[ixlr08]

I discovered that the VW dealer I selected is not on Maine's list of approved EV rebate dealers. I need to see if they can get on the list or if I can change my preferred dealer. If I do change dealers, what happens with my deposit that went to my initial dealer? Just rambling out loud.

 

[Mark Magiera]

Call Customer Support & tell them you do not want to be routed to the actual dealer. You may be in for a run-around.

 

[ixlr08]

This doesn't look good. I just talked with my "preferred dealer", they don't have anybody specializing in EV vehicles. They also had no idea I had a reservation in for an ID.4 at their dealership and they didn't expect any vehicles in until mid summer. I am going to give them a day or so to answer a few questions. If they can't answer them to my satisfaction, I am going to either call VW to change preferred dealerships, or cancel my reservation.

EDIT: Just got off the phone with VW ID.4 Customer care, they said it was no issue to change preferred dealers up to the point the vehicle is going to be delivered. The rep I talked with was very helpful and said it was only 3 mouse clicks to change the dealer.

 

[Huey52]

Although I've not done business with them before, as fairly new to my current address, I just went with the closest VW dealer. None of them have any appreciable experience to date on the vehicle but of course will be availed of regional tech rep's if needed. I haven't received any dealer acknowledgement of reservation either, but perhaps that will come in the next point in the process.
Fortunately this pure electric as we know will require less maintenance than an ICE vehicle so again i'm not too concerned with the dealership choice. Plug & play.

 

[Reeler]

Just got off the phone with VW ID.4 Customer care, they said it was no issue to change preferred dealers up to the point the vehicle is going to be delivered. The rep I talked with was very helpful and said it was only 3 mouse clicks to change the dealer.

This is what Ford did with the Mach-e. Buyers figured out the dealers in their state with the best deal and moved all their orders there. Competition is good to stop dealer non-sense.

 

[femich]

Emich VW in Denver will honor the price in the reservation system plus any state fees and deliver the vehicle to anywhere in the continental US.

 

[caw]

Emich VW in Denver will honor the price in the reservation system plus any state fees and deliver the vehicle to anywhere in the continental US.

And what will they charge for the delivery if it's not local?

 

[Nai3t]

I realize this thread and initial concern are older than the dirt our lithium was mined from, but just wanted to mention...

The dealer I purchased form in CA wasn't enrolled in the state's instant rebate program (not form what I could tell on the program's website). They insisted they were. When I went it, it was pretty clear they weren't familiar with it at all, but they gave me the $1500 credit anyway. A couple of weeks later, in a tizzy of texts, emails, and phone calls, they urgently needed me to sign a document, which we accomplished that day over email. Lo and behold, their dealership had suddenly had made an appearance on the rebate program's website.

So my message is if you find a dealership not registered with an available program, let them know. They know it's in their interest to correct this. Given an advanced head's up, they'll have the time to do so.

 

[femich]

And what will they charge for the delivery if it's not local?

We will include delivery to anywhere in the continental US.

 

[femich]

We will include delivery to anywhere in the continental US.

So, no charge.

 

[JPWhite]

EDIT: Just got off the phone with VW ID.4 Customer care, they said it was no issue to change preferred dealers up to the point the vehicle is going to be delivered. The rep I talked with was very helpful and said it was only 3 mouse clicks to change the dealer.

You must have got a decent customer care person. This what I was told just earlier this week.

"We as the manufacturer provide the MSRP, but the VW dealers are independently owned and operated and are able to set prices at their discretion, and the final price is ultimately negotiated directly between customer and dealer, just as it would be for any other vehicle sold at the dealer. I am afraid there would not be a way to transfer your order to another dealer. However, all deposits are completely refundable if you are not satisfied with your ID.4 negotiations, vehicle, etc."

My vehicle has hit the production floor, but certainly isn't on a boat.

 

[femich]

You must have got a decent customer care person. This what I was told just earlier this week.

"We as the manufacturer provide the MSRP, but the VW dealers are independently owned and operated and are able to set prices at their discretion, and the final price is ultimately negotiated directly between customer and dealer, just as it would be for any other vehicle sold at the dealer. I am afraid there would not be a way to transfer your order to another dealer. However, all deposits are completely refundable if you are not satisfied with your ID.4 negotiations, vehicle, etc."

My vehicle has hit the production floor, but certainly isn't on a boat.

