# S3 European Delivery Experience



## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

*S3 European Delivery Experience - Pics Updated*

If you are in the US, in the market for an S3 or any Audi for that matter, and have some time and patience before the purchase and delivery, I implore you to consider the European Delivery (ED) option. 

My decision to purchase the S3 occurred back in September 2014 immediately after my first test drive. That was followed by copious amounts of planning and I picked up my car from Ingolstadt Germany on April 21st 2015. The experience of ED coupled with my 10th year wedding anniversary celebration can be summed up as the single best family vacation of our lives. 

We completed all the necessary title/registration and ED paperwork at least 45 days before our desired pick-up date. We had also indicated the duration of our stay in Europe (10), the target car drop off date and location. We arrived in Munich (closest major airport to Ingolstadt) early morning on April 20th and checked into the Airport Hilton the lodging which was paid by Audi (breakfast included). We spent the whole day in Munich and on the following morning of the 21st, Audi shuttled us to Ingolstadt. We arrived around 10:00am and after preliminary introductions from Audi’s “Wilkommen” staff, we were taken across the atrium bridge to our parked Sepang Blue Prestige S3. 

This was the moment to savor and boy did I soak in every detail. I took a slow walk around the car trailing my index finger on the sheer bodywork. The aggressive jowls, the muscular stance and the Sepang blue under the floodlights were repeated reminders that this was my absolute best automotive purchase decision to date. My lap in the Nordschleife, twisty back roads in Austria and 145mph on the autobahn would remind me once again why 300 bhp with precise handling matters, but more on that later. 

The Audi rep went over the specs of the car with emphasis on the dos and don’ts of driving in Germany and after 45 minutes, I drove the car out of the atrium into the car park area outside. A temporary GPS (since the MMI unit is programmed for US only) and media cable for the iphone was provided to be returned with the car at drop-off. Two additional heads up were given. First, do not exceed 3500 rpm during the first 1000 miles. Second, if you do cross borders into other countries, make sure you buy the entry sticker (about 10 euros) from the petrol station at the border else a fine will ensue. 

Now even though a brand new Audi would roll out of the atrium into the parking lot every 10 minutes or so, the attention that my S3 got was quite remarkable. It stood out amidst the sea of blacks, whites and greys and seemed to draw the most amount of attention despite a pair of R8s parked just a few yards away. 

This was followed by an incredible factory tour at 11:30am where we witnessed A3s being assembled/built from wheels up. Photography of any kind was not allowed in the factory yet the memory of how such a complex machine is put together will never fade. The sheer discipline, inspiration, dedication and commitment to the technological and aesthetic excellence reminded me why I chose Audi over any other brand. The dance of the robotic arms, the conveyor belts moving S3 parts overhead, all the way to the final marriage of the body and the chassis was simply awe-inspiring. It also reminded me that this could quite possibly be the location where the Terminator would be born. 

Breakfast, lunch and supper are all provided free of cost to all members in your group and we wholeheartedly took advantage of that. The factory tour lasted 2 hours after which we had lunch and then visited the Audi museum which definitely warrants another hour. Tour guides are available but we decided to go at our own pace. Around 4:30 pm, we packed our three suitcases, stroller, odds and ends and drove out of the Audi Forum into the unknown. 

Here on forth, your experience will be different from ours. We went from Ingosltadt and headed west into Stuttgart, Nurburg, and then north-east into Berlin. That was followed by a drive south into Prague, then Salzburg and finally back to Munich to drop off the car. 

10 days, 1500 miles, some lovely twisty mountainous back roads, speed derestricted Autobahn blasts capped off with a lap of gods own race track – the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Each day was an exciting adventure into a new experience and as I got more intimate with the S3, I drove with increased confidence. Coincidently, as the thousandth mile ticked over I approached a 3 mile straight stretch on the A13. I was already at 95mph so I took a deep breath, dropped the shifter into S and opened floodgates. The reassuring prod in the back was complimented by a deep growl from the engine and my speedo rocketed past 100, then 110, 120 and finally at 145 I took my foot off the throttle. The danger threshold I felt was passed at 140, as at that speed overtaking a car caused minor wind buffeting. Furthermore the concentration required to keep the car at that speed was quite disconcerting so I backed off but nonetheless drove steady at 110 where mechanically the S3 could have sat all day. 

