Why is MK8 GTI US inventory so limited?

[roundle1979]

Apologies if this has been covered.

Why are US GTI inventories so low?

Any thought son when this may improve?

 

[CH47AV8R]

1174 listed nationwide

https://www.vw.com/en/inventory.htm...p=2000&page-app=0&year-app=2023&zip-app=14534

 

[SRGTD]

Apologies if this has been covered.

Why are US GTI inventories so low?

Any thought son when this may improve?

VW’s Wolfsburg production facility where the Golf is built has had a massive backlog of orders to clear that has built up over the past three years or so. The backlog has been primarily a consequence of ongoing supply chain issues which have affected most car manufacturers and not just VW.

I’m in the UK, and VW dealers have been continuing to take orders but presumably supply chain issues have meant VW haven’t been able to secure all the necessary parts / components to fulfill all the orders, resulting in some UK buyers waiting around two years from the time of ordering their cars to taking delivery.

I’m aware the situation is a little different in the US with cars being built to a set spec rather than to the customer’s individual spec requirements. However, US spec Golf’s will be similarly affected by supply chain issues, which will have affecting VW’s ability to build cars for the US market and probably explains why inventory levels are low.

The situation does seem to be gradually improving though, with members on some VW Golf forums reporting estimated and confirmed build dates being brought forward.

 

[roundle1979]

VW’s Wolfsburg production facility where the Golf is built has had a massive backlog of orders to clear that has built up over the past three years or so. The backlog has been primarily a consequence of ongoing supply chain issues which have affected most car manufacturers and not just VW.

I’m in the UK, and VW dealers have been continuing to take orders but presumably supply chain issues have meant VW haven’t been able to secure all the necessary parts / components to fulfill all the orders, resulting in some UK buyers waiting around two years from the time of ordering their cars to taking delivery.

I’m aware the situation is a little different in the US with cars being built to a set spec rather than to the customer’s individual spec requirements. However, US spec Golf’s will be similarly affected by supply chain issues, which will have affecting VW’s ability to build cars for the US market and probably explains why inventory levels are low.

The situation does seem to be gradually improving though, with members on some VW Golf forums reporting estimated and confirmed build dates being brought forward.

Thanks. Appreciate it. I should have probably done a little research myself.

When I bought my 2018 GTI the local dealer had dozens in stock. I've not seen them have more than 1 or 2 in stock at any given time. Keep waiting for the inventory to build up so that I can put in another low-ball offer. Sounds like I'll be waiting a while...

 

[LMWT]

VW’s Wolfsburg production facility where the Golf is built has had a massive backlog of orders to clear that has built up over the past three years or so. The backlog has been primarily a consequence of ongoing supply chain issues which have affected most car manufacturers and not just VW.

I’m in the UK, and VW dealers have been continuing to take orders but presumably supply chain issues have meant VW haven’t been able to secure all the necessary parts / components to fulfill all the orders, resulting in some UK buyers waiting around two years from the time of ordering their cars to taking delivery.

I’m aware the situation is a little different in the US with cars being built to a set spec rather than to the customer’s individual spec requirements. However, US spec Golf’s will be similarly affected by supply chain issues, which will have affecting VW’s ability to build cars for the US market and probably explains why inventory levels are low.

The situation does seem to be gradually improving though, with members on some VW Golf forums reporting estimated and confirmed build dates being brought forward.

Any thoughts SRGTD on how all this will tie up with the launch of the Mk8.5 assuming there will be one

 

[SRGTD]

VW’s Wolfsburg production facility where the Golf is built has had a massive backlog of orders to clear that has built up over the past three years or so. The backlog has been primarily a consequence of ongoing supply chain issues which have affected most car manufacturers and not just VW.

I’m in the UK, and VW dealers have been continuing to take orders but presumably supply chain issues have meant VW haven’t been able to secure all the necessary parts / components to fulfill all the orders, resulting in some UK buyers waiting around two years from the time of ordering their cars to taking delivery.

I’m aware the situation is a little different in the US with cars being built to a set spec rather than to the customer’s individual spec requirements. However, US spec Golf’s will be similarly affected by supply chain issues, which will have affecting VW’s ability to build cars for the US market and probably explains why inventory levels are low.

The situation does seem to be gradually improving though, with members on some VW Golf forums reporting estimated and confirmed build dates being brought forward.

Any thoughts SRGTD on how all this will tie up with the launch of the Mk8.5 assuming there will be one

@LWMT; that’s a very good question.