This is a false statement by the VW Customer Care rep. The dealer can be changed by contacting VW Customer Care at 1 (800) 822-8987. We have been getting feedback that customers are getting push back however most are able to get it done. Alternatively, if you send the dialog requesting the change to your preferred dealer they can get it changed with VW.

 

[carvellwakeman]

This is a false statement by the VW Customer Care rep. The dealer can be changed by contacting VW Customer Care at 1 (800) 822-8987. We have been getting feedback that customers are getting push back however most are able to get it done. Alternatively, if you send the dialog requesting the change to your preferred dealer they can get it changed with VW.

My reservation has been confirmed by the factory, just called customer care and they said the preferred dealer cannot be changed after that point. Which of course makes no sense. The car doesn't even exist yet, that has no bearing on where it ends up.

Do I just keep calling until someone will do it? Or go to my current dealer asking to switch. Would be pretty awkward if they say no and then I have to try and negotiate price with them. My whole point of switching is to go with a dealership that confirmed they are not marking up the ID4, where my current dealer said they are.

 

[Spin]

Go to the dealer you want to use. They might be able to do it.

 

[femich]

We have had luck changing it internally if you send the dealer you want to switch to communication regarding regarding your request.

 

[carvellwakeman]

QUOTE="femich, post: 45421, member: 1774"]
We have had luck changing it internally if you send the dealer you want to switch to communication regarding regarding your request.
[/QUOTE]

I got off the phone with the new dealer, they said the vehicle has passed the point where it has a VIN made now, but I may have luck explaining the reasoning to customer care. Previously they said "no" so I assumed that was it. Unfortunately the new dealership said they cannot initiate the change, the customer has to do that.

I've put down a second reservation for a few months later to snag another queue spot. I'll try customer care again (with a reason this time), and last resort I'll ask my current dealership to switch. If not I'll cancel the first reservation and wait longer for the second one. Worth it to save a few grand and punish the stupid dealership tactics.

 

[Spin]

I've put down a second reservation for a few months later to snag another queue spot. I'll try customer care again (with a reason this time), and last resort I'll ask my current dealership to switch. If not I'll cancel the first reservation and wait longer for the second one. Worth it to save a few grand and punish the stupid dealership tactics.

The new dealer just might have one coming in that is acceptable to you.

 

[carvellwakeman]

@Spin @femich Thanks both of you for the suggestions.

I contacted customer care again, this time specifying that my original dealership (Dick Hannahs Portland) was marking up above MSRP, and my new desired dealership Herzog-Meier Beaverton explicitly stated they are not marking the ID4 above MSRP. They checked again and were still unable to transfer the dealership. This is absurd to me because it's just a field in a database and has nothing to do with production of the car. Chances are the system simply doesn't let them update the address at this point even though there's no physical reason it couldn't be changed.

I'm not willing to deal with dealership crap, all previous experiences have been bad. So I've canceled the first reservation and made another one for Herzog-Meier. Pushed back the delivery a few months but probably saved me a few grand, so still worth it. Lesson learned!

Thanks again. Hopefully this helps someone else in a similar situation.

 

[JPWhite]

@Spin @femich Thanks both of you for the suggestions.

I contacted customer care again, this time specifying that my original dealership (Dick Hannahs Portland) was marking up above MSRP, and my new desired dealership Herzog-Meier Beaverton explicitly stated they are not marking the ID4 above MSRP. They checked again and were still unable to transfer the dealership. This is absurd to me because it's just a field in a database and has nothing to do with production of the car. Chances are the system simply doesn't let them update the address at this point even though there's no physical reason it couldn't be changed.

I'm not willing to deal with dealership crap, all previous experiences have been bad. So I've canceled the first reservation and made another one for Herzog-Meier. Pushed back the delivery a few months but probably saved me a few grand, so still worth it. Lesson learned!

Thanks again. Hopefully this helps someone else in a similar situation.

It is a shame dealers are doing this. At least you got your dealer to give you a price so you knew to cancel. My dealer says "we'll figure that out when the car gets here". They can't bothered to inform me of what they will charge. If its over MSRP I will let them sell it to someone else and find another dealer to buy through. My guess their strategy in staying mum is that if they tell me the price they really want I would cancel and they lose a sale. By being opaque they get to make the sale either to me or the next guy/gal. They only have 12 new cars on the lot for sale, they are desperate for stock.