We also drove through sleepy little villages. My most memorable drives were from Stuttgart to Cochem (highly recommend) and from Salzburg (Austria) deep into the Alps to Zell am See (pics attached). Our GPS seemed to have been programmed by a driving nut as we spent a balanced amount of time between the autobahn and gorgeous twisty hilly back roads of the Bavarian Alps. We occasionally drove late into the night and wilderness and often pondered on the safety of our surroundings only to discover the next morning that the GPS had guided us to a lovely B&B that overlooked a valley. 

What surprised me was that I did not miss the manual shifter, not one bit. Me, who prior to this S3 DSG had only ever driven manuals and perpetually made fun that only old people drove powerful cars with auto-boxes. Yet the feel of road through both hands on the wheel coupled with lightening up and down shifts as I threaded spaghetti bends on the mountain side was transcendent. This DSG is magic and I am a convert. 

The SS seats were simply stellar. Even my wife remarked on many an occasion as I pushed into the 6th hour of a drive one particular day that the lateral and lumbar support was top notch. 

The Nurburgring itself was a treat beyond all measure. Audi was not sure if the free two week insurance they provided would cover any damage on the track but I took my chance. I admit I drove like a complete wuss and was never in any danger of beating the Porsche 918’s lap time of 6:57. I also never really did manage to overtake a single car either. But the experience of it, oh my lord the experience. Delicious dips, crests, straights, hairpins and corners coupled with the backdrop views all in 12 minute 35 seconds will remain etched in my mind and the iphone 6 camera for me to brag to my next generation for years to come. 

I could prattle on endlessly but feel I have done so quite enough already. We dropped the S3 off on the morning of the 29th back at Munich airport. 30 minutes later with the handover paperwork complete, we walked towards the check-in counter. The estimated delivery time back to US is 8-11 weeks but since I live in NYC, I can expect in in 4-5. 

For US driving enthusiasts if you have the time and the means I strongly encourage you to experience ED at least once. The experience of it and the memories you will build will forever remain and you return with a different perspective. Lastly, what better roads to drive on than the ones the S3 was well and truly built for?

The point when you are first introduced to the car in the atrium. Audi takes a snapshot moment for the ages.









After you drive the car outside of the atrium. The 'garage door' in the background is the exit point of the atrium. 









I couldn't figure this one out and no one else knew. My guess it was for a wedding but who cared. It was quite a gathering. 









Our favorite hotel without a doubt - Villa Vinum. This lovely B&B right on the river was in Cochem run by its most hospitable owner Theo.









6 clicks from the 'ring!









About to enter the ring. You pay 27 euros and are next in line. Choose a weekday, preferably one that is open to public else you will run into a lot of traffic. 









Berlin Wall. 









Prague - after catching up with a close auto family member. 









Austria on the way to Zell an See









Still on the way to Zell am See.


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## Ryegor (Feb 26, 2008)

Excellent write up, thank you!

I am planning ED for the next year, hopefully for an RS3  and the Nürburgring is on the top of the list. Did you plan your delivery based on the open days to public?


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## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks Ryegor. Despite my best efforts, I am unable to get the pics going and am keep seeing the ?. The pics are on Flickr and i have followed the image instructions to the letter and its rather frustrating at this point. Ill wait for some additional input before I waste another hour trying to figure it out. 

You have to plan the day to the Nurburgring. The track is open to the public only on certain days and definitely avoid the weekend due to high traffic. We went on a thursday and lucked out because it was closed the day before and after.


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## araemo (Dec 9, 2012)

You need to get the 'download' links to post them in-line like that.

If you click the download link, you get small/med/large/etc/original, right click and copy those links. Above is the medium of the first pic you posted.

Also, European Delivery sounds awesome.. but I need to trade in my current car to get the S3, and I don't really want to do the 3-4 months of payments on two cars at once.


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## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks Araemo. 

The prospect of the RS3 is tempting but I am not sold on it yet. I want to enjoy the S3 since for the price there is nothing like it out there. But if you can pull it off with ED, it will be an experience for the ages.


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## scope213 (Feb 19, 2015)

Very nice!


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## Duvel (Mar 11, 2015)

Was holding out for a manual golf r, but the idea of a blue S3 with European delivery hit me two weeks ago. The test drive a week ago was magic and now I'm reading your story. :laugh:

Only problem: don't want to ED in the winter so I might have to exercise a cruel amount of patience....


