New Car Planning

[Gmonster]

I am seriously considering ordering a new Audi A7 and I wish to harness the power and knowledge of these forums. It’s a significant investment and was looking for input and opinions around the areas outlined below.

I have a 2013 C7 A6 Black Edition 2.0 Tdi (with added options etc) Car has now done 100k miles and prob has plenty life left in it yet…apart from few minor niggles. I am seriously considering a new replacement and have the resources to potentially put into the new car experience. The delivery delay issue has held me back till now… but now considering this again seriously as we enter 2022.

Happy and grateful to receive opinions (however direct/stark) on any of the following related areas:

1. Supplier and proposed lifecycle: Was proposing to use ‘drive the deal’ as the supplier and my strategy has always been to keep cars long term; C8-10 years. Last new car in 2014 I got c20% discount thro DTD. I’m thinking that this route is still one of the best/cost effective ways to buy a high end new car?
2. Model: Audi A7 55 TFSI E. Fancied a change up to the A7… and due to the electric evolution…thought that the petrol/plug in hybrid was the right stepping stone. Whats the opinion/value on the further step up to the fully electric Etron GT? My thots that the charging infra not quite there to go to fully electric ..plus there is the further step up in cost.
3. Car use/ charging regime: I still work and need the capability to travel a fair distance …without any charging anxiety. Hence go for plug in hybrid. Go for most powerful engine for fun factor. I think I would stick to fairly strict charging regime for most cost effective short range local runs use on fully electric etc (c25-30mile). Opinions on overall running costs? (I have yet to do the leccy sums on just how cost effective only electric running will be)
4. Trim Level: Vorsprung trim. I like my toys in the car.. so thot Vorsprung was the right level. Opinions; value for money?.. What about the step up/diff to the Comp trim? (What’s the difference?)
5. Delivery issues: What’s the latest on this. How is this developing in 2022 etc?
6. Summary Opinions: What do people think on shifting a significant dod of money into the new car experience ….as opposed to just keep running an older Audi.

Any opinions on any of the above points; either from new C8 owners or from people considering making a similar change, gladly received. Cheers.


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[danclyon]

I keep looking at this. My dealer was basically offering me a Q4 Etron for the same monthly payments as on my A6 Avant during the "wake up" between lockdowns....they were "giving them away".
I've been watching the electric situation closely, and watching what's been going on at fast-charge prices. Electricity is about to hit 30p/kwh - meaning to "fill up at home" on the most likely candidate for me in the electric space (Hyndai Kona 64kwh) would cost £17.10. At a fast charger that is over £25 - for 240-250 miles if driven sedately. Yes there are free charging points at some supermarkets etc., but honestly, ours are always full, so you have to go on the prices at forecourts etc. You can get those prices down a bit, but turn up at Shell without a subscription of some sort and it's NOT cheap.

I get 750 miles minimum out of a tank of diesel....rate that up, and you are looking at £75 for the similar range on fast charger miles. OK it costs £100 to fill the A6, but when I am out and about for work, I'll use a full charge in a day, so it's not there yet. The Q4 - that's not doing 240-250 miles, it's doing 180-190 - 200 if you are lucky - and the GT even less (though I don't have experience of that one).

Given the way batteries are moving, and the infrastructure still isn't there yet, I'm personally hanging on with the A6 for the time being. I'd maybe chance a PHEV variant, but my commute at the moment when I'm out and about is 120 miles each way so the electrical benefit is relatively small.

I'd love to go electric, but what I'm actually considering is changing one car for electric (need an estate though - so that limits my choice to 1 - the MG5) for the dogs, as the Q4 Etron boot isn't angled sensibly and is a bit too small, plus it's not actually that roomy inside) and hanging on to the other car (which may well be the Toyota Hybrid Estate) and selling my A6.....

Though in reality, I take ages to make decisions, so by the time I make my mind up, the range thing might be a lot better :)

[Gmonster]

Danc… Thanks for your response. I knew I was chancing my arm with this query for the forum..as it’s complicated area… with a lot of variables.

