Here is my take :
a) any configuration can always be ordered -
b) there are usually no incentives for a new model with demand - in fact, expect to see dealer mark ups
c) they will try to confuse you with the trade offer when you buy - that is part of their game . However, although you will receive less, you do t have to deal with the sell to private party adventure.
d) if you can wait a year - do so. No dealer mark ups, and possibly incentives - in fact the best strategy is to buy a leftover 2021 at end of year .
This is why I advice people to do a few things:
1: Shop around when it comes to dealerships. A few hours making phone calls can net you dealerships that don't charge doc fees, prep fees, no ADMs, and may even sell below MSRP. There is a dealership 4 hours away from me that is selling Broncos below MSRP, no ADMs, doc fees half what they are locally, no prep fees, and they deliver. This alone saves around $3500 for people in my area which is why many switched their Bronco orders to them. (Dealerships in the same auto group here are charging $1000 ADM + $700 in doc fees).
2: Read up on the Four Square thing.
Edmunds (Linked) and
Consumer Reports (Linked) both have articles on how this is a numeric version of the "Three Card Monty" game. And once you understand it, you will see its basically a legalized scam. The best defense is to get an appraisal for your trade and preapproved for financing before you ever set foot in a dealership. Knowing your trade value and financing beforehand often ties the dealerships hands.
3: Use their game against them. You know how they always ask you to sign saying you want "this config at this price" somewhere in the process? Get them to sign the order sheet (its implied, but not guaranteed unless it has someone there sign it) on the price you pay before TTT and add-ons. This pretty much locks in the price. Where I live, if the ADM is NOT written on the build sheet and signed by both parties, they cannot add it later. The ONLY things that they can add over the price on the sheet is Tax, Title, Tag and doc fees. Other stuff like extended coverages, accessories, etc., are optional and require your consent.
4: Don't let them turn it into a hostage situation. I've seen dealerships block customer cars in the parking lot, and in one case appraise it but never bring it back out front to suggest you're now committed to the deal because your trade is 'in processing' before you agreed to sell it to them. Once they offer to appraise it, refuse to continue until your car is back out front and keys in your hand. If you walk away from the deal, they are obligated to give you back your vehicle and any attempt to withhold it to force you into the deal is against the law (at least where I live, it constitutes a form of "detainment for coercion" which is an illegal sales tactic that cost one owner both of his dealerships here a few years ago).
5: Verify the terms before you sign anything. Back to that Four Square thing - One of the tactics to 'lower the payment' is to extend the term at the same or 'nominally lower' rate, which also means more interest paid in the end even though the out of pocket monthly is lower. They often write this on the paper but don't call it out that you went from 60 to72 or 84 months. You can't say they didn't tell you because its there in writing to protect them legally even though they try to get you to not look at it. I personally go for the lowest interest rate paid regardless of payment, and if the payment is a bit much, I look into refi once I get home. And to refinance an existing loan you can often get better terms than what you were offered on the original loan since its moving an existing debt, not adding one.
And Kemosaabe is right: Watch market sales for end of model year and key waves (i.e buy convertibles in the fall since demand is low and so is price, sell in the spring - demand is high so you can get more), etc.
