OK - I'm convinced. Audi has no idea what they are doing by not bringing the Avant.
02-18-2009, 05:43 AM
#31
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 864
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
we have as many BMW wagons around here as Avants... Mid-Atlantic area
Ultimately, it's marketing that drives sales and Audi doesn't market Avants in the US. The public sees the ads for the Q7 (and soon Q5) and gets interested. They're never shown that the A4 or A6 Avant exists.
02-18-2009, 06:11 AM
#32
With online buying, Audi could undercut its competitors by ~$2K consistently. Imagine.
Look at the history:
Dell is doing great while CompUSA is bankrupt.
Amazon is doing great while CircuitCity is bankrupt.
Note that Tesla is NOT going and building dealerships. They won't repeat the mistakes of the old-school auto makers. By the time my 5-year-old niece is ready to buy her first car, she's going to say, "What do you mean I can't just buy my car online?" There's a generational shift going on here. The dealers are choosing not to see it.
Look how many people on these boards bash their dealer experience. How many industries have that poor a customer experience and yet continue unchanged?
Dell is doing great while CompUSA is bankrupt.
Amazon is doing great while CircuitCity is bankrupt.
Note that Tesla is NOT going and building dealerships. They won't repeat the mistakes of the old-school auto makers. By the time my 5-year-old niece is ready to buy her first car, she's going to say, "What do you mean I can't just buy my car online?" There's a generational shift going on here. The dealers are choosing not to see it.
Look how many people on these boards bash their dealer experience. How many industries have that poor a customer experience and yet continue unchanged?
02-18-2009, 06:20 AM
#33
RS4 and S4 reframe the purchase decision. Gets buyers to trade up from the 2.0T to 3.2
Bottom line: it's not about selling lots of RS4s, it's about re-framing the purchase decision to get buyers to trade up.
When there are only two options 2.0T and 3.2, you'll see plenty of people buy the 2.0T. Once there's an S4 with a 4.2L V8, then the 3.2 looks more reasonable. I mean, who wants to be cheap and buy just the 2.0T!? Adding the RS4 with 420 horsepower reframes the choice again. Suddenly the V8 in the S4 seems much more reasonable (and buying the mere 2.0L seems like you went cheap!)
Why did VW introduce the W8 version of the old Passat? The Passat really doesn't need 8 cylinders on a front-wheel-drive platform. I'm fairly certain the W8 didn't cover its costs. But enough buyers traded up from the 1.8T to the V6 -- because the W8 was among the choices -- that VW may have profited from it.
When there are only two options 2.0T and 3.2, you'll see plenty of people buy the 2.0T. Once there's an S4 with a 4.2L V8, then the 3.2 looks more reasonable. I mean, who wants to be cheap and buy just the 2.0T!? Adding the RS4 with 420 horsepower reframes the choice again. Suddenly the V8 in the S4 seems much more reasonable (and buying the mere 2.0L seems like you went cheap!)
Why did VW introduce the W8 version of the old Passat? The Passat really doesn't need 8 cylinders on a front-wheel-drive platform. I'm fairly certain the W8 didn't cover its costs. But enough buyers traded up from the 1.8T to the V6 -- because the W8 was among the choices -- that VW may have profited from it.
02-18-2009, 07:53 AM
#36
New Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Volvo wagon sales.
Agreed! That's my perspective. Now that Volvo has really lost a lot of that focus they were good at (long list) with the possibility of being sold, Audi, IMHO, has an opportunity now to step in and fulfill a market gap.
...when talking about Volvo sportwagens at my local dealer, every sales person has tried to talk me out of a manual transmission - because they stopped making them! That's not encouraging, and as a consequence has shifted my wandering eyes upon Audi...waiting patiently...waiting...wa..
...when talking about Volvo sportwagens at my local dealer, every sales person has tried to talk me out of a manual transmission - because they stopped making them! That's not encouraging, and as a consequence has shifted my wandering eyes upon Audi...waiting patiently...waiting...wa..
02-18-2009, 08:03 AM
#37
New Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
S4 Avant?
I think I am surprised that 'limited' sales numbers of S4 Avants would be a determining factor. Why would you want a lot of sales of a very targeted product? It might be better to market it as eye candy to get people like me to buy a similar, yet cheaper, model. That being said, I don't want to necessarily drive what everyone else is - my logic eludes me...
02-18-2009, 08:41 AM
#39
Most people DO NOT actually test drive cars as they go up in price. . .
. . .so says two dealers here in Cincinnati.
Now that anecdote may or may not be widespread or translate across all car brands, lines and MSRP's -- but it seems that the more expensive the car, the less likely it is to be test driven (this from these two Cincinnati based dealer groups.)
I ordered almost all of my two dozen plus Audis and sometimes I did drive them when they arrived; but usually I just picked them up when they had been PDR'd and the paperwork was all ready.
My buddies who have the wherewithall to buy, usually go to the Porsche dealer and order the car and wait 12+ months and then drive off.
One of my friends ordered an M5 -- there were none to test drive.
I typically begin test driving cars after year one of my three year lease "to see what is out there."
Test drives are fun -- usually. They don't sell cars apparently.
Style, color & price sells cars. Test drives are more and more becoming like kicking the tires and opening the hood.
I can't remember the last time I opened the hood of a car I was considering buying. But, for years, I have driven Audis and in my garage have been Audis (mostly) three BMW's and two VW's (since 1977).
I didn't even get to test drive my first Audi a 1978 Audi 5000 -- I just awaited its arrival from Germany since I wanted one with what was called "the power pack" (power everything and a sun roof [crank]).
Dealers typically lack product knowlege, but the best sales reps are truly client advisors as their calling cards say. But, I'd order an Audi on line from the configurator in a heartbeat for a savings greater than the dealer.
The dealers now, more than ever, are as the book "Blown to Bits" discusses "sitting ducks."
Maybe the Chevy Cobolt is test driven before purchase -- typically $50,000 cars "may" be.
Now that anecdote may or may not be widespread or translate across all car brands, lines and MSRP's -- but it seems that the more expensive the car, the less likely it is to be test driven (this from these two Cincinnati based dealer groups.)
I ordered almost all of my two dozen plus Audis and sometimes I did drive them when they arrived; but usually I just picked them up when they had been PDR'd and the paperwork was all ready.
My buddies who have the wherewithall to buy, usually go to the Porsche dealer and order the car and wait 12+ months and then drive off.
One of my friends ordered an M5 -- there were none to test drive.
I typically begin test driving cars after year one of my three year lease "to see what is out there."
Test drives are fun -- usually. They don't sell cars apparently.
Style, color & price sells cars. Test drives are more and more becoming like kicking the tires and opening the hood.
I can't remember the last time I opened the hood of a car I was considering buying. But, for years, I have driven Audis and in my garage have been Audis (mostly) three BMW's and two VW's (since 1977).
I didn't even get to test drive my first Audi a 1978 Audi 5000 -- I just awaited its arrival from Germany since I wanted one with what was called "the power pack" (power everything and a sun roof [crank]).
Dealers typically lack product knowlege, but the best sales reps are truly client advisors as their calling cards say. But, I'd order an Audi on line from the configurator in a heartbeat for a savings greater than the dealer.
The dealers now, more than ever, are as the book "Blown to Bits" discusses "sitting ducks."
Maybe the Chevy Cobolt is test driven before purchase -- typically $50,000 cars "may" be.
