Crazy Audi Deals

[drmark]

Ari said:

You do understand that newspapers pretty much just invent stuff to make a story, right..?

Er, no.
Depends on the paper, but basic rules for story like this include: confirm figures at source (so trade association or VAG, not secondary report). Corroborate. File. Subs then repeat part 1.
Now if you are talking a tabloid like Daily Mail and a celebrity story I might be inclined to agree..

[Deerfoot]

Ari said:

Deerfoot said:

Yet according to news reports sales have dropped 20%.....

Some dealers must really have suffered. Or some have been economical with the truth.

You do understand that newspapers pretty much just invent stuff to make a story, right..?

You do understand that the figures were from the SMMT ?

[PenelopaPitstop]

Milemuncher said:

There were certainly some stonking S8 deals around recently. All being well we should be getting ours in March.

Mine was delivered yesterday, page 48 of Leasing Deals: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[anonymous-user]

Some stuff I posted about VAG UK sales figures

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Milemuncher]

PenelopaPitstop said:

Milemuncher said:

There were certainly some stonking S8 deals around recently. All being well we should be getting ours in March.

Mine was delivered yesterday, page 48 of Leasing Deals: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Looks good. We've gone for the same interior colour on ours. :-)

[grumpynuts]

andrewparker said:

Likewise, I know a few guys at my local dealer and they have said they've basically not been affected by it at all. They're not a dealer who discounts heavily and that hasn't changed, nor have they noticed a downturn in custom or people cancelling orders.

I can only assume that the transporter driver I spoke to was lying, as was the General Manager of the VW dealership. I smell billy bullsh*t coming from these dealers all telling you they are not affected. VW dealers will say what they have been told to say by VW head office in order to prevent a total meltdown of their network and customer base. ALL sales people in VW group dealerships will have been briefed to say how busy they are, that's how these things are done, smoke and mirrors. Believe what you like, but I know what I heard with my own ears.

[nickfrog]

grumpynuts said:

ALL sales people in VW group dealerships will have been briefed to say how busy they are, that's how these things are done, smoke and mirrors.

Yes I can imagine Compliance at VW UK agreeing with that. VW UK don't have dealers. The franchisees are independents or dealer groups, not owned. VW will NOT take the slightest risk telling dealers how to run their business again, outside of contractual agreements of course, which I doubt includes deception attempts.

Edited by nickfrog on Sunday 6th December 15:31

[Sheepshanks]

grumpynuts said:

I can only assume that the transporter driver I spoke to was lying, as was the General Manager of the VW dealership.

So now you've elevated your range of informants from a transporter driver up to a dealer GM.

I understood dealers didn't pay for cars until they were registered anyway, although I suppose if sales were decimated then space might start to be become an issue.

If things are that bad, VW UK is certainly doing a good job of holding its nerve - there's no sign of exceptional deals.

Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 6th December 14:13

[andrewparker]

It might be as simple as some franchises doing ok and remaining unaffected, and some seeing a drop in sales. The guys I was referring to are personal friends and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't lie to me, but I'm also not accusing you of making anything up.

[Blown2CV]

i don't think it's anything to do with holding nerve. Once you drop the prices, you won't be able to just put them back up again later. It's not quite a one-way door, but it's nowhere near as simple as "drop prices, everything great again".