New Car Delivery Lead Times Explained

Published Date: 5th Dec 2018

At UK Car Discount we are committed to ensuring the estimated delivery date of your new car is as accurate as possible. However please be aware that on rare occasions delays may occur due to circumstances beyond our control. In the event of a delay we will keep you ‘in the loop’ at all times and ensure you receive a revised delivery date as soon as possible, transparency and keeping you informed is our number one aim.

How Or Why Can My New Car Delivery Be Delayed?

When you order your new vehicle, we are given a lead time by the Manufacturer or Main Dealer based on a number of factors including:

• Stock availability
• Manufacturer build times
• Logistics
• Optional extras that need ordering/fitting
• ‘Special’ paint options that may be made to order and extend lead times
• Spec, engine, trim-level etc (some may be more readily available than others)
• Paint colour (again some colours may be more readily available than others)

Lead times can vary considerably from manufacturer to manufacturer or even from one model to the next. Recent studies estimate an average lead time of 10-12 weeks if we have to factory order your new car. Whilst vehicles in stock can usually be delivered very quickly in just a few weeks, the flip side is some vehicles in high-demand may have considerably longer lead times of 3-6 months, possible longer.

In cases where you are keen to receive your new vehicle as quickly as possible and do have some flexibility in choice of paint colour, trim-level, spec etc we are more than happy to explore the options for you. We will research the available options and give you a choice of new cars and estimated lead times, taking the tedious and often time consuming ‘leg-work’ out of the process.

How Accurate Are Lead Times?

For stock vehicles, delivery times are usually very accurate, whilst delivery dates for factory ordered vehicles are much more of an estimate, as orders coming direct from the production line are affected by a wider range of factors. Rest assured if your new car delivery date is delayed or even brought forward, we will contact you immediately with the revised information.

Whilst we strive to deliver your new vehicle within the estimated delivery time and aim to always offer the best possible service, we do not have any direct control or influence over factory ordered vehicles and as such we are reliant on manufacturer quoted lead times which we relay to you.

How Do UK Car Discount Reduce Delivery Lead Times?

Dealers are given ‘build allocation slots’ by manufacturers, so for example a dealer may have been allocated a slot of 30 vehicles per month for a specific model. If the dealer exceeds their allocation then the excess is rolled over onto the following months allocation. If they have unforeseen and particularly high-demand for that model, well beyond their allocation then lead time can be pushed back by several months.

UK Car Discount aims to reduce lead times by ‘shopping around’ for the best deals and at the same time we can pinpoint dealers and manufacturers with lower delivery lead times, whereas if you walk into your local main dealer you are putting all your eggs in one basket and may be restricted by their vehicle allocation which could result in longer lead times.

Other Delivery Factors

In addition to production line issues, logistics are a consideration as vehicles rolling straight of the production line may be ‘travelling’ some distance across Europe or even further. Shipping, rail, road issues and logistics companies can be factored in here.

Mainstream manufacturers like Ford, VW, Nissan, Vauxhall etc produce vast amounts of new cars across their model range, delivering to 1000’s of dealers in various locations that require several different transport options. Logistically, ports, transport companies, road problems, vehicle breakdown, weather and workforce issues can all affect lead times.

Vehicle Pre-Delivery Inspection

All vehicle are put through a Pre-Delivery Inspection or ‘PDI’ to ensure that every aspect of the new car; mechanical, electrical, software, interior and exterior is in 100% perfect condition.

On the rare occasions a vehicle is found to be defective, damaged, missing parts or even minus the smallest component/accessory, this can potentially cause a delay. Small issues can often be resolved at the dealership very quickly (subject to availability of parts) whilst more severe damage or issues may mean slightly longer delays.

If you have any reservations or concerns about ordering your new vehicle you can speak to us on 0161 946 3500, rest assured we are committed to delivering the highest levels of service. For further confidence and if you are a first-time customer, you can see what our customers are saying about us on TrustPilot here.