VRM

Hi guys,

New member here. I currently have a F80 M3, went to test drove the B9 S4 and found that the driving experience is much more refined for my taste.

I was able to get 6.5% off +incentives if I order one. Is this consider a good deal? I know I can get 6% for joining ACNA, so the difference seems not that much.

I have always been a bmw guy and have little knowledge with Audi's numbers, is this what ppl usually get for S4? If I wait for a year or two, will I be able to found better deals?

Many thanks!

Nathan.r007

I'm in the EXACT same boat as you!! small world...

I'm currently in a 2015 M3 and my lease ends next year. I stated in another post here above that I currently have a great lease payment on my M3 as the programs in 2015 were really strong... however, I'm looking to save some money every month and getting into a lower payment as well as something new and different.

I'm a big fan of BMW and it's been a part of my life for a while now, so it's kind of hard for me to let go of the M3 but I feel like stepping into the S4 still gives me power, a lot more comfort, styling and the interior speaks for itself, it's a MAJOR difference coming from a BMW, I loved it.

I'm talking to Audi of West Palm Beach, FL trying to see if they would sell it at invoice and then add the competitor car incentive on top. I was eyeing a payment of $575(ish) with 10k miles and 36 months, but they haven't agreed to it yet, I'm working on it. I just didn't want to wait a few more years to jump into this car, as by 2019-2020, I'll probably want to get back into a new BMW of whatever new generation is out.

markcincinnati

Audi's "S" cars are typically discounted less than their other "A" cars -- this has been the case since I got my first "S" car back in the mid 1990's (it was an S6).

The SQ5, for a time, was discounted, typically by $1000 -- unless you were an Audi Club member.

If you can get a number above 6% for an "S" car, that wouldn't normally be "within expectations."

Can one of these cars be had for less -- probably. This early in the game, probably not.

There are people, you know them, you may be one of them, who can ALWAYS get whatever it is for a better price than you can get it.

My "target" is to try, try, try to get 10% off -- it would be rare to have that happen this soon after launch, though.

Some of the cars -- the RS cars, to be exact, are excluded from the 6% discount.

The reason given of course is supply and demand.

I wonder about the S cars and supply -- is the supply kept low to keep prices high?

If, pick a number, double the number of S4's were made available to the US would the price remain 94% of sticker? Logic would dictate NO.

But, even my die hard BMW friends when given a chance to test drive an S car from Audi, often -- not always, but often -- seem to understand what those of us who are fans of the brand are always going on about. . . .

Audi "S" cars -- don't leave home without one. . .

Nathan.r007

If you find a dealer giving you 10% off... please do let me know!! I'd be very interested in that immediately, even if you told them it would make them two sales on the spot (yours and mine!)... Seems like the most I saw so far is 6%.

VRM

It's great to know that there's someone in the same boat as me.

my 16 lease ends next year too, did ED so got a pretty good deal, like you said BMW has strong programs. what I liked best about the S4 is the balance of comfy/sporty, and the way quattro puts its power down vs spinning tires on the m3. plus i gotta say audi's interior is always a step above bmw.

i've contacted a dozen dealers in CA and many of them are selling @ sticker. it's supply & demand since most dealers only has 1 or 2. Also i was told that since its a new model so lease numbers probably not gonna be good. i calculated using mid 50s residual and the payment would never go under 600 unless you put money down (or a large discount).

please let me know how your negotiation goes, i will keep you updated on mine as well.

thanks for the reply btw!

VRM

Many thanks for all the helpful insights!

seems like it's all about supply & demand. ill get what i can get and just go for it, at the end of the day its about the driving experience, and i know i will love it.

btw i know what you mean, hate to admit it but the few times i drove an S/RS model i tend to like it a bit more than my bimmer. Glad to join the S club thou.

CHIO

right now if you are getting 6% or more you doing well

Zuly

I think this is a great deal. I get 6% due to ACNA and thats pretty much the best around here for S models (NorCal)

Nathan.r007

If I join the ACNA now, do I have to wait 6 months for the 6% discount to activate or would it be safe to say most dealers won't mind and will offer it right away?

Thanks!

markcincinnati

I want to clarify -- with the range of "S" car Audi offers, the Audi Club's 6% discount is a godsend. I do NOT -- at this time -- know any dealers who are offering 10% off; I said I have -- with respect to Audi purchases since my first in 1977 -- always "tried" for 10% off. There were times when this was (and probably still is) possible.

Audi, like other manufacturers do everything possible to reduce the amount of discounting they offer. In some cases it is accomplished by keeping supply in check -- e.g., not having a glut of cars on lots, etc., and encouraging customers to order cars.

I assume this approach does prevent the discounting that seems somewhat widespread in their competitors (frequently American cars, but sometimes Japanese, Korean and -- less frequently -- European cars).

I hope one of the consequences of this behavior is to keep the residual values high, which is especially appreciated by those who lease cars (and, one would imagine, buyers, too, would appreciate the slower depreciation this approach should engender.)

Although we (my wife and I) have had dozens of Audis, we've also had three BMWs, one Acura and one Infiniti) since 1977. Both the Acura and the Infiniti were heavily subvented by Infiniti Financial and Acura Credit (Nissan and Honda, probably).

One of the three BMWs was the owner's wife's car and we bought it with less than 10,000 miles on it and received full warranty, new tires and $11,000 off sticker. It was sold as new, but I assume it was discounted "as if" it had been a demonstrator model.

Speaking of demonstrators, does Audi actually have demonstrator cars? It seems that folks tell their sales rep the approximate configuration of the car they want, then an approximately configured car is found -- if possible -- and THAT is the car that is tested, not some "demo" or "sales rep" car.

Do American car dealers still have "demos" -- or is this practice dead?

In any case, I appreciate Audi's practice of trying to prop up their car's residuals by not offering heavily discounted cars. But I still try for 10% off.

One last comment -- Audiworld participants (not just those who read, I'm speaking of those who write), may represent a rich message, but we probably do not represent nor have strength in numbers sufficient to move too many needles -- I hope I am wrong.

As such, Audiworld participants are probably made up of buyers who are more likely to order cars EXACTLY as they want them, rather than checking out the local inventory and buying something off the lot (if there is one on the lot). My experience is that ordered cars are almost always given the maximum discount possible ("possible" being subject to debate, of course).

Of course your mileage may vary.