UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Hi All!

I ordered my Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI on 03/04/2018 and the estimated delivery date was 01/09/2018. I had just emailed my VW salesman and he mentioned that there are currently delays in production and due to changes happening across Europe the estimated delivery date is now March next year.

Is there anything I can do or is it just about waiting now?

Thank you all in advance

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

• Wait patiently

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.

SRGTD has given a pretty damn good answer.

You probably know the new Seat Ibiza and new Skoda Fabia are pretty much the same car, which increases your options. The new Audi A1 is almost the same car too, albeit not yet launched so you won’t get one soon. I find it hard to believe they could keep your deposit on cancellation given the massive wait, and they wouldn’t have any trouble selling the car.

Have you been given an order number and build week yet?

I ordered at the end of May, had my order number within a couple of days and now have a build week.

WDC14 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 08, 2018 4:53 pm Hi All!

I ordered my Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI on 03/04/2018 and the estimated delivery date was 01/09/2018. I had just emailed my VW salesman and he mentioned that there are currently delays in production and due to changes happening across Europe the estimated delivery date is now March next year.

Is there anything I can do or is it just about waiting now?

Thank you all in advance

Hi WDC14. What deposit did yo put down on your Polo? If £500, could you afford to loose that, if you told them to keep it?
If VW push mine back again, They can have my £500, they'll need it when they get a no deal bexit
To be honest, I'm relooking into the Suzuki Vitara, the only thing it won't have against my Polo (ordered) is blind spot, but I can live with that

I ordered an SEL mid June. Was told from the get go by the dealer there were delays due to the new emissions testing, and was given an ETA of 23 weeks - I've not had any updates since then. The tracker is on 2, with the factory.

In fairness, at least the VW dealer told me about delays before I ordered. There were massive delays when I ordered my current car (a Renault Twingo), but the dealer didnt tell me about them until 2 weeks before I was expecting my car to arrive - should have been 2 months, ended up being 4.5 months!!

I thought the Germans were supposed to be efficient?!

I ordered my R-Line the same week as you and had the same estimated delivery date. My dealer has told me if I leave at any point I can have my deposit back but as I’ve gone through Carwow (therefore already discounted) he’s not willing to compensate me further for the delay.

He has been in touch with me this week and given me an estimated build wk47 (that makes it mid Nov). He sent me a screenshot that showed that estimated build date has already come down from wk50. Should that become my confirmed build week it will be with me in the new year (glad I chose the heated seat option!).

The only reason I’d cancel now is if I can price up a similar spec’d Audi A1 that doesn’t make my guts fall out my backside.

I wouldn't be ordering a A1 the new version is due soon

daydotz wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:59 pm I wouldn't be ordering a A1 the new version is due soon

I know, November time. Will give me food for thought.

CP_Vaughny wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 7:50 pm

daydotz wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:59 pm I wouldn't be ordering a A1 the new version is due soon

I know, November time. Will give me food for thought.

Putting WLTP issues aside, if Audi have the same issues with lengthy lead times / waiting times when a new model is launched as VW seem to have, you may find yourself playing the waiting game a second time if you went for a new A1.

I ordered my car at roughly the same time and my car has now arrived in the UK
I would personally get in touch directly with VW on the website, they will be able to tell you directly what stage your car is at,
Unless you have specified heaps of extras I would like to hope your car is now in the uk like mine just waiting this certificate for this whole emissions thing and then on to the dealer

The same goes for the Polo GTI. I ordered one at the start of June..
My dealer said that the car would be ready in 4 months from now..

Ordered a Polo GTI+ 3 weeks ago and was given a 9-10 month delivery estimate back then.

That is certainly a long time to wait but it is a car I really want. Given that the last polo I bought was from stock, I missed out on a number of features I wanted and then later wished I had ordered a custom build from the factory. This time around I wasn't going to make the same mistake. Also, the dealership has extended my PCP finance so I just keep paying my normal monthly payments on the car I have until the new one gets here. Also, they threw in the 3rd year service for free so all I have to pay extra is for the MOT (£45) and VED (£20).

While waiting I'm keeping an eye on all the issues that are cropping up so I know when I take delivery I know what to look out for. Also with 9 months to go, I would expect VW has fixed most of the issues they have come up with a new car.

daydotz wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:59 pm I wouldn't be ordering a A1 the new version is due soon

The new A1 has appeared on the Audi German site, but it only has one engine (the 1.0 litre 116PS) ?!?

Hi All,

Thank you for all the responses and my apologies for the delayed reply! I have been in contact with my dealership however they have not had any update from Volkswagen. I still have no confirmed build date and he has said worst case scenario it could be March next year.

He says he honestly cannot advise on what is happening so it’s literally just a waiting game.

Is anyone else in this situation?