Facelift Ordered a Hatch? Forget It!!

Audi Bairn said:
let's face it the back seats are as much use a wet toilet paper for anything other than a small dog.
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They're great if you're like good old resusci Anne

61BC284D-80F6-40E6-BF36-17EF89CA8D6A.jpg
 
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Must have used a build slot as the order says December but iv got a few extras so must have changed it
 
Ordered 3door A3 early January - dealer used a build slot they had ordered in December, but altered to my specification. Build week of 22nd May showing.

By contrast, ordered my current A3 in early Jan 2013 and took delivery 1st week in March 2013 (& quite a heavily specced car too). Audi are clearly not favouring 3 door A3 orders in any way, shape or form.
 
All those orders already in the system will now be coming to an end, which means a long wait for everyone wanting a three door A3
 
KenL said:
23 five doors to every 1 three door - surely not? The 3 door may be less practical but looks a lot better - tried to add a cheeky emoji but it got ditched!
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I've just been online to check for myself (as my original comment was a guesstimate of the previous thread) & 2015 productions figures are 190733 5 drs, 142910 saloons, 19463 3 drs & 16862 cabs. So 5 drs actually out number 3 drs 10 to 1. Looking at the last 3 yrs, production of the 3 dr has dropped by a third which would explain delays in production if customer interest in purchasing the 3 dr is dropping like that or is it the delay in production causing customer interest to drop off!?. Either way I still think the 3 dr is the better looking hatch. :hi:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/267262/automobile-production-of-audi-by-model-since-2009/
 
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^^
My 3dr manual S3 is going to be a rare car, can't argue with the market demand though...........have to wonder how long the manual and 3dr versions will be available. For me the 5dr wheelbase doesn't like right and the 3dr is much nicer to look at however from the above figures clearly I am in the minority.
 
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See I've always preferred 3 doors but I actually think the A3/S3 looks nicer in Sportback trim, clearly the buyers do as well for there to be so many more on the road.
 
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Bit of a chicken and egg situation. Potential hatch customers are looking elsewhere for their cars simply because of the massive lead time. If you can't buy one, then the sales figures drop-------go figure.
 
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I have a 3 door S3, ordered mid October and delivered 14th Feb. I think the dealer adapted an early as well for it.

When the face lift was released I recall my dealer saying that orders went on hold for several months, hence massive back logs and the larger number of sport backs receiving priority.

I've always dealed with Swindon Audi who are part of the Inchcape group, might be worth contacting them, they are one of the bigger franchises.
 
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msdmjb said:
^^
My 3dr manual S3 is going to be a rare car, can't argue with the market demand though...........have to wonder how long the manual and 3dr versions will be available. For me the 5dr wheelbase doesn't like right and the 3dr is much nicer to look at however from the above figures clearly I am in the minority.
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Manuals will be around for the time being. In fact, they're increasingly in demand. There's been a consumer backlash against DCT's and paddle controlled boxes that isolate the driver from the experience of actually driving. Hence the manual Jag F-Types, the return of manual changes to the hardcore 911's, and the development of 7 speed manuals based upon the DCT mechanicals of 'boxes that were previously strictly for paddle shifting only. 3 doors are still popular, but Audi is currently knocking out the more lucrative 5 doors. I managed to get a 3 door facelift S3 within 5 months of the facelift order books opening. I could have had it in 3 months had I not held out for the VC and Matrix options. The 5 door batch will be completed soon enough, and 3 doors will return. They have to, they're the cars that look good on the advertising material. The 5 doors are the ones most people actually buy because they have to transport inconvenient items like children about.
 
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:blink: I would like to retract my post 'moaning' about my 3 month wait for my 5 door S3.. I seriously couldn't wait all that time for one... I'd go nuts!
 
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Im so lucky! 5months from order to delivery
 
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Perhaps should have gone for 5 door had my bw today September delivery October
 
Tomo01 said:
Perhaps should have gone for 5 door had my bw today September delivery October
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I see from your other thread that your BW is 41 which I believe is week beginning 9th October. Don't want to be the voice of doom, but think you will be lucky to get delivery before November.
 
