New order delays and 199/204 engine update

[WelshGas]

You haven't taken into account the orders from the other 27 EU countries and non EU, such as Australia where they are now selling the California. Many of these might have been delayed while VW concentrated on UK orders prior to 31st December.

 

[patflash]

You haven't taken into account the orders from the other 27 EU countries and non EU, such as Australia where they are now selling the California. Many of these might have been delayed while VW concentrated on UK orders prior to 31st December.

True, but it’s pretty crazy that very similar spec orders that are a couple weeks apart in sept can have such wildly different build dates. Luck of the draw on the cutoff I guess.

 

[SusiBus]

I’m in the same boat. Ordered a 4motion at the end of sept and just checked but still no build week. I read somewhere that you can’t spec some combinations due to weight. I wonder if the new engines are heavier, if you have 4 motion and some other bits it makes it too heavy? Maybe that has added some complications... just speculating as the production order makes no sense and the delays are crazy.

The new 204 RDE2 engine has an extra catalytic converter, now giving you two selective cats, and a larger AdBlue tank (22 litres up from 14 litres). This is referred to in VW speak as "Twin Dosing Cross Coupled Emission Cleaning System". This adds over 20kg to the unladen weight, and hence less payload.
If you look up on the VW cars website, you'll see a full description on it when looking up the latest Golf.

 

[VWCoastbusters]

Just had an update from our dealer on our 150 Coast order. Within the last 10 days, we have gone from a provisional build week 6 to build week 17, and then today to build week 11. So I think there's a lot of shuffling going on. Our dealer, who has been hassling Brand Services for info on the delays and whether specific engines/specs are causing it, was told that basically they'll be built when they are built. No logic. And delays are mostly volume and Covid related.

So no guarantees, but maybe some good news? And seems like the message is to pay little attention to provisional build weeks as they move A LOT!

 

[Ferryman]

Just had an update from our dealer on our 150 Coast order. Within the last 10 days, we have gone from a provisional build week 6 to build week 17, and then today to build week 11. So I think there's a lot of shuffling going on. Our dealer, who has been hassling Brand Services for info on the delays and whether specific engines/specs are causing it, was told that basically they'll be built when they are built. No logic. And delays are mostly volume and Covid related.

So no guarantees, but maybe some good news? And seems like the message is to pay little attention to provisional build weeks as they move A LOT!

That’s good news at least there moving them forwards as well and not just back! I went from 4 to 9 to 21 in the space of December but you’ve given me some hope.

 

[Ferryman]

The new 204 RDE2 engine has an extra catalytic converter, now giving you two selective cats, and a larger AdBlue tank (22 litres up from 14 litres). This is referred to in VW speak as "Twin Dosing Cross Coupled Emission Cleaning System". This adds over 20kg to the unladen weight, and hence less payload.
If you look up on the VW cars website, you'll see a full description on it when looking up the latest Golf.

The 150 rde 2 engine went up in weight by 25kg reducing the coast payload no idea why and neither does my dealer! But that makes 20kg not seem so bad for the 204.

 

[66tim99]

The 150 rde 2 engine went up in weight by 25kg reducing the coast payload no idea why and neither does my dealer! But that makes 20kg not seem so bad for the 204.

25kg AND improved economy... I wonder what the changes were

 

[VWCoastbusters]

That’s good news at least there moving them forwards as well and not just back! I went from 4 to 9 to 21 in the space of December but you’ve given me some hope.

Fingers crossed for you.

 

[Bodley]

Hi there,
I ordered a 199 4WD Ocean on 24th Sept, blissfully unaware of these production problems - I was told 12 weeks from order! Anyway, I have been on to VW chat a few times and finally got a sort of update today. Provisional build week 24 = 14th June. I hope it doesn’t jump any further back as I will miss my (potential) summer holiday...

 

[Dark Ocean]

Hi All,
That's a very similar story with us. We ordered on 24th of September too and only yesterday had an unconfirmed build week of week 22. That's our Easter trip away cancelled and our summer trip looking at risk too. Funny enough ours was a 199 4WD Ocean too.
I hope the wait is worth it!!

 

[patflash]

Wow these build weeks are super disappointing to hear, I ordered a 4motion on 30th sept so I’m guessing end of June build week at best. If I had known that when I ordered it would have likely effected my decision. They must have got a huge number of orders in sept for the gap between @PhilR build weeks and @Dark Ocean et al to be so huge. I ordered mine to drag my old race car around Europe and we heard yesterday that Brexit has meant that we now need an expensive Carnet to do that. Reasons to hang on our dwindling.

