After waiting 3 months for my special A3 order (w/ AL roof rails), some unbelievable/ridiculous sequence of events resulted in my car being sold off the lot (2 days ago) to someone else before I took delivery.

Just got the news this afternoon and obviously I was and am still quite upset (livid). And, mildly depressed, though I've calmed down a bit...

I asked for a free loaner car while I wait for another order to be placed and the car to arrive (dealer agreed), and free maintenance (should be the least AoA could do).

First off, how is this possible? The sales rep said that the AoA representative at port (San Diego) some how misplaced or mishandled the information regarding the vehicle and how it was a sold order car... Second, how could the dealer not keep track of VINs and what order they are associated to? The sales rep whom I had dealt with was on vacation when the car came in - had he seen it, he would have known that it was the car I had ordered.

This was going to be my first Audi and this experience has put a huge dent in the respect and confidence I had for Audi. In my view, if AoA doesn't handle this property they could potentially loose my business for a very long time...

My current car is 10 years old and falling apart - I had counted on taking ownership of this A3 this week to meet my transportation needs, I had gotten an auto loan ready, purchased floor mats, etc.

Do you guys and gals have any suggestions on how I should handle this? Like I wrote above, I've already asked for the free loaner for 2 ~ 3 months until when the newly ordered A3 arrives in addition to free maintenance. Should I be making a bigger fuss?

I still really want the A3. But, I'm starting to feel that perhaps I should start considering alternatives.

Thanks for your input.

 

Sounds like they are willing to help with making it right, though?
I agree that you deserve a loaner until they get you into your own car. Is it at all possible to do a nationwide search for a car like the one you ordered?

I wouldn't lose confidence in the brand though. Sounds like some strange chain reaction of events... a one in a million type goof. I'm sorry it had to happen to you.

keep us posted!

Funny though that this happens when we are discussing the $500 over invoice thread, which i believe is what you said you agreed on for this order. I wonder what they sold it for?

 

everything he can (within his power) to help remedy this major mistake. His boss, the general sales manager, sounds to be accommodating thus far.

He offered to search for a car spec'd as closely as possible to what I had ordered (minus the roof rails). But, I really want those roof rails which are factory order only.

Yeah, I wonder how much they sold the car for off the lot - the lucky person got those beautiful roof rails... Perhaps I'll run into him/her someday driving around SoCal ("hey, did you happen to buy that car at soandso dealership?").

Yup - this was the $500 over invoice I agreed to when the order was originally placed.

 

I'm of two minds about this. On one hand it could have been an honest mix-up. When I sold cars and had orders coming in, I split the deal with salespeople on hand to make sure the delivery happened immediately. Since the deal would be split and that meant $50 per salesperson in your case, I can see why your salesperson would want to try and keep the commission to themselves. In fact not that many salespeople would even want half a deal like that.

On the other hand..... Not sure how large this dealership is, and how many managers. That can play a major part...... So if this was a mix-up the manager on duty should have tagged the incoming car as it arrived off the truck and the inventory sheet was given to them. If they screwed up there, that was incompetence on their part.

On the other hand, if somebody came in while your salesperson was away and offered more than $500 over invoice for the car, I can see how the dealer might be tempted. After all, CA law requires a car on the lot that has cleared safety inspection to be available for sale to anyone - deposit or not. This exists to protect the consumer from dealer sales that are too good to be true, where dealers use deposits to tie up cars in ads. It is why salespeople usually try to bring customers of ordered cars in immediately or have them sign contracts before the car clears PDI.

So I'm not sure whether this was just unhappy fate or the dealer protecting their bottom line, but I am sorry to hear about it in either case. If it helps, I would expect this kind of possible scenario to happen no matter what brand, if given the same profit margins. It just provides too much temptation. I hope you can work something out that will make you happy.

 

I would go with another car company.

 

it looks like AoA is making an honest effort to make things right. But, what would burn my *** is seeing the original car I ordered driving around town before and after I receive the second copy.

 

1. Do you think this really couldn't happen with any other manufacturer? Human's make mistakes. Even the world's awesomest human.

2. Do you think that it would really make any difference to Audi if he did go with someone else? If the goal here is to spite, it's fruitless.

3. In the end, he'll have his car and love it. If he goes with something else he chances always wondering what could have been. Every time he sees an A3.... any A3.... he'll be pissed.

 

Patience is a virtue. With a free loaner, maybe ask for a A3 loaner, you'll be fine. Waiting for my car was really hard, but in the long run I would of waited longer if necessary. It was worth it.

 

Or ask for an S4 loaner :P...but like most said, in the end, you'll love having an A3!

 

They are willing to give you a loaner car while this gets cleared up? Order another one exactly as you want it and get them to commit that loaner car to you until it arrives. This is the best of both worlds, actually. You get to drive an A3 for a couple of months with no more than a deposit as the string attached. And then when your ordered car arrives, you switch from a lightly used A3 to a new one with no financial penalty. THIS is what they owe you, IMHO.