The spy photos don’t look too impressive to me; though I suppose final judgment should be reserved until the official unveiling. Interior reminds me of an XC90 (which is good).
Drag racing SUV’s is not my thing, though I’m of the philosophy –more power is always better-
Fuel economy and price is definitely important not sure when the Q7 diesel will come or how much it will cost., but I’ve always thought that big heavy vehicles (where 0-60 does not matter as much) would ideally come with a diesel.
I may be in the minority but I think the MB R350/R500 is the closest to the Q7 in terms of size, power, refinement, prestige.
went to the dealer today (WAS thinking of ordering a 3.6 prem) and they confirmed that the 6 seat config. is not available on the 3.6 prem, but in the audi q7 brochure, it is mentioned twice that it is available on the 3.6 prem, on page 17, and the available options page in the back. it was one of my favorite options, totally bummed...do you think it will be available later on? you would think they would have it on all models to compete with the r-class...
i know, it is really such a large vehicle, yet, looks the size of a x5! one of the reasons i like it so much! that "smaller" look it has may have to do with the short front overhang, or the height??!
Annoying thing about the Q7 commercials the cut scenes from an early 80’s (pikes peak?) rally race car...then some statement about moving forward or something like that.
I’m left with the impression – so what have you done lately? If they would like to show some of their history that’s fine; even show an old Auto Union race car. But if you’re going to show that you’re a modern company moving forward how about showing the TDI winning Le Mans maybe they’re modest and do not want to appear as braggarts.
After seeing the Q7 commercials I think to myself, nice car; lame commercial.
I have a deposit on a V6, due to arrive early September. There is no official word on mileage, but dealer estimates about 2 mpg better than V8 (14/19), which would be 16 city, 21 hwy. I agree with that estimate, although I think the hwy number may be slightly higher. It's a 280 hp engine with 266 lb ft of torque, making it the most powerful V6 in its class. Estimated 0-60 of 8.2 seconds, very competitive for a large luxury SUV.
Dealers just got the pricing, but I haven't seen it online anywhere yet. My incoming Q7 is a 3.6 Premium with technology, infotainment, and convenience packages, and 4-zone climate control. Not sure of the breakdown, but total MSRP is $54,660.
we are just about to order a Q7 3.6 premium. The base price is 45,900. the base v6 is 39,900, but has very limited options. On the v6 premium, you can get a convenience package, which has memory seats, folding mirrors, turning headlights, power tailgate, and homelink, for 1,200. the sunroof (1,850), 19" wheels (800), 20" wheels (1,600), infotainment package which has nav, sirius, and bluetooth (2,800), everything that is available on the v8 is available on the v6 premium, but some of the packaging is different (infotainment pkg, convenience pkg...). also, there was talk of the 6-seat option not available on the v6, but, it is available at no cost. the first v6's should arrive late august, early september, no fuel econ. numbers yet, but i would guess about 3 mpg more than on the v8.
I took delivery of my Q7 on 6/10/06. After 240 miles, the MMI system died on the highway accompanied by static on the speakers and a loud popping sound from the rear. From then the radio/CD suffered 1/2 second drop-outs and the problem got progressively worse with the entire MMI going black and not coming back and finally died at 700 miles. Car has been in the shop since 7/3 and Audi still have no ETA when I will get my car back (It's 7/13 today). When I went to pickup my medic and trauma bags, the interior of the car had been completely stripped with wires everywhere and every possible electrical component removed. I don't think I want this car back, as no matter how careful the service technicians are, they won't get it back together in 'from the factory condition.' Will keep the list informed.
The sales team have completely washed their hands of the problem. The service team in the mean time have supplied me with a new Q7 to drive until mine is repaired... :sick:
Yes, we ordered one about 3 weeks ago, the first ones are due out in mid to late August and we will get ours in mid September. I was told the highway milage would be about 23 MPG (sounds a little optimistic but it will be much better thatn the V8).
Thanks for sharing your experiance. Sorry to hear it was so bad. Have you owned Audi's in the past? I have heard great things from Audi owners about their cars. This makes me think your car might have been a factory lemon, it usually takes a car company 3-6 months to work the early glitches in their cars. I hope that was the problem and not all Q7's will turn out to be unreliable. Are you planning to keep your current Q7, or make a deal with the dealer for a new one? Makes me wonder if I shouldd wait a little longer for them to work out the bugs before ordering one... :confuse: I still like the car, but I am now more worried about reliability. Good luck with yours though . If they never get it back to factory condition, you could try to get the dealer to buy it back from you, I know people who have done the same thing with early Mercedes Ml's.
Have had this dilemma for a while, but maybe nearing a solution. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Presently own:
04 Sienna AWD LTD. love it, have 10/12 year old, has everything but nav/cam, bought new w/ext war so need to keep. Usually go used but new model, and really hated our caravan(needed awd/fold-down seats/mid window funct.)
01 M3 conv, bought used, in mint condition, probably a keeper, but pricey for a third car. Has 45K w/hrdtop, 6sp., steel grey w/imola red int...love it
00 A6 2.7T 6sp, w/85K also love this like a third car, low costs great year round, but will need timing belt, brakes, may have some seals failing.
The problem: First, bought a heavy boat, second, would like to have only two cars, I think. Presently have short term solution in that friend trades me his 06 Tundra DC, for the audi. Actually working out real well this season, but would like my independance, and neither audi/bmw have any warrantee.
