n828cl

That's certainly not what my delivery person at the Audi Forum told me for my TTS. He emphasized staying within the guidelines stated in the book (avoid full throttle, ~4500 max RPM, for 1000 km). Also, tires and brake pads need some period of running in, but that's usually only a few hundred kms.

However, the man from Boston picking up his Q3 at the same time was headed right to the Nordschleife...

- Chuck

n828cl

1. I ordered the car in May as soon as the 2016 Order Guide was published (actually before the dealer had seen the book). Originally requested a mid-September delivery, which they said would be ok. Our plans changed a bit, so we pushed it back to mid-October shortly thereafter, before getting a build week assigned. I think the paperwork showed up in late August, but I'm 1000 miles from home right now, so I can't be positive. I did sign everything and submit the final forms to Audi on 29 August. The original delivery date of 14 October was delayed to the 15th due to Audi deciding to close the Forum on the 14th for an employee event, so Audi paid for two nights in hotels.

2. See prior post. Even at 4500 RPM, you'll be doing ~200 KPH, and not much of the Autobahn is unrestricted anymore. If you avoid the temptation to plant the throttle at the Nordschleife, you'll probably be fine. You do want to turn the ESC down a notch, or else you won't be able to accelerate out of sharp corners.

3. Mostly just be flexible. Oktoberfest will be over, so it won't be as crowded as late September. Take some time to wander around the old part of Ingostadt; the Neues Schloss was built in the 1400s, so you can imagine how long the old one (still in use) has been around. You can even see where Herr Doktor Frankenstein fictionally lived. On delivery day, make sure to take time for the factory and museum tours - the 1930s Type C streamliner is gorgeous, as are many others. And the food at the Forum is also really good...

- Chuck

n828cl

Should also mention that the ED folks at Audi (both sides of the pond) were always extremely helpful during the whole process. The 3rd party companies handling the shipment back through Paris-Bremen-Houston-Maplewood were also quite accommodating, although you'll have to do the boat tracking yourself (as described elsewhere).

- Chuck

f1point0

Thanks, again! Great stuff.

I'm really looking forward to it. It was originally just going to be me on a business trip, but if they can pull off the October delivery window, the wife is going to join me and were going to make a vacation out of it.

n828cl

It should be a blast. Depending on how long you stay, A/S or winter tires are required after 1 November in many areas, mostly near the Alps. I would not recommend trying to drive inside the larger cities (use the extensive public transport instead), and put the mirrors in auto-fold mode - the car is wide, and the parking spaces aren't. Driving through the narrow streets of some of the old towns like Chartres can get one's pulse going, but pretty much everyone made room for us clueless tourists.

Try to make sure the GPS that Audi loans you at delivery is up-to-date, or get a European SIM card and data plan for your phone.

- Chuck

meowcatzee

hi! what an amazing color you selected for that car. I just ordered my Q7 and am interested in the ED experience.

Did you have any problems with the 3rd party delivery company? Did your car arrive home safely and handled well? I'm only asking because I read a blog post from an Audi buyer who's car was damaged during transportation. It sounded like hell and they were really upset. The idea of that happening is kind of holding me back from the ED. I'm trying to find out more information about the delivery process back to the states. Please let me know how your end experience went and of any problems you may have had. Thank you!