# New car pickup experience - good and bad...



## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

Hi All,

Soon to be picking up my 1st new car Swindon Audi. Can't wait for my TT RS.

Just after people's pick up experiences and what to look out for.

I hope they have it inside and not outside.

Also I've got the tech pack but am I right in thinking the car doesn't come wit a SIM card but a slot for you to place your own SIM card.

Thanks 
Dave


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## zooks (Sep 15, 2017)

digital_dreamer said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Soon to be picking up my 1st new car Swindon Audi. Can't wait for my TT RS.
> 
> ...


There's a sim card slot between the 2 sd card slots on the unit in the glove box. You need to fit your own sim for Audi connect, google earth etc
I bought a "3 Internet with legs" data only sim which is 12gb and lasts for 12mths -£30 on amazon

I was quite pleased with the pick up experience overall, no hard sell on gap insurance etc and the car under wraps inside but I would question them about running in the car. They told me its not necessary but the manual says it is?


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## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

zooks said:


> digital_dreamer said:
> 
> 
> > Hi All,
> ...


Thanks for the heads up about the sim I shall order one.

Hope mine is under wraps.

I know was reading the manual and it says take it easy for the 1st 600 miles.... [smiley=bigcry.gif]

Let's I get a bottle of champagne as well... for the price!


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## zooks (Sep 15, 2017)

Well I got a Audi umbrella, mug, air freshener & boot storage thing (like a pool noodle) but then I wasn't spending RS money!


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## tonksy26 (Jan 31, 2011)

This was my experience    

viewtopic.php?f=98&t=1667754


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## Rumney (Feb 7, 2017)

Got a bottle of champagne (shop price £60+) when I collected my new TT 2.0 TFSI from Audi Bridgend


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## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

tonksy26 said:


> This was my experience
> 
> viewtopic.php?f=98&t=1667754


Horror story! Very unlucky.


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## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

zooks said:


> Well I got a Audi umbrella, mug, air freshener & boot storage thing (like a pool noodle) but then I wasn't spending RS money!


I bet I'll get nothing!

Rumney, How do you find Bridgend for after sales?


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## powerplay (Feb 8, 2008)

My experience at buying new from Audi dealer - so far an A3, TTS and TTRS - has been:

1) You get the car and keys.
2) See above :lol:


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## 90TJM (Sep 30, 2013)

Got 2 Umbrellas,air freshener,teddy bear,pen and a mug from Cardiff Audi on collecting Mk 3 but Mk2 collection from same place nothing.


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## F1SpaceMonkey (Nov 21, 2015)

digital_dreamer said:


> zooks said:
> 
> 
> > digital_dreamer said:
> ...


wouldn't waste your time with a separate SIM. The tech pack is a bit of gimmick really and i quickly got bored of it. who needs twitter on the dash? Link your smartphone with the car (cable with an iPhone) and you get the same experience from the services available. Only worth using for Google Earth - but again you get bored of that and standard sat nav graphics will do.


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## Rumney (Feb 7, 2017)

digital_dreamer said:


> zooks said:
> 
> 
> > Well I got a Audi umbrella, mug, air freshener & boot storage thing (like a pool noodle) but then I wasn't spending RS money!
> ...


Haven't needed to use them since collection as I have had no issues with my car and it is not yet due it's first service. However, I have high hopes as the sales process and handover were faultless


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## debonair (Jun 5, 2014)

My TTS was damaged on pickup day (brake caliper and wheel scuffed), didn't have the half tank of petrol in it that it was meant to have and I didn't get any gifts. Needless to say it wasn't the best experience


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## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

debonair said:


> My TTS was damaged on pickup day (brake caliper and wheel scuffed), didn't have the half tank of petrol in it that it was meant to have and I didn't get any gifts. Needless to say it wasn't the best experience


Shocking! When things like that happen I bet they hope the customer won't notice so they can get away with it.


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## F1SpaceMonkey (Nov 21, 2015)

debonair said:


> My TTS was damaged on pickup day (brake caliper and wheel scuffed), didn't have the half tank of petrol in it that it was meant to have and I didn't get any gifts. Needless to say it wasn't the best experience


Did you use Nottingham Audi? My pickup from there was superb. Car in the handover room (another pickup had to be done outside so glad mine was chosen to be indoors), full tank of petrol, 2 gifts - an Audi "S" leather keyring and an iPhone charger. Intro in to the VC and quick demo was great. The only thing they didn't do which i was sort of looking forward to was the car cover. Sales guy said he didn't want to do that as the tyres has just been treated and it would smear the paintwork/glass so fair enough. Great experience though and it was well worth it.

The Sales guy i used has since moved on from Audi which is a pity as he was great and not "sales-slimey" at all. The other sales people i have used there dont seem to be that good.


