Gr8ridn

The biggest change for me is the backup camera delete for 2012. I have a 2011 with the camera and it is the first car I have owned with this feature. I am totally sold on the usefulness of this device. I am glad I got a 2011 just for this reason. Perhaps later in the production year Audi will be able to offer the camera again if the supplier can rebuild production. Another thought might be Audi looking for an alternative supplier.

cprg2011

+1
A small item perhaps, but I'm glad I didn't wait. There is nothing new on the 2012 worth desperately waiting for, and I'd be feeling cheated to end up getting less. Ouch.

I notice that the 2012 Canadian Order Sheet still lists the rear-view camera. The CA one was released earlier, so I wonder if it has since been pulled from the Canadian allocation as well.

tridentnyc

Can anyone else verify the rear view camera deletion for 2012? I spoke with my dealer today who is handling my 2012 Q5 order and he said "all Q5's with navigation will definitely ship with the rear view camera".

Now I'm not sure whether he's trying to protect his sale or what but he works for a very highly regarded dealership and seems to have been pretty straight with me so far.

I also placed a call to Audi USA today asking about the camera issue and was told I would hear back by end of week with an answer.

Will update once I know for sure.

Reisen

It's pretty clearly not on the order sheet. I've spoken with a LOT of dealers the past few days. Some know, some don't. But I can verify after looking at the sheet, the camera is not on there.

tridentnyc

Here is the latest I received today from one of two dealers in New Jersey that I'm working with:

Good morning, and thank you for your e-mails, interest and inquiry into the 2012 Audi Q5 2.0T available colors, options and changes for the 2012 model year.

As you have read and heard about the most unfortunate state of affairs regarding the disaster in Japan, the design/development and production/availability of widely exported products such as (Navigation Systems) ("Back-Up Cameras) (Certain mixes and colors of paints) and some other electronic parts and components are/have been delayed and or temporarily unavailable to the U.S. and other markets. This is not only for the Japanese manufacturer of automobiles but the Domestic and European (German) manufacturers as well.

My sales management team had an "in prompt to" meeting regarding this yesterday morning before I arrived at my 12:00 noon scheduled start time. We (Audi USA) have not learned from its suppliers when or how long it may be before the components (Back-Up Camera) become available for production and shipment to the U.S. dealers. We can of course only hope it will be when or soon after the "first shipments of allocated 2012's" start to roll in this August/September 2011.

We have a good number of vehicles (2012 Q5 2.0T) on the first allocation of vehicles to be produced this June and shipped/delivered this August/September. You can of course wait/refuse delivery of the vehicle you order until such time that the Back-Up Camera is back in production.

Thanks again for your contact, and interest in doing business with me and Audi Meadowlands.

Will update with more info as I get it.

Huey52

^ ... impromptu... but he was on a roll.

Thanks for sharing.

I'm sure this is the tip of the iceberg wrt 'just in time' procurement from Japan.

hmn4858

Well considering it took them foreve to issue a waterpump recall due to supply issues, I wouldn't hold my breath with them getting cameras anytime soon. The CAN order sheet also had teak brown listed as a color option. I find it interesting that certain paints colors could be held up.

tridentnyc

We (Audi USA) have not learned from its suppliers when or how long it may be before the components (Back-Up Camera) become available for production and shipment to the U.S. dealers. We can of course only hope it will be when or soon after the "first shipments of allocated 2012's" start to roll in this August/September 2011.

This would seem to indicate that Audi has not deleted the backup camera completely for 2012 but rather that when they get the needed components they will start shipping them with the camera included once more.

Pricing for the non camera nav units will be interesting as well. Also, a dealer told me that the cameras can not be added later at the dealership, that it is a factory installed option only. So I guess that means those of us who get early 2012's are kinda screwed...not good.

Doesn't make sense to me really not to put in as many components as necessary so when the back ordered parts do become available a dealership could do the rest of the install. Which leads me to wonder: What do dealerships do when a rear view camera fails or needs service? Not fix it? They have to be able to do this work at the dealership, just doesn't make any sense to me. Hate getting such conflicting info across Audi dealerships, is this what I can expect as a new first time Audi owner?

hmn4858

I get where you're coming from but your basically asking why a dealership can't build a car. If it's just popping in a rear camera not that big of a deal but there could be more than just that copponent on back order. Also, it would wind up costing Audi a lot of money depending on the number of cars that have to be completed. The dealer isn't going to do the work for free.

As far as conflicting info, dealers aren't owned by Audi so no surprise you get different stories. Your best bet is trying to get info out of Audi US. I don't think your lack of cohesive information is just an Audi problem.

tridentnyc

Well that's just it, I have been trying to get answers from Audi USA all along, they have actually been even less helpful if that's possible. The same woman I keep getting sounds very young and somewhat inexperienced and I'm sorry to say, she doesn't sound particularly well educated. I'm actually pretty surprised by that, as I thought a more upscale brand like Audi would have better front end customer service.

Anyway, I do take your point about the components and dealership costs associated with adding the camera later. There just better be a lower price on the nav without it for obvious reasons and for the fact that resale prices of vehicles without it will certainly be affected. Which similar used Q5 would you rather buy in a few years time, the one with the backup camera or the one without?

Don't get me wrong I understand this is because of a significant tragedy and it really isn't Audi's fault at all, it's just the lack of a cohesive message regarding these issues with it's dealers and Audi USA that has me a bit put off. Not the level of customer care I'd expect from Audi, Chrysler maybe but not Audi.