Allocation guessing game
 

Hi all, I didn't want to post this in Joe's thread, since it isn't really a status request. But I'm hoping for a little inside knowledge if anyone has it.

My situation is I have had an order for a wild cherry Camaro stuck at 1100 for almost 3 months. I'm aware of the dwindling timeline for the color to be accepted. The original dealer says that the owner has had the ear of the GM rep and that there is nothing to worry about with my order, yet it is still at 1100 as of this morning. Meanwhile, I have found a dealer who claims to have an open allocation. Dealer 2 says I am one of three requests for the allocation, and they will decide which to fill on Thursday based on this weeks constraints. Mine is a 1SS. The other 2 are for constrained models (a 2LT and a ZL1) which could be good for me.

The original dealer is closer and a better offer, so I'd prefer to stay with them....if they can actually get one. If Dealer 2 gives me their allocation, I'll have that assurance it will be built, but may be running the risk of ending up with two orders accepted if the original ends up getting picked up at the last minute.

My question for anyone who may know...does the original dealer actually know something, or are they just blowing smoke to keep me from emailing as often? Do the dealer reps actually know something about allocations further in advance than the weekly issuance, or have any ability to affect them? Is there any reason for optimism that the original order will actually be accepted this week or next, or do odds favor jumping ship?

The color is gone on the 3rd so I believe we are almost out of time. If it's not picked up this weekend it's over and I have to switch colors or wait for a 23, which I believe will be my choice.

If there is no deposit, or a minimal deposit you can afford, give the new dealer a shot and see which order gets picked up. Then cancel the other order and get your refund back. If both orders get picked up, once you confirm you hit 2000 status, then cancel whichever order you want.

Hard to say if your dealer knows anything or not. If the dealer "has the GM Reps ear", I would have expected movement by now unless something in your order has been on constraint. You mention your order is for a 1SS, so unless you have PDR or something on there I'm note sure what has been holding it up as most constraints lately have been for the top level trims (3LT, 2SS, ZL1).

I went to the largest Chevy dealership in my area. Although I had troubles with them in the past, I figured based on their sheer volume, they might have more leverage for their allocation. One thing to keep in mind, I suspect that GM will introduce a variation of the Garnet Red/Wild Cherry so the exact hue of the Wild Cherry may be going away, but I suspect that they'll have a variation of that color.

Personally, at this stage of the game, I'd see if I can get a dealer to call me as soon as 2023 colors become available, have them call me and see if I can be one of the first in the area to have a Camaro built in one of the new colors. This should motivate a dealer as I bet they'd love to have one of the first new colors ordered through them.

If you can get your hands on an actual allocation, and it's for a color you REALLY REALLY want that is going away (Wild Cherry or the Satin Steel)...I'd take that allocation if I could get it.

I would put down a deposit at the second dealer, fully refundable and contingent on getting the allocation. That way you're covered. If they screw you on the allocation, go back to the original order. I waited until my car (grabbed an accepted order from another dealer) was bought before I cancelled the original.

I agree. I ordered my car back on December 10, 2021 from my local dealer. By the time it got to mid January and I still didn't have an allocation I started looking around for a car in transit/in inventory. I found the exact same car I ordered in transit to another dealer one state away and put down a refundable deposit. When it came in February 16, I still didn't have an allocation from my local dealer so I purchased the second vehicle.

When I called my local dealer to cancel my order, he said he was hoping to have an allocation for me by March 3, but he couldn't be sure. I told my local dealer I would spend my $1,000 deposit with him and purchased about $700 worth of accessories for the car the same day. The rest I'll use for future service or other accessories.

Thanks for the feedback. If I can get the allocation, I'll probably take it, just because 2022 is a known and 2023 is not, both in terms of color choice and sticker price.

The Wild Cherry isn't in itself a must have, but it is the only current color that suits my taste, which is something darker that isn't black or a shade of gray. I'd like to see something like Rally Green or Blue Velvet again for 2023, but I'm not holding my breath on that. There probably will be a different dark red, but not necessarily with the same glow in the sun of the current tint-coat.

I should have starting looking around earlier...I ordered mine before you.

I sure hope gm doesn't do yet another iteration of dark red/maroon for 2023... if they had some class, they would come out and say 2023 is the last model year, we'll bring back all the colors from 2016 to 2022, make your final choices.

I like your style, sir.

I hear you. I'm not very patient and with no guarantee when or if I would ever get a 2022 allocation from my local dealership I felt like I had to explore my options. In hindsight I wish I had explored looking for a car in inventory or one in transit before ordering a vehicle where the dealer didn't have an allocation and didn't know when he would receive one.

IMO it's not us (12/10 2SS), who's combined order total dollars est. is $150K. It's a broken system that can't deliver product to the end user or in our case buyer. Just how many Camaro's were built in 2021 (21,893) like customers were standing in line like the Corvette.

I'm right there with you. I put my order in 3 weeks ago with no guarantee of an allocation. I placed the order with the only dealer in Central FL that wasn't price gouging. At this point its all but assured that I will not get the color I wanted, Satin Steel. So if and whenever my dealer gets an allocation I will have to chose another color.

I am scoring my situation as bad timing even though it was the right time for me. Global trade, COVID protests, and now war all have conspired against me. But at the end of the day, my problem of waiting for a new car pales in comparison to what other people are facing around the world.