Father of 2 young children, Thomas wanted to go electric with a more spacious car. Hence his choice of the Volkswagen ID.4 SUV. Put off by a delivery time that was going to exceed the year, he canceled his order for a Renault Megane which he hopes to receive very soon.
Stripped model for a shorter delivery time
When he ordered his Volkswagen ID.4 in May 2022, Thomas wanted to put the odds on his side so as not to have to endure extended delivery times. That’s why he accepted a relatively bare version in lunar gray, without options: ” I was however annoyed that I didn’t have the electric seats, because with my wife we have a big size difference ».
For financing, he had committed to a 3-year LLD: ” I could get better business moves with this formula. I also signed quickly to avoid a raise. I also thought that after 3 years the electric car market would present more different models ».
When ordering, he had been told a delivery between the beginning of October and the end of December 2022, with a deadline of January 31, 2023: “ Since we still had no news in December, I contacted the salesperson. We finally learned that the ID.4 would certainly not be there before next June ».
When the family grows
The previous household car was an Audi Q2 quattro petrol: “ It suited us very well before. It was a very pleasant model to drive that we kept for 4 years. We used it regularly for round trips between Nantes where we live today and Paris where we were previously. ».
The family has since grown: We are 4 now, with a first child of 3 and a half years old and our last who is 7 months old. That’s why we wanted a more spacious car, with a better trunk ».
For what use? ” We only want one car in our household. It is mainly my wife who will use it in an urban environment to reach her workplace. For my part, I work from my home. In particular, I will drive our electric when traveling far away. We also use a cargo bike equipped to transport children ».
Doubly disappointed
Today, this family is deprived of a car: If necessary, we can borrow one from the family. We had anticipated the arrival of the Volkswagen ID.4 by letting our Audi Q2 go in early October. We resold it by ourselves to an individual for a better price than the take-back offer ».
It was ultimately a double disappointment that Thomas had to suffer: ” I was already very disappointed with the extension of delivery times. But in addition, the loan of a vehicle, which we had requested in January, was refused to us. The solution proposed by Volkswagen was to put a new thermal car on the road. A kind of short-lived LLD ».
This means having to pay various costs, such as the establishment of the registration certificate: ” Kind of wasted costs. Finally, we were offered to pay only the monthly installments. But with this new disappointment, we started looking at other electric cars ».
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Why an electric car?
The bad experience did not deter Thomas from going electric: ” I wanted to stop driving in thermals, already for ecological reasons. But also because an electric one costs less on a daily basis, there is less maintenance, and we will no longer have to regularly go to service stations. I have already installed a Green’Up reinforced socket ».
And then there is driving pleasure: We had already appreciated the silence of electric cars when taking the Autolib’ in Paris. I find it really very pleasant. I also appreciate the torque of the engine which is immediately available ».
In a couple, it is common for one of the two to be more advanced in their thinking about going electric: “ I had to raise all concerns with my wife, especially for long journeys. Being a computer engineer, I feel very comfortable with applications like ABRP and Chargemap. Traveling far with an electric car does not scare me ».
Renault Megane
Thomas was quickly seduced by the Renault Megane: “ It was not yet available when we placed our order for an ID.4. The computer scientist that I am can only find the Android Automotive-compatible Mégane system much more interesting, compared to that of Volkswagen and its shortcomings. The French is smaller than the ID.4, but it offers more passenger and boot space than the Q2 ».
The couple were able to discover the Mégane in a dealership near their home: “ We tried it for the first time at the beginning of January. Documenting myself for a long time on electric cars, I often know much more than the sellers. The Mégane is more pleasant to drive than the ID.4, it is more punchy, because it is lighter and equipped with a better engine ».
The order was finally signed on January 17 for an EV60 220 hp Super Charge version in its intermediate Techno finish and a gray color with a black roof: “ We paid nothing when ordering the ID.4. We canceled before the date since Volkswagen was unable to deliver to us quickly and we really needed a vehicle ».
A story that repeats itself?
Another LLD for the Renault Megane? ” That’s actually what I was thinking of doing initially. Finally, I changed my mind and I went on a purchase, taking the option to have the maximum driving assistance. We were given February 24, 2023 as the delivery deadline ».
On March 2, the date of our interview with Thomas, the car had not yet arrived: ” There is a difference with Volkswagen, it is that the Mégane we wanted was already built and stored in Douai when we signed. The wait is due to a transport delay that many buyers of this car also experience. Mecan’Auto, in the Nantes suburbs, has assured us that it will do everything possible to ensure that we receive our copy as a priority. ».
Don’t you feel like history is repeating itself? ” A little, yes, and we are a little worried, especially since the seller does not know what will happen now. But our copy exists and would be in transit. Maybe I could pick it up myself in Douai if it drags on, which would allow me to experience a long electric trip and charging “. With any luck, our reader will receive his car before our article is published.
Automobile Propre and I would like to thank Thomas very much for accepting our request for testimony.
