Another poor sales year for Audi in Canada

Buzzin · 01-05-2006, 01:37 PM

Final sales figures are out for 2005 and Audi has dropped again for the third consecutive year according to www.desrosiers.ca.

Have a look at these (rounded) numbers kiddies:

VW - 31700
BMW - 21550 (includes Mini)
Porsche - 1926
Lexus - 10100
Merc - 11700
Cadillac - 8500 (Oh my gawd)
smart - 4000 (yikes, that's amazing)
Audi - 7210

The big boys (Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota) are all up there , doing well with healthy annual sales increases.

What gives with Audi? Old product? No. Too costly? Not really. Too quirky? Maybe. Who cares about quattro? Uh yeah, when you can get awd any old place.

What is your remedy for Audi?

[KRAFTIG] · 01-05-2006, 01:50 PM

JScottC · 01-05-2006, 02:10 PM

Tgr_Clw · 01-05-2006, 02:28 PM

RSS · 01-05-2006, 02:43 PM

Tanner · 01-05-2006, 03:16 PM

That and I think with the price increased didn't help with overall sales numbers.

Hugh B · 01-05-2006, 03:38 PM

big deal for Audi why not offer it all round.Jump in with both feet Audi!!!!!
The A4 Avant was similar.Slow to intro it in NA. Didn't they realize all those Subbie Outback buyers could be Avant owners? I couldn't even see one let alone drive one before I made the plunge.
Hugh

36valves · 01-05-2006, 03:52 PM

Price:
The B5-A4 used to be affordable, arguably a bargin compared 3-series, c-class, IS300... when I shopped around back in 2001. It is no longer the case. Granted the B7 is bigger and better with more toys, it's also heavier with more things to break, as if the B5 wasn't complicated enough.

Now a decently equipped A3 fwd manual is at the same price level as a loaded B5-A4 1.8t with quattro, sport and convinience package. It just doesn't bold well for me.

Marketing:
As others have said, Audi simply doesn't have the same recognition as BMW and M-B in North America. Instead of blaming marketing, I think people just need to give Audi more time to build itself up. If they play their cards right, they may become as recognized as BMW in say 5-10 years.

Service:
Granted it has its moments, but in general it's sub-par. I've had to fight with the service manager many times to try to get stupid things covered under warranty, why do I need to do that?? I've heard horror stories from BMW and M-B dealers too, but Audi dealers seem to be consistently bad. It's like we've stripped them the benefit of the doubt before we even try a new dealer.

And how Audi keeps on changing their warranties definitely doesn't help either. Audi used to have the best coverage in the business. But in the past 3 years, they've de-contented it quite a but and it's no longer a selling feature.

Reliability:
What can I say, VW has been plagued with issues these past few years, and Audi isn't that much better. Perhaps owning a B5-S4 had made me more paranoid than I should be ;-)

[KRAFTIG] · 01-05-2006, 05:11 PM

77'911 · 01-05-2006, 08:48 PM

It should be a wake-up call to Audi though. Considering the growth rate was about 7% last year, Audi should be doing much better then they are in Canada. Amongst the miriad of issues the others have mentioned here, the dealer network(even in the US) is poor as well.

01-05-2006, 01:50 PM	#2
[KRAFTIG] AudiWorld Super User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Woodbridge, Ontario Posts: 4,103	One problem. A3, no manual for V6 and no AWD 2.0T A3. What are you thinking!!! __________________ \|\| MKI AUDI TT COUPE \|\| 19" BBS CH \| KONI COILOVERS \| FORGE REAR TIE-ARMS \| UNITRONIC CHIPPED \| BLUE FLAME EXHAUST NEUSPEED 19MM REAR SWAY BAR \| BREMBO GT BBK \| A.W.E. BOOST GAUGE \| MANTIS GAUGE POD \| BURST BLINKER MODULE \| 3M CLEAR BRA

01-05-2006, 02:10 PM	#3
JScottC AudiWorld Senior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 669	Marketing? It's strange how many people love my car, but don't recognize the four rings __________________ 1982 Coupe GT -- totaled 2003 A4 1.8TQM5 -- sold to a good home 2005 A4 1.8TQM6 -- also sold 2006 A3 3.2 S-Line Light Silver Metallic/Black 2008 A5 3.2 manual Ibis White/Linen Beige

01-05-2006, 02:28 PM	#4
Tgr_Clw AudiWorld Uber User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 43,050	2nd that. __________________ 2003 Brilliant Black Audi A4 1.8T quattro Sorry. Can't handle vB. I am now at: q u a t t r o w o r l d . c o m

01-05-2006, 02:43 PM	#5
RSS AudiWorld Senior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 602	The front grill on the B7 is what did it. __________________ \|\| 18" RS4 Reps \|\| GIAC X \|\| APR Exhaust \|\| PureMS Testpipe \|\| AWE DTS \|\| Stasis Tracksports 550/650 \|\| RS4 Motormounts \|\| AWE Boost Guage \|\| Momo Handbrake \|\| RS4 Grill \|\| + 1 Stage 3 S4

01-05-2006, 03:16 PM	#6
Tanner AudiWorld Super User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 13,971	Wasn't there a push to sell off the older models about this time last year? That and I think with the price increased didn't help with overall sales numbers.

