehicles to their best high-volume dealers. Every dealer is different. Before the shortages, they would be willing to trade inventory with other dealers to find specific requests, but that doesn’t really happen anymore.
Cast a wide net and visit several dealers. Always find out if they have markups; sometimes they won’t tell you, or they’ll hide it under mandatory add-ons like window tint or other stuff for a couple of thousand dollars. They might say they sell at MSRP, but when you have to buy thousands in unnecessary warranties or ‘ceramic protection’ packages, it’s just as good as a markup. The fact that you’re not in a rush is a benefit, but you will need to do your research to find a decent deal. They’re out there