AudiBoston

So yesterday I pulled the trigger and ordered the Mrs' a new Q5 2.0T (Ibis White, Chestnut Leather, Prem+, MMI, Sport Interior, 19" wheels, B&O, Side Assist, Protection package). Having been a long time Audi owner (A6 Wagon, A6 Sedan, 2 A4's) I "stepped" away from the brand in the early 2000's as quality was not there. However, based upon everything I read (and I researched the heck out of this), I thought, ok, lets give it go. In fact, when I bought my BMW last year, I was VERY close to buying the A4 instead... So why the post (perhaps a rant - I hope Audi monitors these boards and reads this)?

Audi - a premium car brand by any standard. Wonderful technology in the cars (MMI is actually pretty sweet), outstanding design/appeal/performance etc... Accept.... ugh, not user friendly in terms of the ordering or building excitement. Why?

First of all, whoever is designing your website needs to be fired (is it the same people who worked on the Obama-care site?). If you want to build a car with standard packages it is great - but what about all the accessories? No where to be found. Make it easier to understand what comes with what.

Next - you sell to a certain demographic. A demographic I might add that is technology savvy. A group that, generally speaking, are car enthusiasts; otherwise they would be buying a run of the mill Lexus or Acura (and no offense to friends of those brands )

So what's the point? Audi does a horrible job in terms of user interface. Build excitement and a website/process that makes people WANT this car NOW! Have them talking about it to everyone they know. What do I mean? Look at BMW's website - from build to ordering outstanding use of technology. With Audi, I placed my order but cannot track it? No sense of anticipation - no pleasure of knowing what stage it is in. By the way, this is no reflect on the dealer - they were great to deal with.

Last February I ordered my BMW. Within a week, the dealer called me with my VIN, from there, I could track my order from pre-production, to production, to paint shop, being built, finishing touches, going to port, on the boat (which was tracked separately), arrived in port, passing through QA, on truck, arrived at dealer... I was so excited by the time the car came in, I had 3 other people convinced they wanted one (2 people actually bought a similar car).

Then again, maybe Audi simply doesn't have as many cars custom ordered as other brands so there is not need for it. Just my opinion, but I think if Audi improved the website, created the ability for buys to virtually watch the process, the buzz of the brand would be enhanced greatly...

Am I alone in this view?

Tjleonard

Accept needs to be except.

jmmdmd

I can't remember what it's called but there is a program where they allow you to track everything.

jmmdmd

Just googled it...it's called MyAudiTracker.

TIME89

Voice of michael jackson "you are not alone!"
Hit all points. Someone on European Delivery forum post similar thread.
Here is his post:

I see few times Audi representative replay on few post here, but I don't any changes from Audi.
See my frustration from yesterday spending 1.5 hrs at dealership - https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=75

snagitseven

Interesting first post. Few here would argue that Audi's new US website could be better designed - this has always been a subject of much disdain. However, based on their 2012/2013 annual sales growth, something must be working. At the end of the day, my car buying decisions aren't based on website design or ads; I do lots of research, read the road tests and reviews, carefully browse the forums, examine the available order sheets, demo drive the car and make my final determination. I.e., there's lots of great info right here from people who actually own one.

"...whoever is designing your website needs to be fired..."
FYI, AudiWorld is independently owned and has no direct connection with VAG, Audi, AOA or their websites.

GoldenBear

This site works for Canadian purchasers.

The OP is correct that US purchasers do not have such a site. The only way to get up to date information is through your sells rep which does take some of the fun out of it. Once you can get a date of port arrival from your sells rep, you can figure the name of the vessel and track its progress to your port.

See the 2014 delivery thread for details.

Xenonista

Be happy you don't have to interact with the SF Bay Area dealers. Their sales departments are a joke across the board. It took me a month to manage to get a test drive. Then when I asked that particular dealership and SA who went out with me for a quote he gave me MSRP. Wouldn't budge. I then went online and spammed every Bay Area dealer for a quote - only ONE got back to me. With a list of inventory and MSRP.

It wasn't until I cast the net wider that suddenly someone actually wanted my money.

JBDinTX

Yeah some Audi dealers can be a pain. I walked into my local dealer in Colorado Springs CO trying to buy a S5. They treated me like Julia Roberts in pretty woman. Lol. Went to Denver still got the same smuge attitude until I walked out and the sales manager came and got me. He said "we only deal at MSRP, these cars sell themselves." I said. OK WHERE DOES THE LINE START. Because if they are in such high demand you should have a line out the door. Lol. Things changed and he turned around and became a nice guy. And it does suck you can't track your order. But my sales guy did update me with info on both my S5 and my SQ5.

AudiBoston

This is what I am referring to as well.

To clarify on the website - I was referring to Audi's not the forums.