Hi WDC14. Welcome to the forum.
The Uitenhage factory in South Africa where the new Polo is built has been closed for around two months (no one really seems to know the reason(s) for this), plus VW and other manufacturers seem to have had issues completing the new WLTP mpg and emissions testing - mpg and emissions testing is probably what your dealer is eluding to when they mentioned ‘changes happening across Europe’. Also, if you factor in;
- very high demand for the Polo
- VW no longer building Polos at their Pamplona factory in Spain, which is likely to have put pressure on production facilities at Uitenhage in fulfilling customer orders
and delays seem almost inevitable.
As for what your options are;
- You could cancel your order and buy a car from a different manufacturer - but you may loose any deposit you’ve paid, and there’s no guarantee you won’t also have a long wait if you start the order process from scratch with another manufacturer.
- Ask your dealer to check UK stock of new Polos to see if there’s a new unsold Polo already in the UK that either matches or is very close to your required colour and spec, and if there is, see if your dealer could secure that car for you (without you loosing any deposit on your current order)
- Choose an existing in-stock new Polo but be flexible on colour, model and spec
- Buy a nearly new, pre-registered Polo
If the car you’ve ordered has a very specific spec (i.e. includes options that won’t readily be found on an existing pre-built car) and those options are ‘must haves’ for you, then unfortunately you’re probably faced with a long wait. If it’s any consolation, many of the forum members are in the same situation and waiting patiently.
