if the dealer changes the terms of the deal, that is, increases the price, then he is OBLIGED BY THE LAW to return the deposit to you if you do not want to pay extra. This applies to any deposit, even if the dealer indicates in the contract that the deposit is not refundable.
This happened to me. I placed my order and ended up getting one of the last 2020s built. By the time my dealer called me to come get it, people were already driving 21s. I wasn't going to pay a premium on the outgoing model year, plus I liked the changes for 21 so when they wouldn't negotiate, I passed, found a 21 somewhere else, waited two more months and it was the right decision.
It‘s been a few weeks since your post but figured I’d chime in. In my experience, it depends on the dealer. I visited in person four dealers. The farthest location was about 3 hours away, I happened to be on a weekend vacation so I dropped by. I also called about three other dealers that were just wanting to sell what they had on the lot. But the one that was several hours way from my home was a small dealer and they said they do not do custom orders and they are just too small. However, the other three I believe said they would. Or at least the one that I decided to go with did. Essentially, for me the process was putting a list together at home of the exact configuration and options/colors I wanted. Took that to the dealer and expressed I wanted this order. They drafted up a purchase order with the exact details I provided. I put a 1,000 down to secure the order which was deducted from the quoted purchase price. I ordered a 21’ SW AWD Gravity Grey Telluride with Prestige/Nightfall/Tow package with black Napa leather interior. I didn’t order any accessories to include the ridiculously priced $210 carpeted floor mats. I figured I’d buy accessories separate to find better deals anyway such as window tint for the front two windows, roof mounted cross bars/towers, cargo net, all-season floor mats, and the cargo privacy cover. I haven’t heard from the dealer for about a month now so I’d assume my order still hasn’t hit the factory (ordered in October 2020). I plan to call today to check in but hope I am pushed out a bit longer in hopes to nab a 2022 model considering it is so close to their historical release dates of the 2020 and 2021 models (e.g., spring/summer).
It would help to know what area of country you are from so others who ordered can give you names of dealers in your area that do take orders and tell you how much over MSRP they paid. Or check the "Good Dealers" thread to find a local dealer that was fair to customers. I live in North Carolina but ordered from Kia of Muncie, Indiana because they offer Costco pricing (under MSRP). I was willing to wait and they have a long list of people ordering. But it was the best dealer experience I've ever had. Very honest and upfront on pricing as well as expected wait time. Flew out to Indiana to pick it up and still spent under MSRP. No surprises when I arrived. Deal was exactly as discussed, pricing was what I had agreed to. Dealers will ship to you too. Dealer will keep you updated as they get info from Kia. Once order is "picked up" into KFOS (Kia's ordering system for dealers), that means you are locked in and can't really change trim level, options or colors. VIN number will be posted on Failcat the day the car is being built, your build date. Then it's a matter of weeks until it's delivered to your dealership and your drive off the lot with it. Any deposit a dealer asks for should be REFUNDABLE. Most of us put down $500 to $1000 deposit at time of order. That's pretty much how you place an order.
Which dealer did you place this order with?
Berwyn Kia in Chicago. They are on the smaller side. Failcat dealer ID is IL066. Jan 2021 they had 9 tellurides allocated and for February 2021 they so far have 5 showing up on failcat.
Wow, I never had heard of Failcat until now. That's a great resource!
