[AdW]

Hi all - just wondering if anyone has done the factory tour at Wolfsburg - what it entails and if it's worthwhile? And of course if you glimpse any Tiguans being built! I believe there's an off road experience there too etc? Anyone done it?

 

[DeT]

Hi AdW,

I collected my new Tiguan from Wolfsburg and I would highly recommend a visit. The VW Autostadt is set in well maintained gardens with a number of water features and modern buildings to visit. The museum with the history of cars is really interesting with a vast array of historic cars on display not all from the VW group. There are also a number of displays of new cars in great settings in various buildings such as Audi, Seat, Skoda, VW, Porsche, Bugatti and an impressive Lamborghin car mounted on a wall which rotates with sound effects. Inter mixed is a few restaurants and coffee shops to relax in. There is also the famous automated glass storage towers storing the new cars waiting for collection, of which you can enter and watch in action or even take a ride in the automated lift that collects and delivers the cars. The main hall is where you collect your new car and you are afforded unpressurised time to be shown around your new car and ask as many questions as you wish before driving it through an optional circuit to familiarise your self with the car before driving home. On the circuit there are signs indicating to try something like auto hold on a hill or try out the park assist, there are a number of VW engineers on the circuit to stop and ask for assistance or clarification.
There is also a VW accessories shop and if you purchase anything that needs fitting it is fitted to your new car before collection. On the site is also a cross country track where you can test drive a Tiguan or Touareg over the challenging ground. On a working day Monday to Friday you have the chance to tour the production line, unfortunately I collected my car on a Saturday so can not comment on that experience. If you have arranged to collect your new car from there you will receive an informative package and 6 free entrance tickets plus vouchers for discounts on VW accessories and restaurants on the site, not sure how much it would cost if you are not collecting a car. I arrived at Wolfsburg mid morning with an appointment to collect new car at 4.30 pm and was not lost for things to do and see. It was a great day out ending with driving away in my new Tiguan with less than 1 km on the clock.

 

[SlimPollack]

It was a great day out ending with driving away in my new Tiguan with less than 1 km on the clock.

So no PDI done then?

 

[AdW]

thanks DeT for that write up....sounds really interesting. No sight of the Tiggy line itself then?
The factory itself looked like a fascinating place, if the YouTube vids + other are anything to go by, so I thought that someone must have gone to have a look! Some more detail here for example....pretty high tech stuff these days: http://en.volkswagen.com/en/volkswagen-live/factory-visit.html

Another look here for those interested:

The travel could be easier (about an hour from Hanover or Berlin Airport) but I may still go for it! You can of course just do the factory tour and the off road experienc ena museum etc without actually picking up the car (for those who don't fancy the drive back!)

 

[salmonfisher]

Can we in UK pick up from there? I know Mercedes lets you (and you don't pay delivery or at least didn't use to) but I have never heard of VW doing it.

 

[AdW]

indeed you can.....and you then get priority on the factory tour too. Not sure how it works (re number plates and PDI etc) but I'm sure the dealers are familiar with the process.

 

[DeT]

It was a great day out ending with driving away in my new Tiguan with less than 1 km on the clock.

So no PDI done then?

Not sure what you mean by PDI, I am presuming it means Pre Delivery Inspection. If it is then yes a PDI is done by Wolfsburg before they hand the car over to you. If you arrive in good time at the hall they hand the car over to you, you will see a few VW personnel preparing your car, checking it over, checking levels, light check, fitting number plates, applying emissions sticker etc. What is reassuring is you can watch the whole process if you wish from the balcony above or from the outside window.

 

[SlimPollack]

Hi DeT,
Yes I meant Pre Deivery Inspection.
I always thought that a brief road test is also included in the PDI so mileage less than 1km shows that such event didn't happen here.
But I'm no specialist in this area (and I'm sure VW engineers are) that's why a smiley in my comment above.

 

[DeT]

Hi SlimPollack,

Thank you for clarifying PDI, my English is ok I think but your shortened words are difficult. I hope to think they carried out a test drive. I would imagine it would have been done at Wolfsburg when it came off the production line and then stored in the glass tower on site until the day I collected it from there. I presume the km would be higher on a car delivered to dealer as it would have to be moved around during shipping and the dealer would also conduct a test drive before handing it over?

 

[shadowcaptain]

Can we in UK pick up from there? I know Mercedes lets you (and you don't pay delivery or at least didn't use to) but I have never heard of VW doing it.

As a UK customer with a Tig on order I inquired directly with Wolfsburg as to whether I would be eligible for factory pickup. The answer was a very clear NO. It's not something they can offer to UK customers. I believe its something to do with UK cars needing to be processed and registered via a UK dealer, as Wolfsburg isn't able to register UK cars at the factory.

 

[AdW]

My apologies then if I got that wrong guys. I'd enquired about "going there for a tour in English" and they mentioned that those picking up their vehicles would get priority on the tour....so I assumed it meant pick up was possible. Sorry!