Looking for one of the best leasing deal of 2019? Some of our lucky customers grabbed the recent Audi A4 Black Edition lease offer which launched in early July.
Having been a little quiet in the leasing market so far, Audi have needed to push some of their product to keep up with BMW and Mercedes who have been very dominant so far.
Our company car driver, from Sheffield, needed a prestige estate vehicle to be delivered to them quickly and within a certain budget; the launch of the Avant deal was therefore incredibly timely.
In terms of process/delivery times – this is a question which gets raised very commonly in that customers will ask when they can expect to receive their car.
How long does it take to lease a car?
Whether you are a business or personal enquiry, you do need to make it clear to the leasing broker and finance company as to when you need the car. When you order a car, the broker/finance company will place an order with a franchised dealer to supply the vehicle to you.
It will depend on the vehicle’s status as to when the car can be delivered, for example:
A “Stock” vehicle – this will be based at a dealership, UK compound or, in some cases, a European compound awaiting transition to a customer. It is important to clarify exactly where the vehicle is, as the logistic process will vary from 5 -14 days depending up on its status. Many stock deals will be pre-registered, meaning that the cars (or vans) can be up to 3 months old at the point of delivery. This doesn’t mean the vehicles are used, they will simply be registered and sit there awaiting to be delivered. Where possible the customer may be able to collect the car if there is time urgency. Stock leasing deals are often the most competitive for price;
An “Allocation” vehicle – the car/van will either be built or will be going into build. This type of deal is very common for the leasing industry when a finance company commits to a batch of vehicles. It is often the case that the vehicles will be advertised before going into build to allow us an opportunity to sell them. However, the specification on the vehicles will most likely be fixed and so this means you cannot amend or adjust it. In terms of how long it will take to arrive with you will depend on what stage the vehicle is within the process. If the cars have not been built, it could be anywhere between 6-10 weeks to arrive with you. However, should the vehicle have been produced and be in route to the UK, then you may be able to receive the vehicle in under 3 or 4 weeks; or
A “Factory Order” vehicle – the car/van will be built to your exact specification. This arrangement is popular for those customers who need a specific vehicle which meets their exact requirements for example a Range Rover Velar or Mercedes GLE. Prestige and luxury vehicle are rarely placed into bulk deals because these types of vehicles are configured in a bespoke format. It would be almost impossible to guess what a customer would want. In terms of when you can expect the factory order to land with you – this is down to factory build times. You could be looking at anywhere between 8 – 50 weeks! Unlike the above, these are not always “hot deals” because they are not procured in the same bulk.
When you are researching your next new vehicle, you need consider the delivery time and not just the price per month. If you have a time obligation, let the supplier know otherwise you could be waiting weeks/months for your vehicle. If you are returning a lease car or you are without a vehicle, the cost of a rental car or temporary solution could prove to be expensive.
In terms of the car shown here, the Audi A4 AVANT 35 TFSI Black Edition 5dr S Tronic (Petrol), this is based on the following configuration:
· Brilliant Black Solid Paint
· Alcantara/leather – Black with rock grey stitching + front sports seats
· Piano black finish inlay
· 19″ 5 arm rotor alloy wheels in diamond cut titanium matt look
· Extended LED Interior multi coloured light pack
As standard the car includes rear armrest, 19” alloys, LED headlights with LED rear lights, heated front seats, hill hold control, alcantara/leather upholstery, LED interior light pack, electrically adjustable/heated/folding door mirrors, cruise control, acoustic windscreen, privacy glass, rain and light sensors, ASR and EDL, multi-collision braking, traction control, front/rear floor mats, Audi connect, Bluetooth, pre sense collision avoidance, Audi parking system plus with front/rear sensors, power opening/closing tailgate, stop/start button, 7” driver information display, MMI navigation, auto dimming rear view mirror, smartphone interface, 54 litre fuel tank, DAB radio, body coloured externals, S style spoiler, high beam assistant, LED daytime running lights, climate control, 3 spoke flat bottomed steering wheel, stainless steel pedals, warning triangle and first aid kit, electric lumbar support, 40/20 split folding seats keyless start, anti-theft alarm and Thatcham Cat 1 immobiliser/system.
In terms of additional options to add at factory consider – memory door mirrors, extend LED interior lights and the rear view camera.
For customers exploring an Audi A4 please note the key 4 trims:
SE – the entry model offers 17” alloys, xenon headlights, LED daytime lights, parking system plus, navigation and smartphone interface;
Sport – the middle model will upgrade your alloys to the 18” V design, include the Audi sound system and the sports seat;
S Line – the higher specification model will add 19” alloys, LED headlights, S Line interior and exterior pack, S embossed seats;
Black Edition – the “elite” model will provide upgraded 19” alloys, titanium black styling pack, piano black inlays, flat bottomed steering wheel and privacy glass.
On the technical-side company car and business users can note the P11d at £37,300.00 and CO2 at 137g/km. The 1984CC 7 speed auto petrol engine delivers 150ps, 47.1 combined MPG (EC), 38.2 (WLTP) and 0-62 times of 9 seconds. Service intervals are set at every 12 months or 9000 miles, whichever lands sooner.
So would you select the Audi A4 as your next estate car leasing option? Or would the BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class get your vote?
