Fluctuating inventory on 2016 e-Golfs in the U.S.

[currentlydriving]

I’ve been checking the nationwide inventory of new e-Golfs in the U.S. using the cars.com website, in hopes of seeing the inventory dwindle enough to where VW might finally open the channel to the 2017s they are allegedly storing in port somewhere.

Over the course of the past few weeks, the number has dropped from around 140 to 120 to 110 to 102 to 97—and then it rose again to 120. Wait, where did those missing e-Golfs come from? I did a nearest-to-farthest sorting, and there were more in Southern California near me—dealers in Pasadena and Alhambra suddenly had some, as well as a few others. (The lion’s share of e-Golfs appear to be in the Bay Area, however.)

Tonight, the inventory number of e-Golfs on that site has jumped to 196! Obviously VW is not getting new supplies of 2016s, since the factory has been turning out 2017s for the past few months. I wonder how dealers report their inventories to cars.com—where could these zombie 2016s have come from?—and is turning to a site like this a reliable source of data, or not?

Just when I was hoping to see some progress in 2016 sales, so that the 2017s could be released...

 

[RonDawg]

Those "missing" 2016's were probably in storage somewhere, having been built long ago, and distributed to dealers by VWoA when local inventories began to dry up.

I'm not holding my breath that we will see a 2017 eGolf. It's already mid-July and September is the traditional model year cutover; in fact I got my car almost exactly two years ago during VW's "Year End Clearance." It doesn't make sense to release a 2017 just before everybody else's 2018's come to market; the car is suddenly a year older.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I predict that the next model year eGolf we'll see here in the US will likely be a 2018 with the revised styling that's already available in Europe.

 

[miimura]

The OP is definitely right. Sunnyvale went from 0 to 49 units in the last week or two. Their advertised special on the SEL is also surprisingly good. $69/mo x 30 mo + $3,699 + TTL. That's under $5,900 +TTL which will end up being about $7,300 all-in. I haven't been paying that close of attention, but it's much better than I remember hearing about before. SE deal is $47/mo x 30mo + $3,705 + TTL. That's right around $6,600 all-in.

The problem with skipping the 2017 model year is that VW needs those credits until they get the long range Audi eTron Quattro or whatever it's actually called to market. There is also the lead time between Wolfsburg and the US to deal with too. In addition, there are solid rumors that there are 2017 e-Golfs in storage "at the port" being held by VW America while they flush out the remaining 2016's. Let's just hope that they're getting to the end of the 2016's.

 

[RonDawg]

VW AG already sells a PHEV here, it's called the Audi A3 eTron. They also have hybrids over at their Porsche division.

VW can also buy credits if necessary.

 

[currentlydriving]

It’s up to 216 tonight—that large stash of 2016s keeps getting bigger!

As miimura suggested, I think that VW has to sell the 2017s as 2017s in order to gain whatever types of credits it needs under the CARB rules. I know those credits are changing for 2018 models (and longer-range vehicles are emphasized), but I suspect this is why the 2016s were allowed to continue as “2016s” and not “2017s”—this is an instance where the model year makes a difference as far as the regulations and ZEV credits go.

Interestingly enough, VW Canada has said that the 2017s will be sold there until the end of this year, and then 2018s will arrive early in the new year (with no real differences between the two, as far as I know). As for VWoA’s plans? Crickets!... <chirrrrp> ;-)

 

[johnnylingo]

SE deal is $47/mo x 30mo + $3,705 + TTL. That's right around $6,600 all-in.

Meh. That's about on par with the $3000 down + $79 x 36 mo deal they quoted me a year ago. It's still kinda high for a car that really should be on clearance right now.

The SEL deal is a bit better, but still it works out to around $300/month for a car with 86 mile range. I'd rather spend slightly more on a Bolt or even 2017 Focus electric (battery bump and ugly wheels not withstanding).

 

[miimura]

...and now Sunnyvale is showing 61 units out of the 195 cars available on the west coast. That figure is from newcars dot com which uses data from cars dot com (which shows 208 nationwide). Sunnyvale's own web site shows 55 units, made up of 29 SE (3 w/o fast charge) and 26 SEL. Both trims have a good selection of colors available, including my favorite - Night Blue SEL with Beige interior.

 

[johnnylingo]

my favorite - Night Blue SEL with Beige interior.

Mine too. If I could do it all over again, would have bought one last summer. But it's hard to justify that commitment now with the Bolt and Model 3 out. What a difference a year has made :lol:

Should be noted Sunnyvale's advertised specials have "1 available" in the fine print. You know how that game can go :roll:

 

[JoulesThief]

I had to drive up to Watsonville, CA today. Driving down the Grapevine, on Interstate 5, I passed a car delivery truck with 4 e-Golfs on it, two of them silver, one white, one gray. No idea if they were 2016's or 2017's or whether they were SE or SEL models. Whatever the situation, VW is releasing them out of their San Diego impound where they store VW's that come in to port.

 

[currentlydriving]

The inventory is up to 280 cars tonight. When will it stop going up? (Interesting how most of the inventory is in the Bay Area, then Southern California, then a few up in Oregon, and only two left on the East Coast.)

 

[forbin404]

The inventory is up to 280 cars tonight. When will it stop going up? (Interesting how most of the inventory is in the Bay Area, then Southern California, then a few up in Oregon, and only two left on the East Coast.)

Well CA and OR are the places that issue the EV credits to Manufacturers.

 

[currentlydriving]

True—good point. But I thought New York was a CARB state, too, and so wouldn't they have ZEV credits to add to the total?

 

[Jz13283]

I lease a 2016 e-Golf SEL Premium from Sunnyvale VW last week, I paid at their advertised lease price ($69/month, with $500 discount on the down payment they asked for). I just checked the manufacturing date at the drive door sill, it was built in August 2016...

 

[2017eGolf]

I lease a 2016 e-Golf SEL Premium from Sunnyvale VW last week, I paid at their advertised lease price ($69/month, with $500 discount on the down payment they asked for). I just checked the manufacturing date at the drive door sill, it was built in August 2016...

Wow. That's just sad.

 

[miimura]

I lease a 2016 e-Golf SEL Premium from Sunnyvale VW last week, I paid at their advertised lease price ($69/month, with $500 discount on the down payment they asked for). I just checked the manufacturing date at the drive door sill, it was built in August 2016...

Wow. That's just sad.

Yet completely un-surprising. I would also not be at all surprised to find 2017's show up on dealer lots in August or September with February manufacture dates.

 

[JoulesThief]

I did some research on my 2015 e-Golf SEL, and found that it was built in May of 2015. It arrived in USA in July, 2015 and ended up at the dealerships lot for sale on 8-7-15. I bought it Oct 6th, 2015. It had 33 miles on it in test drives, in 2 months on the lot.

 

[JoulesThief]

I lease a 2016 e-Golf SEL Premium from Sunnyvale VW last week, I paid at their advertised lease price ($69/month, with $500 discount on the down payment they asked for). I just checked the manufacturing date at the drive door sill, it was built in August 2016...

Wow. That's just sad.

Yet completely un-surprising. I would also not be at all surprised to find 2017's show up on dealer lots in August or September with February manufacture dates.

I wouldn't doubt what you say, in the least.

 

[f1geek]

Just checked Sunnyvale VW this morning and the inventory said 61 cars, so it looks like this dealer is doing a good job selling of their e-Golfs. I spoke with Dave Hsu at 818-939-6248 and he was very helpful over the phone in answering my questions. I have no personal experience purchasing/leasing at this dealer.