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## Ryegor (Feb 26, 2008)

So the ED provides 5% off MSRP... I wonder if it is possible to get more discount such as ACNA members' in addition. In general, what's the best strategy to close a deal when signing for a European Delivery?

And yes, the Golf R's "Catch Me" reference is on spot


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## araemo (Dec 9, 2012)

Ryegor said:


> So the ED provides 5% off MSRP... I wonder if it is possible to get more discount such as ACNA members' in addition. In general, what's the best strategy to close a deal when signing for a European Delivery?
> 
> And yes, the Golf R's "Catch Me" reference is on spot


There's a subforum dedicated to ED, but basically: Sales guys don't want to do much with you, because apparently they don't get their normal commissions on ED.


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## Fizzboy7 (Feb 20, 2003)

Simply fantastic trip, photos, and narrative. Enjoyed every bit of it. Thanks for sharing and congrats on a beautiful car and family.


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## cgpublic (Aug 8, 2014)

Excellent. I've made the journey to the Welt; hope to make it to Ingolstadt. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

The 5% off MSRP is standard and you can negotiate but there is not much additional wiggle room. The waiting period seems far off and I would suggest last April/early May or early Oct. This way you arrive there slightly off season and get stelar deals on hotels and B&Bs. We skipped the tourist trap towns and ventured off into unknown areas and the inner regions of Germany and Austria. To drive on roads without fear of speeding tickets is immeasurable. Although I did not test the outer limits of the S3, quite frequently I would drop the cogs down one or two and rip past slower traffic for sheer joy. 

The wait time is the hardest part. Yes, it will come guaranteed. I recall blogs on the Golf R VII forum on how everyone was frustrated due to uncertainty and perpetual delays yet now almost all of them have the R. Similarly, your future ED date will most certainly arrive and when it does, your rewards will far surpass the agony of wait. If you are even remotely considering it, plan judiciously and pull the trigger.


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## gamegenie (Aug 24, 2014)

Interesting to see they build it to US spec even before it makes its way to the US ports.


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

WhyFly,

A stellar write up. You should start a travel blog. The pictures only serve to show off the color of the car, and it's great seeing the car being used (family and luggage and B&B in the one picture).

Enjoy the car when it arrives. The memory of it living in its home environment, will, I'm sure last forever.

Congrats on the 10th anniversary Cheers to many more.


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## ChrisFu (Jun 9, 2012)

Does Audi provide any subsidized airfare for ED? I seem to recall the last time I looked into ED it was with BMW about 6 years ago and they had a deal with Lufthansa for a buy-one-get-one-free ticket.

Also, with regards to the drop-off - did you simply leave it with Audi personnel at the Munich airport that you departed from? I assume they will then deliver it to the shipping port. That seems incredibly convenient if thats the case, and much less of a headache then I remember reading about.


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## turbo slc 2.9l (Dec 4, 2003)

Wow I must have been in the dark ages as I've never heard of this type of opprotunity!

Sounds like the ultimate buying experience, especially for a true diehard car guy. I can't imagine the feeling of getting to drive the S3 all around Europe & getting track time at Nurburgring before ever driving it on US soil!!

Thanks for sharing all the details of the adventure, it must have been a blast!

Enjoy that beast when she arrives!


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## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

Audi does not provide airfare discounts. I have heard that BMW does but the discount is on a jacked up airfare so the savings is not much. I would book well in advance and off season since we paid 1300 per ticket for booking late. 

At Munich, you do not drop the car off at Audi, rather a 3rd party contractor called InAndOut. They are located right next to the Audi Forum at Munich airport and the walk to the terminal from that location takes less than 2 minutes. InAndOut handles the logistics of sending the car to US. When I dropped my car off, there was a M4, and 6 series coupe and another BMW waiting to be shipped. You must make sure that the petrol tank is no more than 1/3rd full and the car washed/cleaned inside out. Additionally, no extra baggage should be left in the car because because German and US customs officials will remove it and ship your car without it. There are other drop off locations all over Europe and Audi will give you the listings and contact details of each. You must call or email them at least 4 days in advance of your drop off date and schedule the appointment.


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## jsausley (Dec 2, 2011)

araemo said:


> There's a subforum dedicated to ED, but basically: Sales guys don't want to do much with you, because apparently they don't get their normal commissions on ED.


This is true. My dealer told me that they didn't receive any commission off of ED sales. It's the reason I didn't do ED with my S5.

