metamatt

Hi everyone, this is my first post here but I want to thank everyone else who's posted in this forum as it really helped me and my wife make the decision.

We've ordered a 2012 A4 Avant for European Delivery. We ordered it from Carlsen Audi in Palo Alto, CA in late July, asking for a delivery date of October 7.

When we placed the order they said they could pencil in that delivery date but couldn't confirm it until the car was scheduled for production.

2 weeks after we placed the order, we got a packet in the mail from Audi of America saying our car would be ready "after October 4", but nothing more specific about a delivery date.

Since it's now mid-August and our desired delivery date is under 2 months away, I'd like to buy plane tickets, but I still don't have a firm delivery date.

Reading the official Audi info page (http://www.audiusa.com/us/brand/en/e...container=page), it seems to say that they don't schedule delivery appointments until after the car completes production, but I don't see how that works for people.

If I follow that description exactly, I see 2 bad choices:
- 1: order car, wait for it to be produced (over 60 days), then with VIN number in hand get delivery date far enough in future that plane tickets are cheap, buy plane tickets
- 2: order car, buy plane tickets based on scheduled completion date, hope there's a delivery slot available

#1 takes an extra couple months and #2 seems risky.

I'm just curious, what do people do in practice; what did you all do? Are the estimated delivery dates reliable?

I've tried asking my dealer and writing email to europeandeliveryprogram@audi.com and neither one is as responsive as I'd like. They seem to think I'll be fine adding another month to the process or buying plane tickets a couple days before departure, neither of which seems to me to be a good idea!

TIME89

HI, metamatt! And Welcome to Audi World ED section!
I understood your frustration, wish it will be simple answer.
Just FYI - I send copy of your e-mail to head of AoA ED program - as soon as he replay - I will post his response here.

Congratulation on your Avant - great car.
Any plan on route - where do you go, where do you drop off?

metamatt

Hi TIME89, thanks for the response.

I eventually heard back from my dealer after they confirmed it with AoA. I should make myself clear, my dealer has been helpful and responsive but they're not very used to dealing with ED (they say they do a couple a year) and the scheduling is really up to AoA.

I really do think AoA could go farther here to make this process easier and communicate better... I have a feeling it'll all work out fine in the end but I like to be sure. Audi is a quality brand; I'm sure they're used to demanding customers

Our tentative plan is to spend a little time in Munich before picking up the Avant, then after the Ingolstadt factory tour, head south through Austria into Italy, see how far south we can get before we run out of time, double back through France and drop off in Paris. Very tentative, because the great thing about doing this by car is we can make it up as we go along!

TIME89

You plan is copy cat of my planning ED.....
How deep south of Italy you plan to go?

metamatt

Yeah, very similar actually.

If we can make it as far south as Rome I'll be happy, but really I'll be happy either way.

The highway through Bologna is great -- I drove through there before several years ago; I don't remember whether the most fun part was the part north of Bologna or the part between Bologna and Florence. Very curvy, alternating tunnels and nice views.

TIME89

Rome is not really "new car friendly" city.
I would recommend get hotel with good secure parking outside of Rome and use public transportation around town.

ROME - EUR PARCO DEI MEDICI
VIALE CASTELLO DELLA MAGLIANA 65 ROME, 00148 ITALY