So, i've been back anf forth, keep m3, get newer 4runner, but after i drove one, and drove the Q7, my feelings changed, so here goes:
Sell M3(Ouch!), keep A6 until I can find good deal on Q7, lease or purchase, then keep sienna couple more years, then give wife Q7 and replace sienna w/S4 cab.
Seems to easy, other than that it's been driving me crazy for a while, other option is to repeat vehicle trade with friend for next two summers...he has a three year lease, I usually leave his car north so no mileage issue, he really like A6 for the summer two, but concerned with creeping maintenance costs even though it's reasonable for 85K. I've also looked at the Cayenne S, but a little over my head, no third row, no dealer relation ship. Or maybe the 07 X5.
BMW 06 X5 has fantastic lease programs right now, might be easier to lease X5 2/3 years, make dealer buy my audi, and ten retail the M3, then after lease expires look into newer X5, or Q7, probably get better pricing then, also would postpone next step. in other words, sienna is 2.5 years old, would be 4-5 after leasing, give wife Q7 after I break it in a year or two, then sienna would be 5-6 years, kids of to high school, then replace sienna w/s4 cab, that could be driven in winter with 2nd set of rims/tires.
I'm in the process of negotiating to buy a pair of Audi Q7 Premium's loaded to the gills. I've talked to several dealers. One just offered to sell the cars for $500 over "invoice" each.
When it came time to begin writing up the contracts, 2 new charges miraculously appeared. One is called “NY Upstate Dealer Advertising Group” for $300, and the other is called “Preparation and Inspection” at $195.
I’ve searched here and Consumer Reports and can not find either of these charges listed. The dealer is insisting that these are both charges that the dealership pays and that they are billed by the manufacturer. He even gave me a copy of another Q7’s invoice that does in fact show both charges. That invoice carries a notice on the bottom that reads “Prices illustrated above are subject to change prior to drafting and final shipment”.
I had arrived at a price by simply adding up the wholesale price of the car and each option selected and then adding the “Destination Charge”. I thought that by simply adding another $500 I’d have the price of the car. These "extra charges" adds another $495 to the deal.
Re these charges for real – or is it a scam?
Does the manufacturer rebate this to the dealers to allow them more profit – beyond invoice – in a manner like holdback?
By the way, I’m told that Audi does not do “holdback”. Edmund’s site shows none. There appear to be no promotions available for Q7’s yet. Does anyone have any knowledge of this?
It would appear that when a dealer is operating on tight margins, a few extra add on charges would be reasonable to cover their costs and make a small profit. It's unfortunate they use terms such as those you describe however, because they sound a little "dated" But really in the whole scheme of things, what is an extra $495 to get a hot new car? And scam? I think not......a scam is something "fraudulent" or "intended to deceive" ...on the contrary, your dealer is being very honest with you.
I like the idea of the S4 cab, its a great car! Another option for you could be to keep the M3, sell the Sienna and Tundra, and use the money to buy a Q7 now. If you plan to sell the M3 now, and replace it with another convertible later on, i would also look at the BMW 645. A Fantastic car! I was originally looking at the S4 cab myself, but went with the Bimmer.
This is my 3rd Audi, the previous cars have been '96 A6 2.8Q, and an '00 A6 1.8T (when we were based in Dublin). I've never had a single problem with an Audi before now. A new service advisor called me on Friday day to inform me that the leak was being fixed and I should have my car back on Wednesday. He was referring to another Q7 that had been returned for warranty repairs (5 days to fix a sunroof leak????). Of the 10 that this dealership sold in June, 30% are back in the shop for repairs and 2 others have been back because their owners spilled drinks on the MMI buttons. I think Audi have a ways to go with this car to make Quality Job 1.
I now have almost 400 miles on my 'loaner' Q7 and the remote doesn't work unless you're 2 ft from the driver's door. Apart from that, no further problems to report.
I have categorically told the dealership (New Country Audi of Greenwich, CT) that I want a new Q7 and don't want that one back. By Wednesday, it will be off the road for 15 calendar days in the first month. The legal requirement in NY/CT for a car to be a lemon is 30 days off the road or back to the shop for the same thing 4 times. After that it must carry a big lemon sticker for all time, so it would seem to make sense that Audi would want to make sure that 'the first Q7 registered in New York State' isn't a :lemon: . Since every single electrical component has been taken out for diagnostics, I can see this car qualifying under the 4x rule pretty quickly.
I still love the car, but am less than impressed with the sales side of the dealership washing their hands of it completely, but so far service has been doing the right thing. I've called Audi of America to get them involved, since the dealership said the only way I was getting a new car was through AoA. They maintain that their primary goal is to 'repair the car', but since this is my first dealing with them I will reserve judgement.
Yikes!!! I'm been going back in forth about this car. Really wanted it, but we have a '00 A6 4.2, that has been problematic. I have a couple of friends with Audi's and they have been less than happy with the car's overall reliability.
Every year, Audi promises better reliability for their cars, but still doesn't seem to be able to deliver. I think I'm going to sit on the sidelines for a couple of more years and observe to see if audi is really serious about improving overall reliability or just saying the right things.
We will probably get rid of the car for now and get a short term lease on either the caddy srx or volvo xc90. Both are offering really attractive 24 month leases.
Volvo is offering a well equipped V8 XC90 for 345/month for 24months, and damnit wouldn't you know I can't find the SRX's lease deal. When I do, I'll post it.
