What does it mean when you buy a “Transit” Car?

The “in transit” vehicle is the vehicle that is due at the dealership but has not yet arrived, such as when the dealer orders the car from the factory. Some dealers may also consider buying a car from another dealer to be “in transit.”

Factory orders

If you buy a new car that is not in stock from the dealer, the dealer can order from the factory. When you buy a car, the dealer can see all the vehicles produced specifically for that dealer and modify one to match your purchase. Once built, the car will wait at the factory until delivery. Once the car leaves the factory, the vehicle is considered “in transit”. Most vehicles are driven by transport truck to the dealer. The dealer must update you on the condition of the car, as they can see the manufacturer’s data showing all the steps in the construction and delivery process.

Agent location

Another option for the dealer if they don’t have your particular car in stock is to buy it from another dealer and then sell it to you. Once approved by you, the dealer will locate the vehicle using the manufacturer’s computer program that allows dealers to view the inventory and vehicle information of all dealers in the country. Once you agree to buy the car and the two dealers have agreed on the sale, that vehicle is considered “transit” until it is delivered.

Time frame

The identification of the dealer location is faster than the order of the factory. Usually, the dealer only needs to send a delivery driver to another dealer to pick up the car and drive back, which can take up to a week. The order time of the factory may vary. Once the car has been built, many problems can hinder the delivery of the car, such as weather or market conditions. After the vehicle is transported, it may take several weeks to arrive.

Consider carefully

Dealers cannot rush the process of shipping factory orders. If your dealer tells you that your car is still in transit, then it can only be expected that car will arrive soon. If you don’t want to wait for the car to arrive, consider buying a car that the dealer has their lot of or buying at another dealer. Many of the manufacturer’s websites allow consumers to go to store dealerships to find a specific car. However, if you’ve made a deposit on factory orders or dealer reservations, find out if that deposit will be refunded before buying elsewhere.