I don't know your story, but I'm sure you already knew that ordering a new car isn't the cheapest route to take.
Probably not, but there were not too many base cars around at the time, and any available were black (most dealers, unless they are HUGE volume stores, EXCLUSIVELY order in fully loaded to the hilt cars).
I also did not want a car which was test driven, or a salesman's demo, for many miles, if that is what's needed in order to get a deep discount.
It was more MY given circumstance at that time which kept me from permanently walking out the door on car delivery day, and catching a train for Baltimore and Koons (the car rental places were all closed by then, and I
urgently needed the car for that weekend anyway).
I want to add to this that a used FiST was pretty much out of reach for me as well, since the 10% to 15% interest loans offered for used cars (even WITH the BIG down payment I did not have) would have more than make up for the cost of the even not all that discounted new car with a 0% interest Ford loan, with ZERO down payment required.