I would think twice about the XC90. The reason I bought my Q7 when I did was that the XC90 after 15 months had been back in the shop 4 times for different things breaking. Volvo's are very stable, reliable mechanically, but it's the accessories that cause problems. In my case it was the sunroof motor (replaced at 12 months), the driver's side window motor and rails (at 2 months), the same window when I sold it would go all the way up and then all the way down and the only way I could keep it closed was to turn off the car (a real problem at toll boths). Volvo "fixed it" by re-programming the window to not go all the way up, leaving a 1/4" gap and horrendous road noise. The garage (Big Dee Volvo) refused to take the car back for warranty service and suggested that I bring it to another Volvo dealer 50 miles away!! That and the radio/CD would get into a funny mood every once in a while (usually on long drives > 1 hr) where it would hang with the message "Unable to read CD".
I hope that I am not in for a string of :lemon: 's.
Update on my Q7: the two parts needed to fix my car arrived at the dealership damaged, and there are no more spares in the Country. They have to order them from Germany and I still have no ETA as to when my car will be fixed or ready. The Service Advisor suggested they may take the parts out of another Q7 to see if that fixes the problem. Nothing back yet from Audi of America but today they inform me that the matter is being referred to another department, so maybe they will give me a new Q7 after all...
Some people just seem to have bad luck with cars. I really hope your Q gets fixed fast.
As for the XC90, I have had one for 3 years. Only significant problem was a broker tie rod end that caused one wheel to wobble a little. Probably caused by a pothole, though you would think an SUV would be more durable. Fixed under warranty, car was never disabled (problem discovered during annual state inspection). Only other problem is the bolt attaching the driver door hinge to the frame is coming loose, meaning the door makes a little noise when opening. Could be easily fixed with a certain type of screwdriver that I don't own, so I just live with it until next trip to the dealer.
let face it our cars to ge heavy wear and tear. My 00 A6 2.7 has 84K, bought it certified at 27K, maintenance to date includes upper and lower front supports(I know there's a better technical name), cover under warrantee, and recently had a cv boot, cv joint, two coil packs and a rear drive shaft seal. I've also done the usual battery, brakes, and just did timing belt. Honestly I love this car. Given it's book value is around $10K, I have very little to complain about, except, that it can't tow my boat. I will wait 1-2 years til they work out the bugs and add the newer tech stuff. For now I'll keep borrowing my friends tundra, he really likes the A6 too.
Yes, I have seen some of their European ads and commercials and they are quite good, especially the latest S-commercial featuring the S8. Quite impressive!! Audi knows how to do premium branding everywhere in the world in terms of marketing, but to say they are toned down in the US is an understatement. I am not sure what goes through the heads of Audi's marketing executives, but imagine the possible increase in volume if they actually developed a marketing aura that truely represented the Audi brand and culture. Hopefully, with the hiring of the new marketing chief some changes are in store.
Greetings all, I hope that I am not intruding by keeping the list informed regarding my Q7, but I thought I would share my experiences as, who knows, and touch wood, this could be you in a couple of weeks or so.
As of today (7/22) my Q7 has been 'off the road' for 18 calendar days and it will be Monday 7/24 (20 c.days) before they get the part to repair it (they think). I have been dealing with Audi of America on a regular basis and the update from them is as it was in the beginning: "Our primary responsibility is to get the car repaired and back on the road, and we are sorry for the inconvenience that you have experienced."
Turns out it was a leak in the rear sunroof that caused the MMI to short out, and the part that needed to be replaced was the entire rear sunroof assembly (yes, it comes as an entire unit). The replacement part was damaged and is due for delivery from Germany on Monday. After re-installation and testing, they will start putting my car back together and I should have it back on 7/26 (22 calendar days). The update now is that Audi of America have just offered me 2x lease payments ($792) as compensation for my inconvenience, however I am still requesting that a new Q7 be provided as I just don't trust this particular Q7 to ever be made right or whole again.
For the lemon laws to kick in, it has to be off the road for 30 calendar days in the first 2 years or 18,000 miles, (in CT) whichever comes first.
I have now almost 1000 miles on my 'loaner Q7', and I still love everthing about the car. If I could provide any recommendations it would be to include the Tech and NAV packages and the adaptive air suspension in your Q7. The Sirius Radio option ($550) really sucks as no matter what channel you listen to, there are constant drop-outs of 1/2 to 1 second that are really annoying. Both my original Q7 and my loaner have the same problem with drop-outs.
Interestingly enough, I checked out the United Kingdom Audi site for the Q7 and adaptive air suspension and acoustic parking (no camera) are standard in every Q7 delivered there. Homelink, heated seats, and a bunch of other standard options in the US however are expensive options on UK delivered models. It seems the Q7 in the US would be 'fully loaded' by UK standards, yet adaptive air is 'not an option' on UK delivered models. Go figure.
OK, the deal is done and I'll share details. I understand that it's not proper to post dealer names here - but I'll give you enough that you can figure it out if you really care to. The dealer is telling me that he's not happy with the deal "I'm not making any money on this..." and he does not want others trying to get the same deal. That said... give it a shot.
I can tell you that I've been very disappointed by the sales experience thus far. Unprofessional and shabby would be the way to describe these folks. I've purchased quite a few high end cars before (numerous brands) and when you are buying a pair of $66,000 MSRP cars - you expect that the salespeople will be somewhat more polished than your garden variety used car polyester suit types. Follow up has been poor. Did not know answers to many questions asked. I hope the service dept. is better.
