Greetings,
It is highly likely that my local dealer will have to trade a car from a dealer in a nearby city to get my desired 2010 vehicle. If I understand things correctly, somebody will be driving the new car to get it to my dealership. It may be approximately 300 miles.

Any thoughts on the mileage that will get put on the new car? Any way around this? Anything I should be considering as I complete my deal? The dealer and I have verbally made an agreement that I am satisfied with, but I have not yet made a deposit. Likelihood the car could be transported on a truck? Should the mileage have any bearing on the purchase price? Or is this just the way things are done? Any other options?

Thanks in advance for all thoughts and suggestions.

-plA4keeps

I believe its delivered on a truck via a trailer or flatbed

I would not buy a car that was delivered by a lot boy from any distance. VW machines the engine internal parts only half-way. They depend on you to finish the job following a specified schedule. I would not allow anyone to drive the car at highway speeds for five hours.

I would write in the contract that the car will be recovered, and delivered to the selling dealer on a flat bed truck, or auto carrier trailer.

Unless they are cutting you a deal of $ 2,600. under invoice and waiving the destination charge, I would insist on that delivery.

Don't be afraid to walk away. You can always order the car you want and pick it up at the factory. The savings are enough to pay for the trip to Germany. When you're done mit das Autobahn, the car is delivered to your dealer in a few weeks. The whole process is easy, and you get one made especially for you.

I would not buy a car that was delivered by a lot boy from any distance. VW machines the engine internal parts only half-way. They depend on you to finish the job following a specified schedule. I would not allow anyone to drive the car at highway speeds for five hours.

I would write in the contract that the car will be recovered, and delivered to the selling dealer on a flat bed truck, or auto carrier trailer.

Unless they are cutting you a deal of $ 2,600. under invoice and waiving the destination charge, I would insist on that delivery.

Don't be afraid to walk away. You can always order the car you want and pick it up at the factory. The savings are enough to pay for the trip to Germany. When you're done mit das Autobahn, the car is delivered to your dealer in a few weeks. The whole process is easy, and you get one made especially for you.

It's just a car. It's replaceable and insured. I've delivered cars by driving them nearly 200 miles before. That was to a customer's house though not to the dealer but still. People buy cars off the lot with over 300 miles on them. The B7 I'm driving now came from another dealer with miles on it. Was test driven at the store several times. I've put 28k on it in 20 months and it's been FLAWLESS.
It's only a big deal if you make it a big deal. IF you're really stressing it speak with your sales rep in a polite way and ask how it's being transported and confirm the method. If you would prefer it trucked ask for it to be done. If a concession needs to be made, you may have to compromise.
You'd be amazed at what a polite and honest conversation will do. And in the end the money shouldn't matter as long as you get what you want.
End rant.

One of my local dealers was willing to get a car for me from a dealer approx 300 miles away. That dealer had done a trade for the car from another dealer approx 300 miles away.
It seems the dealer where it was at liked to have their cars driven instead of trucked.

It would probably have had over 650/700 miles by the time I took delivery - with *no* discount for the mileage. I decided against it. I ended up waiting for the MY2010 and in the end decided to order an S4 w/ the color & options I wanted.

In the end it's your decision, but I wouldn't do it.

Is it still possible to tamper with the odometer these days by the dealer to reverse those miles driven by the lot boy?

Is it still possible to tamper with the odometer these days by the dealer to reverse those miles driven by the lot boy?

Very illegal, I wouldn't think any dealer would do this. Plus with the electronic ODO you have to replace the dash unit and you only have one try to set the new mileage (in my experience). I guess they could replace the dash and punch in 10 miles... but I don't think any dealer will go through that trouble.

I'd rather have a couple of hundred transport miles on my new car than 50 miles of test drives.

Usually it isn't a lot boy. Dealers actually pay people (plus gas and insurance) to move cars long distances. Its a popular service with fixed income folks, particularly if they want to go to a specific destination. My 2006 Jetta GLI was shipped up from the Baltimore area like this, I haven't had any issues with it. The dealer did throw in extras because of the added mileage.

Usually it isn't a lot boy. Dealers actually pay people (plus gas and insurance) to move cars long distances. Its a popular service with fixed income folks, particularly if they want to go to a specific destination. My 2006 Jetta GLI was shipped up from the Baltimore area like this, I haven't had any issues with it. The dealer did throw in extras because of the added mileage.

Yes, it's almost always retired people that drive 50mph. All of my new Audis were dealer trades. Two of them the dealer let me do myself. One of them was flatbeded. My biggest concern was the clutches more then the break in. I didn't want some old guy raping the clutch since he hadn't driven a manual in 20 years.

Depends on the dealer, but usually 200 miles is the limit on trade that will be driven. Just tell them you want it hauled if it's that many miles.

They'll make sure the cars get a very good workout...

This is an easy one. Essentially you have two choices. Choice #1: Allow the miles to be put on the to be transported car and live with it; #2: Require that the car be transported -- AND know that the true cost of this will NOT be paid by the dealer (DOH! -- you agree to pay the "whatever" the cost is per mile -- usually at least $1.00 a mile).

I rarely buy cars that are already here in the country -- not for any reason other than I want EXACTLY what I want -- I typically order them, that is. But, on the one or two rare instances when I did buy a car that was really here in the US, I allowed the dealer to have it "driven professionally" from the current dealer to my dealer.

No biggie.

And, btw, if the car is somehow NOT PERFECT when it comes time to sign on the bottom line -- b'bye.

Take a deep breath and say:

You may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful car!

You may tell yourself

This is not my beautiful Audi!



You may ask yourself

Am I right?... Am I wrong?

You may say to yourself

MY GOD!...WHAT HAVE I DONE?

—David Byrne [sic]

Why not just go to that dealership and pick it up yourself? Work out a deal with that dealer for them to match your current dealers price, and drive the 300 miles yourself.

There's alot of debate on how to break in a brand new car. Putting it in cruise control for the first 300 miles is not a good idea. You want to change rpms, gears, and speed. I would either insist they deliver the car on a flatbed or have my girlfriend drive me to the dealership so I could drive it home.