Is my dealer pulling my leg?

Chiefbadger

Chiefbadger

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Hi all,

I ordered my S4 on the 24th April and have been chasing them for a build week or some kind of update. I just received this email from them:

'Sorry for the delay with this but i've now got to the bottom of this. Although we haven't got a confirmed build week, the car being a model year 16 and an S4 sits outside of normal A4 production. The sales office have confirmed the order and will confirm a week when June allocation opens. This doesn't change the time frame as such it's just a delay in information update..'

Surely the S4 is built in the same line as the a4?! Just seems like they don't have allocation to me and haven't actually placed the order.

Can anyone decipher the message?!

Thanks,
Ols
 
To me it sounds like they have the order placed but cannot say when it will be built yet - probably due to one or more parts being needed for your build. I would imagine you are still in the queue however, so just be patient :)
 
I’m sure my dealer said its a slightly different process for them when ordering an S or RS car.

Some dealers play games with orders - i have always been given a provisional build week within a couple of days of ordering, usually when the dealer puts the order on their system.

I guess it could be a couple of things here, lots of posts about transferring MY2016 orders and backlogs on the system or
the dealer may have already used their allocation of orders and are suggesting they will place the order when ‘new’ allocation slots
become available to the them - personally i see this as a risk (but that’s just me).
This can also impact on Finance and contribution deals if relavent.

Another recent post on here said the dealers are ‘closing the order book’ soon to make way for the new A4 B9 model.

I would want some reassurance regarding your order - have you used the dealers before?

Cheers
Keef
 
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audi upgrades
He's not pulling your leg. S and RS models are made ingolstadt, A4s are not.

The audi range is made all over the world in various factories and the top models (like the S4) are produced out of ingolstadt.
 
opelfruit said:
He's not pulling your leg. S and RS models are made ingolstadt, A4s are not.

The audi range is made all over the world in various factories and the top models (like the S4) are produced out of ingolstadt.
Click to expand...

Actually, the "RS" and "S" models models are wholly designed, developed and produced in-house by Audi AG's high performance private subsidiary company, quattro GmbH, at its Neckarsulm factory. A4's are built at Ingolstadt along with other models.

Neckarsulm Audi
 
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Thanks guys. I will calm down in that case! Don't really mind too much if it's a month later than expected, just hate being left in the dark.

I am so impatient!
 
Ah ok. I thought that the core range had its components manufacturered all over the world (which they do) and assembled elsewhere too, with the S and RS lines being done totally in Germany.

Either way, S4s are on a different production run to the standard A4 range, which is what OPs dealer has said and is true.

Thanks for the info.
 
Chiefbadger said:
Thanks guys. I will calm down in that case! Don't really mind too much if it's a month later than expected, just hate being left in the dark.

I am so impatient!
Click to expand...

We are all impatient for new cars, I couldn't wait an extra 2 weeks for a 2015 plate, coleected my car 14th Feb 2015, thought seeign as I was putting my plate on it it didn't matter, still 2015MY spec.
 
opelfruit said:
Ah ok. I thought that the core range had its components manufacturered all over the world (which they do) and assembled elsewhere too, with the S and RS lines being done totally in Germany.

Either way, S4s are on a different production run to the standard A4 range, which is what OPs dealer has said and is true.

Thanks for the info.
Click to expand...

Sorry mate, sounds like I was preaching, I type things up in a hurry and they always come out wrong. I have to close friends working on this site in the powertrain department, we alll used to work for Mercedes although I am just IT but on the engineering side.

I use them for all sort of info and find out technical details for the guys on this forum and RS246.
 
No problem mate, not taken as preaching...happy to be corrected :) share the knowledge and all that.
 
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Whilst it is true that most RS models are built by the Quattro subsidiary at Neckarsulm, only some S models are built there. A models are built at a number of factories and the S models are built on the same lines. However as has been stated, the S models are sufficiently different that they need to be scheduled separately. My S5 SB was built at the Ingolstadt factory. The factory code is the 11th letter/digit in the VIN.
 
