With our dealer, everything was locked in  and signed at time of
order. Don't know if that's universal, though.

-- Larry

you don't have control over, are the only two variables with a lease.
I plan to order a configured car, which will take about two months to
come in.  During those two months the money factor can fluctuate.  How
much can it fluctuate though?

The way pre ordering works is that you put up $1000.  That goes toward
a down payment.  Say the MSRP is $35000 and I negotiate $34600, a very
practical price.  Is that negotiation done at the time of signing or
once the car comes in?   If the dealer shows me monthly cost during
signing using the current money factor, those cost won't be valid once
the car arrives...since the new money factor will be used.  The dealer
could then increase the money factor even if it actually goes down.  I
won't know if he did it or if it was natural and don't have any
control over that part.  Can anyone comment on how it works?

Thanks,
Brett