bac2h

Looking to have one installed at the port and was wondering what dealers are getting for them?

Thanks.

refthimos

Not to hijack your thread, but I ordered my Q5 with the "factory" hitch and when I talked with my dealer, he thought (but was not sure) that the hitch was nonetheless "installed at the port." Now I am no longshoreman, and have not spent time at a port, but it strikes me as unusual to be doing automobile work there. Is there a reason why a factory option is not done at the factory? Do they grind and cut my new Q5 at the port to install my hitch? If so, what comfort do I have that the guys at the port do a good job and know what they are doing? Overall, it just strikes me as odd that I order my Q5 from the factory with the $850 hitch option and yet the factory does not appear to be involved with the hitch. Or am I wrong / missing something?

But to answer your question, I believe the MSRP on the "factory" hitch is $850 with the invoice at $790. I went ahead and ordered the "factory" hitch for two reasons: 1) hopeful that I would get a better result that having it installed at the dealership, where my understanding is that have to hack up the rear of the vehicle to install and 2) apparently the "side assist" feature is different whether or not you order the hitch.

refthimos

Sorry, forgot to mention that I ordered a Prestige and I think the hitch is $50 less for Premium or Premium+. This is the best site I know for current Q5 pricing:

http://www.kbb.com/new-cars/audi/q5/...e-with-options

kleinbus

Ports (stevedoring companies) does not give a crap about anything else than moving goods, is it container, car, you name it, they move it from vessel to shore or vise versa.

I happen to work for the company that makes Terminal Tractors, Reach Stackers, Straddle Carriers just few to name so we know pretty well what they do.

Before my engineering degree while in university, I got some extra money driving 18 wheelers and Charter busses and got familiar with ports, there is specific cages for imported cars that are waiting to be released for car hauling company.

If there is another company that VAG uses for installations required by market area (by continent), then the vehicle can be released and moved out from cage to have service by this company but vehicle have to come back in specified time.

Bad Andy

My neighbor works on the Nissan dock where the cars (Infiniti and Nissans) come in from Japan. I am not sure how the Audi system works, but at Nissan, the workers are trained by Nissan to install the "port installed options". If a car gets damaged, scratched, or the installation wasn't up to standards, the car is taken to a facility where it is re-done and brought up to "new" condition.

I would assume that the people at the Audi import dock are very well trained. I wouldn't worry.

-Andy