New allroad buying experience (very long)
04-30-2003, 05:38 PM
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New allroad buying experience (very long)
My first post.
Daughter, 18, parks `94 Volvo 850T in driveway to grab something from inside the house. Does not set parking brake or put it in Park. Returns to find car "missing". Car rolled down hill to neighbor's creek. see: http://www.picturetrail.com/kiery56. Insurance totals car but I buy it from them and have it fixed at my expense with used parts as I have a 16 year old about to get her license. Insurance company says they will insure the car with liability only insurance. Since of my 3 cars (others are `96 Volvo 850T wagon and `91 BMW 850), the youngest has over 100,000 miles I tell the wife I think we should get a newer car with a warranty soon. We decide on a Volvo XC70, as my wife wants a car that sets a touch higher when you drive so you can see better. She also likes the idea of all wheel drive although in Northern Virginia we really don't need it. We visit Volvo dealership and they say all the 2003 are gone as the 2004 models are coming out early as in May or June. We find another dealer who still has a 2003 and test drive it and like it very much.
We planned to wait for the 2004 and maybe do European delivery as that is how we bought the last two Volvos.
Early April on a Saturday we have time to kill and I suggest that we check out the only other XC70 competitor (Subaru too small) the Audi allroad. My brother has an A6 4.2 and I like it. My wife loved the allroad and was excited. The Volvo and Audi has similar features such as leather, heated seats, safety features, and larger tires that set you up higher than the non XC model Volvo wagon or A6. But the Audi was quieter and drove with a much more solid feel. Felt more luxurious. Liked the Volvo nav better but that was minor. Both Volvo (2004) and Audi have free maintenance during warranty period.
So I tell the dealer we wanted a 2004 so please call us later. He said fine but since snow was done for the season and they wanted to move their inventory now, I could have any allroad for $4,000 off MSRP. I said thanks, but we did not want to buy right now. I was scared my emotions were driving my thinking and I should run, not walk away. When I got home, I called the other dealer in Northern Virginia and asked if that was a good deal and could he match it. He said it was a good deal that he could not match but could come close with invoice plus $750 on any allroad on his lot. Doing the math MSRP - 4000 is about invoice + 1500 or so. I called the first dealer and said I was interested. We returned after the wife and I decided that a 2003 at a good price was better than a 2004 at sticker (MSRP) in the Fall. I also did a quick internet search of Edmunds to check prices. I quickly checked a couple of reviews to see if the allroad was a good car as far as reliability. I did a google search on "allroad problems" and "allroad reliability". Found brake rotors a problem but since my Volvos seem to need new rotors when they needed pads, that was acceptable. So at the dealer we check inventory to review options and colors. I wanted blue but both dealers told me that was rare and hard to get. Neither had one nor seem to remember seeing one. One dealer said the color did not look good on the allroad. (Since then I have seen pictures on this board and they still look good to me). We did like the Brilliant Black as it had a "tuxedo" look to us with the black and chrome with the gray interior. We wanted premium, Bose, and cold weather. I like the twin spoke wheels but thought close to $1000 was too much. I wanted nav but again the money was not worth it for the Audi nav unit that I thought was not up to industry (DVD color screen) standards.
Found exactly what we wanted and sat down to sign paperwork as they quickly washed the car. While filling out paperwork, salesman says that unknown to him the internet department of the dealership had sold that car earlier in the day but did not update their inventory or put a sign in the car. Would we like another color? No. He did a search of the East coast and said he could give us MSRP - $4000 plus the cost of getting the car not on the lot which he estimated at $500. But at MSRP - $3500 he could not find a Black one in the mid Atlantic region. We told him to keep looking and call us next week. Monday I called him but no answer. Tuesday I called him but no answer. I called the second dealer and they had 3 Brilliant Black allroads, one had the options we wanted. Wednesday we went to buy it. Car was as I had asked except I forgot to mention I wanted the gray interior and this had beige. It was too bland for me and for $43,000 I wanted the car I fell in love with. The wife and I both have new car fever bad and this was an emotional roller coaster. They did have Black with gray but it had some options I didn't want. It had premium, Bose, cold weather, twin spoke wheels, tire pressure monitor and Onstar. So I was looking at $2000 more than the one I thought I was buying or $3,000 more than the one I thought I had at the original dealer. $45,300 was the final price. I secretly was glad I was "forced" to get the twin spoke wheels as I really do like them. This dealer also said what the original dealer said in that 2003 were going soon so buy now or pay 2004 MSRP. I knew the salesman use the sense of urgency to try to seal the deal but I still felt from my internet search that I still was getting a good, not great price. I signed with 100% financed at 2.9% with Audi. The car was just off the truck so I couldn't drive it until they prepped it. They gave me a loaner A6 sedan so I could pick up my allroad the next day.
