For buying an ordered car from the buyer's point of view the dealer does not have any real cost in doing this. A price is agreed upon. The car is ordered. When the car comes in the customer buys the car. Done. No flooring cost. No "advertising" cost.
In this case the argument is the dealer is not entitled to the same mark up he might expect for a car bought from stock.
From years ago the advice was in this case a few hundred dollars over "invoice" was a reasonable price to pay.
Trouble is nowadays "invoice" is so over used that it pretty much amounts to the defacto MSRP.
And there is of course the effect all this COVID business has had on car prices, used and new. Both used and new vehicle prices have gone up.
Also, word I read is factories have abandoned incentives and so too have dealers. 'course, as quickly as incentives can go away they can appear again. I have not stayed current on incentives. But as a prospective buyer you need to do your research to learn what -- if any -- factory to dealer/or customer and what if any dealer to customer incentives there might be.
A dealer now might be very unwilling to deal on a car. However, a car dealer likes to sell cars -- because factories like dealers who sell cars -- and if he agrees to a deal he's making money you can be sure of that. So you might be able to get the ordered car for less than "sticker".
So do your research and start at a low price offer. You can always raise your offer but there are ways to do this that helps you make a deal for less than you would otherwise.
I lived in Livermore CA and bought my 1st Scat Pack at the Tracy CA Dodge dealer. Then I bought my MINI JCW from Niello MINI in Sacramento. I bought my Hellcat from the Lodi Dodge dealer. My point is I'm ok with going some distance away from home to buy a car if the car is what I want and I can make a deal I can live with.