The deal is $750 over what Edmunds and Consumer Reports show as "invoice" + a $45 fee for getting the car registered.
Deal done at a dealership in N*w Y*rk at a dealership in the Alb*ny area. This one is in the location that starts with the letter "L".
I can tell you that I had a bid from a Vermont Dealer (K*inney) and a salesperson named Johann. He was extremely professional - a true pleasure to work with. Price came in a little bit higher (not too much) and they are a bit farther away. Otherwise I would have loved to have bought from that fellow. If you are in his neighborhood track him down. I think you will be impressed and treated well.
So bottom line is $800 over “invoice” for out the door. The online services do not show the $300 Advertising fee the dealer insists is above invoice. I’ve been told (here on the forum) that this is legitimate. I’m told there is no holdback on this Audi. So the dealers real mark-up is $500 – this seems fair to me.
You get what you pay for when it comes to service. You're buying 120k worth of brand new 07 Q7's at a few hundred over invoice. Let me see, you want the Donald Trump treatment, but you're saleperson will probably end up making a few hundred dollars on 2 cars.
Maybe you're dealer is a small time guy that doesn't move a lot of cars and he's willing to give 2 of them away. Most people are paying MSRP or getting a few hundred, or maybe a grand off sticker. With about 4k or so of markup in each Q7, you're saving about $7000 and you're still complaining about not getting the "service" you're entitled to.
Could not agree more! It seems that folk believe a dealer should sell a car at cost or at least only a few dollars over their cost. Where is the sense in that?
I have to ask that buyer: would he work at his job to be only be paid his base expenses in life? No, of course not. Everyone is entitled to a profit - one that the market will bear - and this is the ONLY reason that businesses exist.
Typical retail mark-up for just about any consumer product is 50% or more, so he is getting an unrealistic "deal" when a car retailer sells for 1.33% over his cost. Don't complain.. until that dealer goes out of business because his profit could not cover his overhead.
I would have been willing to pay more if sales service had been good from the offset - before price was mentioned. It became clear that they really did not follow up well, get correct information, etc. In fact they gave me incorrect info, and a lot of "I don't know - what does Audi say on their website" answers. They simply do not come accross as professional. I was not getting the Trump treatment - and then decided not to pay for it.
I told you that I would have paid more to the fellow at a different dealer had he been just a little closer. This dealer is getting what his service thus far has been worth.
So for those dealers who watch this site, please know this - when you are professional and pleasant - customers WILL be prepared to pay you more. When you are not, and you make price the only issue... your customers will deal hard.
The problem is that car buying from a dealer is intentionally set up to be as confusing as possible to the buyer. We really have no idea if the dealer is making 1% or 10% on these two cars. Edmunds does it's best to inform the buyer, but I'm sure the manufacturers and dealers are doing their best to stay one step ahead and hide profit from buyers as much as possible. I'm not crying for any of the dealers in my area, they've almost all spent multiple millions of dollars renovating or completely rebuilding their dealerships in the last 10 years. They're making plenty. Our job as prudent consumers is to negotiate the lowest price a dealer is willing to sell a car for. Unless you hold a gun to their heads, they're not going to sell a car for less than they want to.
You state: "We really have no idea if the dealer is making 1% or 10% on these two cars." This misses the point. The dealers profit is the dealers concern. Our concern as buyers should be the "price we pay", not how much money the dealer is making. Who, other than the dealer, or seller, is privy to the margins they require to make their business work? Rather than being concerned about their profit, simply compare "bottom line SELLING prices" Your concept would be akin to buying a can of baked beans based on the profit that the manufacturer makes. In the real world, a more efficient manufacturer may be able to sell at LOWER price and yet make MORE profit. You see where this argument is going?
Here's the update on my Q7. I picked up my Q7 from the dealer on Thursday, when the dealer called and said it was ready. The MMI had been repair by replacing the amplifier, satellite radio, and mmi control unit. The leak from the sunroof has been fixed by replacing the entire assembly.
That was the good news. Now the bad: 1. The car had been sitting in the dealer garage area with no sunroof for just over 3 weeks. The inside of the car now smells like the garage and there's a fine gray powder covering everything. There had been some effort to clean around the driver area. 2. The Sirrius codes had not been reprogrammed and another 1/2 hr wait cured that problem. 3. I've found 2 bolts under the passender seat that should probably have been put back 'somewhere'. 4. There's an obvious rattle in the roof on the rear left side when going over bumps. 5. The entire rear seating assembly now makes a noise like 2 sheets of styrofoam being rubbed together when there is any torsion on the chassis. This despite the dealership putting over 30 miles on the car. 6. After heavy rains on Friday, I checked to see that the leaks had in fact been fixed, only to discover that water is now getting in through the rear hatch in three places. They probably should have replaced the entire rubber seal as this is what keeps the headliner in place. 7. The rear deck (inside) panels are now misalinged so that the right side is higher and the floor panel now sits between the two side pieces at an angle.
In summary, my worst fears have been realized: the orignal problem has been fixed, but they incorporated a whole 'nother bunch in the repair process, but I had considered it was unlikely that I would get my car back in 'new from the factory' condition.
Five calls to my Customer Advocate (Regional Coordinator for AoA) on Friday have not been returned as he was 'busy helping other customers'. I re-iterated my request to be put into a new Q7. They made notes. I attempted to book my car back into the repair shop to fix the new problmes, but my Service Advisor wouldn't accept the booking until he spoke to his manager, who was on vacation.