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01-05-2006, 03:38 PM	#7
Hugh B AudiWorld Senior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 1,705	Agreed. Audi seems to introduce models slowly. If quattro is such a.. big deal for Audi why not offer it all round.Jump in with both feet Audi!!!!! The A4 Avant was similar.Slow to intro it in NA. Didn't they realize all those Subbie Outback buyers could be Avant owners? I couldn't even see one let alone drive one before I made the plunge. Hugh __________________ '00 S4 Nogaro 6 sp. Goodyear Eagle F1 E-codes with Xpel,TG SS,Samco TBB,MTM f hose,710N's,SS brake lines, winter rims:16" MM Spiders/Aurora W 602 winters '06 Nissan Fronter LE Winter;16" OEM rims Hankook RW 07 Sold: '03 Avant 1.8T 5 sp Denim Blue, Kumho ASX, APR direct port, Performance/Premium/Xenon with Xpel,20% tint.

01-05-2006, 03:52 PM	#8
36valves AudiWorld Super User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 2,525	Price, marketing and service, reliability issues... Price: The B5-A4 used to be affordable, arguably a bargin compared 3-series, c-class, IS300... when I shopped around back in 2001. It is no longer the case. Granted the B7 is bigger and better with more toys, it's also heavier with more things to break, as if the B5 wasn't complicated enough. Now a decently equipped A3 fwd manual is at the same price level as a loaded B5-A4 1.8t with quattro, sport and convinience package. It just doesn't bold well for me. Marketing: As others have said, Audi simply doesn't have the same recognition as BMW and M-B in North America. Instead of blaming marketing, I think people just need to give Audi more time to build itself up. If they play their cards right, they may become as recognized as BMW in say 5-10 years. Service: Granted it has its moments, but in general it's sub-par. I've had to fight with the service manager many times to try to get stupid things covered under warranty, why do I need to do that?? I've heard horror stories from BMW and M-B dealers too, but Audi dealers seem to be consistently bad. It's like we've stripped them the benefit of the doubt before we even try a new dealer. And how Audi keeps on changing their warranties definitely doesn't help either. Audi used to have the best coverage in the business. But in the past 3 years, they've de-contented it quite a but and it's no longer a selling feature. Reliability: What can I say, VW has been plagued with issues these past few years, and Audi isn't that much better. Perhaps owning a B5-S4 had made me more paranoid than I should be ;-) __________________ '07 GTI - Candy White 4-dr 6-sp, sunroof, 35% Tint, Clear-bra, Yellow fogs, clear side markers, open front grills, Euro light switch, Golf ball ****, Euro springs, OEM LED tails '01.5 S4 - Santorin/Onyx 6-sp, xenon/ecodes, LED tail lights, 35% tint, debadged, RS4 grill, AWE center vent boost gauge, 710N's, Stasis Tracksport c/o (500/600/sport)... Sold!! '01.5 A4 1.8tqmsx - Silver/Onyx, 35% tint, debaged, UUC SS, APR boost gauge... Sold!! '90 CQ - T-red/black 5-sp, no A/C and loud exhaust mod :-(

01-05-2006, 05:11 PM	#9
[KRAFTIG] AudiWorld Super User Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Woodbridge, Ontario Posts: 4,103	Yes, yes, and yes! __________________ \|\| MKI AUDI TT COUPE \|\| 19" BBS CH \| KONI COILOVERS \| FORGE REAR TIE-ARMS \| UNITRONIC CHIPPED \| BLUE FLAME EXHAUST NEUSPEED 19MM REAR SWAY BAR \| BREMBO GT BBK \| A.W.E. BOOST GAUGE \| MANTIS GAUGE POD \| BURST BLINKER MODULE \| 3M CLEAR BRA

01-05-2006, 08:48 PM	#10
77'911 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,593	No real shocker there..... It should be a wake-up call to Audi though. Considering the growth rate was about 7% last year, Audi should be doing much better then they are in Canada. Amongst the miriad of issues the others have mentioned here, the dealer network(even in the US) is poor as well.

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