The official I have ordered/received my new MKVI thread

[sek]

Well, i sent the dealer an email asking for an update and this was basically his response

"I have just heard from our stock control regarding the delivery times of your GTI. At this stage, it looks like it will be here in June or July. I know this is a big delay from what we first initially anticipated, so its up to you whether you are still happy to wait for the car"

So after reading that email i jumped onto this thread to see if other ppl are in the same boat...

[markwid]

Well, i sent the dealer an email asking for an update and this was basically his response

"I have just heard from our stock control regarding the delivery times of your GTI. At this stage, it looks like it will be here in June or July. I know this is a big delay from what we first initially anticipated, so its up to you whether you are still happy to wait for the car

In other words, they don't disclose the reason(s)...

So what do you think? Going to stick it out and wait?

[SilvrFoxX]

I don't understand why dealers just cant be honest to the client from the beginning... What a farce of an industry we work in.

Because the customer has come to expect thats the way it is.. it would take a cultural shift to drive a change in thinking. Given that the distribution arm is a seperate entity to the manufacturing and they are in competition with each other then the truth is always going to be on the flexible side.

I would suggest the key is transparency and as I am not a car dealer I can't see the challenges with that but from my experience it is all very process driven and too many hand offs and too little knowledge of what is going on to instill faith or confidence

[markwid]

I would suggest the key is transparency and as I am not a car dealer I can't see the challenges with that but from my experience it is all very process driven and too many hand offs and too little knowledge of what is going on to instill faith or confidence

+1. Leaving the customer guessing is not ideal. It would be nice if there is a strong confidence in the ETA. Right now, it is all up in the air.

[weewilly]

all this ETA business has reminded me of Bernie Powers, who after spending 10mil building a brewery in Qld and perfecting Powers Beer announced on the day of its launch that Powers hadn't produced enough of the golden nectar resulting in a shortage and no stock for 5 to 6 weeks. This created a huge demand, sales went through the roof after the 6 weeks, he eventually sold out to CU for 100mil. Bernie later confessed that at the time of the launch he had warehouses full of beer, that Powers in fact had over produced 10 fold. As a last ditch marketing plan, he told the public they couldn't have his product, thereby creating a huge demand knowing a fundamental human truth... 'I can't have therefore I want.' as a side note, the beer turned out to be crap, the brand was dropped by Carlton United.

[SilvrFoxX]

I reckon VW is doing the same to be quite frank.. keeping the both brand and product at a premium

[SilvrFoxX]

Without wanting to appear in defense of your brethren, the beauty of ignorance is vagueness without actually lying. Now if you know the outer limit of peoples patience is say 5 months and there is no evidence to support that there is anything to the contrary why not say that.

Now up until recently 5 months was about right so for the past 3 months it has been a truth, now the true extent of the problem is becoming apparent then to indicate less than 5 months is a lie.

[markwid]

It's probably better to just say I don't know when your car will arrive. It might be tomorrow, it might be 9 months.... Let's just play it by ear shall we.... Just sign here.... Thanks... I'll call you....

LOL! I think that is what is happening now.

[SilvrFoxX]

Oh I dunno anymore.... I give up.... It's probably better to just say I don't know when your car will arrive. It might be tomorrow, it might be 9 months.... Let's just play it by ear shall we.... Just sign here.... Thanks... I'll call you....

I would be more inclined to be truthful about the situation by saying these are limited volume cars and the wait time because of their exclusivity is quite long. Provide a range of 4 - 9 months based on current experience, this way the potential client knows what they are in for and why. Then the offer of an alternative, ie the GTI if indeed it is a shorter wait but again outline the availbility but then what is on offer in the holding yard.

I just think because Car sales seems a young mans game, expereince with communication and managing expectations is not a natural but bait and hook is..

[SilvrFoxX]

LOL! I think that is what is happening now.

Problem is that is true

[markwid]

Problem is that is true

I know. I maybe laughing out loud externally but actually crying inside.

Grrrr, much anxiety in waiting...

[Corey_R]

I would be more inclined to be truthful about the situation by saying these are limited volume cars and the wait time because of their exclusivity is quite long. Provide a range of 4 - 9 months based on current experience, this way the potential client knows what they are in for and why. Then the offer of an alternative, ie the GTI if indeed it is a shorter wait but again outline the availbility but then what is on offer in the holding yard.

I just think because Car sales seems a young mans game, expereince with communication and managing expectations is not a natural but bait and hook is..

Yeah well, that's what Dermot's trying to say is the right thing to do - but other dealers are "stealing sales" by not doing that.
When REXman and I ordered our Golf R's from Denlo on June 12th (day of launch), we were told Nov 30th right there and then. They were out by a week for REXman and two weeks for me, but yeah... not bad for an "ETA".
There were other members of the forums initially told 4 months! What the...

[sek]

Markwid, yes i'm going to stick it out. I assume you would too?

The delivery date was ALWAYS going to be June/July. If a dealer told you otherwise the you were mislead. Its almost daily now that a client tells me X dealership is quoting them 3 - 4 months for a factory order and we are quoting 5 - 6 months for the same order.... Only difference, we are being honest and realistic, dealer X is lying to secure a sale.... I don't understand why dealers just cant be honest to the client from the beginning... What a farce of an industry we work in.

Hi Dermot, my dealer did say realistically expect 5-6months (which i was preparing myself for since i've been viewing these forums for a long time now). Having ordered late in October and given the 5-6 months i was expecting April/May delivery at the time i though that was a decent time frame give or take. On my Order they listed down the ETA for February (at that point i was like "i hope so", but wasn't counting on it) but at the same time they said it will most probably be 5-6months which would make it April/May. I feel my dealer was being honest with me quoting 5-6months but obviously there is some other factor pushing the ETA to June/July.

What I don't understand is what is the point of listing down the "Estimated Delivery Date" (on the order) that is earlier than the 5-6months?

Are you aware of any such delays or are you able to divulge any such information?

[SilvrFoxX]

The ordering system would have provided him that estimate, he was giving you the realistic view verbally

[sek]

As far as i remember he entered in that February date himself. And yes he also gave me the realistic view verbally.