DAB Radio Standard for MY14

Buggers....I nearly spec'd DAB. Would've been a bit ****** off if I'd paid for it.
 
Was looking to order mine soon enough but looks like it may not be until next year!

"Already factory fitted to A8 models, digital radio reception is to become standard across most Audi ranges for the 2014 Model Year"
 
Unsurprising, BMW made DAB standard on 1 series for 2013 cars, adjusted the base price up accordingly. Will Audi base price increase too?
 
IMO, DAB is more about the range of extra stations you can receive than the quality. The quality isn't really any different to an FM channel with good reception. When you've got weak reception on FM compromising the quality, generally you're going to be out of range of DAB too.

Still a worthwhile inclusion for free, although if I'd just placed an order which included DAB, I'd be demanding a refund on that from my dealer as I'd bet anything they had advance notice of this!
 
This was always going to be an inevitability. My order is supposed to be assembled build week 22 so would expect this to be an inclusion otherwise I'll be making them do the retrofit gratis...
 
Incidentally where does it mention; 'orders from 1 April'?

at the bottom of the news item it says: Most Audi models equipped with fully integrated digital radio receivers will become available to order from the beginning of April, with the exception of the TT and R8 ranges, which will follow suit at a later date.
 
DAB radio has been standard on all models of the Golf VII from launch so it's about time Audi offered it as well.
 
I wonder how much the retrofit is going to be? A bit of a let down that it was not standard from launch on the sportback !!
 
Will it mean as my car has a build date of the 16th April that it should be fitted and if not i should force them to retrofit for nothing?
 
I think you'll find there's a new price list out on April 1 for the MY14 models. 16th April is week 16, I expect MY14 build will start on week 22. You really have no reason to expect your car to have it or to expect it to be retrofitted foc - you have your price and yours will be a MY13 car I would say.
 
There is some logic around that - you accepted the deal with the specification for a certain price. However I'm sure if you were to communicate your 'disappointment' with the dealer / Audi UK then maybe something could be done. These scenarios will happen all the time as specifications are upgraded.
 
yeah you probably benefited from the free sat nav or reduced tech pack as well so unlikely to get much sympathy from them (let me know if you do though as I'm in the same boat)
 
I'll speak to my salesman today and see what they think about this news and report back...
 
Pretty crap that they didn't do this from launch. Would've loved DAB...
 
Pretty crap that they didn't do this from launch. Would've loved DAB...

I would email Audi Finance complaining about it and saying that you want it to retrofitted, this is what I will do in the event.
On an unrelated point I once had a Golf MkV and the fitted stereo would put a small break between tracks on a mixed CD, rather like what you would get playing a similar album back from SD Card. I complained about it to VW / Audi Finance and they upgraded the fitted stereo to a 6 CD changer that didn't suffer the same issue.
Food for thought.
 
What's the best email address to contact them xxxcorps?

https://www.vwfinance.co.uk/content...rivatecustomers/kundenservice/contact_us.html

Use the General Enquiry Request form found on there, mark it as Complaint on the Type Of Enquiry section. Put in as much detail as possible about how unhappy you are with the news that DAB is to become standard.

Or send direct to customer.services@vwfs.co.uk again with Complaint in the subject line along with your agreement and registration number.

Pete
 
I'm curious as to why anybody believes they should have it retrofitted for free? I'd be amazed if the inclusion as standard isn't joined with a price increase too. Likewise, if other options are also added as standard for MY14 (reasonably likely), are people going to be demanding those too? I assume they'll be happy to pay the MY14 price increase at the same time?

Sorry for the mini-rant... I'm just not seeing the logic :)
 
DAB radio has been standard on all models of the Golf VII from launch so it's about time Audi offered it as well.

Why?

It's always been the case that the more "premium" a brand, the less equipment you tend to get as standard. Many jokes and criticisms have been levelled at Audis, BMWs and Mercedes over the years about the poor levels of standard kit compared to "lesser" brands. If you buy a fully loaded Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra then it'll still cost you less than a BMW or Audi with a lower level of equipment. It's just the way the market has always worked and always will.

Or are you still labouring under the misapprehension that VW and Audi are equivalent in the "brand scale"? Despite what you've said about quality levels on the Golf VII, I'm afraid that I maintain that Audi is still perceived as a more upmarket and "premium" brand than VW by the vast majority of people and thus the above "rules" apply to equipment levels between the Golf and A3. Speaking personally, nothing is ever going to convince me that a significant percentage of the market perceive VW to be on a par with Audi, regardless of any objective observations on their relative quality. Most people perceive a set hierarchy in the main four VAG brands, i.e. Skoda -> Seat -> VW -> Audi and frankly that's how they've been marketed over the years.
 