Thing you highlight is that the manufacturers are pushing the electrics to get there quota up etc… but you need to not be taken in with that to make the right decision for your own personal situation.

I think we agree… it’s definitely too early to go full electric (charging infra.. improving range/batteries to come…cost cars to high etc) So the PHEV.. is the option to explore for the future.

Your current Avant has got a bit of life left in it yet ? ( mine is 8-9 yr old ..c100 miles on it etc)


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[danclyon]

Gmonster - yeah - with you. If i was popping to the station and back each day, shops and stuff, then the current electrics are "good enough", but my use-case needs a 300-400 mile range if I'm honest (typically minimum of 250 as the airport is that far away, and the last thing you want to do is get off a long-haul flight and then have to charge the car!). You've also got to remember that the fast-charging is only in the 10-20% to 80% max for most makes at the moment....meaning if you can wait the half an hour or an hour, you are still only getting to 80% or thereabouts, so there goes another 50 miles off the range. For me, just not ready yet. For my wife, we could swap tomorrow - but it would be replacing a very faithful and reliable Toyota Hybrid with 0 road tax that is all paid up for something that would cost me £20k on top.

My Avant is actually just about to hit 85k miles. Had Covid not happened it would have been on about 140 now. It's in as close to mint condition as you would find for a 2015 (couple of tiny dents in the aluminium around the gearbox tunnel, and a scratch on a door that was badly touched up before I bought it but I just haven't got round to and most people don't notice it anyway! Honestly, at this point I'm thinking I'll just run it until it's dead for both cars and let the other issues sort themselves out in the meanwhile.

Good luck on your search!

Cheers,
Dan.

[beemerboy9]

Having helped my sister-in-law into a Q2, I think DTD are the best option - but she bought from the main dealer after all.

Do check out the back of the A7 for headroom and check how you are going to use it. My adult children tolerated my A5 SB, but have no complaints about the A6 Avant.

Due due the charging infrastructure at the current time, the only electric car I would consider is the Tesla.

Trim level: If you like toys, then you have to have them. The only toy that I want is electric seats with memory, which my current car does not have. The rest of the car compensates, though, as the unusual interior really floats my boat.

A discount through DTD is cheaper then investing in a 2-year old model from a main dealer.

[Gmonster]

Thanks for the response BB.

I’m with you on DTD. I managed c20% discount on the package for my current A6 eight or so years ago. Tho I’m still getting over the current ‘to pay’ price for my current presences; really significant increase etc.

Interesting point you make on the tipping point between DDD and main dealers when considering a ‘nearly new’ car. I agree with the DTD decision including the additional plusses that you get: eg; new car experience, with exactly the options/Color that you want (if your prepared to wait for delivery etc!)

The A7 reduced headroom issue… I hear you on …and will consider. Should be ok for my uses I think etc.

Yes Tesla seems most advanced charging technology/range wise… but think I prefer the build quality and trim options of the Audis.
Cheers for responses.


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[Scott K]

Bear in mind that you could get the 28k interest free loan from the Scxottish gov for an electric car as long as it is below 50k. 6 years to pay it back. I would consider this as I think these deals might get pulled now that electric cars are more mainstream. I bought a new audi just over 2 years ago so missed the boat as I didn't think the infrastructure was in place to support the charging at the time (we are pretty rural) but it has definitely improved.

[Gmonster]

Thanks Scott. I think your right in that the current national pressure for funds to be used elsewhere could mean these enticements could be time limited. Still only part contribution tho when you are targeting a higher end electric motor ( you only get so much for £50k in this market)

Bit of a general statement in that ..if they want the take up in EV’s to step up more…then the enticements need to be maintained/increased… and the overall price of the cars themselves needs to stabilise/be more attractive. Thanks for input.


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[Scott K]

The price and waiting list for new cars is bad!! Like you, I got a great discount on my current (2019) A6 C8 and just before Xmas saw the same age and spec car for sale for more than I paid new! Currently waiting for a new VW campervan to be delivered which we ordered last year and probably won't see until September. I also heard that the trouble in Ukraine might affect chip supply again.

