I can only tell you, my point of view/experience. I have NEVER got the car I really wanted, I have always settled. :banghead: This time I am not settling, I am getting the car of my Dreams.
So it was very, very important to me that the whole experience be the best it could possibly be.
So when the first dealer started priming me to pay over MSRP. I split there.
When the second Dealer told me they could not order a car specifically for me, and that the only way they would not load it up with extras, was if I pay for it in advanced. I 86'd them as well.
The third dealer would not commit to not loading it up and would only say they had a few people with deposits on there list when I later found out they had there whole allocation reserved.
Finally people on the list were talking about a dealer 420 miles away that was acting like a Saturn Dealer. I put a deposit down with them and they have been fantastic, I have not got my car yet, but I am sure they are going to make it a fantastic experience. To me it is worth it not to put up with :bs: and not to rationalize it is okay to be treated poorly because I want my car now.
I am holding out for a Redline so I know I won't get my car until October or November. Some time the wait drives me :willy: :crazy::willy:
However, I look at like this.
1) I am going to have the car a long time and will have plenty of chances to drive it with the top down. It is not like this the only summer I will have a chance.
2) There are only going to be 10,000 built this year. That averages 200 a state not counting the ones that are going to go to Canada. CA and Texas will probably get more maybe 250 to 500 each? So by the time I get my Sky I will still enjoy all the awes and oohs from people who never seen it before.
For me the quality of the experience is more important then timeliness of the experience.
As for your situation I would offer to pay for it when it comes, once you pay for it, they cannot keep it. Do not sign in writing to allow them to keep the car. I do not know legalities, but I personally would not have a problem letting them think they are going to keep it to complete the sale and then say Oops! I changed my mind.
They want to act like that ---- them!