I don't feel a sense of entitlement at all. But if I can get a retrofit for free I'll give it a go. The 2014 car will need to be £305 dearer to make it the same as the cost to me. I doubt that will be the case.
 
I'm curious as to why anybody believes they should have it retrofitted for free? I'd be amazed if the inclusion as standard isn't joined with a price increase too. Likewise, if other options are also added as standard for MY14 (reasonably likely), are people going to be demanding those too? I assume they'll be happy to pay the MY14 price increase at the same time?

Sorry for the mini-rant... I'm just not seeing the logic :)

You're not an Audi Shareholder by any chance are you? Thought the money was coming out of your pocket there for a second... :sly:
 
I agree with Gazzz. Standard DAB is not going to be the only spec change for MY14 and there will be a price hike. Why would anyone expect a free retrofit especially on a car that is priced and built as MY13?
In any case the press release says retrofit kit will come later and will no doubt be different from what is supplied when the car is built with DAB. I have DAB in my A1 and the additions include Connectivity Pack and additional antennas built into the rear window with line amplifiers in the tailgate as well as the tuner.
 
I have DAB in my A1 and the additions include Connectivity Pack and additional antennas built into the rear window with line amplifiers in the tailgate as well as the tuner.

These will be already fitted to the 8V A3 to accomodate the fitting of the SD Card Sat Nav system at a future date if needed. Plus, the connectivity pack is fitted to ALL 8V A3s...
 
Why?

It's always been the case that the more "premium" a brand, the less equipment you tend to get as standard. Many jokes and criticisms have been levelled at Audis, BMWs and Mercedes over the years about the poor levels of standard kit compared to "lesser" brands. If you buy a fully loaded Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra then it'll still cost you less than a BMW or Audi with a lower level of equipment. It's just the way the market has always worked and always will.

Or are you still labouring under the misapprehension that VW and Audi are equivalent in the "brand scale"? Despite what you've said about quality levels on the Golf VII, I'm afraid that I maintain that Audi is still perceived as a more upmarket and "premium" brand than VW by the vast majority of people and thus the above "rules" apply to equipment levels between the Golf and A3. Speaking personally, nothing is ever going to convince me that a significant percentage of the market perceive VW to be on a par with Audi, regardless of any objective observations on their relative quality. Most people perceive a set hierarchy in the main four VAG brands, i.e. Skoda -> Seat -> VW -> Audi and frankly that's how they've been marketed over the years.


It's even more true with the new platform - Skoda Octavia and lower powered Golfs get beam axle rear suspension whereas Audi along with higher powered Golfs get multi-link rear suspension. There are many 'under the surface' differences between the brands.
 
You're not an Audi Shareholder by any chance are you? Thought the money was coming out of your pocket there for a second... :sly:

lol, not at all - just get frustrated with a society that now seems to be based around people wanting something for nothing all the time. Don't get me wrong, I'm always up for squeezing as much as possible out of a company, but that doesn't mean I feel hard done by when somebody else pays more money to get something extra that I haven't got :)
 
I won't be losing any sleep over it. If I'd wanted DAB, I'd have ordered it.

Mind you, if I'd had the choice of another £300 option for free, I probably would have gone with front sensors or privacy glass instead.... or even better, another £300 off the price.

There's always something else around the corner. I'd be more upset if they'd just launched a black edition!
 
I'd be more upset if they'd just launched a black edition!

That's imminent; and will probably be just when my car arrives knowing my luck. It'll probably only come with the upper two petrol or diesel engines though I suspect...
 
So how hard will it be to retrofit DAB to a car with tech pack?
can it even be done?
 
I wonder how much additional hardware Audi have to provide on an A3 to provide DAB. I suspect that most if not all of it is there anyway.
 
So how hard will it be to retrofit DAB to a car with tech pack?
can it even be done?

'From the summer, Audi Centres will be able to offer a range of digital radio adapters for retro–fitting to all existing Audi models which will enable them to capitalise on the full range of digital radio benefits.'... As lifted from the newsletter.

Salesman has just been back to me; my order has gone to confirmed this afternoon and has been able to add DAB at no cost...
Anyone waiting for their orders to go confirmed should check with their dealership I reckon.
 
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Why?

It's always been the case that the more "premium" a brand, the less equipment you tend to get as standard. Many jokes and criticisms have been levelled at Audis, BMWs and Mercedes over the years about the poor levels of standard kit compared to "lesser" brands. If you buy a fully loaded Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra then it'll still cost you less than a BMW or Audi with a lower level of equipment. It's just the way the market has always worked and always will.

