[dougconran]

According to the blurb at the ID.3 presentation back in January VW were going to open the window for order confirmation in Q1/Q2. We are now well into Q2 and so far, as far as I'm aware - nothing, just a complete radio silence of which a nuclear submariner would be proud. I know that there is a bit of a pandemic going on at the moment but I fail to see why that causes VW to clam up quite so completely when, before January, they were constantly on the airwaves spouting about the EV revolution about to engulf us.

Has anyone else got any more recent news?

 

[Tooks]

Nope, CV-19 kills off more than just people, but turns out it stops the build and launch of new Electric Vehicles as well.

They’re just in the process of restarting the factories that build the things, but order books opening will have as much to do with VW UK and how/when the dealership network restarts.

I‘m guessing a lot of things will have been pushed back by this, especially as it’s still ongoing despite the efforts of some to hasten the reopening of Pandora’s box.

 

[Blurb]

My main dealer is closed until the 11th May for reference.

 

[The4Rs]

At least the CEO had been out for a long ride in one! He could have dropped it off at my doorstep though!

 

[dk6780]

They could deliver them if they wanted to within the law based on Germany and the UK. However, the launch would have been low key.
Perhaps they have another reason for wanting to delay?
Even if you feel that it is right to delay, some communication to manage expectations should have been forthcoming.

My main dealer is closed until the 11th May for reference.

Maybe for some services, but I bet that they are open for key workers.

 

[dougconran]

Even if you feel that it is right to delay, some communication to manage expectations should have been forthcoming.

Exactly, and that is the reason for my original post, really. They were happy enough to constantly ramp up expectations about the ID.3 before March and, from then - nothing. The pandemic, itself, is not a reason to suddenly stop all communication but I guess that software and other problems are. A good time to hide bad news, you might say. But that does not fill me with confidence.

 

[The4Rs]

As customers, we have the choice to select our next cars, taking account of the reputation, ongoing communications with manufacturers and car specs and personal attributes of us in terms of a potential vehicle. VW have not done itself many favours in terms of keeping the UK customer Prebookers such as ourselves on this blog,
'on their side. It is up to us to decide with a thumbs up or thumbs down, as we approach the day in which we can order. I know where I will be placing my bets.

 

[Tooks]

It’s true, people should vote with their wallets (or finance agreements), and not do business with companies they dislike.

I’ve decided there’s a few companies that I won’t deal with going forward based on how they’ve behaved during the pandemic, but lack of comms over a new model launch isn’t on my list of key indicators.

 

[dougconran]

It’s true, people should vote with their wallets (or finance agreements), and not do business with companies they dislike.

I’ve decided there’s a few companies that I won’t deal with going forward based on how they’ve behaved during the pandemic, but lack of comms over a new model launch isn’t on my list of key indicators.

Yes, I agree that this is not to question their ethical standards (re Coronavirus) but I do question their customer relationship standards. VAG were constantly hyping up the merits of the ID.3 and VW EVs in general until, suddenly, complete radio silence. One cannot help thinking that this radio silence is closely related to the alleged development problems they are having but clamming up instead of explaining and bringing the customer along does not bode well for a future relationship based on ownership. If they disdain their future customers now, when the going gets a bit hard, how are they going to treat owners when there is no incentive to look after them?

 

[Xinix]

I live in Spain, and just yesterday got an email with some marketing blurb and a link to download a brochure. That was just some nice pics and more marketing but nothing really substantial. To me it looks like an initiative to pique people's interest ahead of upcoming events. In other words, I suspect they are preparing for the lockdown to be (partially) lifted, with people having someone else on their mind than Covid-19 and ready to do some pre-ordering.

 

[Tooks]

Yes, I agree that this is not to question their ethical standards (re Coronavirus) but I do question their customer relationship standards. VAG were constantly hyping up the merits of the ID.3 and VW EVs in general until, suddenly, complete radio silence. One cannot help thinking that this radio silence is closely related to the alleged development problems they are having but clamming up instead of explaining and bringing the customer along does not bode well for a future relationship based on ownership. If they disdain their future customers now, when the going gets a bit hard, how are they going to treat owners when there is no incentive to look after them?

I really think you’re overthinking this.

I think the ‘radio silence’ is caused by shutting down their operations in Germany, simple as that. Manufacturing and logistics are stopped, many of its potential customers will be facing huge financial uncertainties, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re having a rethink on how they’re going forward with this. And yes, they might be having software problems with it as well, but current major events have overtaken them

For most people, how VW are getting on with launching their new electric vehicle range just isn’t up there in terms of important messaging. Noticed the lack of car adverts on TV?

VW U.K. and their dealership network have been communicating about how to keep some kind of service going whilst the pandemic response is ongoing, which is correct, but they haven’t tried to sell me a car.

