How long it takes for a new car to be delivered in Britain

How long would you expect to wait for a new car to be delivered? Weeks? Months? How about nearly two years?

That’s the case for some MailOnline and This is Money readers who have told us their woes when it comes to getting their hands on new models they ordered an age ago.

Not only are extended delivery delays resulting in huge frustration for customers but readers say it is triggering unforeseen logistical and financial issues.

Some face being left carless due to their existing lease or rental arrangements expiring months ago, while others are expected to pay more for their new motors than originally thought as rising inflation has pushed list prices higher and made finance deals dearer.

Below, readers reveal their experiences with different brands – and how this compares to what manufacturers recently told us about new model lead times.

These are just some of the extensive new car waiting times MailOnline and This is Money readers are experiencing, with some telling us they are facing two year delays between ordering a new motor and taking delivery. Read their tales below…

A shortage of vehicle components – primarily semiconductor microchips – and wider supply chain issues since the pandemic have severely restricted new car outputs since March 2020.

This has resulted in a logjam for deliveries and seen order books almost bursting at the seams as some brands quote lead times as long as two years.

However, latest car industry data published last week suggests supply problems are easing and manufacturers are seeing a return to normal output levels.

This will be news to some readers who have contacted us in recent days about how long they are waiting – or have waited – for their cars to be delivered.

AUDI

Two MailOnline readers have told us they’ve been waiting up to 18 months for Audi A3 hybrid orders

Robert, 65, Peterborough: ‘I have been waiting almost 18 months for a new A3 Hybrid’

My order was placed on 5 November 2021 and the sales person confirmed that the car would be available by March 2022. But early into 2022 the excuses commenced. The vehicle was projected to be delivered at three subsequent dates throughout last year and then again for April 2023. The latest report is that its been further delayed until at least the end of May.

Excuses have ranged from shortages of microchips for certain elements of the car, for example the heated seats, through to the War in Ukraine affecting supply of parts. I re-visited the showroom recently and was told I’m in a ‘wait position’ until the end of May. Then they will be able to say if the vehicle is going to manufacture or if there will be a further delay.

Nicola Weir, 50, Neath, Wales: ‘My Python Yellow A3 hasn’t arrived – now I’m between hire cars’

I ordered an Audi A3 Sportback 45TFSIe in Python Yellow on 24 December 2021 as my next company car via a leasing an rental company. However, the order was only confirmed in March 2022. At the time I was advised it would take a year for the car to arrive. Fair enough, I thought, given the parts situation. But I still don’t have it.

In February I had to move to a hire car after reaching the mileage limit on my previous vehicle. I was told earlier in the year that there had been a delay and the car was due in May, but when I chased this up in April they told me they don’t have a build date yet from Audi.

I would have considered cancelling the order but I wanted this particular car because it’s a hybrid with low company car tax and I don’t know what models the provider has in stock – and if swapping will extend the delay.

Peter: ‘After months of delays, I cancelled my Q4 e-tron and bought an electric BMW instead’

I ordered a new Audi Q4 e-tron in October 2021 but by January 2023 still hadn’t been supplied a firm delivery date. I eventually gave up and upgraded to a BMW iX. It was ordered in February and is due to be delivered this month.

Another reader, Rob, 74, from Derbyshire, told us it took 14 months for his electric Q4 e-tron (press image) to arrive having been given a number of different arrival dates

Rob, 74, Derbyshire: ‘I waited 14 months for my electric SUV’

I placed my order for a new Q4 e-tron on 10 December 2021 and was told to expect deliver in March 2022. I was happy to accept this as every supplier of electric vehicles was quoting similar lead times. March then became August, August became October, and October became December. I eventually collected the car on 8 December 2022.

What Audi told us: A spokesperson for Audi said in March that all its retailers have cars available for ‘immediate delivery’, though this is specifically only vehicles they have in stock. However, customers are told to contact their dealers directly to get more information on lead times for new factory orders.

The spokesperson added that while the current supply situation with semiconductors ‘will continue to ease in 2023’ the brand expects to see a ‘structural undersupply’ that will almost certainly restrict outputs.

Despite not sharing information with us, Audi dealers told Electrifying.com in March that electric vehicle lead times range from five months for a Q8 e-tron, while the smallest – and least expensive – Q4 e-tron (ordered by both Peter and Rob from Derbyshire) has an 18-month delivery backlog.

