What are the steps, from first call to delivery?

A factory order runs through eight stages: the consultation, the written quote, the commitment, order submission, the build, transit, arrival prep at the dealership, and delivery. You can complete every stage that requires your signature from home. Mark Dodge contacts you at each handoff rather than leaving you to check on it.

1. Consultation Your Order Specialist asks what you need the vehicle to do, then points you at the manufacturer's build tool so you can see every option and configuration available on that model.
2. Written quote You receive the Mark Dodge price shown against the MSRP of that exact build. Most buyers go through more than one quote while comparing trims and packages. There is no limit on how many.
3. Commitment You e-sign the order paperwork, confirm the build specification, and review the disclosures. A wire transfer and a deposit complete it. Everything at this stage happens remotely.
4. Order submitted and price protected Once Stellantis accepts the order, you, Mark Dodge, and the manufacturer are all committed to the price, the specification, and the buyer. Your price cannot go up from this point. It can go down: if manufacturer incentives are better at the time of delivery, you get the better of the two.
5. VIN and build schedule Your VIN is assigned once the plant accepts your configuration. The build is then scheduled, and an estimated build date follows a few weeks in advance. That VIN is what you and the team use to follow the vehicle.
6. Transit Your vehicle ships from the plant, mostly by rail. You can track its progress from home, and your Order Specialist can pull further detail or clarity whenever you want it.
7. Arrival and prep The Delivery Specialist team makes the vehicle consumer-ready: activating features, checking tire pressure, fuel, and fluids, and inspecting for safety issues and any damage that happened in transit.
8. Delivery Pick it up in Lake Charles, or have it brought to you. Your Logistics Manager coordinates transport to your address.

How long does a factory order take?

It depends on the build, and it is a moving target. Ram heavy duty trucks have arrived in as little as six to ten weeks when the plant is moving quickly. Most Ram 1500s and Jeeps run two to four months. Low-volume builds like a 392 Jeep or Dodge are more often three to five months.

Order timing depends on a multitude of factors and none of them are fixed. Nobody here quotes a delivery date the plant has not committed to. Follow the build yourself at tracking your factory order.

What does it cost to place the order, and is the deposit refundable?

Placing a factory order requires a $1,000 deposit, and that deposit is non-refundable. It exists because the plant builds a vehicle to one buyer's specification, and Mark Dodge is committing to that build on your behalf. The deposit applies toward the purchase of the vehicle.

You send it by wire transfer along with your e-signed paperwork.

Trade-ins, financing, title, and tax are handled separately and closer to delivery. Those terms are covered on the deposit, trade-in, financing, title, and tax page. Ask your Order Specialist to walk the deposit terms with you in writing before you send anything.

What is price protection, and when does it start?

Price protection means your agreed Mark Dodge price does not change if Stellantis raises MSRP while your vehicle is being built. It starts the moment your order is submitted and accepted. From that point all three parties are committed to the price, the specification, and the buyer.

You will see the effect on delivery day. Every new vehicle sold in the United States arrives with a factory window sticker, the Monroney label, required by the Automobile Information Disclosure Act (15 U.S.C. § 1232). If MSRP went up during the build, the sticker shows the higher number and your contract still shows yours.

Compare the sticker against your order paperwork line by line when the vehicle arrives. The options listed on it should match the specification you signed. If something does not match, raise it before you take delivery, not after. Order terminology is defined in the factory order glossary.

Who will I be working with?

Five roles touch a factory order, and each one owns a specific stage. You are not handed between strangers with no context. Your Order Specialist stays with you from the first quote through the build, and the others come in as their stage arrives.

Meet the people on your factory order team.

What happens when my vehicle arrives at the dealership?

The Delivery Specialist team makes it consumer-ready before you see it. That means activating the vehicle's features, setting tire pressure, filling fuel and fluids, and inspecting it for safety issues and any damage that occurred in transit. Nothing goes out until it clears that check.

What gets sorted before your vehicle lands

• Trade-in. Appraisal happens close to delivery rather than at order time, because your mileage and condition change over a months-long build.
• Delivery method. You confirm whether you are picking up in Lake Charles or having the vehicle brought to you.
• Finance meeting. A Finance Manager sets up a virtual meeting covering loans, warranties, and any additional products. You review everything before signing.

How does delivery to my home work?

Within 300 miles of Lake Charles, a Mark Dodge team member drives your vehicle to you at no additional charge. That complimentary driven delivery applies whether or not you have a trade-in. Beyond 300 miles, your Logistics Manager arranges transport through a contracted carrier and quotes it before anything is booked. By the time the vehicle leaves for your address you already own it and it is insured in your name.

That ownership point matters and it is worth understanding before you choose shipping. Once the paperwork is signed and funded, the vehicle is yours, which is why your own insurance is in place before it moves. Your Logistics Manager will tell you what the carrier needs from you and roughly when to expect the truck.

If you would rather collect it in person, you are welcome to. Some buyers fly into Lake Charles and drive home. Your Order Specialist can help you plan around the arrival window either way.

See why buyers order from Mark Dodge instead of buying local stock.

Factory ordering questions, answered