GTI Build Dates - Anyone got one yet?

[monkeyhanger]

Just got off the phone with VW CS after i sent an e-mail asking if they'd sorted the windscreen wipers out yet as i didn't want to wait 7 months and then be in and out of the dealers for something that could've been addressed! they've had "a couple of reports but not many" but thats for another thread!

My BW has slipped another week to 37 although tell me it should go confirmed within the next 10 days!? we'll see!!

Jimble: You rang them up and they pressed the "delay 1 week" button. If you're week 37, you'll be hearing week 33 (2nd week in Aug). Only ones who have had 7 weeks confirmation are those that bridged the shutdown period within 4 production weeks of it happening.

[mcmaddy]

Well, its ok for some.  I wasn't totally happy with the p/x I was quoted so elected to revisit it nearer delivery time (and they were discussing p/x value for 1st August so that tells you what delivery time they were telling me I'd get when I ordered).  My p/x is losing £250 a month and will easily cost me £1000 by the time I take delivery.

Its actually hardly worth me trading my car in.  The p/x value is dropping much faster than what the car is really worth I'm sure the dealer will be very happy to take it off my hands for even less.  But if I keep it and give it to the wife thats another £6k I've got to find for the GTI.  The dealer doesn't really care.  They just say "well, we never offer a guaranteed delivery time and this happens on every new model so..."  Right.  So what?  So I should have expected this?  So why the hell did you assure me that delivery would be end of July then?

I can say right now that this experience means I will not buy from VW again without an agreement in writing stating the expected delivery date and what compensation (such as p/x) will be offered if the delivery should slip.

Oh, and I'm now told I'm on BW36, still not confirmed though.

Maybe taking them up on a fixed p/x at point of ordering based on 01 August value was the better thing to. Yes it was going to be low, but at least it wouldn't get any lower in the meantime and your equity in the car would actually increase from point of ordering (assuming you're still financing it). Benfield's visit was the first time I'd ever been proposed a variable p/x dependent on delivery time. Do you have the option of reverting back to what they originally were offering you for your p/x based on Aug delivery?

Did you know that if delivery time exceeds 20 weeks from order, the dealership can apply for "compensation" from VW UK for losses associated with depreciating part-ex vehicles? My dealer mentioned this to me. Not sure if there are stringent terms like it only applies when the p/x is a VAG car.

I asked about this 20 weeks compensation and its 20 weeks from confirmed build week now and not point of order. At least thats what VW UK have told me and Mick.

[Bill_the_Bear]

I asked about this 20 weeks compensation and its 20 weeks from confirmed build week now and not point of order. At least thats what VW UK have told me and Mick.

So... if it takes 16 weeks (lets say) from date order placed until date BW confirmed... you could be waiting 36 weeks from order and they don't consider the delivery to be late?  Not very reasonable is it?  That's a 8.5 month lead time!

[mcmaddy]

as I was told and I quote ”you'll get your car when you get your car and when we say so ”

[Gordor]

as I was told and I quote ”you'll get your car when you get your car and when we say so ”

No way...that is outrageous!! 

[RikWebb]

as I was told and I quote ”you'll get your car when you get your car and when we say so ”

and the flip side "I'm the customer, I want my car and I want it now!" 

[SRGTD]

I asked about this 20 weeks compensation and its 20 weeks from confirmed build week now and not point of order. At least thats what VW UK have told me and Mick.

So... if it takes 16 weeks (lets say) from date order placed until date BW confirmed... you could be waiting 36 weeks from order and they don't consider the delivery to be late?  Not very reasonable is it?  That's a 8.5 month lead time!

I can fully appreciate and understand the frustration you guys are feeling. This seems to be pretty much a repeat of the experience of many mk6 owners and the loooooooong delays and waiting periods between ordering, the factory accepting the order and getting a confirmed build week. I had a 35 week wait from time of ordering and taking delivery  ordered mid Oct 2010, dealer indicated delivery around March/April 2011, finally took delivery mid July 2011.

Are VW bothered about customers experiencing long waiting periods and build weeks being put back? Of course they're not. Because of the limited build slots and dealer allocation, VW know that if a customer cancels an order there'll be many other potential customers ready to take their build slot or the cancelled order if the order has been locked down in the system. I think it's disgusting though that they tell you 'you'll have your car when we say so'. That's disgraceful behaviour!

I also enquired about the free loan car. At the time, I seem to remember the criteria for having a loan car was 20 weeks from the time the factory accepted the order, not 20 weeks from time of getting a confirmed build date.

I didn't get a loan car, but I negotiated with the dealer for them to cover the cost most of my maintenance my car needed during the extended waiting period (cambelt, MOT and half the cost of a service), plus they honoured the part ex price quoted to me at time of order, so I had a few months cheap motoring! And VW sent me an accessories voucher shortly after I took delivery for the grand sum of .............£30 (wow!)

Really frustrating I know, but hang in there; I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

[matchboy]

When I last spoke to the very helpful chap at the VW Executive office he confirmed that the loan car is available 20 weeks from the order date.  Therefore if, using me as an example, I'm looking at 22 weeks from point of order to delivery I could get a courtesy car for 2 weeks. This is your right and part of the VW terms & conditions.

[mcmaddy]

its probably no good for people with trade ins as all the dealer will do is say keep your trade in until the new car arrives.

[Bill_the_Bear]

as I was told and I quote ”you'll get your car when you get your car and when we say so ”

and the flip side "I'm the customer, I want my car and I want it now!" 

I've not heard anyone on here say that (except in jest).  The contention is two fold:

1. Estimates given before ordering have now proven to be wildly optimistic, further, VW seem unable or unwilling to proved revised estimates of any degree of accuracy.  Essentially this amounts to saying there is a delay of unknown length on our orders.

2. The sequence of orders moving to build confirmed has no relation to the order date, thus while some wait and wait and wait for an undetermined period of time others place new orders which get served first.

Both of the above are legitimate issues.  Saying "it's ready when its ready" is discourteous and extremely bad customer relations practice.