With relatively low numbers coming it must be difficult predicting which trim level will be in highest demand.
A ship takes approx 40 days port to port from Japan, so hopefully January and even February stock is already at sea and assured.
But how will they prioritise deliveries? . Dealers must be struggling to survive with little stock to sell and I cant blame them for selling an ex demonstrator etc over list price if supply and demand makes it possible. The customer can take it or leave it.
But its probably naïve to assume some dealers wont register extra 'demonstrators' with the express intention of selling them above list price , Two with 2000 miles rather than one with 4000 miles. And some might use stock promised to other customers. This may be with the approval of Honda.
But its may not be fair to blame a particular Honda dealer . All new car dealerships may be doing it to some extent, selling through third parties rather than off their own forecourt. There could be a merry go round of cars registered to other dealerships, Honda UK etc . You would assume its surplus stock obtained elsewhere rather than the actual car you had been promised last month.
When I briefly looked at a VW dealership they had 3 new Polo Beats on the forecourt. There was an independent car dealer standing next to one, on the phone to his partner deciding whether to buy all three. Next time I looked they had gone. Those were on show but many such deals must happen behind the scenes. If they think they can do a quick deal with mates in the trade and still have you waiting your turn for delivery my guess is many will do so.