Customer Order or Gamble December Discounts?

[Protect1989]

Im in an interesting position that I would love some opinions on:

I am debating if I should customer order my vehicle (Tahoe or Yukon - TBD) OR wait until December and search for the vehicle i want hoping there are some good discounts/i find something.

I am in a position where I do not need a vehicle, this is purely a want meaning I am on no time table.

Custom ordering means you get exactly what you want BUT usually dealers do not apply additional discounts
Waiting is a gamble, hoping you find your exact vehicle you want (or close to it) BUT you may get a better discount since its end of the year.

 

[Johnny Fr]

Some thoughts as we custom ordered, with the process taking 9 weeks. First of all, the entire process is underwhelming, it's not like ordering a European car where you're treated like a rock star. So let's just get that out in the open, to me, a Tahoe is like a Corvette. To GM, it isn't. OK now!

Secondly, all discounts do apply. Why do you feel there aren't the same discounts? We got an educator discount and we went through the Costco Auto Program, got that pricing, and we also got $200 off parts accessories or service (we got the front, 2nd row, and the piece de la resistance, the rear cargo mat and the ones that go on the seat backs of the 3rd row seats). So list price $445, we paid $245 plus tax.

Our experience was that all the dealers here have about 0-2 Tahoes on the lots. Huge dealers had maybe 4. And on the lots were optional rims for $2200+ and black out badging, all imho non functional options that pad the MSRP.

But from all my online travels dealers in Dallas and Chicago and WI have 15-23 on the lots. They advertise discounts so large, they are like employee pricing. I've heard they add upfits and captive financing, add ons and maybe it's a carnival buying environment, but next time I'd see what the big top is all about. MD dealers have another trick, they double charge the destination (no idea why) and there is an asterisk saying so, so that erodes the huge discount showing as well.

My point in all of it is if I could do it again, I'd see about the Dallas dealer and what the out the door price is. People also don't seem to want to talk about it, maybe it's like when your team loses the World Series or Super Bowl (ours did both in the same year), one doesn't want to talk any more. But I find 2026 pricing to be high. On a High Country Deluxe a 2026 is $4900 more. From memory, a base LS is like $1400 more, then $500 destination, or $1900 before options added. Where is this money coming from, most of our salaries are not increasing at the same rate lol

One last reason for buying off the lot. The paint is generally not good. Orange peel city. If off the lot, at least one can try to inspect it, custom order, nope. lots of defects as is not exactly a secret

 

[Stbentoak]

If you want what you want exactly, with no extra options you don't, or a interior or color you don't exactly like, the only real option is to special order. I only buy one every so often and what I'm spending 100K I want exactly ...not kind of close.... exactly what I want. I'll wait for it. I don't get too excited about paint and things like that if there's something wrong with the paint when it shows up, they can fix it before I take it...or I won't take it.....

 

[headwest]

I can't even get a custom order through. Every '26 AT4 I see online at dealers has the AT4 Premium package which includes the pano roof. Definitely don't want a sunroof or the rear entertainment. That is the reason I switched from the Denali to the AT4. But dealer can't seem to get order to go through. Has said he'd call me since last week but nothing. If I check Premium Capability pkg it checks everything else I want including air ride and super cruise. Seems like a simple order but everything is loaded. That's where the money is vs custom orders.