Why is it so hard to buy a new car?

Simple minivan for work. Has to be a minivan.

Apparently Ford didn't make one this year. They have a "brave little toaster", or whatever they want to call it, but it ain't no minivan.

I know what color we want, has to be gray...CANNOT be white, can't be red, can't be black (too damn hot for Oklahoma summers) and we know what options we want.



Go to the manufacturer's website and do the "Build and Price" thing. Problem is, at the end of the whole ordeal it offers vehicles that don't come close to what we "built".

Go to the dealership, tell them what we want. They show us EVERYTHING but what we asked for. Show us lots of others with high dollar$ options we don't want and would never use. We finally leave and they say that they'll "check with other dealerships" but then don't call back.

FINALLY got a call this morning from a dealership 89 miles away and they say they have just what we want in stock. I ask for photos (REAL photos of ACTUAL vehicle) They respond later that day with, "Sorry, but some guy from Dallas drove up last night and bought THAT one...but we've got ANOTHER one JUST LIKE IT..." I ask for photos again, they send over photo of RED minivan...(NO red!) Glad I didn't drive all the way to OKC to find out they were full of shit.

I ask about ordering one from the factory if we just can't find it and all I get is mealy-mouthing about "Oh, that could take a couple of months"... "takes too long..." and "Oh, you don't REALLY want to do that...", and then the circle-jerk back to the handful that they have on the lot. I feel like the nerdy kid at the frat rush party who keeps getting herded back to the corner where Haji and the blind kid are sitting in silence...

Apparently, no one will sell me a car today (not one that I want...)

Any suggestions?

They want to sell you a car on their lot that they are paying interest on.  It's really not that complicated.  And most buyers aren't that picky on color or options.

We're in the same situation here where I work. They are looking at buying me a chevy Colorado or that Ford Transit van thing I think your talking about. I really don't care as long as I ain't putting wear on my car I'm not picky. So the guy in charge of ordering told me they never call him back or they try to push a F-250 ect on us. He said the reason is they won't make much commission off a business looking for a basic vehicle, they focus on selling people extras.