Or are you still labouring under the misapprehension that VW and Audi are equivalent in the "brand scale"? Despite what you've said about quality levels on the Golf VII, I'm afraid that I maintain that Audi is still perceived as a more upmarket and "premium" brand than VW by the vast majority of people and thus the above "rules" apply to equipment levels between the Golf and A3. Speaking personally, nothing is ever going to convince me that a significant percentage of the market perceive VW to be on a par with Audi, regardless of any objective observations on their relative quality. Most people perceive a set hierarchy in the main four VAG brands, i.e. Skoda -> Seat -> VW -> Audi and frankly that's how they've been marketed over the years.

I don't disagree with you about 'brand scale' which is why I've have been driving an Audi for the last 26 years, the last 13 years in a A3. Audi is 'perceived' to be further up the 'brand scale' than VW, especially by company car drivers. But having looked at both I still maintain that the step up in quality of the interior finish of the new Golf puts the A3 and the Golf on a par as far as the interior is concerned. Which type of interior you prefer is a personal thing. Some prefer the Audi MMI and pop up screen, others prefer the VW touch screen setup. You only need to look at a VW forum to see how many drivers do not like the A3 setup. Personally I would love to have another A3 as I have loved every one I've had so far. I went from a Golf VR6 to my first A3 because VW stopped producing the VR6 and the A3 had a much better interior than the then Golf. But I just don't like the interior setup. The badge on the car is not that important to me, but the quality and design of the interior is. As I will probably need to go for an estate next time this lets out the A3. I would not want to be without a DSG, so it leaves a choice of either the new Golf Estate or a Skoda Octavia Estate.

It's the difference in standard equipment that would make an A3 around £2200 more expensive that a similarly spec'd Golf. An important factor when the money has to come from my savings, but I would still be willing to pay this amount if I liked the interior of the A3. The basic price of the A3 is only £175 more than the Golf but to bring it up to them both up to the specification I would want would need £5760 worth of options whereas the Golf would only require £3700 worth. Many identical options are more expensive from Audi than from VW.

As far as brand hierarchy for the four main VAG brands are concerned I think, with the release of the lastest models based on the MQB platform it has changed a little with Skoda moving above Seat, with VW and then Audi above them. The quality and standard equipment and interior finish of the new Skoda Octavia is regarded by most as being above that of the Seat Leon. This may be a deliberate move by VAG related to the fact that at lot of the engines now used across all four makes are produced in a new Skoda factory.
 
XXXCorps you said
Salesman has just been back to me; my order has gone to confirmed this afternoon and has been able to add DAB at no cost...
Anyone waiting for their orders to go confirmed should check with their dealership I reckon.
When did you order your vehicle and what build week/date will it be built?
 
When did you order your vehicle and what build week/date will it be built?

Ordered the car on the 9th of March and should be built week 22 with June delivery. Order went to confirmed this afternoon.
 
XXXCorps, the reason why I asked was to see how similar your order and build dates are to mine, because if they are similar and you were able to add DAB at no cost, then I might be able to achieve something similar.

In your case with built week 22 you should be MY14, which would include DAB as standard. However, in my case initial order, which included DAB, was placed almost 2 weeks earlier than your order, with salesman advising build week 18, which will be MY13, which does not include DAB as standard.
 
XXXCorps, the reason why I asked was to see how similar your order and build dates are to mine, because if they are similar and you were able to add DAB at no cost, then I might be able to achieve something similar.

In your case with built week 22 you should be MY14, which would include DAB as standard. However, in my case initial order, which included DAB, was placed almost 2 weeks earlier than your order, with salesman advising build week 18, which will be MY13, which does not include DAB as standard.

The best thing to do is speak to the dealership direct and see if you're vehicle has gone to confirmed, which I suspect it probably will have done. However that being said build week 18 is the end of April unless I'm mistaken, which would mean yours is MY14. Don't take anyone on here's word for it, speak to the dealership who will get you the correct information. Basically I was on the phone to my salesman even before the dealership opened yesterday morning as I know him personally.
Just remember that my order HAD NOT gone to confirmed in Audi's build system when I chased this up yesterday.
 
Dave i think your whole argument about the interior is to convince yourself its ok to leave Audi for space reasons. I occasionally go and see the a3 and then go see the golf straight after and the difference in interior quality is quite large. The golfs plastics aren't up to the quality of the a3. Minor nuances just aren't finished as well and the whole feel is of lower quality.

that is of course not to say its a bad car and if more space was a must for me id gladly buy a golf. I'm just not sure why you continuously tell us the golf is on par with the a3 interior wise. Its not just opinion and perspective. Its fact that the a3 interior is of better quality.
 

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