 

[Bodley]

What is really frustrating is that the dealership had a 4WD coming in, that was close to our choice spec but wrong colour and a few other things we didn’t want, but not deal breakers. We would have bought it if they had told us about these delays

 

[Dark Ocean]

At the time of ordering, our dealer said that orders that were placed a couple of weeks prior to ours were being confirmed for delivery in late November. At the time I thought that was impressive as VW have never been that great on lead times for their new vehicles. Then the engine/emissions delay, Covid, Brexit and an influx in orders and we are hitting June 2021!!

 

[Croydongirl]

Hi All,
That's a very similar story with us. We ordered on 24th of September too and only yesterday had an unconfirmed build week of week 22. That's our Easter trip away cancelled and our summer trip looking at risk too. Funny enough ours was a 199 4WD Ocean too.
I hope the wait is worth it!!

Hello Dark Ocean,
I am interested in your post - I have last week just ordered my first ever Cali Ocean 204 (after a lifetime of dreaming). However they said I could expect it to arrive inmaybe in September 2021- but Im looking at your wait and wondering if I'm going to wait a lot longer? I have the chance to buy a slightly lower spec'd ocean now and Im wondering if I should give up on the wait for the dream options, as this Ocean has most of what I want.
1) Have you got a date for delivery yet?
2) Is Active lane assist, Driving profile select and the Pro media package an option worth waiting for til possibly end of this year or even 2022!!??

Thanks for any advice as Im a complete newbie here.

 

[Dodge1311]

Hello Dark Ocean,
I am interested in your post - I have last week just ordered my first ever Cali Ocean 204 (after a lifetime of dreaming). However they said I could expect it to arrive inmaybe in September 2021- but Im looking at your wait and wondering if I'm going to wait a lot longer? I have the chance to buy a slightly lower spec'd ocean now and Im wondering if I should give up on the wait for the dream options, as this Ocean has most of what I want.
1) Have you got a date for delivery yet?
2) Is Active lane assist, Driving profile select and the Pro media package an option worth waiting for til possibly end of this year or even 2022!!??

Thanks for any advice as Im a complete newbie here.

Hi Croydongirl,

I think around 6 months is probably right. I have encountered every one of the above problems so far and my Van is due to leave the factory next week for delivery end of April beginning of May. That would make it 7 and a bit months in total. As Brexit has now happened and the new engine is already rolling off the production lines i would say Sept for your is a fair assessment. Regarding your options i specced those as well as many others. The Pro media no longer has the big differential it once had as the standard media can now mirror into the cockpit idsplay. so i probably wouldn't say its worth waiting for. However as i love tech i would hate to remove an option once i had specced it.

 

[66tim99]

Hello Dark Ocean,
I am interested in your post - I have last week just ordered my first ever Cali Ocean 204 (after a lifetime of dreaming). However they said I could expect it to arrive inmaybe in September 2021- but Im looking at your wait and wondering if I'm going to wait a lot longer? I have the chance to buy a slightly lower spec'd ocean now and Im wondering if I should give up on the wait for the dream options, as this Ocean has most of what I want.
1) Have you got a date for delivery yet?
2) Is Active lane assist, Driving profile select and the Pro media package an option worth waiting for til possibly end of this year or even 2022!!??

Thanks for any advice as Im a complete newbie here.

I'd agree with @Dodge1311 on the Pro Media, but it does look good and finish the dash off by filling the space with useful screen. Not one to wait for though.
The Active Lane Assist is a great safety feature and makes long journeys a breeze, but again, I'm not sure you'd miss it.
The Driving Profile Select is another matter. I think the configurator is misleading in calling it DPS as I understand each 6.1 ignition key stores the settings last used - so 2 people with 2 different keys will have their driving profile selected when they use their own key. It is actually Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) that you are buying, which sorts the suspension out for different driving conditions - eg you can firm it up for winding roads, or soften it for the motorway and at low speed crashing through town potholes. It might actually adjust the electronic steering now as well - my dealer thought so. Given the amount of unhappiness with the handling of heavy Californias on here, and the positive noises made on here by people with it, I decided to spec it, rather than faff with aftermarket dampers and springs. That's the one you might miss?

