First shopping trip today ...

[dvdre]

I went to one of three Volkswagen dealers in my area, with the usual sense of dread ... car-shopping hell. My wife was out of town, and I really, really just wanted to LOOK at GTIs, 4 door vs 2 door, leather vs. cloth, manual vs. DSG, and the exterior colors.

It started off well cause this dealer had a 2006 Audi A3 with dual moonroofs and black exterior, beige inside. The car had not even been prepped yet, but they wanted me to drive it so I did. It had the manual tranny. I was not impressed. The car drove fine, but there was a great deal of road noice from the wheels. Very loud and rumbling. Not a good impression. Forget the A3 for now ...

They only had three new GTIs on the whole lot, none used. I drove a United Gray four-door with the DSG and cloth seats. I was impressed.

4 VERSUS 2 DOORS ... I am holding out for 4, just because I just need the extra doors for moving stuff and old fogie friends of mine. I agree the 2 door is slightly prettier, in the white especially. I really liked the look of the 2-door reflex silver. So maybe I want a 4-door reflex silver, which they don't have.

With the 4 doors you get the better radio? Is that right?

DSG VERSUS MANUAL ... OK, DSG is too cool to ignore. I am going to shoot for DSG, but it won't be a deal-breaker. This VW dealer did not have a manual GTI in stock. Can you believe that?

CLOTH VERSUS LEATHER ... I was stunned that I liked the cloth. It is not a negative. I thought it would be. I could be perfectly happy with that cloth, until I spill coffee on it.

SUNROOF ... A must-have option.

THEN, DEALER TRICKS ... I explained I want to buy a car this summer, not now, and I am just starting to look. My sales guy was great, but his sales managers kept butting in. I even got double teamed at one point, and they looked at my BMW for 15 minutes but never gave the a trade price. GRRR. (I am going to sell it myself anyway, but nice to know their price.)

Quote: "We never, ever have a used GTI in stock, especially in 4 doors." (Probably somewhat true.)

Quote: "We can't get any new GTIs. They are very limited. Volkswagen has stopped making them for the year. What you see here is what we will have." (Probably a bald lie, yes?)

Quote: "We don't even need to discount these GTIs. They sell right away." (Can't imagine that is true.)

Then they started in that if I would buy the United Grey 4-door with DSG and cloth, but no sunroof, they would discount it to like $24,500 or something. Not today, sorry.

"Well we can find you another car by Monday and call you.:

No need! I am not buying this week! I am just starting to look!

I feel beat up and abused. I hate buying a car.

 

[GTI_nurse]

as far as the price is concerned I don't know about that one... I know billybobbovine had no problem getting damn near invoice. And that was over the phone. Also in Portland, don't know about where you're at.

As for making GTI's? Its possible they stopped MAKING them... however they are still bringing buttloads over from Germany. My guy told me if I wanted to wait I could have gotten a bone stock one. (I made them think i couldn't afford the extra's so they cut me a deal to get me in one with some extras).

Used MKV's will probably start showing up around summer 09. This has to do with lease returns, and the rumors of an 09 MKVI GTI... uglier IMO than the MKV

As for better radio??? that is part of the Autobahn package if i remember correctly, so you can get that in any of them ( I'm assuming you mean the premium sound).

hope that helps

 

[The_Sal™]

Thats the same way I felt when I went a few months back. Almost the same crap happened. As far as the GTIs not being made, I think thats slightly true because they are getting ready to take orders for the new 2009 GTIs come May, so thats somewhat believable. Heres a good thread on the 'tex that has answered a few questions very honestly.

Ask a VW salesman.

 

[slickvic]

Quote: "We don't even need to discount these GTIs. They sell right away." (Can't imagine that is true.)

Then they started in that if I would buy the United Grey 4-door with DSG and cloth, but no sunroof, they would discount it to like $24,500 or something. Not today, sorry.

:laughabove: Typical sales talk. I feel your pain.

 

[mikegabriel]

Hey I went through it too. I actually couldn't stand the way the dealership treated me. Being 19 at the time, they had all my financial records and yet I am sure thought I was just wasting their time. I ended up driving 3 hours out of province to buy my GTI. I ordered everything on the phone and when it came in, took the day off work and drove the 3 hours there and then back. They are out to make a buck, if they don't give what you want, tell them that and walk out the door. If they want the sale (in my case they didn't) they will contact you.

I wanted either white or black, 4 door, manual, leather with sunroof. They pushed red 2 door cloth and auto. Refused to order one and refused to give me any deals on it seeing as it has been on their lot for the last 6 months.