Register of unhappy Polo purchasers awaiting delivery...

[gavs]

Well in my office,everyone of the 21 of us are ca nuts and all are hanging out to see the gti when it finally gets here, but when I told them September as a date, they all shook their heads and all said "you would expect better from vw". If I could suddenly afford a Rs250 I would buy it in a heart beat and cancel my polo, but I can't afford that and I need a new car the size of the polo. The problem is,it really is a great car, as far as I am concerned, nothing else matches it, especially in it's price point.

Guys, get on facebook, twitter etc and sprea th word (I can't due to a crazy stalker that might find me again! ), I have a feeling I might be able to find the right people to get involved for a result. If we all keep sendin letters individually also, they might get so annoyed with us that they do something jus to shut us up, it works in every other form of business, why not with VWA?

[barrenjoey owl]

Well in my office,everyone of the 21 of us are ca nuts and all are hanging out to see the gti when it finally gets here, but when I told them September as a date, they all shook their heads and all said "you would expect better from vw". If I could suddenly afford a Rs250 I would buy it in a heart beat and cancel my polo, but I can't afford that and I need a new car the size of the polo. The problem is,it really is a great car, as far as I am concerned, nothing else matches it, especially in it's price point.

Guys, get on facebook, twitter etc and sprea th word (I can't due to a crazy stalker that might find me again! ), I have a feeling I might be able to find the right people to get involved for a result. If we all keep sendin letters individually also, they might get so annoyed with us that they do something jus to shut us up, it works in every other form of business, why not with VWA?

It wont work because VWA are simply distributers for head Office. they call only sell what they receive. Its VW HO who control the supply.

I will try and explain simply for you.

VWA do a sales forecast based on many factors and place orders to VW HO. All of the other subsideries around the world do the same.

Depending on the volume and specification of each countries orders and the availabilty of parts and supplys, flexibilty of distribution resources cars are built and distributed to each country.

if you think that they make each car individually when an order is placed you're going to be disappointed.

manufacturing is a complex process that you and your 21 mates don't seem to understand and is hardly a reliable sort of strategic thought.


Facebook and twitter wont do anything!

[Car25]

Acceptance of misinformation and poor service is a cop-out and simply not Australian. If we allow duck-shoving between VW HO, VW Australia, and dealers it will continue.

People can make a difference if they have the energy and creativity. You see evidence of this every day.

Give me a "Can do!" person over someone who says "Here are the 10 reasons why not" any day.

[BR @ ON]

... Give me a "Can do!" person over someone who says "Here are the 10 reasons why not" any day.

It takes a bit more than some "Can do!" individuals to make cars, not to mention it is so sought after!

But you have to thank god, VW do not market like Apple. at least they give you a realistic Estimate Time.

I said that because I had quoted waiting of 2 months, and got it in 1.5

[gavs]

It wont work because VWA are simply distributers for head Office. they call only sell what they receive. Its VW HO who control the supply.

I will try and explain simply for you.

VWA do a sales forecast based on many factors and place orders to VW HO. All of the other subsideries around the world do the same.

Depending on the volume and specification of each countries orders and the availabilty of parts and supplys, flexibilty of distribution resources cars are built and distributed to each country.

if you think that they make each car individually when an order is placed you're going to be disappointed.

manufacturing is a complex process that you and your 21 mates don't seem to understand and is hardly a reliable sort of strategic thought.


Facebook and twitter wont do anything!

You mention that VWA do a sales forcast. That is correct, but they have a flog doing it because they keep screwing it up!! World car of the year will only sell 30-35 vehicles per month around the country?! You have to be kidding me!!

Facebook and twitter won't do anything? Except alerting people who do not have access to this forum to what is going on. If facebook won't do anything, please explain how the nerd that started it is now one of the richest people in the world and companies use it to aid in the spread of information every day, i.e Amarok facebook page, Polo GTI facebook page....

Look, the more I read your posts barrenjoey owl, the more I start to think that you might be affiliated to VWA head office, either that or you are just a bitter person, so please stop posting negative feedback in this thread, all you are doing is inciting more negativity and we are getting plenty of that already from the useless turds who sit in their little VW offices in sydney with their thumb up their a**e!

Please stop posting in this thread unless you have something constructive to say that will help.

[Car25]

Can we think of some specific actions we can take? I'm thinking here of brainstorming all ideas and then deciding which may actually make a difference. If we started with 10 ideas then implemented, say, 4...one may actually get through to those who actually matter.

[noone]

World car of the year will only sell 30-35 vehicles per month around the country?! You have to be kidding me!!

Is that the actual VWA forecast or what we are allocated? Aust is pretty low on the priority list, we move very few units compared to other countries

[dave_r]

Making VWA aware of your concerns can make a difference. Many of us voiced our issue directly to VWA when they announced early last year that the Golf R would be available in 5 door only. That decision was reversed and we all got our 3 doors. Might have been a stunt etc but we complained and they responded.