I increasingly find myself confused as to who to turn to and who is responsible for tihs mess. Sales? They just offered me winter mats and said it was a service problem. Service? They're doing all they can to repair the car and two engineers have travelled to the dealership on many occassions. AoA, as the manufacturer are under the obligation to fix the repair of the original problem. Now that the repair process has incorporated so many new problems, who is at fault? The service dept who are servcing two customers: me and AoA, or AoA telling me my car was fixed, when it so clearly wasn't (althoght the MMI does work now... satellite still has 1/2 to 1 second drops on any channel which is very annoying. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
Anyone seen the 6-seater configuration yet? Any idea what will be more popular - the second row bench or two seats at resale time :confuse: ? Also, anyone seen a Q7 in Condor Gray Metallic? I've got a 4.2 Q7 Premium on order and am having second thoughts about seat config and color.http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webx- icons/emotorcons/emo_confused.gif
I suspect the 7 seats will be more popular now and at resale. There is a more limited market of people who would prefer the 6 seat.
Personally, even though I rarely expect to need 7 seats, the 6 seat idea seems more problematic. You can't just slide over to let someone else in. You also can't easily load more than one person through the same door. The second person has to go around to the other side of the car to get in. Sometimes that is impractical or even dangerous.
I also have a Condor Gray on order, though I too have never seen one in person. I figure I'll see one soon, and if I don't like it, I can switch my order to something else. Dealer has lots of incoming Q7's.
Have seen the Q7. It looks OK, just another streamlined design like many of the Japanese brands. I bought a Cayenne S instead. Why buy an Audi when you can drive a Porsche for almost the same price? The Q7 is a new model, and will likely have many glitches, as some have already found out here. Both the Cayenne and the Touareg went through the same "Beta" cycles with their '03-'04 model years, and now those cars are quite well sorted. The Q7 may be a nice ride, but the fact is that Audis in general don't have a stellar reliability record. Dealer support isn't that great, and repair costs are high. As for the 7 seat configuration, if you really want that, it's better to just get a mini-van. Much cheaper, more space, and easier access into and out of the car. Better gas mileage too. My advice is don't try to get too many different qualities out of one car.
The 7 seat SUVs are for people that only occasionally need more than 5 seats. If that's the case, why suffer with a minivan the rest of the time? Yes, they have more space and convenience and better mileage, but they're still minivans. Yuk. Also, try to find a minivan from a prestigious luxury make. Doesn't exist. Luxury buyers want to show off a little.
I used to hate SUVs. Now I have one (XC90), and I have another on order (Q7). Honestly, I still don't love them, but I understand the appeal. IMO, the best overall styling these days is in the SUV category. Most new sedans are either ugly or just boring and bland (which might be even worse than being ugly).
Why buy an Audi when you can drive a Porsche for the same price? Well, that third row is the biggest reason. The Audi is also a little more luxurious. Audi has the best interiors of any make.
The Q7 is based on the same platform as the Cayenne and Touareg, with many parts and systems shared with the A6 and A8. Reliability should be better than the typical new model.
As for that Audi reliability record, I never had a problem with my A6 (or my Passat for that matter). Gotta trust personal experience. Repair costs? Wait until you get a bill for that Cayenne. Besides, I lease, so any repairs are still under warranty. Let the next owner pay for repairs.
Quite simply, there is no perfect car. In most cases, some tradeoffs are needed. Unless you want to own multiple vehicles for all your various needs, you have to find one that accomodates everything.
Thanks for your comments. I just wanted to understand how people came to the conclusion to buy a Q7.
Here are some replies to your comments:
>>The 7 seat SUVs are for people that only occasionally need more than 5 seats. >>Luxury buyers want to show off a little.
Luxury buyers typically have more than one car. If it's only for occasional use, then any other second car will do.
>>Also, try to find a minivan from a prestigious luxury make. Doesn't exist.
Well, it's called the Mercedes R-Class. Here's another example of a car that tries to be multiple things. It's turning out to be a failure for Mercedes.
>>The Audi is also a little more luxurious. Audi has the best interiors of any make.
It depends on how you equipt the Cayenne. There are lots of options to make it more luxurious (e.g. order "soft-look" leather seats, or the higher grade "smooth leather" interior)
>>The Q7 is based on the same platform as the Cayenne and Touareg, with many parts and systems shared with the A6 and A8. Reliability should be better than the typical new model.
Reliability issues is generally not caused by major systems or platform factors anyways. Usually it's the little things. A little problem can cause a big problem. For example, a $10 seal that leaks, causing water to get in and damage a $500 component that requires major dismantling of the car to get at.
>>I never had a problem with my A6 (or my Passat for that matter).
How many miles have you got on it? My colleague's A6 has required several $2000+ service and repair jobs.
Comments
Drag racing SUV’s is not my thing, though I’m of the philosophy –more power is always better-
Fuel economy and price is definitely important not sure when the Q7 diesel will come or how much it will cost., but I’ve always thought that big heavy vehicles (where 0-60 does not matter as much) would ideally come with a diesel.
I may be in the minority but I think the MB R350/R500 is the closest to the Q7 in terms of size, power, refinement, prestige.
:confuse:
I’m left with the impression – so what have you done lately? If they would like to show some of their history that’s fine; even show an old Auto Union race car. But if you’re going to show that you’re a modern company moving forward how about showing the TDI winning Le Mans maybe they’re modest and do not want to appear as braggarts.