A forum member on one Golf forum (I think it might have actually been a member on this forum) said that it would be possible to build both the current mk8 and mk8.5 Golf concurrently on the production line. However, with the mk7 to mk7.5 (also built on the MQB platform), as far as I’m aware that didn’t happen. Historically, VW have closed the order books for the pre-facelift model on a specific date, fulfilled any o/s orders, carried out any re-tooling work on the production line for the facelift model - if any is necessary - for production of the facelift model to start on a specific date. So historically, there’s been a definitive cut-off date for production on the pre-facelift car to stop before build of the facelift model starts.

I think VW may be in a position they’ve not experienced before; i.e. a significant backlog of unfulfilled orders caused primarily by supply chain issues. They will have had various options open to them and I dare say these will have already been discussed by management, and a recommendation made to the exec which is likely to have been signed off. Some possible options that might have been considered are below (there’ll no doubt have been others too);

• build both mk8 and mk8.5 models concurrently until all o/s mk8 orders have been fulfilled.
• clear all o/s mk8 orders before switching production over to the mk8.5. (depending on the number of o/s orders, it may be difficult for VW to plan for a specific launch date for the mk8.5).
• start building the mk8.5 on a specific date before completing any remaining o/s mk8 orders, and giving the customer the option of switching to a mk8.5 model in a trim level closest to the original mk8 car they ordered. If VW went down this route, whether they’d honour the original mk8 price for a mk8.5 car is anybody‘s guess.
• VW cancelling any o/s unfulfilled customer orders, production of the mk8.5 commences and VW advising those affected customers to re-order a mk8.5 - i.e. customers having to start the process from scratch. Realistically, I can‘t see this happening as it would be extremely unpopular with customers - especially those customers who’ve been waiting many months. It would no doubt also result in bad press for VW.

VW usually unveil new and facelift models in Q4 of the year, with order books opening shortly after. If VW are planning a Q4 unveiling, that would mean the first production-ready mk8.5’s would be built towards the end of Q3 / beginning of Q4, so we don’t have long to wait to see how VW handle the mk8 to mk8.5 switchover.

Let’s just hope they’ve got the software issues sorted for the facelift car………..

 

[LMWT]

@LWMT; that’s a very good question.

A forum member on one Golf forum (I think it might have actually been a member on this forum) said that it would be possible to build both the current mk8 and mk8.5 Golf concurrently on the production line. However, with the mk7 to mk7.5 (also built on the MQB platform), as far as I’m aware that didn’t happen. Historically, VW have closed the order books for the pre-facelift model on a specific date, fulfilled any o/s orders, carried out any re-tooling work on the production line for the facelift model - if any is necessary - for production of the facelift model to start on a specific date. So historically, there’s been a definitive cut-off date for production on the pre-facelift car to stop before build of the facelift model starts.

I think VW may be in a position they’ve not experienced before; i.e. a significant backlog of unfulfilled orders caused primarily by supply chain issues. They will have had various options open to them and I dare say these will have already been discussed by management, and a recommendation made to the exec which is likely to have been signed off. Some possible options that might have been considered are below (there’ll no doubt have been others too);

• build both mk8 and mk8.5 models concurrently until all o/s mk8 orders have been fulfilled.
• clear all o/s mk8 orders before switching production over to the mk8.5. (depending on the number of o/s orders, it may be difficult for VW to plan for a specific launch date for the mk8.5).
• start building the mk8.5 on a specific date before completing any remaining o/s mk8 orders, and giving the customer the option of switching to a mk8.5 model in a trim level closest to the original mk8 car they ordered. If VW went down this route, whether they’d honour the original mk8 price for a mk8.5 car is anybody‘s guess.
• VW cancelling any o/s unfulfilled customer orders, production of the mk8.5 commences and VW advising those affected customers to re-order a mk8.5 - i.e. customers having to start the process from scratch. Realistically, I can‘t see this happening as it would be extremely unpopular with customers - especially those customers who’ve been waiting many months. It would no doubt also result in bad press for VW.

VW usually unveil new and facelift models in Q4 of the year, with order books opening shortly after. If VW are planning a Q4 unveiling, that would mean the first production-ready mk8.5’s would be built towards the end of Q3 / beginning of Q4, so we don’t have long to wait to see how VW handle the mk8 to mk8.5 switchover.

Let’s just hope they’ve got the software issues sorted for the facelift car………..

Thanks for the reply SRGTD,
Seems the outstanding orders will be the elephant in the room for VW. Hope also that they have learned their lesson with regard to cutting costs on the software issue and the car in general, although I suspect not much hope on the latter.