SShoreS4

I tell the dealer that I want to order within a week or so, so the B6 will arrive when the lease is expiring on my B5. They tell me that the next build cycle for Audi is March, which would put the car here in June/July (two months after my lease is done.) Does this sound right? I immediately assumed they were trying to push me into the "OMG, I better buy it now!" mode. But I'm curious about how allocations and Audi's build cycle work. Anyone know? I thought as cars were ordered, they were batched up by the dealer and then built by Audi. Does Audi itself batch the batches, so to speak? So they build a bunch, wait a month or two and then build another bunch? Any info appreciated. If the dealer is telling the truth and I have to wait until July because of Audi build cycle, I may take Audi up on their lease buyout deal instead of waiting...

JDBlueAudiS4

They always build cars. Now when allocations come out is a different story. I imagine the next allocation will happen at the same time as the S4 Cab allocations I would say Febuary time frame. But like I said they are alaways building cars and dont really stop except for holidays and resetup of assembly lines RE: Retooling etc... Doesnt sound like a line, also remember there will only be so many 2004 S4's. Once the allocations are done, they are done.

CoOlSlY

otherwise, about 3-4 months is the time to build/ship/deliver...

SShoreS4

How do the allocations work?

CoOlSlY

No idea but I know that they have to get a allocation spot before your S4 will be "processed"

AvramD

Allocations freeze 2 or 3 weeks before they actually start getting built. In this interval they are considered "in production" even though they aren't on the assmebly line yet.

I have to disagree slightly with JD; He's right, but the way he said it can be misinterpreted. They aren't goig to "stop building S4's when they run out of allocations," it doesn't work that way. Rather, they only build a certain number a month. That adds up to the total # for the year, but they will be building them every month. Your problem is to find an allocation with as early a build date as possible. Your dealer may not have one.

You should absolutely be able to order a car next week that would get built in late Jan or early February. Whether this particular dealer can do that for you is a different story. And of course he doesn't want to admit to you that another dealer may have an earlier allocation than he does.

Every allocation has a build date assigned to it. It is very difficult to get the dealers to tell you what it is, simply because most of the people at the dealer ship don't understand any of this. Simply put, if they won't tell you exactly what the production week is, then either they don't have an allocation for you, or they just don't know how to find out what it's week is.

You have to call around to different dealers to find one who has an allocation that hasn't been commited to a customer yet. Well, you don't have to, but if you choose to put an order in without an allocation, you should use it as a bargaining chip, as in

"Well, Smith & Wesson Audi, down in Texas, has an open allocation with a January build date, and he'll give it to me for $500 under MSRP. If you want me to wait for a car you don't even have a build date on yet, you can make me an offer, but it will have to be a lot better than $500 off."

Note that if you are bucking for an Avant, most few dealers get more than one Avant allocation at a time, and many often only get one every other month. Some speculate this will ramp up next year, but for now, don't be surprised if you can get build dates for sedands, but not for avants.

JDBlueAudiS4

guess what I said didnt make sense. I meant that they have a set number for the year and normally plan based on sales how many are sent to each dealer each month however they normally say "we have 400 allocations for this cycle" yadda yadda yadda and the cars are divvyed up from there. They will product cars to the end of the year since they plan this out. however allocations are normally heaviest during the begining of the year. When the demand is highest.

HiTEC

based of previous sales history. It's based off the quantity of cars sold in the past (more the better) and it is also based on the survey results customers give after buying a car (better marks the better for dealer). I'm sure there are also some polictics involved also. In general the higher volume/better service dealers will get more allocations.

ChrisS -2008 A6-4.2

Re: They don't have engines

audifirst

all dealers submiting orders for the cars either customer order or they ordering for their own lot. Audi Germany has a committed date for end of the orders to come in from ex: North America.
AoA collects all orders and sends on the schedule date all the orders.. audi in germany puts all those orders into batches, and prepares them for production during that time you can still place order and if the allocation for production is empty not enough cars you will fit it, and they will be able to get the car for you.
The production has already started couple weeks ago on previous orders sent in, and it seems that all allocations have been filled and none available , that's why he can not allocate empty spot for you at the moment and he is telling you about march and then you get you car possibly may/june maybe even earlier, which sounds ok..
you might try different dealer who might able to do something , some people cancel their orders in the last minute and there is allocation empty or you might get his order if option he order were the same...