The .:R36 has arrived!!!

[Steve]

Thanks Steve.

You back from overseas?
Did you end up getting a fix for your reversing cam?

Yep, I arrived home last week - I missed the R36 too much and had to come home for a drive! (Actually, my plans for further travel were thwarted by some unrest in Thailand and some tropical storms ruining everywhere else I wanted to visit.)

VW don't have a fix for the lack of reversing camera (I suspect they just haven't picked it up from the factory floor!), and I haven't really looked too hard for another option yet. I'm fairly sure it exists, but it's probably a fair bit of trouble to source the parts and get the work done... and I'm too slack.

Is the camera in colour? Dad has a camera in his Q7, but it's only greyscale - very useful for parking, though.

[tryingavw]

and is due to arrive on Dec 12th before spending up to a week in Customs & Compliance and then a couple of days with the Dealer.

I'm hoping it will be a great Christmas present and touching as much wood as possible until my hands are on the steering wheel. Just counting the sleeps !
!

My dealer Burwin reckons ours is December 10th so it must be the same delivery batch. we should find out which ship so we can if they tell us porkies if they're late and we miss christmas. Looks like this lot of VW's wont be left in bond. I saw a pile of Toyotas in a lot on the Geelong road this weekend.

[Jayse]

Is the camera in colour? Dad has a camera in his Q7, but it's only greyscale - very useful for parking, though.

Yep, the camera is in colour with guide lines that move when you turn the steering wheel.

Crazy stuff happening in bangkok atm..we were in Phuket earlier this year..though no dramas at the airport.

Had to laugh last night when watching the news and all these cameras where surrounding some American tourist screaming "I just want to get to Fuket"

[Buck]

My dealer Burwin reckons ours is December 10th so it must be the same delivery batch. we should find out which ship so we can if they tell us porkies if they're late and we miss christmas. Looks like this lot of VW's wont be left in bond. I saw a pile of Toyotas in a lot on the Geelong road this weekend.

Jayse & TryingAVW... I'm getting mine from Burwins VW too. Last I heard it was due at customs on Dec 12th but that was about 3 weeks ago. If it's moved to Dec 10th that's great !

Apparently Customs & Compliance go on holidays between Dec 22nd and not back until approx Jan 8th... so it could be tight !?

Now I have to work out how to sell my Teritory AWD Ghia... any takers ?

[Macka]

Jayse & TryingAVW... I'm getting mine from Burwins VW too. Last I heard it was due at customs on Dec 12th but that was about 3 weeks ago. If it's moved to Dec 10th that's great !

Apparently Customs & Compliance go on holidays between Dec 22nd and not back until approx Jan 8th... so it could be tight !?

Now I have to work out how to sell my Teritory AWD Ghia... any takers ?

I have purchased mine through Camberwell VW. They have advised that it arrived in Port of Melbourne on the 21st November and that it will go through customs and the dealer will have it on the 14th December. That is a Sunday so l assume it would be the 15th December. It sounds as though we are all in the same batch.

Anyone interested in an early morning drive around the Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay and back inland via Forrest over the xmas break? Apollo Bay - Forrest Road is my favourite piece of road. Xmas break certainly not best time but if it was early enough would be pretty quiet.

[tryingavw]

Jayse & TryingAVW... I'm getting mine from Burwins VW too. Last I heard it was due at customs on Dec 12th but that was about 3 weeks ago. If it's moved to Dec 10th that's great !

Apparently Customs & Compliance go on holidays between Dec 22nd and not back until approx Jan 8th... so it could be tight !?

Now I have to work out how to sell my Teritory AWD Ghia... any takers ?

i guess if we get them in january we can call them passat 2009 ...... should add some at resale.

When i sold the wifes bmw528 wagon recently i advertised it as a 2000 ( first rego) and the guy took that at face value. but i was looking at a bmw service log which said the car was actually a march 1999 build. it was news to me and probably (bad) news for him if he finds out.

good luck the the territory- reckon that won't be easy. nice car but thirsty. cant be that old?

Macka the great ocean drive idea sounds good - need to be early so we get the road to ourselves.

[Buck]

I received the itinary below from the dealer not long after putting in my order.
If I missed this shipment it was going to be another 3 months or more. since then I believe the shipment gained about 4 days so arrival at port was approx Dec 12th. Then allow upto 5 working days in Customes & Compliance before it departs for the Dealer.

Order Entry Dealer System
12/09/08
Order Entry NADIN
12/09/08
Order Registration IFA
12/09/08
Buildability Check
12/09/08
SGW Rebooking
12/09/08
Current SGW Determination
12/09/08
Allocation of product plant
20/09/08
Handover to production
27/09/08
Start Body Shell Shop
10/10/08
End Body Shell Shop
Start Paint Shop
14/10/08
End Paint Shop
Start Final Assembly
15/10/08
Checkpoint 8 Handover to Sales
17/10/08
Start Service Shop
End Service Shop
Exit Production Plant
22/10/08
Arrival Port of Shipment
27/10/08
Departure Port of Shipment
4/11/08
Departure last Port of Transit
Arrival at Port of Destination
15/12/08
Departure from Port of Destination
15/12/08
Arrival at final Destination
16/12/08
Departure from final Destination
Arrival at Dealer ?

I'll pass on the drive at Great Ocean Rd for now as I'm working through until holidays and then driving up to Nowra for a few weeks with the family.

[Macka]

Macka,

After waiting just shy on 6 months for my car i know of your frustration/impatience/anticipation/etc etc for getting the keys to your very own .:R36 in your hands.

FYI: The car came with Dunlop SP SPORT 01...havent driven them nearly enough to comment but they handled ok in the wet yest.

Will def come back after the weekend with pics and more of my thoughts on the car

Cheers,

Jayse.

Jayse,

How did the weekend go?

Macka

[Jayse]

Sorry guys for the delay in pics and report but this week so far has been hectic with work. Didn't get to clean the car(after the dirty rain on the 1st day i got it) and take pics on on the weekend...but i'll try this weekend. Though seeing weather will be raining this weekend i might just have to take pics anyways.

I'll tell you this tho...i love this car...it's a great place to be in. I find myself counting down the minutes to when i can get out of work for the day to drive home. Def looking forward to driving up to Sydney for xmas!!

Will give more details very soon.

Cheers,

Jayse.

[jmj]

Hey Jayce,
Just wondering how you find the Sat Nav in the RNS510 system. Are you happy with it? I will be finalising my order tomorrow for a new Passat Wagon and am seriously considering the RNS510. A short review would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.