SCarGuy

First year releases from many brands often will lack customization - Audi always releases more wheel and trim options for 2nd year of production. It's been that way since forever.

You absolutely can switch dealers, and do so easily. I just had a client do it to us in fact, for an order placed elsewhere.

Delivery timing - unfortunately, it is often this way with any first release, whether it's a car, or other commodities. That's why Audi launched the reservation platform, and did so without the promise of a delivery timetable...unlike the mess Tesla created for themselves. EPA rating will come shortly, I forget when the test is slated for, it's in my notes someplace. The fact that it's Audi's first electric I understand - but it's not like that fact changed pre/post reservation. Everyone always has a first time

Tom-ETRON

Having bought several first production year cars in my life, I might disagree. Audi has does an incredible job in their test and validation program, and also has 6 months of experience now on their "captured fleet", so I think most of the major bugs have been caught. Audi has been loaning the cars to bloggers to test in the worst conditions with basically no rules, charge as they wish, etc... Have not read about any mechanical problems whatsoever. Bjorn Nyland did mention a small rattle near the glove box, and a software glitch while heating the interior at a charging stop. I am sure both of those will be fixed on the customer delivery models.

Tesla on the other hand if you got an early Model 3, that's a different story. Since then Tesla has redesigned the seats, windshield, rear motor, main display, door hardware, and the software has bene completely updated, but Autopilot is still not as good as S and X models. Those early model 3's were crap... I guess same with the first 20K model S's, and X's. Skipping the test and validation program has helped Tesla get cars to the market earlier, but has not helped their customers, and shareholders.

SCarGuy

I think it will always be anecdotal and nothing more.

I've had numerous first year cars, even among the first batch, and have they have been great. My first M3 was a second year production and was a mess from the 2k mile mark. My 335xi was even worse. It is a machine afterall, and in any machine, you can and will have issues. I simply expect them, am pleasantly surprised if there are none, but have full expectation that when they occur, they are taken care of with minimal effort and inconvenience (and cost) on my part. Some cars have lived up to this, some have vastly exceeded it, some have failed miserably...regardless of whether I was an early adopter or not.

raj99

Hi Tom, that's the difference between a user study based upon anecdotal evidence of 1 person vs. that of all people who have purchased the product and then looking at the defect rates, both recall based and maintenance related. I've been a hardware engineer and no matter the level of testing, flighting, phased releases and development cycles pre-general release...the DPM (defects per million) for 1st model year of almost any product is significantly higher than subsequent. As for pre-releasing to blogger and influencers, you know that most of those folks can be heavily biased, based upon perks and incentives provided to them...just saying. But good luck with your purchase and I'll be looking at something in a later model year.

Tom-ETRON

Defects per million? haha! you a cell phone hardware engineer? Looking at JD Powers, or Consumer reports surveys in general there is some truth to what you say, however the difference between the 10 best and the 10 worst in recent years is about 1 defect per vehicle. On the Chevrolet Bolt for example the first model year produced was nearly GM's most reliable model in initial quality according to JD powers, and Consumer Reports agreed. Do you think GM is magic? As for letting bloggers take the cars, the manufacturers are looking for data from corner case scenarios that are not covered in their testing and validation programs. It's Ok that you take a more conservative approach to car buying. Statistically over all manufacturers you should have 0.5 less defects in your car then the initial production run. I will take my chances as I do not see evidence of high rates of initial defects like we did on Model 3, or to a lesser extent on the I-Pace.

raj99

spoken like a non-HW engineer DPM is pretty standard measurement for most analysis and isn't just applicable to recalls and what you note, but a defect can be anything from an issue found during standard servicing of your vehicle ranging from an ECU reading out of scale to a lumbar support not having the correct PSI to manufactured spec...basically meaning a lot of things that the consumer never notices may in fact be considered a defect, since it's out of spec and may never be observable by a human.

Like I said, I wish you well with the purchase.

Tom-ETRON

I am not a HW engineer... more of an educated gambler...

theo1000

Hah! but you miss out no...And I'm not getting any younger don't know about you. HW Engineers may live for ever. :P

Older I get I don't mess around with this fru-fru. Get what you want, don' t like it get something else.
Don't mess around with time, its the only thing you got. Money comes, wife comes, money goes, wife goes.. ...not necessarily that order.

All my EV's have far fewer things go wrong with their electric drive train. Just simpler. So even if 1-2 things go wrong on the E-Tron I will still be ahead on the odds. I havn't wasted a precious year....

alexlear

Do you, SCarGuy, or anyone else know when these EPA numbers will be released? Thanks!

BlackOptic

So I just went ahead and cancelled. I hadn't noticed the 'cancel' button on the Myreservation page. They have a drop down for 'reason for cancelling', I wish they had more space for feedback rather than just "product options" (which is what I selected).

When Black Optic and Non-Walnut-trim become configuration options.... AND Daytona Gray is available on all trims, not just Edition One... I'll be back in the game, and back of the line.

In the meantime, I gonna enjoy my brand new RS5 Sportback... In Daytona Gray. Hoping to get a matching color e-tron one of these days.