MK8 latest info

[TonyJ]

Hi all,

Linked to Panelpin's question ...

Based on experience, if the GTI, GTD and GTE are launched at Geneva in early March, when would they be open to order in the UK ?
May / June ?

[mcmaddy]

Probably available to order from April/May with first deliveries somewhere from September onwards. R will be early next year would imagine.

[fredgroves]

Having had yet another run in with my dealer today because they’re useless, the Dealer Principal said no performed model deliveries until mid q4

I've been saying it before on here, you aren't seeing them on the road until December at the earliest.

That's not because of some insider knowledge I have - its because I've seen enough VW delivery timelines now to be able to predict their sluggish response.

[Brenbo]

Having had yet another run in with my dealer today because they’re useless, the Dealer Principal said no performed model deliveries until mid q4

I've been saying it before on here, you aren't seeing them on the road until December at the earliest.

That's not because of some insider knowledge I have - its because I've seen enough VW delivery timelines now to be able to predict their sluggish response.

I second Fredgroves response.  You can expect upto and over half a year for build/delivery timescales in some cases.  I ordered a GTI Mk7 when it was first released in 2013, and it took between 5 to 6 months from order to delivery.  It was the same case with my Golf R in 2016 as well and this was not just released.  I would say some of us have been lucky to get faster build timescales, but this is due to certain variables falling in to place such as minimal options specified, location of the dealer, whether you was lucky to get on the current order quota of the dealer.  But even if you order from the factory, then you can expect north of 3-4 months in most cases best case scenario on average.  Its just how VW work.  Oh and if you want a quicker delivery time avoid ordering so August falls inside your build slot, as they shut down for a few weeks in August, adding even more time to your build slot. 

[Hertsman]

Having had yet another run in with my dealer today because they’re useless, the Dealer Principal said no performed model deliveries until mid q4

I've been saying it before on here, you aren't seeing them on the road until December at the earliest.

That's not because of some insider knowledge I have - its because I've seen enough VW delivery timelines now to be able to predict their sluggish response.

I second Fredgroves response.  You can expect upto and over half a year for build/delivery timescales in some cases.  I ordered a GTI Mk7 when it was first released in 2013, and it took between 5 to 6 months from order to delivery.  It was the same case with my Golf R in 2016 as well and this was not just released.  I would say some of us have been lucky to get faster build timescales, but this is due to certain variables falling in to place such as minimal options specified, location of the dealer, whether you was lucky to get on the current order quota of the dealer.  But even if you order from the factory, then you can expect north of 3-4 months in most cases best case scenario on average.  Its just how VW work.  Oh and if you want a quicker delivery time avoid ordering so August falls inside your build slot, as they shut down for a few weeks in August, adding even more time to your build slot.

Third that as well, my present is my 5th VW and 3rd MK 7/7.5 and the release patterns are pretty set

[fredgroves]

And I still don't understand it after all these years - I can't think of any large OEM that has anything like the *routine* lead times as a factory VAG order (and all performance models are factory orders unless its ex-demo or a cancelled order hijacked mid flight).

There has to be a reason why, but its clearly not anything obvious like cost reduction because otherwise the others would be doing it too (any significant innovation around processes is copied by your competitors unless its patented).

It almost seems like its just bloody mindedness from VW/Audi (don't know about SEAT and Skoda) which has to result in a fair number of customers simply walking away.

[SRGTD]

Same situation applied with the current Polo. Early adopters of the Polo GTI and GTI+ were experiencing lead times of typically 8-10 months, and some waited longer. And the 8-10 months wait was before the WLTP debacle. It wasn’t just performance models with long wait times either.

There seems to be no logic to the waiting times; some customers getting their cars quite quickly after placing their order, whereas others seemed to have to wait ages, some customers with just one or two options waiting much longer than those who ordered a heavily specced car.

Long wait times in the first 12-18 months after a new car launch just seem to be the VW way of doing things. I think Fred is right; we’re unlikely to see mk8 Golf GTI’s on UK roads until the back end of this year.

[fredgroves]

Both my Mk7 and my Mk7.5 were neigh on 6 months from order.

In both cases it was a new year order.

And that's without it being a new model.

The sweet spot to receive the Mk8 will be whenever that first MY change happens - I can't remember when that is - April? Order before, get the extras thrown in.

If you order as soon as the books open you will almost certainly get less kit bundled than when that first MY changes.

You'll also not suffer the initial problems such as unknown things that dealers forget (transit pucks) or not understand what options really are because there is a one sentence description for something which you read as meaning one thing only to discover it doesn't do it.

Let others suffer that pain, read about it on here, order later

[Sootchucker]

I think when you watch the Richard Hammond program from last week where he was at the Wolfsburg plant and was shown the size of their plant and a car produced every 16 seconds, you sort of understand why factory orders take so long - they just have so many cars to produce.

Not that I'm saying I'm happy with it when BMW can build a custom BMW in 4-6 weeks from order.

[TonyJ]

I know from experience that the time from order to delivery can be several months - but I'm interested in the time from global launch (early March) to when UK order can be placed.

The reason is because I have a lease with VWFS which expires late April. I can do an "informal" extension for 3 months, but by the end of this, I need to have placed an order for a new car (which will probably a GTi or GTD). They will then extend further for as long as it takes for the car to be delivered. However, they won't extend after the 3 months unless an order is placed.
I would have to to either just hand the car back or to pay a very high daily rental rate.

So, do we think that GTi/GTD/GTE would be open to order by end July ??  Any views welcome ! Thanks !