However they can't do much about delivery delays in a short space of time. Demand is increasing and they need to secure more stock from Germany. But doesn't seem to be exclusive to AU. Once the models go on sale in the USA, things will only get worse I suspect.

From memory I waited Apr/May to Sep for the Polo and May/June to Dec for the R. I said plenty of times that I'd vote with my feet and go elsewhere but the reality was, elsewhere meant accepting an inferior product I didn't really want.

So by all means write a letter but don't expect a result in the near future, it just isn't that easy.

[gavs]

From memory I waited Apr/May to Sep for the Polo and May/June to Dec for the R. I said plenty of times that I'd vote with my feet and go elsewhere but the reality was, elsewhere meant accepting an inferior product I didn't really want.

Dave, you have hit the nail fair and square on the head. If I wanted a car that would fall apart and catch fire, while in the process of not being as good to drive, or as fast, as a Polo GTI, I would buy the Alfa MiTo sport model, Suzuki Swift sport is nowhere near the Polo in terms of performance of refinement, the Peugeot 207, my GF has one and the french are kidding when they say all their models are "sporting in their dynamic setup".

I want a Polo GTI, simple as that, but when the dealers aren't being helped by Head Office to make that happen, I am going to ask head office "Why not?", simple as that.

[pologti18t]

You mention that VWA do a sales forcast. That is correct, but they have a flog doing it because they keep screwing it up!! World car of the year will only sell 30-35 vehicles per month around the country?! You have to be kidding me!!

How can they supply a "sales forecast" when then is no such thing as a standard spec Polo GTI?

They need to prune the options list and reduce the number of possible build combinations. Only then will VWA be able to take a gamble on what cars to forward order (without a direct customer order).

2 suggestions: Ditch the factory fit rcd510 upgrade (make it dealer fit). Make the comfortpack standard or ditch it.

[dave_r]

I am going to ask head office "Why not?", simple as that.

Yep and fair enough. It's better than complaining on a forum where nothing could be done. But don't expect miracles when you do.

[Car25]

The idea "They need to prune the options list and reduce the number of possible build combinations" makes a lot of sense if combined with more capacity to "do stuff" at the dealer end.

[GTI JOE]

I have a slightly different tac. Rather than send a complaint about production numbers for POLO GTIs to VGA (who are inept), I went straight to "El Capitano", the CEO of the Volkswagen Group Mr Martin Winterkorn. He can be reached at martin.winterkorn@audi.de . The following is what I sent:

Dear Martin,

I am writing to you today to try to obtain an answer as to why there is such a delay in production of Polo GTIs for Australia. I have approached Volkswagen Australia and they have advised me that the delay is due to the Wolfsburg Headquarters in Germany not allowing them to submit their orders until certain production requirements are established. There are many unhappy customers here in Australia that find these extreme delays totally unacceptable, and I know of many who have cancelled their orders. I ordered my Polo GTI in early December 2010 and do not have a build date, let alone a delivery date. Would you be able to advise me on when production runs for Australia will be commencing? as Volkswagen Australia do not know and somehow think that estimated delivery dates will be around August-September 2011. I am certain you agree that this is a very long time to wait for a car. Any assistance or information would be greatly appreciated.

For your information, my order is still with Volkswagen Australia and has not changed status on their database. The Polo GTI is a great vehicle and I am very much looking forward to owning one, whenever it arrives, hopefully sooner than later.

Hope this gets the ball rolling, at least have a go

[MYGTI']

I have a slightly different tac. Rather than send a complaint about production numbers for POLO GTIs to VGA (who are inept), I went straight to "El Capitano", the CEO of the Volkswagen Group Mr Martin Winterkorn. He can be reached at martin.winterkorn@audi.de . The following is what I sent:

Dear Martin,

I am writing to you today to try to obtain an answer as to why there is such a delay in production of Polo GTIs for Australia. I have approached Volkswagen Australia and they have advised me that the delay is due to the Wolfsburg Headquarters in Germany not allowing them to submit their orders until certain production requirements are established. There are many unhappy customers here in Australia that find these extreme delays totally unacceptable, and I know of many who have cancelled their orders. I ordered my Polo GTI in early December 2010 and do not have a build date, let alone a delivery date. Would you be able to advise me on when production runs for Australia will be commencing? as Volkswagen Australia do not know and somehow think that estimated delivery dates will be around August-September 2011. I am certain you agree that this is a very long time to wait for a car. Any assistance or information would be greatly appreciated.

For your information, my order is still with Volkswagen Australia and has not changed status on their database. The Polo GTI is a great vehicle and I am very much looking forward to owning one, whenever it arrives, hopefully sooner than later.

Hope this gets the ball rolling, at least have a go

Good Work! Keep us updated.

[gavs]

GTI Joe, that is a good method, if teh CEO gets inundated with complaint letters from "Ze far off southern land" who he personally earmarked as a major growth market for VW, including Commercial vehicles, we might get a decent answer...... Maybe.....