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glenn1948 said:
I see from your other thread that your BW is 41 which I believe is week beginning 9th October. Don't want to be the voice of doom, but think you will be lucky to get delivery before November.
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Original 41 now 39 told might move forward but it comes when it comes
 
GSB said:
Manuals will be around for the time being. In fact, they're increasingly in demand. There's been a consumer backlash against DCT's and paddle controlled boxes that isolate the driver from the experience of actually driving. Hence the manual Jag F-Types, the return of manual changes to the hardcore 911's, and the development of 7 speed manuals based upon the DCT mechanicals of 'boxes that were previously strictly for paddle shifting only. 3 doors are still popular, but Audi is currently knocking out the more lucrative 5 doors. I managed to get a 3 door facelift S3 within 5 months of the facelift order books opening. I could have had it in 3 months had I not held out for the VC and Matrix options. The 5 door batch will be completed soon enough, and 3 doors will return. They have to, they're the cars that look good on the advertising material. The 5 doors are the ones most people actually buy because they have to transport inconvenient items like children about.
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Manual Gearboxes are for normal....run of the mill ordinary cars or for expensive niche marketed drivers cars just like the cars you have stated above mate....l would have had a 3 door is S3 if l liked the looks of it but l preferred the Sportback...l dont have kids..nor passengers...lol....but to be honest both have there good and bad points....The amount of doors and which gearbox one chooses is just the same as the colour of paint one chooses
 
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jassyo06 said:
Manual Gearboxes are for normal....run of the mill ordinary cars or for expensive niche marketed drivers cars just like the cars you have stated above mate....l would have had a 3 door is S3 if l liked the looks of it but l preferred the Sportback...l dont have kids..nor passengers...lol....but to be honest both have there good and bad points....The amount of doors and which gearbox one chooses is just the same as the colour of paint one chooses
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Agree with you there Jas, I prefer the look of the Sportback to the 3 door with the A3/S3. With my Golf though the 3 door was much better looking.
 
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Tom.H said:
Agree with you there Jas, I prefer the look of GTR Sportback to the 3 door with the A3/S3. With my Golf though the 3 door was much better looking.
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Yeah 3 door Golfs are a better looking car...:wtf:.....l just think that what VW Do .....Audi Do the opposite...lol
 
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jassyo06 said:
Yeah 3 door Golfs are a better looking car...:wtf:.....l just think that what VW Do .....Audi Do the opposite...lol
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Just seen that I somehow managed to write GTR Sportback some how :shrug:
 
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Today I had a reply direct from Ingolstadt in response to my query as to why the three door hatch had a lead time of nine months. I quote " Due to the enormous customer interest in our A3 three door, we are experiencing unanticipated production delays which is the reason for the unusually long delivery"
I reckon that's at least equal to " The cheques in the post" and " Of course your bum doesn't look big in that my angel"
 
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My ibis white 3 door was ordered in august last year and i received it on the 13th october , why they are taking 10 months to build your is beyond me.
 
They haven't singled me out It's all three door A3 series ordered since January and not already in the system.
 
glenn1948 said:
They haven't singled me out It's all three door A3 series ordered since January and not already in the system.
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I ordered a 3-door on 04 January and just today Your Audi tells me my build date will be 10 July.

In the meantime, I've changed my order to a saloon with a build week 13.
 
You were doing well with 10th July!!! I ordered six days later and I had BW 38, September 18th. Think you made a smart move changing the order.
 
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jassyo06 said:
Spoke to my son tonight factory orders 3 door S3's November delivery
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@jassyo06 - Thats madness ! *** 9 months !
Audi are going to loose a lot of sales me thinks, especially as the new, dare I say it, Golf R is out now with 10-12 week delivery times being quoted

But we all know the S3 is a better car tho' don't we ... ;):D
 
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Think I'm going to stick it out :s3addict:
 
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Rarity value of 3 door may help when it comes to sell?!
 
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Let's hope so but never works out when your trading in
 
Having been informed by Ingolstadt that no three door hatch will be coming down the assembly line for nine months due to "enormous customer interest" --I imagined a conversation between Rupert Stadler CEO, and Head of Sales.

H. of S.: Great news my CEO, we have enormous customer interest in our 3 door hatch, shall we increase production?

CEO; Of course not you fool, do you understand nothing about business? We cease to make them completely for nine months thereby removing the problem of increased production. At the same time this will reduce the enormous customer interest to zero. Problem solved

H of S: May I say you are a genius my CEO

CEO; You may. Close the door on the way out.
 
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You laugh, but I worked for one company (that shall remain unnamed) where the CEO really did restrict production so that the product had some rarity value to increase demand... Go figure...
 
So much so that I am in touch with a dealer pending placing an order. Had one dealer quote me a twenty week lead time for these though -----getting so hacked off with the whole business I may just stick with my 63 plate 1.8 A3
 
They don't sell that great less profit on them for Audi, so it makes more financial sense to concentrate on making cars that do, also Audi have a lot of new models pending release,2 RS3's SQ2, RS4/RS5, New A8,this maybe the reason
 
jassyo06 said:
They don't sell that great less profit on them for Audi, so it makes more financial sense to concentrate on making cars that do, also Audi have a lot of new models pending release,2 RS3's SQ2, RS4/RS5, New A8,this maybe the reason
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Not good enough on Audi's part IMHO
 
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