Tracking Progress on your Polo and Polo GTI

[GTI JOE]

I wouldn't go blaming your dealer or VW Aust, we're too small a market to dont have any influence over VW factory builds.

Agreed, not the dealer (in most situations), VWA, definitely. They need to support their dealer network and customer base, they must surely have some influence and honestly need to fight for a larger allotment of cars to reduce this supply farce. They do have a legitimate business case....they just need to push it!

[Corey_R]

Have you noticed how good our prices are compared to overseas on the VW cars recently? The Golf R for example is cheaper here than the UK for example. VGA fight very hard... but we're still only small chips. We all think we're so important here in Australia - yet the reality is that we've got about the same population as New York (state). Even the UK has 3 times the population of us, plus they're just a stones throw and not all the way down here. Yet the R is better priced here!

Anyway - it's a sucky situation, but it is what it is.

[Puffy]

Would anyone seriously continue their order if given that lead time?

absurd isn't it..... order a GTi 2011 plated car and own it in 2012.
The car has depreciated before it lands

[Corey_R]

absurd isn't it..... order a GTi 2011 plated car and own it in 2012.
The car has depreciated before it lands

It doesn't work like that...
The delay is in the ability to build them... they're not building them and then storing them somewhere whilst the devalue. The "age" of the car will be no older (probably younger) than walking into a show room today and buying a car off the floor...

[Puffy]

So orders placed in 2011 with an ETA of Feb 2012 will have a 2012 build car?

[markwid]

So orders placed in 2011 with an ETA of Feb 2012 will have a 2012 build car?

Any imported car that you take delivery in Feb 2012 is likely to be built in 2011. Shipping from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Europe all takes time.

[GTI JOE]

Have you noticed how good our prices are compared to overseas on the VW cars recently? The Golf R for example is cheaper here than the UK for example. VGA fight very hard... but we're still only small chips. We all think we're so important here in Australia - yet the reality is that we've got about the same population as New York (state). Even the UK has 3 times the population of us, plus they're just a stones throw and not all the way down here. Yet the R is better priced here!

Anyway - it's a sucky situation, but it is what it is.

I would say it is due to international money markets and NOT VWA or VWG that determines the pricing of Volkswagens here (strong Aussie Dollar). IMHO you give far too many compliments to VWA. Have you heard of "the mouse that roared" if the management of VWA had any balls (apologies to Anke), then maybe things would change. There are fights, and then there are fights, you usually stand up and not whimper away as do VWA.

Yes it is a sucky situation. but we don't have to put up with it. If people actually stood up and voiced their complaints, anything is possible....take Egypt for example

[Corey_R]

You might say that, but then it is clear you don't understand how car prices are set. Volkwagen Group Australia has to negioate with someone (not sure if the factory, or VAG or who) and determine a price for which they buy the car. It's usually a multi-year contract. This is why car prices DO NOT go up and down week to week with exchange rates (for good or for worse).

If you had been a forum member longer, you may have known how there were a lot of very angry people complaining about how supposedly 2 weeks out from the launch of the Golf R, there was still not pricing available. It's because practically to the last hour, VGA were still negotiating for the best deal for Australians. And well... we got it. Many would argue, the best deal in the world (exclude USA, cause no one can compete with their prices and volume).

Also, you may remember that they were not going to bring in any more 3 door models. No Golf R 3 door, no new Polo GTI 3 door, and they were even going to stop the Golf GTI 3 door. Members protested via emails to VGA and discussions in person with their salesmen at the dealerships, and VGA listened and readjusted their plans.


So what I'm saying is, fight the fights you can win man.

VGA have no control over the factories, nor of the 50 billion euro that VW are spending to reach their 2018 goal (a large part of that is building new factories and increasing capacity where possible in existing ones). So there is no point beating up VGA over stuff that they're just as frustrated as you are with. Do you honestly think that VGA don't want to deliver your cars next month and sell 1000's more of these cars a year? They are a business and they are here to make money, NOT SELLING CARS doesn't make any sense on that. This isn't a "supply and demand" type business where purposely restricting the supply allows them to jack up their prices, so there is no reason to not be attempting to sell as many as possible.


What more colour selections for the Polo? Now there's something VGA have the power to change if the customer demand was there!
Want more Polos allocated to Australia? Trust me, VGA would already be fighting as hard as they can on that...

but we don't have to put up with it.

Correct, you don't have to put up with it. If you don't like it, you can cancel your orders and buy something immediately available.

[GTI JOE]

So what I'm saying is, fight the fights you can win man.

I really don't want to get into an argument because it serves no purpose, but how do you know that you can't win if you don't have a go. I don't believe in your basic philosophy of suck it up and buy something else. I'm sure VWA want to sell cars and make a profit, but they can make so much more and have happier customers if they have the balls. You may think it naive of me, but quoting you "it is what it is", for me "I am what I am" and I will continue the good fight, even if I lose in the long run. If everyone accepted the BS VWA dished out then nothing will change as is the situation at present.

Anyway, thanks for your comments, enlightenment and putting things into perspective. I'm just looking forward for my order to come through without any further hitches. Perhaps we should just keep track of the original thread.

[Corey_R]

Perhaps we should just keep track of the original thread.

That's a good idea... because you can be sure that there are hundreds of thousands of other customers in a hundred other countries that too are having these same conversations about why they can't get their cars quicker... and they're also probably having a go at their local VW HQ and asking them why they can't just fight harder and get more blood out of a stone...

Cheers.