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My S4 was built at Ingolstadt in March. My dealer had an existing A4 build slot and configured it for the S4.
Bear in mind that the factory/s is well into gearing up for a model change on the A4, which believe you me is no small logistical exercise. It may be that they are consolidating production or moving things around to facilitate this, which could add some extra delay/uncertainty with build slots with the outgoing model. I don't think it will be long (if not already as mentioned in another thread) that no more A4/S4 orders wil lbe taken for the B8 variant.
I believe it is only RS models that handled by quattro GmBH
 
Last edited:
StuBill said:
My S4 was built at Ingolstadt in March. My dealer had an existing A4 build slot and configured it for the S4.
Bear in mind that the factory/s is well into gearing up for a model change on the A4, which believe you me is no small logistical exercise. It may be that they are consolidating production or moving things around to facilitate this, which could add some extra delay/uncertainty with build slots with the outgoing model. I don't think it will be long (if not already as mentioned in another thread) that no more A4/S4 orders wil lbe taken for the B8 variant.
I believe it is only RS models that handled by quattro GmBH
Click to expand...

I have had it confirmed by the guys at quattro GmBH that they do all RS and some S cars depending on order numbers and production timings.
 
Maybe another VAG brand, but wife ordered a new Polo SEL on 10/04/15, within a month it was showing on the tracker site as "order confirmed for build" without an actual date, a few days ago that changed to an actual projected date, maybe build date was given within 6 weeks of placing order. All VAG brands will use the same ordering/forward loading system, it is the way large companies need to operate, ie no bespoke Audi only systems.
 
After reading this, I'm quite relieved by the news , received yesterday, that my S4 is at status code 20, to be built in week 24, beginning 8 June.
 
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Dippy said:
Whilst it is true that most RS models are built by the Quattro subsidiary at Neckarsulm, only some S models are built there. A models are built at a number of factories and the S models are built on the same lines. However as has been stated, the S models are sufficiently different that they need to be scheduled separately. My S5 SB was built at the Ingolstadt factory. The factory code is the 11th letter/digit in the VIN.
Click to expand...
Just as a matter of interest, is one factory seen as better than the other?
 
I have no idea if any factory is better than another.

BTW that statement I made is perhaps misleading. As I understand it, part of the Neckarsulm facility is for 'normal' Audi production and part is operated by Quattro. So if an S car is built at Neckarsulm, it is not being built by Quattro, but by Audi using the same type of line and resources that exist at the Ingolstadt factory.
 
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German quality control, especially Audi's will be identical and I'd reckon neither are better than the other.

All non RS or S A4's are built at Ingolstadt some S's and all RS's are built at Neckarsulm.

Both factories are fully intergrated with each other and ERP systems are one and the same. After speaking to ex-colleagues the wife and I are going to arrange a road trip from the UK to take the RS to both Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt (Audi museum) via the ring this summer.
 
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Just caught up with my dealer and he has confirmed that orders are now closed for S4's, but mine is one of the last that has been accepted and the delay is due to the production line being geared up for the new model. It's basically anything with a Quattro and a DSG box that is being delayed at the moment.
So good news is that I will get the car at some stage, just not sure when! Will have to be patient I guess.
 
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GeoffDunk said:
German quality control, especially Audi's will be identical and I'd reckon neither are better than the other.

All non RS or S A4's are built at Ingolstadt some S's and all RS's are built at Neckarsulm.

Both factories are fully intergrated with each other and ERP systems are one and the same. After speaking to ex-colleagues the wife and I are going to arrange a road trip from the UK to take the RS to both Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt (Audi museum) via the ring this summer.
Click to expand...

Get some laps in first, it's a tricky track, your wife will not be happy rubbing down the barriers
Image
 
GeoffDunk said:
German quality control, especially Audi's will be identical and I'd reckon neither are better than the other.
Click to expand...

