R8 order frustrations in USA.

[RXBG]

audi is upsetting a lot of people with its lack of info on the product and delivery times and allocations of the R8. i understand they cannot inform of us of everything, but when your dealer tells you constantly that they have one or two allocations and that one of them will be here in "the fall", that they have no idea about upcoming option availability, that AOA doesn't "tell us anything"... then well, it gets really frustarting.

their sad excuse for a dedicated customer support line was decent at first, but now is practically non-existent. they provide no support, just jumbled up information and they never call you back as promised.

my last call to the USA R8 support line was last week. the girl talked to me like she was reading from a B-movie script, every question i asked was answered with a "please contact your dealer", and get this.......... with a thumbing through of what it seems was an R8 catalog, like the one i have, since she read off of it while pretending to speak from memory. i could hear the pages being turned. very sad.

after i insisted on her inquiring about the alcantara headliner she told me it came in brilliant red or phantom black. i don't think she had a CLUE. she put me on hold for about 2 minutes and came back and told me that it would cost 2K in the USA. i inquired about the full LED headlights and she told me it had full LED lights. but only in the rear.

W T F

i think AOA just sold itself out to the numbers game. it could care less about the grass roots of its buyership- yes- the ones who feed its belly by buying FWD A4s- and is focusing more on the fact that the R8 is popular and that they'll all be sold so they'll make their money.

you know what audi? the people you piss off now won't be there to bail you out if you go downhill again. and those are the people that put you on top of the hill.

[Mr Balsen]

I think Audi completely underestimated the success of the Audi R8.
In Germany, the yearly quota for 2007 was sold in one day ! ! ! !
In France, they have also many orders pending for 2008....

Frederic

[sechsgang]

we have a deposit down as of tomorrow and will be #7 on the list of a 3 car allocation...we will have to most likely wait a year PLUS to even see our car...

[chewym]

A bit OT, but check out the test numbers for the R8 in the August R&T.

[Benman]

audi is upsetting a lot of people with its lack of info on the product and delivery times and allocations of the...


you know what audi? the people you piss off now won't be there to bail you out if you go downhill again. and those are the people that put you on top of the hill.

Welcome to May-July 2003!!! LOL!!!

You are experiencing nothing new to what the previous "Audi Flagship" US buyers went through 4 years ago.

Part of the reason I'm in no great hurry to run out and spend uber big $$$ on another Audi.

Ben

[sechsgang]

we have a deposit down as of tomorrow and will be #7 on the list of a 3 car allocation...we will have to most likely wait a year PLUS to even see our car...

I lied...number 4 now...

[KiwiRS4]

Sounds like its interesting to own an Audi in the US of A. Here in New Zealand we get very well looked after by the distributor - EMD. I was first on the list for the car after I saw the concept car a couple of years ago. They have always kept me there and my dealer - Continental Car Services is fricking awesome.

Mark Bycroft who is the Audi manager keeps me updated by text message or phone calls whenever they have new info. I also point out new info from this site and he passes it on to all his other customers.

There are a total of 12 cars coming into NZ this year and thats completely sold out as are the 12 that are coming in for next year. I even have my chassis number on file already and know that the ship arrives here on the 27th of November.

Cheers

Ned

[Audihead]

I'm with Ben. I waited 18 Months for my RS4. I wish you all a good wait, god speed with your orders. Everyone that wants a rare Audi has to wait. Also, think @ all those poor saps waiting for their Ferrari 599 (Almost 2 years). It's not only Audi.

[RXBG]

you guys are right about the wait being a necessary thing when the demand outnumbers supply. that is very reasonable.

however, when the wait order does not reflect proper triaging of those who are waiting then the wait becomes an unhappy one. ferrari triages quite well, consistently, and fairly, rewarding previous customers accordingly. audi does not. it has been 4 years since the RS6. they should know better.

[Benman]

... it has been 4 years since the RS6. they should know better.

Aha, but see, now you are assuming they actually learn from past history.

And yes, the Ferrari wait is worse. True, they may triage better, but Audi does first come, first serve vs how many previous cars you bought. I kinda like the first come first serve basis better, but the previous owner rewards system has its merits as well.

Ben

[RXBG]

Aha, but see, now you are assuming they actually learn from past history.

And yes, the Ferrari wait is worse. True, they may triage better, but Audi does first come, first serve vs how many previous cars you bought. I kinda like the first come first serve basis better, but the previous owner rewards system has its merits as well.

Ben

i am curious as to why you'd prefer a system that doesn't reward fidelity. rewarding fidelity doesn't imply a punishment of those that have not been as "faithful" to the brand, it simply rewards previous relationships. no castigation involved.

as long as the reward system doesn't corrupt itself it is the most reasonable way.