After seeing the Q7 commercials I think to myself, nice car; lame commercial.
I actually like the latest VW Passat EGO commercials pretty funny.
Steve, Host
Dealers just got the pricing, but I haven't seen it online anywhere yet. My incoming Q7 is a 3.6 Premium with technology, infotainment, and convenience packages, and 4-zone climate control. Not sure of the breakdown, but total MSRP is $54,660.
Lease details were posted on the Q7 Lease thread.
The sales team have completely washed their hands of the problem. The service team in the mean time have supplied me with a new Q7 to drive until mine is repaired... :sick:
04 Sienna AWD LTD. love it, have 10/12 year old, has everything but nav/cam, bought new w/ext war so need to keep. Usually go used but new model, and really hated our caravan(needed awd/fold-down seats/mid window funct.)
01 M3 conv, bought used, in mint condition, probably a keeper, but pricey for a third car. Has 45K w/hrdtop, 6sp., steel grey w/imola red int...love it
00 A6 2.7T 6sp, w/85K also love this like a third car, low costs great year round, but will need timing belt, brakes, may have some seals failing.
The problem:
First, bought a heavy boat, second, would like to have only two cars, I think. Presently have short term solution in that friend trades me his 06 Tundra DC, for the audi. Actually working out real well this season, but would like my independance, and neither audi/bmw have any warrantee.
So, i've been back anf forth, keep m3, get newer 4runner, but after i drove one, and drove the Q7, my feelings changed, so here goes:
Sell M3(Ouch!), keep A6 until I can find good deal on Q7, lease or purchase, then keep sienna couple more years, then give wife Q7 and replace sienna w/S4 cab.
Seems to easy, other than that it's been driving me crazy for a while, other option is to repeat vehicle trade with friend for next two summers...he has a three year lease, I usually leave his car north so no mileage issue, he really like A6 for the summer two, but concerned with creeping maintenance costs even though it's reasonable for 85K. I've also looked at the Cayenne S, but a little over my head, no third row, no dealer relation ship. Or maybe the 07 X5.
any thoughts?
I'm in the process of negotiating to buy a pair of Audi Q7 Premium's loaded to the gills. I've talked to several dealers. One just offered to sell the cars for $500 over "invoice" each.
When it came time to begin writing up the contracts, 2 new charges miraculously appeared. One is called “NY Upstate Dealer Advertising Group” for $300, and the other is called “Preparation and Inspection” at $195.
I’ve searched here and Consumer Reports and can not find either of these charges listed. The dealer is insisting that these are both charges that the dealership pays and that they are billed by the manufacturer. He even gave me a copy of another Q7’s invoice that does in fact show both charges. That invoice carries a notice on the bottom that reads “Prices illustrated above are subject to change prior to drafting and final shipment”.
I had arrived at a price by simply adding up the wholesale price of the car and each option selected and then adding the “Destination Charge”. I thought that by simply adding another $500 I’d have the price of the car. These "extra charges" adds another $495 to the deal.
Re these charges for real – or is it a scam?
Does the manufacturer rebate this to the dealers to allow them more profit – beyond invoice – in a manner like holdback?
By the way, I’m told that Audi does not do “holdback”. Edmund’s site shows none. There appear to be no promotions available for Q7’s yet. Does anyone have any knowledge of this?
Thanks!
But really in the whole scheme of things, what is an extra $495 to get a hot new car?
And scam? I think not......a scam is something "fraudulent" or "intended to deceive" ...on the contrary, your dealer is being very honest with you.
Instead of focusing on these line items, focus on your out-the-door price and you won't care how the dealer allocates your money.
Don't forget we have a Audi Q7: Prices Paid & Buying Experience discussion!
Steve, Host
I now have almost 400 miles on my 'loaner' Q7 and the remote doesn't work unless you're 2 ft from the driver's door. Apart from that, no further problems to report.
I have categorically told the dealership (New Country Audi of Greenwich, CT) that I want a new Q7 and don't want that one back. By Wednesday, it will be off the road for 15 calendar days in the first month. The legal requirement in NY/CT for a car to be a lemon is 30 days off the road or back to the shop for the same thing 4 times. After that it must carry a big lemon sticker for all time, so it would seem to make sense that Audi would want to make sure that 'the first Q7 registered in New York State' isn't a :lemon: . Since every single electrical component has been taken out for diagnostics, I can see this car qualifying under the 4x rule pretty quickly.
I still love the car, but am less than impressed with the sales side of the dealership washing their hands of it completely, but so far service has been doing the right thing. I've called Audi of America to get them involved, since the dealership said the only way I was getting a new car was through AoA. They maintain that their primary goal is to 'repair the car', but since this is my first dealing with them I will reserve judgement.
Every year, Audi promises better reliability for their cars, but still doesn't seem to be able to deliver. I think I'm going to sit on the sidelines for a couple of more years and observe to see if audi is really serious about improving overall reliability or just saying the right things.
We will probably get rid of the car for now and get a short term lease on either the caddy srx or volvo xc90. Both are offering really attractive 24 month leases.
I hope that I am not in for a string of :lemon: 's.
Update on my Q7: the two parts needed to fix my car arrived at the dealership damaged, and there are no more spares in the Country. They have to order them from Germany and I still have no ETA as to when my car will be fixed or ready. The Service Advisor suggested they may take the parts out of another Q7 to see if that fixes the problem. Nothing back yet from Audi of America but today they inform me that the matter is being referred to another department, so maybe they will give me a new Q7 after all...