Next day the original dealer called to say he found what I wanted on a boat due to dock within a week. I said I bought one last night. He was very upset. I said I called him repeatedly but no response. He said he went into the hospital with chest pains Sunday and that's why he didn't return my calls. I told him he had the better deal, closer location and better dealership but didn't have the car at the time and he gave me the impression he couldn't get a 2003 I wanted.
Love the car. Yes, I have trouble getting a smooth launch with the tip delay but I am learning. If I sit like I normally do in the Volvo with my legs splayed out a bit, the seat bolster hurts my thigh. I am learning to use proper posture and try different settings to avoid the minor pain from relaxing too much. I ordered a carbox liner for the back.
It is important to me to be enthusiastic about my dream car. In my brief internet search as I was buying the allroad I noted this forum. I had followed the bimmer.org board for some time but it seems to have a younger crowd with bigger egos. When we originally looked for a Volvo XC70, it was to be the wife's car as I wanted a sedan. After we bought the allroad, I declared it "my" car. In two years my wife and I will be empty nesters and I looked at the E320 and I planned to buy a 2004 BMW 545. Since the wife and I drive 3 miles to the train station and the train together each day to work in downtown Washington, DC it seemed we no longer needed a "his" car and a "her" car but needed a common Swiss army knife type of car and use the BMW 850 as a back up with the Volvos going the kids.
I already did my first mod this weekend. With my wife holding the hair dryer, I dental-flossed the "allroad" and "2.7T Quattro" off the rear-end. I plan to wait a year or two before I think seriously about chipping the car. I'm still thinking about mud flaps and the PSK anti-sway bar.
Thanks you all for all your intelligent, mature but enthusiastic posts. I sent a check in earlier this week for 3 years of Audi Club North America. I look forward to some of the club activities. I noticed some great stuff with Eastern PA club.
Please excuse the long post (from home). I am new to Audi and normally do my reading of this forum at work but don't dare "post" from work as they monitor our internet at work.
Daughter, 18, parks `94 Volvo 850T in driveway to grab something from inside the house. Does not set parking brake or put it in Park. Returns to find car "missing". Car rolled down hill to neighbor's creek. see: http://www.picturetrail.com/kiery56. Insurance totals car but I buy it from them and have it fixed at my expense with used parts as I have a 16 year old about to get her license. Insurance company says they will insure the car with liability only insurance. Since of my 3 cars (others are `96 Volvo 850T wagon and `91 BMW 850), the youngest has over 100,000 miles I tell the wife I think we should get a newer car with a warranty soon. We decide on a Volvo XC70, as my wife wants a car that sets a touch higher when you drive so you can see better. She also likes the idea of all wheel drive although in Northern Virginia we really don't need it. We visit Volvo dealership and they say all the 2003 are gone as the 2004 models are coming out early as in May or June. We find another dealer who still has a 2003 and test drive it and like it very much.
We planned to wait for the 2004 and maybe do European delivery as that is how we bought the last two Volvos.
Early April on a Saturday we have time to kill and I suggest that we check out the only other XC70 competitor (Subaru too small) the Audi allroad. My brother has an A6 4.2 and I like it. My wife loved the allroad and was excited. The Volvo and Audi has similar features such as leather, heated seats, safety features, and larger tires that set you up higher than the non XC model Volvo wagon or A6. But the Audi was quieter and drove with a much more solid feel. Felt more luxurious. Liked the Volvo nav better but that was minor. Both Volvo (2004) and Audi have free maintenance during warranty period.
So I tell the dealer we wanted a 2004 so please call us later. He said fine but since snow was done for the season and they wanted to move their inventory now, I could have any allroad for $4,000 off MSRP. I said thanks, but we did not want to buy right now. I was scared my emotions were driving my thinking and I should run, not walk away. When I got home, I called the other dealer in Northern Virginia and asked if that was a good deal and could he match it. He said it was a good deal that he could not match but could come close with invoice plus $750 on any allroad on his lot. Doing the math MSRP - 4000 is about invoice + 1500 or so. I called the first dealer and said I was interested. We returned after the wife and I decided that a 2003 at a good price was better than a 2004 at sticker (MSRP) in the Fall. I also did a quick internet search of Edmunds to check prices. I quickly checked a couple of reviews to see if the allroad was a good car as far as reliability. I did a google search on "allroad problems" and "allroad reliability". Found brake rotors a problem but since my Volvos seem to need new rotors when they needed pads, that was acceptable. So at the dealer we check inventory to review options and colors. I wanted blue but both dealers told me that was rare and hard to get. Neither had one nor seem to remember seeing one. One dealer said the color did not look good on the allroad. (Since then I have seen pictures on this board and they still look good to me). We did like the Brilliant Black as it had a "tuxedo" look to us with the black and chrome with the gray interior. We wanted premium, Bose, and cold weather. I like the twin spoke wheels but thought close to $1000 was too much. I wanted nav but again the money was not worth it for the Audi nav unit that I thought was not up to industry (DVD color screen) standards.