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## debonair (Jun 5, 2014)

F1SpaceMonkey said:


> debonair said:
> 
> 
> > My TTS was damaged on pickup day (brake caliper and wheel scuffed), didn't have the half tank of petrol in it that it was meant to have and I didn't get any gifts. Needless to say it wasn't the best experience
> ...


I didn't get mine from Nottingham but we got a Q3 from there earlier in the year and that process was faultless. Had the whole car cover unveiling thing and gifts (umbrella, cables) etc. The only thing we didn't like was that the unveiling was right in the middle of the showroom rather than in a separate handover room or somewhere out of the way. We would have preferred it somewhere a bit less public.

Which sales guy did you have?


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## DarrylW91 (Nov 8, 2017)

When I picked up my TT from Oxford Audi it was at the front of the showroom under a cover. They gave me a hamper box which contained champagne, chocolates, biscuits, the usual hamper contents.

I've got to admit, starting it up and driving it out of the showroom doors was a great feeling (even though I was very nervous as my last car was a Fiesta ST, so it felt a lot wider and the doors weren't that wide!)

Picking up a TTS in Jan/Feb from Oxford Audi (different salesperson) so it'll be nice to see how the experience compares.


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## tt3600 (Apr 8, 2006)

F1SpaceMonkey said:


> wouldn't waste your time with a separate SIM. The tech pack is a bit of gimmick really and i quickly got bored of it. who needs twitter on the dash? Link your smartphone with the car (cable with an iPhone) and you get the same experience from the services available. Only worth using for Google Earth - but again you get bored of that and standard sat nav graphics will do.


Does the maps have live traffic support?


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## F1SpaceMonkey (Nov 21, 2015)

tt3600 said:


> F1SpaceMonkey said:
> 
> 
> > wouldn't waste your time with a separate SIM. The tech pack is a bit of gimmick really and i quickly got bored of it. who needs twitter on the dash? Link your smartphone with the car (cable with an iPhone) and you get the same experience from the services available. Only worth using for Google Earth - but again you get bored of that and standard sat nav graphics will do.
> ...


you could be right, this could be on the only real plus i see in having your smartphone hooked up as a data source.


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## EvilTed (Feb 5, 2016)

DarrylW91 said:


> When I picked up my TT from Oxford Audi it was at the front of the showroom under a cover. They gave me a hamper box which contained champagne, chocolates, biscuits, the usual hamper contents.
> 
> I've got to admit, starting it up and driving it out of the showroom doors was a great feeling (even though I was very nervous as my last car was a Fiesta ST, so it felt a lot wider and the doors weren't that wide!)
> 
> Picking up a TTS in Jan/Feb from Oxford Audi (different salesperson) so it'll be nice to see how the experience compares.


I also collected a TTS from Oxford Audi.
Car was under a cover in the "handover room" off to the left of the showroom. All very nice and atmospheric.
There's only space for one car in there so I guess if they have a number of handovers they have to make use of the showroom space.
I know what you mean about the showroom doors, there's something particularly odd driving your car out through the doors you just walked in through!

Also got the hamper, it's a nice touch but with an ulterior motive. They send you a questionnaire after collection an the "suggested" answers are printed on the hamper! I liked that, it's clever. The salesman was very open about this being a bribe for a good rating 

30 minute guide to the car and the MMI. Even helped me set up things like the sport display before I headed off.


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## KevC (Jul 12, 2016)

DarrylW91 said:


> When I picked up my TT from Oxford Audi it was at the front of the showroom under a cover. They gave me a hamper box which contained champagne, chocolates, biscuits, the usual hamper contents.
> 
> I've got to admit, starting it up and driving it out of the showroom doors was a great feeling (even though I was very nervous as my last car was a Fiesta ST, so it felt a lot wider and the doors weren't that wide!)
> 
> Picking up a TTS in Jan/Feb from Oxford Audi (different salesperson) so it'll be nice to see how the experience compares.


I got mine from Oxford Audi and got nuthin except the phone cable!
They had it in a side room but it wasn't under a cover.


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## DarrylW91 (Nov 8, 2017)

EvilTed said:


> I also collected a TTS from Oxford Audi.
> Car was under a cover in the "handover room" off to the left of the showroom. All very nice and atmospheric.
> There's only space for one car in there so I guess if they have a number of handovers they have to make use of the showroom space.
> I know what you mean about the showroom doors, there's something particularly odd driving your car out through the doors you just walked in through!
> ...


Oh yeah I remember that :lol:, oh well.. I'm happy to take a bribe in exchange for leaving a good review!

The lady who did my handover took me through a few bits but left me to it as there's not much that I hadn't already watched a thousand times on YouTube in the leadup to collection 
I was very keen to just get on the road!

Did they give you the usual "I'm really excited about your car coming in" speech? :lol:



KevC said:


> I got mine from Oxford Audi and got nuthin except the phone cable!
> They had it in a side room but it wasn't under a cover.


