R36 Arrival

[VW Convert]

We accept orders and use this to try and negotiate our allocations with the appropriate state managers. It's not an easy situation to be in but we do our best...well....I do anyway

Thanks for giving us a dealer's perspective sounds like a difficult situation to be in. I feel it doesn't say much about the way the VAG group does business. There have been numerous posts on this forum about poor service caused by either the organisational structure or culture within VAG. Leaves me with the feeling rightly or wrongly that they don't really give a stuff.

My 2 cents worth.

Cheers

George

[R36 Dreamer]

Ok here's the deal peoples and hopefully it'll end this silly little debate we've all been dragged into. Dealers which have cars on order and flagged as sold will be allowed to release the car pre-official launch. Cars ordered recently will be held off till after the official launch......sometime in August I gather. So go work out if yours falls in under the first category......if it does then you're home free.

It'll be more exclusive this way......handful or R36s on the road till August.

I fit under the first category and have been told today this will not be the case (despite being told differently previously).

Just out of interest which dealer are you using?

[Wyatt]

We haven't been given our allocation yet so we don't know what we can supply and therefore don't know when either. We accept orders and use this to try and negotiate our allocations with the appropriate state managers. It's not an easy situation to be in but we do our best...well....I do anyway

What's this talk about an "allocation"? Aren't these cars built as per the client's order? I was told that my car was being built as we speak and that my car was scheduled for shipping on June 22nd. Are you saying that this may not be "my" car but that it could end up in another dealer's "allocation"?

If so, why do we pre-order a car? I would think that there'd be no need for "negotiating" with state managers in this situation.

As to the date VWAG release the cars after they arrive in the country - well, that's another issue. But I would certainly hope that I'd be receiving the car that I'd pre-ordered as soon as it was physically possible.

[Wolves1877]

What's this talk about an "allocation"? Aren't these cars built as per the client's order?

That's what I thought but when I spoke to my dealer on Monday he mentioned that he's already had two interstate dealers call him to try and get hold of "my" car. He said it happens all the time with dealers negotiating to get hold of other dealers/clients cars.

[VW Convert]

That's what I thought but when I spoke to my dealer on Monday he mentioned that he's already had two interstate dealers call him to try and get hold of "my" car. He said it happens all the time with dealers negotiating to get hold of other dealers/clients cars.

Happened to me, ordered in early April for delivery end of June, was allocated a car that was on the boat after compromising on options. Went in to dealer to finalise arrangements a week before it was due only to be told it had only just come off the line. Took delivery in September......absolutely certain that someone else got the car that was allocated to me.

Lots of shenanigans with VW and their dealers!

Cheers

George

[Wolves1877]

it's these types of experiences that make me wonder whether I should stick with Audi and get the new A4 3.2 Quattro, but the Avant version won't be available until next year.

[Steve]

I reckon. Sell everything I own and buy a new RS6... HMM

[Wolves1877]

I'd be happy with an RS4 but the monthly repayment work out at over $3k on a 5 year lease!!!!

[OPVW]

Allocation is pretty easy.

Volkswagen Australia have to order 'x' amount of units for all sorts of reasons ..at last check it was around 200. I think this is the same for most manufacturers introducing a new model. Anyhow VGA order a multitude of cars for the country with a view to farm them out to dealers. Its up to us then to accept orders and do the following.
Place a factory order to ensure the car is being built as requested by the customer. If Volkswagen Australia then release details about our allocation and we find that we have a car being sent to us that matches a factory order we give the customer the option to have the same car they have ordered sooner.
With some new models we can order well in advance of the cars becoming public knowledge. I believe this was the case with the R50 and R36 and so we ordered several for our selves so that when orders starting coming in we knew exactly what we could supply in the inital launch phase.

Hope that makes sense...its a lot simpler than it seems. Let me know if you have questions though It simply comes down to us (at least at our dealership) trying to do everything we can to shorten you wait time for the car you want. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. In any case, if you have ordered a car then it is your car and only you have the option to pass it up for something sooner or later.

[R36 Dreamer]

Allocation is pretty easy.

Place a factory order to ensure the car is being built as requested by the customer. If Volkswagen Australia then release details about our allocation and we find that we have a car being sent to us that matches a factory order we give the customer the option to have the same car they have ordered sooner.
.

Thats not how I understand the process.

My car as ordered (which the dealer has given me the VIN for) was originally a biscay blue wagon with an auto roof.

I wanted a sunroof as well. The dealer advised that the order was submitted to VWA, and that the spec's I wanted could be changed up until VWA placed the order for my car with VWAG (end of Feb).

The same was the case with my GTI.

I know you are a dealer, however what you are saying is in direct contrast to what I have been told by my dealer - is he telling lies?

[R36 Dreamer]

Thats not how I understand the process.

My car as ordered (which the dealer has given me the VIN for) was originally a biscay blue wagon with an auto roof.

I wanted a sunroof as well. The dealer advised that the order was submitted to VWA, and that the spec's I wanted could be changed up until VWA placed the order for my car with VWAG (end of Feb).

The same was the case with my GTI.

I know you are a dealer, however what you are saying is in direct contrast to what I have been told by my dealer - is he telling lies?

I was also told there are only 2 R36's left in the current production run available for sale - a black and a silver one. Just in case anyone is interested. not sure on the specs or even if they are sedans or wagons.

[OPVW]

Orders placed in our NADCON ordering system 'sometimes' allow for modification of pretty much any factory option...roof..colour...trim etc etc.

At the time of order we sometimes get a VIN straight away...other times it can take up to a week.

Lets look at some examples...it's not a case of right or wrong...just different scenarios...eg.

------
You go to do dealer
you order car
dealer orders car
Factory receives order
factory builds car
dealer gets car
you get car

------

now what if it went this way

dealer orders car
factory builds car
you go to dealer
you order car
dealer has car
you get car
-------------------
now for allocation

volkswagen aust orders car
factory builds car
volkswagen aust gets car
option 1)
dealer wants car for stock
dealer orders car
dealer has car assigned to them
you got to dealer
dealer has car
you get car
option 2)
you go to dealer
you order car
order is placed
dealer calls volkswagen australia
dealer finds car that matches your order
dealer gets car
you get car

there are other situations but these are the most common.

In all cases though. If you order a car. Yes it is built for you. Its only if you want it sooner than the expected wait time that we have to look into other options.

[Wyatt]

This sounds like a pretty good explanation. Thanks!

[VW Convert]

This sounds like a pretty good explanation. Thanks!

But doesn't explain why my car disappeared into the abyss!

Cheers

George

[R36 Dreamer]

Orders placed in our NADCON ordering system 'sometimes' allow for modification of pretty much any factory option...roof..colour...trim etc etc.

At the time of order we sometimes get a VIN straight away...other times it can take up to a week.

Lets look at some examples...it's not a case of right or wrong...just different scenarios...eg.

------
You go to do dealer
you order car
dealer orders car
Factory receives order
factory builds car
dealer gets car
you get car

------

now what if it went this way

dealer orders car
factory builds car
you go to dealer
you order car
dealer has car
you get car
-------------------
now for allocation

volkswagen aust orders car
factory builds car
volkswagen aust gets car
option 1)
dealer wants car for stock
dealer orders car
dealer has car assigned to them
you got to dealer
dealer has car
you get car
option 2)
you go to dealer
you order car
order is placed
dealer calls volkswagen australia
dealer finds car that matches your order
dealer gets car
you get car

there are other situations but these are the most common.

In all cases though. If you order a car. Yes it is built for you. Its only if you want it sooner than the expected wait time that we have to look into other options.

Thanks for the detailed info.