:mad:
As for the XC90, I have had one for 3 years. Only significant problem was a broker tie rod end that caused one wheel to wobble a little. Probably caused by a pothole, though you would think an SUV would be more durable. Fixed under warranty, car was never disabled (problem discovered during annual state inspection). Only other problem is the bolt attaching the driver door hinge to the frame is coming loose, meaning the door makes a little noise when opening. Could be easily fixed with a certain type of screwdriver that I don't own, so I just live with it until next trip to the dealer.
As of today (7/22) my Q7 has been 'off the road' for 18 calendar days and it will be Monday 7/24 (20 c.days) before they get the part to repair it (they think). I have been dealing with Audi of America on a regular basis and the update from them is as it was in the beginning: "Our primary responsibility is to get the car repaired and back on the road, and we are sorry for the inconvenience that you have experienced."
Turns out it was a leak in the rear sunroof that caused the MMI to short out, and the part that needed to be replaced was the entire rear sunroof assembly (yes, it comes as an entire unit). The replacement part was damaged and is due for delivery from Germany on Monday. After re-installation and testing, they will start putting my car back together and I should have it back on 7/26 (22 calendar days). The update now is that Audi of America have just offered me 2x lease payments ($792) as compensation for my inconvenience, however I am still requesting that a new Q7 be provided as I just don't trust this particular Q7 to ever be made right or whole again.
For the lemon laws to kick in, it has to be off the road for 30 calendar days in the first 2 years or 18,000 miles, (in CT) whichever comes first.
I have now almost 1000 miles on my 'loaner Q7', and I still love everthing about the car. If I could provide any recommendations it would be to include the Tech and NAV packages and the adaptive air suspension in your Q7. The Sirius Radio option ($550) really sucks as no matter what channel you listen to, there are constant drop-outs of 1/2 to 1 second that are really annoying. Both my original Q7 and my loaner have the same problem with drop-outs.
Interestingly enough, I checked out the United Kingdom Audi site for the Q7 and adaptive air suspension and acoustic parking (no camera) are standard in every Q7 delivered there. Homelink, heated seats, and a bunch of other standard options in the US however are expensive options on UK delivered models. It seems the Q7 in the US would be 'fully loaded' by UK standards, yet adaptive air is 'not an option' on UK delivered models. Go figure.
:confuse:
OK, the deal is done and I'll share details. I understand that it's not proper to post dealer names here - but I'll give you enough that you can figure it out if you really care to. The dealer is telling me that he's not happy with the deal "I'm not making any money on this..." and he does not want others trying to get the same deal. That said... give it a shot.
I can tell you that I've been very disappointed by the sales experience thus far. Unprofessional and shabby would be the way to describe these folks. I've purchased quite a few high end cars before (numerous brands) and when you are buying a pair of $66,000 MSRP cars - you expect that the salespeople will be somewhat more polished than your garden variety used car polyester suit types. Follow up has been poor. Did not know answers to many questions asked. I hope the service dept. is better.
The deal is $750 over what Edmunds and Consumer Reports show as "invoice" + a $45 fee for getting the car registered.
Deal done at a dealership in N*w Y*rk at a dealership in the Alb*ny area. This one is in the location that starts with the letter "L".
I can tell you that I had a bid from a Vermont Dealer (K*inney) and a salesperson named Johann. He was extremely professional - a true pleasure to work with. Price came in a little bit higher (not too much) and they are a bit farther away. Otherwise I would have loved to have bought from that fellow. If you are in his neighborhood track him down. I think you will be impressed and treated well.
So bottom line is $800 over “invoice” for out the door. The online services do not show the $300 Advertising fee the dealer insists is above invoice. I’ve been told (here on the forum) that this is legitimate. I’m told there is no holdback on this Audi. So the dealers real mark-up is $500 – this seems fair to me.
Thanks.
Maybe you're dealer is a small time guy that doesn't move a lot of cars and he's willing to give 2 of them away. Most people are paying MSRP or getting a few hundred, or maybe a grand off sticker. With about 4k or so of markup in each Q7, you're saving about $7000 and you're still complaining about not getting the "service" you're entitled to.
It seems that folk believe a dealer should sell a car at cost or at least only a few dollars over their cost.
Where is the sense in that?
I have to ask that buyer: would he work at his job to be only be paid his base expenses in life? No, of course not.
Everyone is entitled to a profit - one that the market will bear - and this is the ONLY reason that businesses exist.
Typical retail mark-up for just about any consumer product is 50% or more, so he is getting an unrealistic "deal" when a car retailer sells for 1.33% over his cost. Don't complain.. until that dealer goes out of business because his profit could not cover his overhead.
I would have been willing to pay more if sales service had been good from the offset - before price was mentioned. It became clear that they really did not follow up well, get correct information, etc. In fact they gave me incorrect info, and a lot of "I don't know - what does Audi say on their website" answers. They simply do not come accross as professional. I was not getting the Trump treatment - and then decided not to pay for it.
I told you that I would have paid more to the fellow at a different dealer had he been just a little closer. This dealer is getting what his service thus far has been worth.
So for those dealers who watch this site, please know this - when you are professional and pleasant - customers WILL be prepared to pay you more. When you are not, and you make price the only issue... your customers will deal hard.
This misses the point.