[Gmonster]

Drive the deal update: I monitor the site for my preferred model prices and have a wee dream etc. it doesn’t cost anything and keeps me amused. [emoji23][emoji1303]

I have noticed that the overall discount has been reduced by the £5k usually added because you initially take the Audi finance etc. there is a note added that this discount enhancement has been removed for the Electric hybrid models? Has there been a rule change that has caused this recent change? Bit of a blow really; my ideal car is now sitting at c£74k… whereas last week it was only £69k [emoji15]


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[johnsimcox]

Don't think there has been any rule change that is affecting this. Looking at the Audi UK website it looks as if they are only offering PCP contributions on 2.0 cars and whilst it is £6750 on the A7 it is now only £3k on the A6 (maybe the release of the A7 facelift is sooner than the A6). I guess if you can only make so many cars due to component shortages, why would you give profit away with incentives?

[danclyon]

We got my wifes Toyota from DTD, and the dealer that supplied the car told me all about how/why they use DTD. Basically they were one of the Toyota dealers that always hit it's monthly quota for new car sales. Fleet + Retail, they were always on plan or above it. When they went above it instead of getting a sliding scale payment from Toyota, they got a flat fee, plus a handsome "over plan" payment at year end. Basically they were on DTD because they could let cars go out at £1 more than their buy price, as Toyota paid them a flat £1k per vehicle over plan. The more they sold over plan, the more £1k's they got, and the bigger the year-end bonus was. According to the sales manager I spoke to they did about an extra 75 cars a month via DTD, and since only about 10% of people wanted them delivering, they literally had to enter an order onto their system, take the covers off and do the 15 min PDI and give it a wash before handover - easy money, and he reckoned with their costs they probably made £500 margin on the car. As they were Toyota and Lexus, all up they were about 85-90 extra new car sales a month - which is good money. As nearly all the cars they sold via DTD were on Toyota finance as well, they got an additional kick-back from that too, which although small, made them up to about 125k a month of "easy money". Not small change, but not earth shattering. But, apparently, the year-end bonus for units sold vs plan was quite significant, and made the little bit of faffing with paperwork well worth the effort.

I guess at the moment, hitting plan on new car sales is easy, but, delivering the cars is difficult, and for the mfrs they are probably in a somewhat compromised position of paying commission on deals that may be delivering up to 12 months out (or more in some cases). I guess any "wiggle room" in the system has probably basically gone now, and things have all become a lot more challenging...

[Gmonster]

Thanks for the responses guys.. and some good info there around almost selling cars at cost prices to get extra bonuses.

The extra discount for taking the finance package I always viewed as an indicator of the extra interest money that manufacturers made out of the finance packages (for those that took them out and kept them going etc) So why remove that extra discount incentive now? .. car delivery /supply /component supply issues ongoing or not. Seems strange.

I used DTD and always payed the full price of the car off within the first month to take advantage of the extra discount. (Discount for the A6 A7 was sitting around 20% mark previously)

I had thought of contacting DTD to query the changes and get there take on it.


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[danclyon]

I'm pretty sure they'll just tell you they have no control over it, as they only get a slice (I think it was 250 quid or something) from the sale price as a kick-back from the dealer as being an introducer etc......but it's worth asking, don't ask, don't get :)

[Gmonster]

Quick update/question: looking at Audi uk website building a new Audi A7 model etc: Question: Has the Matrix LED headlights been dropped in new models build? Looks like a new LED headlight that is now offered. (Reason for asking is that I prefer the old type etc) New type is the top one in the attached picture) https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220913/16a75a26ef4d2af73a6e9f9b06bcbe31.jpg


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[AlanDogg]

I recently made the transition to a newer Audi model and had it shipped to me from US (https://www.a1autotransport.com/audi/). Regarding your points, opting for a plug-in hybrid like the A7 55 TFSI E seems like a practical choice, considering your need for flexibility and the evolving charging infrastructure. However, thoroughly assessing the overall running costs and potential charging anxiety is crucial before making a decision. As for trim levels, the Vorsprung trim might offer the right balance of features for your preferences, but comparing it with the Comp trim could help determine the best value for your investment.