Can a Toyota dealer ORDER A new build Tacoma?

No, yes, maybe.

Toyota allocates units way ahead of time. To maximize production efficiency, they decide well ahead of time, and for example your dealer may get 20 of something this quarter, 5 will be LE, 10 will be XLE, and 5 will be LImited. Then witin each of the trims, the options will be set - ie 3 of the limiteds will include the tech package. And sometimes the packages can't be split - even if the website says you can. For example, every tech package might also get the weather package whether you want it or not.

I understand exterior colors are pretty easy to change, interior colors maybe, and everything else is a crapshoot.

If the dealer can fit your wants within their allocation then they usually will. But if its a very sought after vehicle they may not, because they can simply sell what shows up to whomever without doing any work.

Thats how its been explained on the Toyota boards many times, so I assume its true. It seems to line up.
 
Toyota dealers can not order a vehicle; as someone posted here earlier they get what they get. Possibly a dealer will take an order in hopes that something close to what the customer wants arrives as one of the allocations. But no orders.

This ain't Mopar in the sixties and seventies with a big order book with a hundred different options to choose from in addition to a half dozen different motors.
 
"You sell how they come off the truck", I mused to a Toyota salesman, who nodded in agreement.

A "high creased roof" on a passing '63 Cadillac got me recalling the available rooflines my dad had to choose from when selecting his '62 Pontiac!
 
I worked at a GM dealer in high school / early in college, and amongst all the other jobs I helped in parts. Back then you could still order by option. The options came on a sticker in the glovebox. For example K60 was the standard alternator, and K68 was the heavy duty alternator on that generation of trucks. You filled out a paper order form with all the codes and sent it to GM somehow to order your car.

Fun trivia - Z28 was the suspension option on a Camaro - the name stuck.
 
Ordering to me, is, I order the vehicle just as OP says. Now, I can pick it up anywhere I want, from the mfgs center, or in another country. The mfg sees my name associated with the VIN as it moves through production. The above was BMW for MY 2007. I am not convinced a Japanese brand was ever able to do the above. And I “ordered” (naively) a MR2 many years ago. So I thought (my order went to someone who was willing to pay over list). 😆

Edit ps my mom wanted a 2005 CR-V base which was LX. No tinted rear glass and steel rims. She didn’t order her car. She negotiated a deal, and when one arrived, the dealer let her know and they backfilled the VIN. Japanese cars have always been about “packages.” They have never been like the 911 that could come in a gazillion possible combinations down to a leather trimmed knob. Toyota is not Build a Bear!
 
Last edited:
SC Maintenance said:
I worked at a GM dealer in high school / early in college, and amongst all the other jobs I helped in parts. Back then you could still order by option. The options came on a sticker in the glovebox. For example K60 was the standard alternator, and K68 was the heavy duty alternator on that generation of trucks. You filled out a paper order form with all the codes and sent it to GM somehow to order your car.

Fun trivia - Z28 was the suspension option on a Camaro - the name stuck.
Click to expand...
I factory ordered my 2018 Corvette, it was so amazing to be able to get it exactly how I wanted. I went relatively light on the options, I chose the base 1LT model and didn’t bother with the Z51 package, but it did come standard with the Z51 wheels starting that year. I was also able to get the Z51 spoiler on it. I added the black emblems (instead of the standard chrome) and red brake calipers. I went with Torch Red which is a popular color but people rarely ever order it with the light gray interior so that makes mine rather unique 😊
 
So, checking autotrader and local (2) dealers inventory I found that 2025 Tacomas hardly exist yet. Over 300 manual tranny 2024 Tacomas found. Quite a few off troad TRD 4x4s, some sports etc. One dealer in Georgia lists about 8. They and others may have never deleted units sold though. They want your CONTACT, email, phone # etc.

I have time to watch what happens with 2025 production …I don’t mind waiting, but boy do they!
 
I actually was able to kinda sorta order a Toyota. The salesman took my info and what I was interested in and a few months later they called me that a close match came in. Just a stupid $1400 sun roof was the difference. Well I went to look at it and they would not even let me drive it. It was barricaded between 4 other cars and a wall. They did not want to move it out, so I walked out without even talking turkey. I lambasted them gently on Google and the Managing partner of the dealership called me and apologized profusely about the fubared encounter.
 