The dealers profit is the dealers concern. Our concern as buyers should be the "price we pay", not how much money the dealer is making.
Who, other than the dealer, or seller, is privy to the margins they require to make their business work?
Rather than being concerned about their profit, simply compare "bottom line SELLING prices"
Your concept would be akin to buying a can of baked beans based on the profit that the manufacturer makes. In the real world, a more efficient manufacturer may be able to sell at LOWER price and yet make MORE profit. You see where this argument is going?
That was the good news. Now the bad:
1. The car had been sitting in the dealer garage area with no sunroof for just over 3 weeks. The inside of the car now smells like the garage and there's a fine gray powder covering everything. There had been some effort to clean around the driver area.
2. The Sirrius codes had not been reprogrammed and another 1/2 hr wait cured that problem.
3. I've found 2 bolts under the passender seat that should probably have been put back 'somewhere'.
4. There's an obvious rattle in the roof on the rear left side when going over bumps.
5. The entire rear seating assembly now makes a noise like 2 sheets of styrofoam being rubbed together when there is any torsion on the chassis. This despite the dealership putting over 30 miles on the car.
6. After heavy rains on Friday, I checked to see that the leaks had in fact been fixed, only to discover that water is now getting in through the rear hatch in three places. They probably should have replaced the entire rubber seal as this is what keeps the headliner in place.
7. The rear deck (inside) panels are now misalinged so that the right side is higher and the floor panel now sits between the two side pieces at an angle.
In summary, my worst fears have been realized: the orignal problem has been fixed, but they incorporated a whole 'nother bunch in the repair process, but I had considered it was unlikely that I would get my car back in 'new from the factory' condition.
Five calls to my Customer Advocate (Regional Coordinator for AoA) on Friday have not been returned as he was 'busy helping other customers'. I re-iterated my request to be put into a new Q7. They made notes. I attempted to book my car back into the repair shop to fix the new problmes, but my Service Advisor wouldn't accept the booking until he spoke to his manager, who was on vacation.
I increasingly find myself confused as to who to turn to and who is responsible for tihs mess. Sales? They just offered me winter mats and said it was a service problem. Service? They're doing all they can to repair the car and two engineers have travelled to the dealership on many occassions. AoA, as the manufacturer are under the obligation to fix the repair of the original problem. Now that the repair process has incorporated so many new problems, who is at fault? The service dept who are servcing two customers: me and AoA, or AoA telling me my car was fixed, when it so clearly wasn't (althoght the MMI does work now... satellite still has 1/2 to 1 second drops on any channel which is very annoying.
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
At this point it sounds like what you are doing is documenting legal lemon status - for the fight ahead....
Also, anyone seen a Q7 in Condor Gray Metallic? I've got a 4.2 Q7 Premium on order and am having second thoughts about seat config and color.
:confuse:
Personally, even though I rarely expect to need 7 seats, the 6 seat idea seems more problematic. You can't just slide over to let someone else in. You also can't easily load more than one person through the same door. The second person has to go around to the other side of the car to get in. Sometimes that is impractical or even dangerous.
I also have a Condor Gray on order, though I too have never seen one in person. I figure I'll see one soon, and if I don't like it, I can switch my order to something else. Dealer has lots of incoming Q7's.
I used to hate SUVs. Now I have one (XC90), and I have another on order (Q7). Honestly, I still don't love them, but I understand the appeal. IMO, the best overall styling these days is in the SUV category. Most new sedans are either ugly or just boring and bland (which might be even worse than being ugly).
Why buy an Audi when you can drive a Porsche for the same price? Well, that third row is the biggest reason. The Audi is also a little more luxurious. Audi has the best interiors of any make.
The Q7 is based on the same platform as the Cayenne and Touareg, with many parts and systems shared with the A6 and A8. Reliability should be better than the typical new model.
As for that Audi reliability record, I never had a problem with my A6 (or my Passat for that matter). Gotta trust personal experience. Repair costs? Wait until you get a bill for that Cayenne. Besides, I lease, so any repairs are still under warranty. Let the next owner pay for repairs.
Quite simply, there is no perfect car. In most cases, some tradeoffs are needed. Unless you want to own multiple vehicles for all your various needs, you have to find one that accomodates everything.
Here are some replies to your comments:
>>The 7 seat SUVs are for people that only occasionally need more than 5 seats.
>>Luxury buyers want to show off a little.
Luxury buyers typically have more than one car. If it's only for occasional use, then any other second car will do.
>>Also, try to find a minivan from a prestigious luxury make. Doesn't exist.
Well, it's called the Mercedes R-Class. Here's another example of a car that tries to be multiple things. It's turning out to be a failure for Mercedes.
>>The Audi is also a little more luxurious. Audi has the best interiors of any make.
It depends on how you equipt the Cayenne. There are lots of options to make it more luxurious (e.g. order "soft-look" leather seats, or the higher grade "smooth leather" interior)
>>The Q7 is based on the same platform as the Cayenne and Touareg, with many parts and systems shared with the A6 and A8. Reliability should be better than the typical new model.
Reliability issues is generally not caused by major systems or platform factors anyways. Usually it's the little things. A little problem can cause a big problem. For example, a $10 seal that leaks, causing water to get in and damage a $500 component that requires major dismantling of the car to get at.
>>I never had a problem with my A6 (or my Passat for that matter).
How many miles have you got on it? My colleague's A6 has required several $2000+ service and repair jobs.