Volkswagen Driving comfort package

Princess78

My uncle is getting a new Jetta (I know they aren't exactly popular here on the board but he's an old farmer and it's what he wants!)

Anyway he was at the dealers yesterday and was asking about the driving comfort package add on. He was told that he could order it as an add on but he'd have to wait till APRIL for the car if he did!!!!

Is that really right??? I was thinking a month or two at the most but that's nearly 6 months!! And the dealer told him that his own car (02 Bora) would have depreciated so much more in the mean time it would end up costing about €1500 extra (€600 for package, extra depreciation) rather than just getting a Jetta "now". (Not sure if he meant now November or now 08 reg).

My uncle is the kind of old guy that just accepts what's said at face value so I'm just wondering if this sounds right really. I can't imagine WHY the dealer would make it up either though!

phill106

id check around in a few other vw garages, maybe one is getting a similar spec one in, then wouldnt have to wait.
As for the extra depreciation in 6 months, dealers being a bit harsh, id say if he threatened to buy elsewhere, should cop the dealer on.

R.O.R

I think April is a bit far out. Special order VW & Audi's are generally 12 weeks max. I suppose at this time of year it could go to 16 weeks but that should be an absolute maximum.

Stephen

Sounds like the dealer is just trying to make him take one that he has in stock already.

oilsheik

VAG order time is 10 - 12 weeks for a GTi its slightly longer at about 16 weeks. The dealer is spoofing him probably want to shift a stock car. If he order the car today he should have it around mid Feb'08.

JoeA3

He's spoofing... some dealers (more "traditional" type ones in my experience) hate the sight of people coming in looking for something non-standard and are only interested in shifting their standard-spec stock.
My GTI took 8 weeks to arrive from order to delivery. Its generally no more than 10 weeks or so for a factory order.
Tell him to try another dealer.

Princess78

Thanks guys.

I called another 2 dealers and they both said the same thing! I give up. I even mentioned that I had my quotes from a different dealer and could they do anything better for me and they said no! I though the point was to sell cars?

Type 17

See if Isaac Agnew (or any other NI VW dealer) can do it any faster - might suit you to buy it up there - more stuff is standard on any given model, cars in stock are likely to be higher-spec, and their atitude might be better than dealers around here (wouldn't be hard).

Anan1

Type 17 wrote: »

See if Isaac Agnew (or any other NI VW dealer) can do it any faster - might suit you to buy it up there - more stuff is standard on any given model, cars in stock are likely to be higher-spec, and their atitude might be better than dealers around here (wouldn't be hard).

AFAIK, they're more expensive.

Type 17

Worth a look still because, although the pre-VRT price of Irish cars looks low, that is because the spec is appalling - if you compare a standard UK-spec car with an Irish car with the same spec (Irish base model plus a good few extras), you may find that the prices are not that different.

If you are happy with a base-spec Irish car, then there is no point going North, but the OP's uncle is interested in a car with some extras.

With second-hand cars it's a no-brainer - I bought a 2004 Golf 2.0 TDI Sportline in 2006 at a UK dealer with DSG, Climate, Cruise, Winter Pack, Comfort Pack and bigger alloys for the same price (even after VRT) as an Irish 2.0 TDI Sportline in a VW dealer here, but without any of the above extras and a manual gearbox (there were several on www.volkswagen.ie)

Anan1

It's always worth trying, but the last time I checked for a particular car, the UK price was higher for a car of identical specification. That said, i'd be surprised if there wasn't some country in Europe with a lower base price for the same RHD Irish-spec car. As you say, it's always good to shop around!

Matt Simis

Type 17 wrote: »

Worth a look still because, although the pre-VRT price of Irish cars looks low, that is because the spec is appalling - if you compare a standard UK-spec car with an Irish car with the same spec (Irish base model plus a good few extras), you may find that the prices are not that different.

I thought that practice was now illegal under EU legislation? Its not legal to alter a product (ie make it worse) from region to region within the zones. Obviously car manufacturers were doing it here (and the other countries with VRT like systems) to reduce the base selling price of the car (pre-VRT) but still ruled illegal.

To OP, 07 Jetta vs 06 Passat? At this time of year, bit pointless getting a new plate anyway.

ArseBurger

The dealers are probably trying to hit their Q4/end of year targets.

Type 17

Matt Simis wrote: »

I thought that practice was now illegal under EU legislation? Its not legal to alter a product (ie make it worse) from region to region within the zones. Obviously car manufacturers were doing it here (and the other countries with VRT like systems) to reduce the base selling price of the car (pre-VRT) but still ruled illegal.

Not at all, unfortunately - it even happens with safety equipment, eg: all UK-spec Golfs come with ESP as standard, whereas here it is an €800 option (€300 of which is VRT). There are also many examples of curtain & passenger airbags being extra-cost options here while being standard on that model in other EU countries.

Basically, the importer orders the spec from the manufacturer that they think will sell in their country, based on price-sensitivity, taxes, consumer preferences, etc...

If you don't think ESP is important, watch the video on this page called "The falling box"