Ask for dealer swap OR negotiate directly with remote dealer?

In fact, most deposits don't come attached to any sort of guarantee that the dealer will sell a particular vehicle to you at all. Really, it's a show of good faith by way of a consideration on your part that you'll buy the vehicle, not that they'll sell it to you. Most people think that the commitment swings both ways, but it doesn't unless you've put something on paper. The fact that you've put your money where your mouth is should act as a deterrent from them selling it out from under you, but if there exists an opportunity for them to make enough money on doing that to risk losing your and anybody's you're willing to tell about it business (probably) forever, they might do it.

All that said, unless you're doing something to make the sale really difficult or you're trying to buy something that's really hot, it's not likely to become an issue. Tacomas aren't exactly unobtanium nor so popular that they're flying off shelves for thousands over list. Your story about a custom configuration Porsche almost being lost to a jackhole with disposable income, though? I'd absolutely believe that happened. Same thing with Dodge dealers selling the various Challenger Hellcats for half-again over list (or more!) with them barely grazing the showroom floor before their new owners are busily turning high octane gasoline and tires into noise and smoke.

 

Glad I am in a small market where we know the owner and salespeople. Our deposits hold the deal for usually 5 days and signed by both parties. If anyone tried to back out of a deal because someone offered a bunch more. They would be ran out of town. We had a couple ford dealerships trying to pull stunts and ford pulled their dealership license.