I suppose there's no obligation for them to give out hampers, but at the same time when you spend £40k+ on a car it's nice to get a little bonus! :lol:


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

DarrylW91 said:


> KevC said:
> 
> 
> > I got mine from Oxford Audi and got nuthin except the phone cable!
> ...


Maybe it depends if they feel you have already screwed them down to the last penny. :lol:


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## debonair (Jun 5, 2014)

ZephyR2 said:


> DarrylW91 said:
> 
> 
> > KevC said:
> ...


This is actually true. Audi Lincoln told me that on heavily discounted deals they don't do gifts because they've made little or no profit as it is


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## KevC (Jul 12, 2016)

I'm not sure I haggled that hard really! People on here got better deals than me. Maybe though it was because I wasn't a repeat customer like some of you are. But being my first Audi I thought they might have given me something.


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## MartynWhiteley (Sep 30, 2006)

Yeah, the last time I bought new via an online broker, I drove for 4 hours to pick the car up, wasn't even offered a cup of coffee.

I was just given the keys, and the car was parked outside in their car park, with leaves on the roof, and white powder marks over the black bits, even though I'd paid extra for paint treatment.


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## DarrylW91 (Nov 8, 2017)

KevC said:


> I'm not sure I haggled that hard really! People on here got better deals than me. Maybe though it was because I wasn't a repeat customer like some of you are. But being my first Audi I thought they might have given me something.


I'm not very good at haggling... I did manage to get paint protection, dent repairs and alloy wheel refurbs thrown in for free but he insisted that he couldn't go any lower on the monthly payments. Not sure if he was being honest or not, but I'd imagine he could've gone lower if he really wanted to.

I bought my first Audi last year from them, and me & my mum both bought our cars at the same time from the same salesperson... I got the hamper and she got a mug & keyring :lol:


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

The built date for mine went from 3 months to 5 months. I had several polite conversations with the salesman and business manager (and Audi CS) about this. After some other hiccups trying to alter an existing build I eventually got my car in 4 months.
During one phone call with the salesman unwittingly, through his prompting, I ended up telling him about my interest in the Vulcan bomber, which had also recently done a fly past.
When I came to collect my car the dealership presented me with tickets for a trip for two to the Vulcan Experience at Doncaster along with a B&B overnight stay in a nearby 4 star hotel.
I know I got a very good deal out of them. So this was really a sweetener from the dealer by way of an apology for the unexpected delays etc. in obtaining my car. Throughout the whole process I maintained a pleasant and friendly relationship with the dealership despite my frustrations and I think that counted for a lot with them.
So it was a big thumbs up for Manchester Audi.


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## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

Well I think i'll Hope for a bottle of champagne at best and a pen at worst.

However I will be asking for the car to be inside so I can check it over...

The dealer did tell a fib to get me order saying it was on the boat 4 weeks ago but it's only just gone on the boat today.

However I've been on holiday for 3 weeks so think the dealer was counting on this and it being ready for when I get back.


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## EvilTed (Feb 5, 2016)

As with all these things the best way to make sure you get what you want is to tell them what you want.
I told my dealer that I expected goodies on collection. I told them to raid the cupboard if they wanted me to be happy. Even pointing out that Land Rover had given my wife a very nice umbrella when she collected her car and they must be able to find something (Wouldn't want to be outdone my the wife now would I!).

Lo and behold, come collection day a hamper, a cable and an umbrella...


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## zooks (Sep 15, 2017)

Ask if a customer satisfaction survey comes with the free gifts


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## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

We pickup day is here at last.... clock is ticking down. :lol:  

I've got my fingers crossed for a smooth handover.....


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## DarrylW91 (Nov 8, 2017)

With todays weather their gift to you might be some snow chains and a shovel :lol:

Hope all goes well!


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## digital_dreamer (Aug 28, 2011)

Well, i got nothing, not even a pen! But I had a big smile as soon I looked at the car so I didn't care.

However, the pick up went very well and I didn't get stuck in the snow.

The funny bit was looking over the paperwork and seeing my part ex trade in value get crossed out 4 times and increasing.

However, they kept banging on was it 5-star service / extremely satisfied and would I give feedback to say so. It went a bit OTT

Now time to get 1st 1000 miles done :roll:


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## Alan Sl (Nov 11, 2009)

DarrylW91 said:


> With todays weather their gift to you might be some snow chains and a shovel :lol:
> 
> Hope all goes well!


Perhaps an Audi flask full of warm water might be useful as well ( to defrost the stuck windows).


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Alan Sl said:


> DarrylW91 said:
> 
> 
> > With todays weather their gift to you might be some snow chains and a shovel :lol:
> ...


 :lol: :lol: Brilliant.


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