...new Audi - Update: Trigger pulled

[Anonymous]

I'm about 65/35 going for a 2015 Allroad. I love my 2010 JSW TDI, but it needs some work and if I'm going to put money into it, well, you know...

I've got a few questions that I've done reading on, but I'll post here to get current advice and get things coralled in one place. 

1) I've never bought through Costco or AmEx or a deal/service like that. We've done the 'send emails to several dealers with what you want' route, but haven't used one of the 'relationship' oriented plans. Can I do that with a lease? 

2) If I go with Audi, I've read they pull TU. Makes sense, that's what VW pulled for DH's car earlier this year. I'm assuming it's the Auto Enhanced. Is there a cut we know of for the best MF? I'm guessing my TU Auto is a bit below750. 

3) Audi-feature wise, the one thing I'm not sure about is the Sport Package. I definitely want a Premium Plus with Technology package. I test drove one with a sport package (all they had was a used 2015 with the sport and tech package and a new one inside the showroom without). I like the seats in the sport package, and I like the idea behind Audi Drive Select, but I like the light colored head liner and the sport comes with black. If I read enough about the ADS that it is something I should have, I could probably get over the headliner issue. Maybe. 

Anyone with any Audi or leasing goodness to pass along, it's appreciated. 

[Anonymous]

Also, any thoughts on leasing near the end of a model year vs the beginning?

ETA: I thought when you have a different signature here for mobile and non-mobile that it helped explain auto corrects. It doesn't because the desgnation of signature is based on what you're viewing on, not what it was typed on. That's silly. 

[Anonymous]

No Audi.  Bimmer with all the bells and whistles.  Happy with it but still want an X5 down the road.  The hard drive is a must.  Makes a huge difference.  I got the bone/black interior and yes, it can get a bit dirty.  But love the color combo.  I had enough of all black.  

[ds3]

I got my Q5 with the sport interior. The seats are way more comfortable than our A4 without them. The paddle shifters are useless unless you plan to pretend to be in a race somewhere. I didn't even notice the black inside until I started looking around after I bought it...definitely not a deal breaker for me. Be prepared for the drop in MPG between your TDI and gas. Our A4 gets 25mpg at the most with the same motor and transmission as the Allroad. The Q5 is averaging about 32mpg so far with the 3.0 TDI.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

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@ds3 wrote:

I got my Q5 with the sport interior. The seats are way more comfortable than our A4 without them. The paddle shifters are useless unless you plan to pretend to be in a race somewhere. I didn't even notice the black inside until I started looking around after I bought it...definitely not a deal breaker for me. Be prepared for the drop in MPG between your TDI and gas. Our A4 gets 25mpg at the most with the same motor and transmission as the Allroad. The Q5 is averaging about 32mpg so far with the 3.0 TDI.

Good luck!

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I know. Plus buying gas, and theoretically Premium gas. 

When I got this car with the black interior, I said I'd not do it again. But I've survived. 

Have you used the different ADS settings? Do you notice any difference? 

I was just poking around on the So Cal Audi site and they've got some 2016's showing up also. So looks like they're imminent OR they're just the ordered cars, from something I was told by someone at a dealer. 

Looks like there are no changes except package/feature changes. (B&O speakers now in Tech package, no more Prestige, some things added to base model.) 

So if I wanted one right away, there are two viable candidates in So Cal. White is a must. One with a beige interior and one with a sport package. There are a couple more with black non-sport interior, so no. And there are several more with full finish paint, which I don't want (I like the black trim with the white). 

BUT I read that for leasing, it's better to do it at the BEGINNING of the model year rather than the end. I have to go back and see if residuals are calculated on MSRP or the negotiated price. Also, I found on edmunds a thread where someone in the know posts the MF and residuals when asked (sometimes) and it seems the residuals may change over time. Maybe that takes the new MY vs. old MY into account (or makes up for it)? 

[Anonymous]

Waiting for them to bring up my new Audi. Pics etc mañana.

[ds3]

Congrats!

[Anonymous]

I'm happy with the deal I got (lease) - Happy with price of car, happy with trade. Mostly happy with MF, but if there's anywhere I will second guess myself, it's here. I talked about how much I'll miss my JSW (hence the 65/35 yesterday...I orignially typed 80/20 then lowered it a few times before finally posting) but the drive home from the dealer (benefit of buying about 30 miles away) confirmed I will probably not miss it THAT much. 

'15 Allroad Premium Plus with Tech package and B&O sound. Ibis White with Black interior (and walnut, I think). One of only 3 white ones without full paint (I like the black trim) in Southern California and I checked stock in ALL CA/NV/AZ dealers and there WASN'T much. Because the car I wanted wasn't THAT far away and I wasn't blown away by my visits to my local dealer (and they only had a used one for me to drive) I set off to see it in it's natural habitat. I figured I wasn't sure enough to do a deal on a car that I hadn't seen, nor really driven. The used one I drove did have the sport package and that would have been nice, but there were 0 in CA/NV/AZ so I figured I could live without it. (One was due in in early July, but with with a trip next week, my choice was either sink money into my old car or get a new one NOW.) 

I liked my salesman, and as recommended I let him show me a bunch on the car, but as it was after 10:30 when we wrapped it up, I have more to learn today. 

It was REALLY nice doing all the negotiating KNOWING that Audi pulls TU and what they'd see when they got there. That's a new experience for me. I do think it's odd that the paper I got with my score was 766 (normal FICO) but I saw 725 somewhere on something, which I assume was the Auto one. We did ALL the negotiating before they pulled credit and with them assuming and me confirming it'd be top tier. Very nice. Thanks to everyone for the help etc. 

ETA: And for us credit geeks, I charged the downpayment on my Discover. 

[ds3]

Very nice. Who'd you end up leasing it from? 

[Anonymous]

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@ds3 wrote:

Very nice. Who'd you end up leasing it from? 

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Commonwealth (Santa Ana). Felt kinda meh about the local place and since they had my car, figured it'd be a better and quicker deal. There is one due to arrive at Newport Beach early July with Sport, which I would have liked, but not enough to put a deposit sight unseen and I wasn't sure I wanted to negotiate a deal on a car I wasn't 100% on ahead of time. Plus, heading to Monterey next week and DH kept teasing me that I was just doing all this to angle to take his car. I could have done that and waited for the Newport/sport one, but I would have spent the time between now and then getting nothing else accomplished just stuck in an infinite loop of research and second guessing. 

I also realized since it's a lease, I don't feel like I have to have gotten THE perfect car. 

The salesman also said that the Allroad should come out in a diesel when the re-vamp of the A4 gets to that point in the cycle. He pointed out that would be about the time my lease is up (a little earlier). So if I regret leaving the diesel, I can revisit then. 

You were SO right about getting him to show me stuff. I think we spent 45 min last night and we've still got more to go. I have to drop some stuff off there today and he'll finish up.