I had been thinking about making a comment like that Geoff, but then I didn't want to face the criticism from certain unlucky owners of cars with problems saying "German quality control?, what German quality control?".
 
Dippy said:
I had been thinking about making a comment like that Geoff, but then I didn't want to face the criticism from certain unlucky owners of cars with problems saying "German quality control?, what German quality control?".
Click to expand...

I have worked for most car companies both road cars and Motorsport and the Germans do it best IMHO.
 
I think Porsche has the best customer service, they know your name. They have leather sofas hot and cold drinks, cakes, cookies, papers, mags and a TV. Audi has a cafe that you have to pay for everything. Porsche wash your car and Hoover it and pop a bottle of screen was in the car.

When the had a remodel, they gave me the advertising poster of my car. Sold the car, poster is still on the wall in my office.
 
Fctaff said:
I think Porsche has the best customer service, they know your name. They have leather sofas hot and cold drinks, cakes, cookies, papers, mags and a TV. Audi has a cafe that you have to pay for everything. Porsche wash your car and Hoover it and pop a bottle of screen was in the car.

When the had a remodel, they gave me the advertising poster of my car. Sold the car, poster is still on the wall in my office.
Click to expand...

You want to change dealership !
Get all of the above (with the exception of posters thus far) at both the dealerships I use.
 
GeoffDunk said:
I have worked for most car companies both road cars and Motorsport and the Germans do it best IMHO.
Click to expand...
Don't misunderstand me - I'm not criticising Audi quality, far from it! I just didn't want to be the one to have to defend it to owners who have been victim of the fact that it can never be 100%.

StuBill said:
You want to change dealership !
Get all of the above (with the exception of posters thus far) at both the dealerships I use.
Click to expand...
+1. Fctaff. which Audi dealers are you referring to?
 
Fctaff said:
I think Porsche has the best customer service, they know your name. They have leather sofas hot and cold drinks, cakes, cookies, papers, mags and a TV. Audi has a cafe that you have to pay for everything. Porsche wash your car and Hoover it and pop a bottle of screen was in the car.

When the had a remodel, they gave me the advertising poster of my car. Sold the car, poster is still on the wall in my office.
Click to expand...

Change dealership, I also get all the above including free Audi umbrella, car cleaning kit and snow brush/scraper. My test drives were 4 - 6 hrs long for new cars too which is a real joy. My car clean is a full valet when it was service last week including a hand wax, looked great when I picked it up.

BSE treated us like royalty and its not just cos I spent the best part of 60K, the friend who recomended them spent 11k on an A1 and got the same treatment, although she never got an umbrella which she keeps reminding me about LOL.
 
Just to add to this.

I was under the impression that the s4 was built in GMBH or Audi Sport, turns out the one I have just bought is built on the normal production .

The easiest way to tell is look at the first 3 digits on the vin.

If it says
WAU - Normal production line
WUA - Is the special breed (quattro GmbH- ie Audi a4 dtm b7, audi rs5 etc

Some of the new TT have WHU or WRU - Which is Hungary.

And for those who didnt know RS means Renn Sport which translated is racing sport.
 
Giosabcsl said:
I was under the impression that the s4 was built in GMBH
Click to expand...

GmbH is "Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung" the equivalent of Ltd in the UK, i.e. limited company.
So Quattro GmbH in Germany would be Quattro Ltd. in the UK.

I often see people write "GMBH" instead of Quattro, thinking that somehow they are referring to the company.
 
Hi chief badger,
Worth putting your order into the my audi site link above.
Also waiting build date but reassuring to see its at the factory. (Inglo)
 
4RingsDave said:
Hi chief badger,
Worth putting your order into the my audi site link above.
Also waiting build date but reassuring to see its at the factory. (Inglo)
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave. Got the confirmed build week (32) today and signed up to the audi beta test site.
 
Share your excitement badger mine also b w 31 now, reckon they must be doing a sepang run in July:yes:
 
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