This is my first time ordering a car, so sorry if dumb question -- I'm really not sure how this works.
I put down a deposit at my local dealership; the SA says I'm #5 on the waitlist and I should get it <10 months and will be a 992.1.
He said to check back again next year 2024 Feb. But if rumors that 992.2 configurator will be out in Jan, how do I even custom build a 992.1?

 

If by the time your allocation is being built Porsche is building the 992.2 generation, that's what you'd get. You've put your despot down for a 911, not necessarily a 992.1 or 992.2; it'll be whatever is being produced at that time.

 

Being number 5 doesn't mean you get the fifth allocation. Unless you pay a nice ADM or have a desirable trade, you will get bumped by those who do.
I would print out the choices on the configurator in case the 992.2 is up when you get called.

 

Dealer will roll your request onto their .2 list whenever there is no more VIP demand at their store at the moment that they have an allocation to spare to you. They will populate your options into a .2 as closely as possible and the dealer will ask you whether you are still interested and if so to revise it. Same thing happens on the My Porsche website when you have a saved build of a prior model and you choose to open it in the configurator.

 

10mo from now seems likely to be 992.2, historically the factory retools in August so I'd expect the latest 992.1s to be delivered in September following ~July build dates.

But there's no way to know for sure whether that pattern will hold.