Toyota 'Ordering Process' explained?

[JLD94]

Saw this article and basically this is what the dealership I spoke to said basically. If it happens to be being built at the time then you can get it, if not you either have to choose one that is close or wait and hopefully get your exact match

https://jalopnik.com/actually-getting-that-all-new-tacoma-with-a-manual-is-n-1850456148

To explain this properly it’s best to compare the order system for a brand like Jeep versus Toyota. If, for example, you wanted a manual Gladiator Willy’s trim, you would configure your Jeep to your liking and submit the build to any Jeep dealer. The dealer, will then send that request to the factory and typically your built-to-order Gladitaor will arrive in a few months.

Toyota’s system on the other hand isn’t so straightforward. As an automaker, Toyota prides itself on manufacturing vehicles efficiently, and custom orders reduce that efficiency. Over the years I’ve spoken with several Toyota dealers and even reps from Toyota corporate about their “order” process and I’ve gotten inconsistent responses. What I have pieced together is an allocation process that works something like this.

The Toyota factory will periodically release an allocation batch to a dealership. In the case of the Tacoma, the factory will tell the dealer - “You will get 12 Tacomas.” If a dealer has a customer that wants a specific Tacoma they will tell the factory they want a certain build, and here is where it gets interesting, if that build happens to be in the scheduled production run for that round, often the dealer will usually get the order. But, if someone were to ask for a Tacoma TRD Off-Road Double-Cab w/5ft Bed 4x4 manual in Luna Rock, and that combination is not on the schedule, the customer is out of luck until the next round of allocations gets released, and maybe the perfect truck will be in that batch. If not, they have to keep waiting until their configuration just happens to get on the schedule.

Essentially if you want a truck from Ford, Ram, Jeep, or GM the dealer tells the factory “Make us one of these like this” and as long as the allocation slot is available that request is usually granted. Whereas a Toyota dealer will say to the factory “I’d like a truck like this please” and the factory response is along the lines of “Yeah…we will see about that.”

Where things get even more difficult is that Toyota will schedule the configurations that are the most popular based on previous sales data, so if not a lot of people bought the manual truck in the past few years, the factory isn’t going to make a ton of manual trucks. Of course, this can create the cycle of Toyota not making things because people aren’t buying them, and people aren’t buying them because Toyota doesn’t make that many.

 

[MJE]

Thanks for the explanation! I’m used to the ‘American’ ordering process having done it a couple of times now. I suppose it’s a holdover from the days when you had more interior color choices available than what you can get for paint colors nowadays. Toyota’s does make some sense for efficiency, but hopefully they’d be taking orders together & making what’s in demand too. So if the new model entices enthusiasts first who want >17% take rate for the manual, they’d make more of them.

 

[RGk]

Unfortunately this is exactly how Toyota's 'ordering' works.

They build the configurations they want based on a number of factors including take rate, demand, parts/constraints. Toyota USA sells the built vehicles to regional distributors where they install their packages and it gets sold to their local dealerships who sell the trucks as soon as it gets a VIN from Toyota/arrives from the transport truck. All the sales people do is call the customer to know their truck is here and then try to charge some dealer added accessories.

It's not enthusiast geared but it sure sells them a lot of vehicles without all the fuss that you see with Ford and other mfgs. Unfortunately if you're not the average Joe and want a specific build it leaves you with tough choices.

 

[TacoTony]

"The Toyota factory will periodically release an allocation batch to a dealership. In the case of the Tacoma, the factory will tell the dealer - “You will get 12 Tacomas.” If a dealer has a customer that wants a specific Tacoma they will tell the factory they want a certain build, and here is where it gets interesting, if that build happens to be in the scheduled production run for that round, often the dealer will usually get the order."

Once allocations are given to dealerships, are they first come first serve? To elaborate, if dealership A has an upstanding customer such as myself who wants a TRD Pro in Bronze Oxide with Grey interior and dealership B has a customer who wants to be like me, does it come down to which dealership places the request/order to the distributor first? This is assuming they only plan to make one in that color/model combination. Or is there much more involved in the process?