I will try and explain how the factory orders are processed to my knowledge. We have a family-owned VW-Audi dealership here in Finland, and I believe that the factory's NEWADA (Neuwagen Dispositions- und Abwicklungs) distribution system works. The system is used by the factory and the dealers (I do not know if dealers in US have NEWADA access).

When I place an order on NEWADA, the vehicle will automatically get an order number (NW KOM), which will follow the car from placement of order to delivery to customer. This helps dealers/importers/factory track cars, and we often give it to the customer at the time of order to avoid any qustion of switching cars if orders are delayed.

When first entered into NEWADA, the order will go to FAVAS (Farzeug Auftragsverwaltungs und Abgleichsystem) where the production planning/co-ordination and any build restrictions are sorted out. At the time of order into NEWADA, the dealer needs to know his allocation, if in use, and request for build from weeks that he has available allocation. FAVAS will inform NEWADA of the planned production week for the order which may or may not be the original requested week. At this time, the lack of available allotment or any option availability/restrictions etc. can push the order further.

Once NEWADA informs the dealer of the planned week, the wait begins. The order gets confirmed approximately 3 weeks before the actual build week, ie. cars built on week 12 would get confirmation on week 9. At the time of cofirmation the car gets a production number, 7 digits long, of which the first two digits signify the production week, and the third the day of the week. At this point, the odds of the car actually getting built get pretty good.

The first relief to the wait is seen on the NEWADA terminal once the car is completed at the factory, and finally a VIN is attached to the order. Now the car exists, and if trucks/trains/ships dont crash/derail/sink your car should be on its way!

One must remeber that at ANY point of the process, an order may get delayed due to production restrictions, but if the dealer has allotment and gets the order in, the order number (NW KOM) should be attached to a customer number/name at NEWADA.

It is a frustrating wait for the dealer and the customer, but is worth the wait. I would not think that dealers would switch orders or try other cheap tricks on their customers. I believe that openness with the customer after the order has been placed is to everyone's benefit.

This is highly simplified, but that is how it works.