However I'm buying my S5 this year, and will probably buy a Q5 in 2-3 years, so for my third car down the line (probably 5-7 years from now) I'm going to opt for ED and tell my salesman to get over it.


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## rabbitgtibbar (Apr 29, 2002)

Great write-up on ED. You really make ED sound not as bad as I had heard. I'm surprised your wife was so happy with your ED, too. Usually they're the first to complain when ED happens, but I guess it really is that common, it isn't a big deal, and it does happen to...well, more and more guys.


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## WLV (Apr 23, 2014)

Thanks for the very interesting and well-written description of your ED.

One question: on the shot of the rear of your S3, it looks like the right turn signal LED is amber. Knowing that all US-spec A3s use red rear lamps, I was wondering if yours were amber, or is that just an anomaly of your photo?


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## nlz242 (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks for sharing your experience. It's amazing and that smile on your face in the first picture tells alot haha.


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## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

My wife was into the ED idea, completely in it. So much that she fully supported the day at Audi, Nurburgring, and chilling in the passenger seats during the long drives. Our driving route, hotels, occasional shopping and daily agenda always kept the day exciting.


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## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

The Audi Rep going over the dos and donut's. 









Still in the Atrium









Outside the Atrium









About to enter the Porsche Museum - Stuttgart









Porsche Museum parking lot - even in the garage, this car stands out. 









The ultimate set of wheels. 









Buying the lap for the Nurburgring. Only the credit card required. No forms, no legal waivers and no fear. Ah rubbish on the last part. I was petrified. 









Done with the 'Ring. 









Resort in Salzburg









On the way to Zell am See









Aggressive stance - I love it. 









Into the snow capped peaks.


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

Gorgeous photos - thanks for the additional details on your trip.

As always, seeing the S3 in Sepang in real situations just make me want the car more.


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## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

So its finally here. 

4/28 - Dropped off at Munich airport 
5/28 - Loaded on a ship to headed to Davisville RI
6/8 - Arrives in RI, customs clearance completed
7/1 - Arrives in NJ
7/2 - Delivered. 

The 10 weeks were exhausting and for the most part, the S3 just sat in wait for its turn. My guess is dense summer traffic hence the eternal delay, and at times the ED felt a distant dream. Nonetheless, 5 minutes behind the wheel and i am already chasing down 1Ms, STIs and the occasional 911s. The smiles are back and the wait was worth it.


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## DennisMitchell (Oct 26, 2014)

WhyFly said:


> So its finally here.
> 
> 4/28 - Dropped off at Munich airport
> 5/28 - Loaded on a ship to headed to Davisville RI
> ...


Time to update your signature. Congratulations.


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## 2.0TurboA3 (Dec 21, 2001)

Very cool write up, thanks for sharing.


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## 3G3T7I (Sep 30, 2005)

Great looking car and beautiful family. Congrats and good luck.


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## dak125 (Apr 7, 2005)

Nice write up, thanks for sharing. I was reading through the faq's about ED and it sounds like you won't know the specific delivery date until 4-6 weeks out, which makes booking travel plans difficult. Any tips to accurately plan an ED trip?


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## WhyFly (Sep 30, 2007)

dak125 said:


> Nice write up, thanks for sharing. I was reading through the faq's about ED and it sounds like you won't know the specific delivery date until 4-6 weeks out, which makes booking travel plans difficult. Any tips to accurately plan an ED trip?


My timeline is listed below. Atypically, there are about 300+ people that pick up their car from Ingolstadt daily and about 5-7 are ED from USA so Audi forum has the capacity to handle volume. My suggestion is to plan well ahead for a time after April/May 2016 because the driving roads in the Alps open for summer in the first week of May. However if you need to pick the car up earlier, I'm sure the dealer will work with you within reason. You must select your arrival date/time and location at least 45 days before your targeted pickup date for Audi to make arrangements. Your car will be ordered once you sign the line and all paperwork is complete. I hope that answers your questions. Its quite easy once you have the dates down. 

Nov/2014 - Placed deposit
Feb 2015 - Finished paperwork selected decide pickup date.
4/19/2015 - Pickup up car from Audi Forum. 
4/28 - Dropped off at Munich airport 
5/28 - Loaded on a ship to headed to Davisville RI
6/8 - Arrives in RI, customs clearance completed
7/1 - Arrives in NJ
7/2 - Delivered.


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