Found exactly what we wanted and sat down to sign paperwork as they quickly washed the car. While filling out paperwork, salesman says that unknown to him the internet department of the dealership had sold that car earlier in the day but did not update their inventory or put a sign in the car. Would we like another color? No. He did a search of the East coast and said he could give us MSRP - $4000 plus the cost of getting the car not on the lot which he estimated at $500. But at MSRP - $3500 he could not find a Black one in the mid Atlantic region. We told him to keep looking and call us next week. Monday I called him but no answer. Tuesday I called him but no answer. I called the second dealer and they had 3 Brilliant Black allroads, one had the options we wanted. Wednesday we went to buy it. Car was as I had asked except I forgot to mention I wanted the gray interior and this had beige. It was too bland for me and for $43,000 I wanted the car I fell in love with. The wife and I both have new car fever bad and this was an emotional roller coaster. They did have Black with gray but it had some options I didn't want. It had premium, Bose, cold weather, twin spoke wheels, tire pressure monitor and Onstar. So I was looking at $2000 more than the one I thought I was buying or $3,000 more than the one I thought I had at the original dealer. $45,300 was the final price. I secretly was glad I was "forced" to get the twin spoke wheels as I really do like them. This dealer also said what the original dealer said in that 2003 were going soon so buy now or pay 2004 MSRP. I knew the salesman use the sense of urgency to try to seal the deal but I still felt from my internet search that I still was getting a good, not great price. I signed with 100% financed at 2.9% with Audi. The car was just off the truck so I couldn't drive it until they prepped it. They gave me a loaner A6 sedan so I could pick up my allroad the next day.
Next day the original dealer called to say he found what I wanted on a boat due to dock within a week. I said I bought one last night. He was very upset. I said I called him repeatedly but no response. He said he went into the hospital with chest pains Sunday and that's why he didn't return my calls. I told him he had the better deal, closer location and better dealership but didn't have the car at the time and he gave me the impression he couldn't get a 2003 I wanted.
Love the car. Yes, I have trouble getting a smooth launch with the tip delay but I am learning. If I sit like I normally do in the Volvo with my legs splayed out a bit, the seat bolster hurts my thigh. I am learning to use proper posture and try different settings to avoid the minor pain from relaxing too much. I ordered a carbox liner for the back.
It is important to me to be enthusiastic about my dream car. In my brief internet search as I was buying the allroad I noted this forum. I had followed the bimmer.org board for some time but it seems to have a younger crowd with bigger egos. When we originally looked for a Volvo XC70, it was to be the wife's car as I wanted a sedan. After we bought the allroad, I declared it "my" car. In two years my wife and I will be empty nesters and I looked at the E320 and I planned to buy a 2004 BMW 545. Since the wife and I drive 3 miles to the train station and the train together each day to work in downtown Washington, DC it seemed we no longer needed a "his" car and a "her" car but needed a common Swiss army knife type of car and use the BMW 850 as a back up with the Volvos going the kids.
I already did my first mod this weekend. With my wife holding the hair dryer, I dental-flossed the "allroad" and "2.7T Quattro" off the rear-end. I plan to wait a year or two before I think seriously about chipping the car. I'm still thinking about mud flaps and the PSK anti-sway bar.
Thanks you all for all your intelligent, mature but enthusiastic posts. I sent a check in earlier this week for 3 years of Audi Club North America. I look forward to some of the club activities. I noticed some great stuff with Eastern PA club.
Please excuse the long post (from home). I am new to Audi and normally do my reading of this forum at work but don't dare "post" from work as they monitor our internet at work.
04-30-2003, 06:58 PM
#3
Welcome aboard "emtpy nester!" :) We aren't all older and more mature, we just occasionally act like
it.. Again congrats on a very nice vehicle. Does lots of things well!
I'm wondering if you find yourself swaying on which car to take when you go out the allroad or the 850. I still sway between my S4 and the allroad.
Again welcome aboard
I'm wondering if you find yourself swaying on which car to take when you go out the allroad or the 850. I still sway between my S4 and the allroad.
Again welcome aboard
05-01-2003, 01:45 PM
#6
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Welcome! (Great car choice by the way)
Say, with your Audi Club subscription, did you get the quattro quarterly? I look forward to getting this magazine every quarter more than anything else in the mail (with the exception of stuff from APR, LLTek, or GIAC).
Welcome aboard....
Welcome aboard....
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