KIA

Atul Varambhia (pictured left), 70 from Bristol told us he ordered his Kia EV6 GT in March 2022. His dealer has recently informed him it will be taking delivery of the car at the end of this month

Atul Varambhia, 70, Bristol: ‘I ordered an electric EV6 in March 2022 – it’s only just on the boat’

I ordered a Kia EV6 GT with no optional extras on 8 March 2022. I was told at the end of April that the car is on the ship from South Korea and is due to be delivered on 30 May.

That would make it just over fourteen and half months between placing the order and getting it.

What Kia told us: When we contacted Kia in March, a spokesperson for the Korean car firm told us that the average lead time on new orders is 12 to 15 weeks, though there are ‘huge differences’ depending on which model you want.

For instance, a Stonic crossover can arrive within two weeks, while the EV6 – as ordered by Mr Varambhia – will not be delivered for eight to 12 months.

LAND ROVER

Land Rover customers have told us about the long waiting times to get their hands on cars, including the Range Rover Sport (pictured) and Land Rover Discovery. Some have been told the price of their vehicles will be increasing

Nigel, 65, Guilford: ‘I cancelled my Range Rover Sport order and bought a BMW X6’

I placed an order for a Range Rover Sport last October. I called the dealer to follow up on progress in March to be told they couldn’t give me a delivery date at all, because – to my shock – the model I had chosen was no longer available.

They said I had to wait or choose a more expensive version. And even then, they would not guarantee a price because of the lead times. I eventually cancelled the order. I had placed a £1,000 refundable deposit which I got back – the Land Rover dealer was very professional, and apologised. I’ve bought a BMW X6 instead.

Ronald, Newcastle Upon Tyne: ‘After months of waiting, my Discovery arrived… but it wasn’t what I ordered’

One customer said he was told his Discovery (like the one pictured) had arrived but when he viewed the vehicle it didn’t have some of the features he’d ordered

I had been waiting for a brand new Land Rover for two years before I recently received a phone call from the dealer – totally out of the blue – to say they had the new car on site.

I was on holiday at the time but was delighted. The dealer asked to get the paperwork signed as soon as possible as interest rates were changing and didn’t want me to get stung.

I asked to see the car first. And it was a good job that I did, because the Discovery was not the car I ordered. I had asked for specific options, but it was missing the black wheels I wanted, as well as the heated steering wheel and privacy glass I’d requested. To top it off, the price had also increased from the original order.

Needless to say, I rejected the car. The dealer said they did not know if they could get me another unless I paid another £10,000 for an electric one – but even then lead times were long. I didn’t receive an apology and am now left trying to source another car or to get the monies together to pay the final payment on the one I have. It’s all been very stressful.

Anonymous MailOnline reader: ‘Land Rover keeps emailing to tell me about the equipment I can no longer have’

I ordered a Range Rover with a 4.4-litre petrol engine in January 2022. Not only has it not been delivered, JLR has sent a number of emails listing the equipment that it no longer supplies and has cancelled for my vehicle. This includes premium audio, calf support for the rear seats and massage seats.

What JLR told us: In March, a spokesperson for Land Rover told This is Money: ‘Due to the nature of the semiconductor use in our product, lead times vary by model.’

When checking each model, we found that the delivery delays on a new Range Rover can be in excess of a year, with the earliest availability in nine months – that’s bordering on 2024. The Range Rover Sport is a similar story, with delays of between six months and over one year, the brand quotes. The Defender is another model with varying delays, in many cases over 12 months, Land Rover’s website states.

And some versions of its cars are not available to order at all.

LEXUS

Two customers with orders placed for the new NX crossover have told us about the long lead times for delivery. While one is happy to wait, the other is considering cancelling the order

Colin Jones, 69, Leicestershire: ‘My NX is delayed by another four months but I’m happy to wait’

I placed an order for a new Lexus NX 450h+ Takumi with a dealer in July 2022. The original – provisional – delivery month was March 2023, but I’ve been told it is now more likely to be September.

Despite the delay, I’ve not been tempted to cancel my order and buy something else. I’ve got this far, so I’ll wait for it now. Lexus has also frozen the price in line with when I ordered it – I understand other manufacturers have not been so accommodating.