To be honest, if VW had continued with their marketing build up through all this, there probably would be people complaining about the arrogance of it all citing ‘don’t they know there’s a pandemic out there’ etc.

 

[Todor]

Does this count:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1255246870684803073

Will post this separately, as still need some help with the translation...

 

[dougconran]

@Tooks - you make several good points above and, for sure, they shouldn't continue marketing in the same vein as before the pandemic (something that seems to have eluded Kia) but I cannot believe that they have so shut up shop that they do not have one person in the whole of their organisation capable of sending out one email (maybe from home) to say that in view of the pandemic they were slipping order confirmation until some more appropriate time. It is not the rowing back on their advertising but the complete and utter silence that I find disconcerting and rather disdainful. They made a big song and dance about moving to the next stage, order confirmation, in Q1/Q2; now we have reached that stage (and beyond) but not even a holding email. In a less established organisation than VAG one would begin to wonder whether they had done a runner with the deposits. (In no way am I suggesting that VAG have!)

 

[Tooks]

@Tooks - you make several good points above and, for sure, they shouldn't continue marketing in the same vein as before the pandemic (something that seems to have eluded Kia) but I cannot believe that they have so shut up shop that they do not have one person in the whole of their organisation capable of sending out one email (maybe from home) to say that in view of the pandemic they were slipping order confirmation until some more appropriate time. It is not the rowing back on their advertising but the complete and utter silence that I find disconcerting and rather disdainful. They made a big song and dance about moving to the next stage, order confirmation, in Q1/Q2; now we have reached that stage (and beyond) but not even a holding email. In a less established organisation than VAG one would begin to wonder whether they had done a runner with the deposits. (In no way am I suggesting that VAG have!)

I do see your point, and I suspect it’s VW U.K. dragging their feet here.

I suspect they’ve been wrestling with where to price this with the B word looming, even before the C word became dominant.

I also suspect that a lot of the VW franchise owners are not too happy about an EV future with less opportunity for service work.

This pandemic offers an opportunity for them in that respect, they can re-open in any format they see fit, including a reduced cost base one.

We’ll see, I’m still very interested in an ID.3, bit am getting increasingly tempted by an M3 if I can see past my perceived quality issues with them. Just being honest!

 

[UKTechie]

Not worth thinking about until Danes start deliveries.

 

[Marcus Mascord]

It seems to me that VW have been slowly pushing out videos about the ID.3 in particular with Herbert Diess and Jürgen Stackmann. Nextmove will have an exclusive factory tour soon, so it seems VW are using popular you-tubers to get a direct message out. They still promise a summer delivery date. For the UK pre-bookers in the contract it states an October delivery date so I think UK pre-bookers cannot expect their cars before then. I expect EU pre-bookers will get their cars in August/September.

The more I hear about the ID.3, the more I want it. Some of the software features they have planned for it seem amazing. After seeing the recent Fully Charged episode about 10,000 miles with the Tesla M3, I am more convinced that the ID.3 will be a better car for my needs.

I would have thought that with the current crisis, having the cars delayed is good for us, it gives us more time to figure out our own financial positions. I have not driven more than 20 kms in the past 2 months when I normally drive 2500 kms a month. The car might as well sit on a parking lot in Germany, instead of sitting in my garage for the time being.

 

[Coda]

The other thing is, some of us are probably going to be victims of the massive worldwide recession that will come soon - I am quite happy to not be making a £40K commitment when I might not have a decent job for the next few years. I'm thinking of cancelling and instead holding my horses and then buying a vintage fossil car as an 'investment' instead (or preferably a classic that I can convert to an EV).

 

[Riz_Neo]

We’ll see, I’m still very interested in an ID.3, bit am getting increasingly tempted by an M3 if I can see past my perceived quality issues with them. Just being honest!

Quality issues are not consistent across every single Model 3, mine was pretty good and certainly acceptable when comparing to my old MK7 Golf R.

 

[Marcus Mascord]

I do see your point, and I suspect it’s VW U.K. dragging their feet here.

I suspect they’ve been wrestling with where to price this with the B word looming, even before the C word became dominant.

I also suspect that a lot of the VW franchise owners are not too happy about an EV future with less opportunity for service work.

This pandemic offers an opportunity for them in that respect, they can re-open in any format they see fit, including a reduced cost base one.

We’ll see, I’m still very interested in an ID.3, bit am getting increasingly tempted by an M3 if I can see past my perceived quality issues with them. Just being honest!

Quality for me is not the issue for getting a M3. Price the main one, 10,000 € more expensive than ID.3 1st. The second one is the M3 is too big for me, and the ID.3 has bigger interior space, according to Bjorn, the ID.3 fits 2 more banana boxes than the M3. I think the ID.3 1st will be in customer's hands by the end of the summer, and that now is not too long away.

 

[UKTechie]

Prebookers due to be contacted soon and order from 17th June at least in LHD according to Jurgen