Last edited:
Patman said:
For some reason it appears that Toyota will not do custom factory orders for people. It’s a big annoyance for people who want to get a new GR Corolla exactly how they want it. They just have to search around multiple dealers or wait a long time for their local dealer to get one in that’s close to what they want. I hear a lot of GRC owners complain about this 🫤
Click to expand...
And Toyota doesn’t care, because people are still buying them
 
Patman said:
For some reason it appears that Toyota will not do custom factory orders for people. It’s a big annoyance for people who want to get a new GR Corolla exactly how they want it. They just have to search around multiple dealers or wait a long time for their local dealer to get one in that’s close to what they want. I hear a lot of GRC owners complain about this 🫤
Click to expand...
My neighbor who lives 3 houses up has a blue GRC 😂 I wonder how he found that thing every time I see it
 
I'll echo others; Toyota does not do "custom" orders. Each dealer is allocated a truck and certain specifics. They may be able to tweak some specifics, but not much. Getting a bare bones manual is not going to be easy. Manual is only offered on the SR, TRD OR, and TRD Sport. All 4WD only if that matters to you. The SR is the most barebones of the group, and you won't have fog lights or heated seats. For a truck of your liking, you are going to have to travel.

That said, I have been enjoying my '24 SR5 despite a few first model year bugs. Hopefully they'll have them worked out in 2026/2027 when I get another one.
 
I totally get the plan. It’s significantly cheaper to build cars based on your parts availability and without various options to pick and choose. Locating a vehicle through a dealer is always more expensive however purchasing from afar with a ship or drive works better.

Good luck
 
Going back awhile- I optioned out an 2015 Accord that I wanted, would take a few months they said.....they ended up finding one in western Canada very similar to what I wanted and offered it to me- a few more options at the same price.
 
ammolab said:
So I have ordered to my spec new cars from Germany, Australia, GM, and Dodge. Honda dealers CAN NOT order a car even from their US plant. I wonder if this is the same at Toyota?

I may want a new Tacoma but getting my local dealers to answer a simple question online: “Can you order a new Tacoma to my specifications” is near impossible

Emails Gets me: “We can find you the truck and trade.” Or: “Come look at the trucks we have”. Or We can request a truck, but it may never come”…. Is a request an order? Any one actually know for a fact that a dealer can place an order for a SOLD truck?

I don’t get the HONDA business plan…they build ‘em EVERY DAY! Yet you can not get one built for YOU! The dealer can search for one, find it at another dealer, and ship it to you. I gave up on that as they wanted another $1800 to ship it here. No thanks!

Is Toyota the same thing?
Click to expand...
Toyota is weird as I know for a FACT that you can order a Lexus the way you want. I had a customer custom order an es350 a few years ago from me. It was built in Kentucky. A couple of forums point to Toyota for whatever reason more or less sends dealerships what they get. Really big high-volume dealerships can get a few more vehicles. I can't remember if it was on this forum but someone wanted a manual transmission Toyota Supra mkV and was told "we get what we get". Apparently this led them to walk into a bmw dealership and custom order an M2 and have a build/delivery date when they left.
 
97prizm said:
Toyota is weird as I know for a FACT that you can order a Lexus the way you want. I had a customer custom order an es350 a few years ago from me. It was built in Kentucky. A couple of forums point to Toyota for whatever reason more or less sends dealerships what they get. Really big high-volume dealerships can get a few more vehicles. I can't remember if it was on this forum but someone wanted a manual transmission Toyota Supra mkV and was told "we get what we get". Apparently this led them to walk into a bmw dealership and custom order an M2 and have a build/delivery date when they left.
Click to expand...

Yes-you can order a Lexus but you can't order a Toyota. And yes it is strange.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
The price for the Toyota bZ4X is falling sharply at the dealer auctions.
Replies
2
Views
436
andrew_j
T
Will a shop install a transmission I buy?
2 3
Replies
43
Views
2K
dishdude
OVERKILL
Toyota Tacoma sales crater YoY Q1 2024
2 3 4
Replies
63
Views
5K
SR5FENZ
O
Ordered new Ford F-150, will I ever get it?
2 3
Replies
45
Views
3K
Nesterenko
J
A/M Catalytic Converters
Replies
11
Views
376
f355spider
Back
Top