I ordered my Transit and waited nine months for it to be built. I wanted to order it so I could get exactly what I wanted - factory swivel seats, windows, color, etc. Luckily, there is a dealership close to my house that specializes in Transits.
Everything I put in my van back in 2020 has doubled in price!! Espar heater, Isotherm fridge, 8020 hardware, A/C unit, insulation, maxair fan everything!!
That's funny I live in Reno and found my 2020 AWD Transit in San Diego. They covered the Uber ride from the airport to the dealership. I negotiated the price over the phone. This was at the beginning of Covid and dealers weren't selling anything. I flew down on South West and the plane and airports were empty!!
Whoa!! Your experience is staggering different than how it is now because of chip shortages. I appreciate your story but right now you chances are nearly zero to find one and PLEASE don’t lead ppl to think they can not negotiate. I started watching RU-vid videos to try to educate myself on buying a new vehicle because I’ve never done so. Thankfully I found YAA and the have deal school 2.0. I learned what I can negotiate and what was unrealistic. I’m confident the build price I got was fair and I did save quite a lot of money. When my van arrives and I go into the finance office I’m also ready to deal.
A way to save thousands is to buy it in a state with no sales tax. If you have or can get residency in a state with no sales tax then many dealers outside of that state will work with you to not have to pay sales tax.
Given the high interest rate and slowed down economy, i predict the supply will outstrip demand in '23. The whole vanlife will be a distant memory for some as American are returning to work in person.
Erik, were there certain options you were wanting in the van for your build? 2nd Alternator, 2nd Battery, Beefier suspension, AWD, Leather seats, media center, Rotating seats, doubled wheels in back, etc. I get the High Roof, full extended?
So my approach was to prioritize the "must-have" items that I couldn't go back and add-on afterwards, like the extended body, high roof, or single rear wheel. Most everything else you can change or upgrade afterwards should you decide it's required. And as for the dual vs super single rear wheel, single wheel is the better option if you plan on going off pavement, as you risk getting rocks wedged between the two wheels and then rocketing out later on the freeway.