 

[Jandy61]

I think new factory orders are now about 6-7 months wait

 

[66tim99]

I'm in the 7-8 month camp, as I ordered a 150 on 8 October and expect to pick up in May

 

[66tim99]

Another way...a Vanworx conversion

 

[Dodge1311]

We I couldn't resist a quick update from the chat on my build progress. Mine started last week so was hoping it may be finished now but not quite.

"Thank you for being patient. It is at production point 5/8 at the moment. it is going through assembly. It should be out of factory by the end of next week, excluding any delays"

No idea what production point 5/8 is but its progress at least.

 

[JandA]

We I couldn't resist a quick update from the chat on my build progress. Mine started last week so was hoping it may be finished now but not quite.

"Thank you for being patient. It is at production point 5/8 at the moment. it is going through assembly. It should be out of factory by the end of next week, excluding any delays"

No idea what production point 5/8 is but its progress at least.

New jargon designed to confuse and give the impression things are moving......the new bottle neck seems to the shipping, transport to dealer, pre collection checks and lastly....the ability to get it road taxed (that is if it is a 204) DVLA still seem unable to do that due to late info from VW. I wonder what else will go wrong next ..... I know.....maybe the EU will ban the export of Calis and give them to EU citizens so they can go on holidays this year as there are no flights

 

[Dodge1311]

New jargon designed to confuse and give the impression things are moving......the new bottle neck seems to the shipping, transport to dealer, pre collection checks and lastly....the ability to get it road taxed (that is if it is a 204) DVLA still seem unable to do that due to late info from VW. I wonder what else will go wrong next ..... I know.....maybe the EU will ban the export of Calis and give them to EU citizens so they can go on holidays this year as there are no flights

i am banking on the road tax bit being sorted by the time mines eventually arrives.

 

[Kernowboy]

I wonder what else will go wrong next .....

I reckon the Suez blockage is going to have yet another impact to those of us still waiting for build to start. Just in time...oh, the irony....

 

[Dark Ocean]

Hello Dark Ocean,
I am interested in your post - I have last week just ordered my first ever Cali Ocean 204 (after a lifetime of dreaming). However they said I could expect it to arrive inmaybe in September 2021- but Im looking at your wait and wondering if I'm going to wait a lot longer? I have the chance to buy a slightly lower spec'd ocean now and Im wondering if I should give up on the wait for the dream options, as this Ocean has most of what I want.
1) Have you got a date for delivery yet?
2) Is Active lane assist, Driving profile select and the Pro media package an option worth waiting for til possibly end of this year or even 2022!!??

Thanks for any advice as Im a complete newbie here.

Hey Croydongirl,
I checked with VW chat about two weeks ago and apparently I’m all built and sitting at the docks waiting for a ship. So it may even be in the UK now. So week 22 has been reduced quite a bit. So let’s say from order confirmation on 24.09.20, it’s going to be about 6 months to delivery. That also covered lockdown, vw factory shutdown, brexit etc. I would hope orders now would be less time. Also bear in mind the 150s have been faster builds than the 204s.
The pro screen was my main reason for upgrading, as others have said, it looks cleaner in the dashboard without the buttons.
I didn’t go for the profile option, didn’t really see the benefit for such a big cost option.
I think it’s worth making your new Cali your own and waiting for your perfect spec.
Good luck and let me know what you decide.

 

[Croydongirl]

Hey Croydongirl,
I checked with VW chat about two weeks ago and apparently I’m all built and sitting at the docks waiting for a ship. So it may even be in the UK now. So week 22 has been reduced quite a bit. So let’s say from order confirmation on 24.09.20, it’s going to be about 6 months to delivery. That also covered lockdown, vw factory shutdown, brexit etc. I would hope orders now would be less time. Also bear in mind the 150s have been faster builds than the 204s.
The pro screen was my main reason for upgrading, as others have said, it looks cleaner in the dashboard without the buttons.
I didn’t go for the profile option, didn’t really see the benefit for such a big cost option.
I think it’s worth making your new Cali your own and waiting for your perfect spec.
Good luck and let me know what you decide.

Thank you very much Dark Ocean.
I'm torn and under pressure from my partner to 'just get one for the summer so we can use it'! Got to make my mind up thought coz this one won't hang around for long if I don't decide soon.
I appreciate the info about the Pro screen. I think you are saying that its more of an aesthetic than a major function and performance factor between the two navigation systems?
Right Im now off in search of the forum 'what to buy for your first Cali trip'
Thanks so much once again.