[Benman]

i am curious as to why you'd prefer a system that doesn't reward fidelity.

I'm all for fidelity when it comes to marriage.

For dealerships, there is nothing wrong with rewarding loyalty, that is not what I'm saying. It is just that if there is a person who has bought, let's say, 5 Audis from the same dealer, and is asked if he'd like the all new R8, his response is "I really like it, but I'll need time to think it over...". Now, we get a gentelman who comes in the day before and asks if he can put down a deposit on the R8 as it will be his very first Audi and he is converting from Porsche (Andy, please, no hate mail). The dealer is all too happy to take his money (say a $5K deposit) and off the gentleman goes being told he is the very first person that will be getting his R8 at said dealer. A week later, another puts down a deposit. Two weeks later, yet another.

Now we come back to our 5 Audi guy. A month after the third person has already put his deposit down, he informs the salesman that he indeed has made up his mind and will purchase his 6th Audi from said dealer.

Under my system, he is now 4th on the line. Under yours, he is now first and all the others get bumped back one spot. Please don't get me wrong. There is no "right" system. I just prefer the first come, first serve. Nothing more. The person who had the strongest desire and who commits first, should (IMHO) get their car first. For me, someone who has bought many Audis in the past should not be guaranteed a front spot even if he takes long to make up his ind. Now, if they both put a deposit down at the same time, yes, gentleman who has more history should get the nod. Again, I don't think one way is right, the other wrong, just my opinion.


Ben

PS. I can sympathize with your waiting anxiety as I've experienced it first hand. You'll get through this, I promise, just hang in there.

[RXBG]

ben, your example is a good one b/c it highlights a potential cause of problems in the "fidelity" system. but your example assumes that any dealer of x car would carry said car. i actually agree that first come should be first served, generally speaking (since i think a limited prod car should have a small percentage of units reserved for repeat customers who may vacillate at first). but in this audi system, where ANYONE who put a deposit down at a dealer who did not end up getting the car gets shafted. they are stuck getting in the back of the line at a dealer who will get the car.

to me, this is shockingly bad. and as you can see, it hurts both the faithful AND unfaithful audi buyership.

[Benman]

to me, this is shockingly bad. and as you can see, it hurts both the faithful AND unfaithful audi buyership.

RXBG

You are correct, hence why I don't think there is a right or wrong way.

However, even though what you are saying is true, i.e., potential "flipper" could be looming, putting down deposits with no intention of buying and therefor screwing the "faithful", same action could be taken of the Audi "faithful". He too could put down deposits and if he didn't want to buy it, he too could "flip" the car for a profit (which although I have no issue with, I understand you do).

And second, an easy way for any dealer to combat this situation, would be to clearly state that they are first come first serve and taking deposits, but they will not honor someone who is "sold" their spot, therefor eliminating the "flipping" altogether.

And third (and an even more radical solution) would be for said dealer to offer first come, first serve non refundable deposits, therfor completely eliminating non serious buyers.

There are always solutions on the free market.

Ben

[RXBG]

i am sure i could design a near perfect system. it is very feasible imo. i would definitely incorporate an "honor" or "reputation" system within an audi database- likely secret- that would not reward audi faithful who screw everyone over by selling the car as soon as they bought it. the next time a hot car came by they'd be at the bottom of the totem pole.

sure, someone would pay the price unjustly- maybe the guy who had to sell the car against his will two months after he bought it because he had to get money to pay for breast cancer bills for his wife, etc..... but it would be a hell of a lot better than the non existent sytem in place right now.

i'm biting the bullet on this one. what else can i do?

[Benman]

i am sure i could design a near perfect system.

i'm biting the bullet on this one. what else can i do?

My, aren't we humble?

Short of the Almighty or His Son, I'm not sure anyone has all the answers.

As said in other posts, I've been engaged in catching up on all of Murray Rothbard's work on a complete system of ethics and liberty. He has fanscinating viewpoints. He admits that although his view is not perfection itself, it would be by far the best system compared to what we currently have.

And also, keep in mind that in a truely free market place, any dealer would be free to adopt any and all "systems" including those you advocate. For that matter they could freely discriminate at will (great for keeping out BMW owners... ).

As for biting the bullet, yep, that is all you can do. Hang in there, soon enough it will all be over and you'll be

Ben

[Audihead]

Does anyone know if Audi is going to make the first wave of buyers sign a non-filp agreement? My dealer isn't sure how many they will be able to get, they already have 40 people or so on their waiting list. How could Audi underestimate the popularity of vehicle by such a wide margin?

[KiwiRS4]

Here in NZ Audi decided that there will only be four dealers in the country who you can buy an R8 from as those dealers made the decision to invest in the dedicated part of the showroom for the R8, sending mechanics over to training courses etc etc.