Anand Patel

Hey guys so I am thinking of going with the new s4 and I wanted to know from the people who special ordered their cars how much did your dealer charge you on top of the MSRP? What kind if additional fees compare to picking a car on the lot?

Thank you!

ibu11et

No additional cost. In fact most people who special ordered still got discounts as far as I can tell.

h2olgd

Under no circumstances should a dealer think they can offer you the car at MSRP. It's not a special edition and they're made to order in (relatively) unlimited quantities. There are several threads on here where people are discussing their out-the-door costs and they run from 4-10% off MSRP. You'll also want to look at joining Audi Club of North America. With that you get a 6% discount at dealers who will accept it.

As far as "additional fees" to buying a car on the lot... there's no extra charges for buying a car on the lot vs. ordering. That being said, if this is the only dealer in town and happens to have a well-spec'ed car on the lot that would be in high demand, he might try to get more for it.

Be smart, patient, and not afraid to go elsewhere if you don't get the deal you're looking for.

ClemsonAudi

Absolutely!

My dealer agreed to $3,300 off the MSRP of $62,700, about 5.3%. He also agreed to give me KBB "Very Good" for my trade--the KBB on the internet that I have access to--at the time the car arrives and we formalize the deal. I feel like I could have done a little better based on what I've seen here--but not by much. So I'm good with the deal.

If your dealer isn't dealin', find one who will--they are out there for sure!

jjsC6

I agree with all of the above. It actually costs a dealer less to special order a car because they actually get paid for the car before they have to pay Aud, and there is no cost of carrying the car in inventory.

The only reason dealers offer a better deal on a car in stock is that they want you driving out the door in the new car so there is no chance you will change your mind. You should expect and get the same deal either way.

India Whiskey Charlie

Exactly! They also save on "Flooring Costs" (cars in stock are often financed).

Spartan-S5

I'm going in tonight/tomorrow to put in a order to see what they are offering to give me. I won't be going with any place that tells me they are marking up an special order OR doesn't want to work 5% off MSRP...seens enough orders on here that 5% is a normal request.

ClemsonAudi

I think 6% is the goal. Tell them you've done the research, and studied the forums, and people are getting 6%. Be willing to walk away--and do!

Watch out for the trade variable if you have a trade. They can give you 7% off the sticker, and then screw you on the trade. I go by KBB, and will not take anything less than "very good." So try very hard for 6%, and excellent on your trade. I would walk away at less than 5.3% off sticker, AND less than "Very Good" per KBB for my trade. But that was my deal--I think you can beat that!

markcincinnati

Here's the thing -- the "markup" on an ordered car is typically a NEGATIVE number.

This would be true for any car -- generally speaking.

Cars on the lot have a "holding cost."

If a car "in-stock" has been in stock for 30 days, and the rate (for purposes of this example) is $10 per day in "daily accrued interest charges," the car is on the dealer's books at COST+$300. You test the car and make the decision to buy it a week later. Now the dealer has the car on the books at COST+$370. You agree, due to YOUR needs, to pick the car up 4 days later (on a Saturday). Now the car is on the dealer's books at COST plus $410, and round and round she goes, where she stops nobody knows.

You order a car and pick it up within 3 days of it's arrival on the lot. Dealer has the car on the books at COST+$30.

Assuming you are a member of the Audi Club of North America, you will receive an absolutely certain discount of 6%. If you order the car, you may find you will receive MORE than 6% -- "just because" of the lower holding costs associated with your transaction.

In the case of the S4, you order your car, and you ARE a member of the ACNA, there is every reason to believe 6.5% is going to be your discount.

Can a dealer offer you this discount if you are NOT a member of the ACNA -- yes. They would rather not, however, because if you are a member of the ACNA, the dealer gets a 2% "rebate" on the MSRP from Audi, effectively lowering their discount to 4%, or, conversely, increasing their revenue (and one would imagine a proportionate amount of income -- after paying commission, of course) by 2%.

There are folks here who do somehow get better deals, but going above 7% at this stage of the product's cycle would be less common.

Time, Tide and Circumstances make the following declaration generally true: any ordered car costs the dealer less than an identical one that has been in inventory for any length of time (more than a week, perhaps).

Ordered cars -- generally speaking -- will always be a better deal for the customer (GENERALLY speaking). And, this means there will be folks who will tell you how they got a car that had been sitting on the lot for 66 days at 10% off or perhaps more. It is, TODAY, unlikely that car would be a 2018 S4, however.

One last thing. There is somewhat more potential for a car that is heavily optioned to have a smidge greater discount.

I know it is hard to watch the TV commercial for a new Buick Enclave at 15% off MSRP and then walk into the Audi store and get just 6 or 6.5% off. Wonder why that is?

Econ 101.

markcincinnati

Let us all be clear, if what we're talking about is an S4:

6% off (not 5.3%) is the going discount -- even without the ACNA "coupon," the thing is, WITH the coupon, there's 2% for the dealer to play with, so they might go 6.5% with little push-back; probably will, in fact.

If we were talking Q5 or Q7, well that's a bit tougher -- again: Economics 101.