Colin, left, said he is happy to wait for his Lexus NX to arrive, despite being told it will not be delivered until September. Robert (right) has also been told he won’t be getting his hands on his car anytime soon, and is now considering switching to a Merc

Robert Brastock, 84, Avon: ‘Lexus can’t give me an ETA on my car – I might go back to Mercedes’

I placed an order for a new NX Takumi in January 2022 and was quoted a September delivery date. However, that was quickly pushed back to December then January on to March and in April was told it will likely be July. I’m looking at a delivery date some 18 months after ordering.

Lexus has told me that – like the whole motor industry – it is facing ‘unprecedented challenges’ when it comes to the supply of vehicles and parts and they can’t offer a concrete estimate time of arrival for my car.

If the delay goes on much longer I will consider cancelling the order and going back to Mercedes, which I drove for the past 60 years before switching to Lexus in 2021.

What Lexus told us: When we approached the Japanese firm for comment in March, a spokesperson on behalf of Lexus told us lead times are ‘fluid’ and ‘timings can change regularly’.

They added: ‘Our dealers undertake regular communication programmes to update customers on their orders.’

Lexus dealers told Electrifying.com that UX300e electric SUV orders can’t be collected by owners for up to five months.

VAUXHALL

Two readers who got in touch in reference to delays on new Vauxhall orders were both customers waiting for electric vehicles, including the Vivaro Life Electric (pictured)

David, 55, West Malling, Kent: ‘I don’t want to cancel my order because it will put me back to square one’

I ordered a Vauxhall Vivaro Life Electric through the Motability scheme in February 2022 and quoted delivery dates have been missed four times already. I believe that dealers are deliberately trapping customers by giving deliberately short lead times, and then after about six months the dealer then says, ‘Yes, we appreciate that the lead time has been extended yet again but if you cancel now and go to another dealer/brand then you’ll have to start from scratch and be the last in the queue’.

For disabled people such as myself, the experience is very frustrating and annoying. I genuinely feel like the dealership has me over a barrel and cancelling the order now would put me back to square one.

Christian Hughes, 51, Leyburn, North Yorkshire: ‘I’ve been waiting 16 months for an electric van’

Mine is not a case of a car but a Vauxhall e-combo cargo van, which I ordered on 17 December 2021. Sixteen months in and still no news. I’ve been told that I’ll get notice six weeks before delivery is due, but having spoken to a number of other Vauxhall garages have been told that the minimum lead time for a small electric Vauxhall van is at least 18 months long.

At the time of ordering, I ring fenced £10,000 Vauxhall finance at 3.9 per cent with the balance to be paid in cash. The purchase price was £25,500 plus VAT. It will be interesting to see if Vauxhall will honour this arrangement when it finally arrives given interest rates have since sky-rocketed and the list price of the van has risen over £6,000.

What Vauxhall told us: In March, a spokesperson for the company told us the current lead times on new factory orders is four to six months, though some models are available sooner.

The longest delay is for the Vivaro E-Life MPV, which David (above) is waiting for delivery. Vauxhall told us that orders placed in March were not likely to arrive before the end of the year (a nine-month lead time). However, the brand’s most popular model, the Corsa, and the Crossland crossover are both available with lead times of just two to three months. That’s the same for the electric Corsa-e while the bigger Mokka-e has a five-month wait.

VOLKSWAGEN

Volkswagen’s Golf GTI Clubsport is a low-volume production run hot hatch that’s impacted by long lead times. David, 61, from Essex told us he has been waiting for his to arrive for going on two years

David, 61, Wickford, Essex: ‘I’m facing a two-year wait for my Golf… but it’s still a good deal due to rising prices’

I ordered a Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport in July 2021, and I’m still waiting for delivery. I have been told the car is scheduled to be built in week 19 of 2023 [next week] and hopefully I may get delivery sometime in June, which will be almost two years from placing the order.

Although I’m very frustrated by the wait, I have not considered cancelling the order because the dealer has said it will honour the price agreed in July 2021. This makes the purchase more attractive as prices for the Clubsport have since increased quite dramatically.

Gavin Reeves, 49, Wilmslow: ‘I placed my order in November 2021 and the car hasn’t even been built’

I ordered a new Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line on 6 November 2021 and I’m still waiting for it to be built, let alone shipped!

I have considered cancelling the order as my driving pattern has changed substantially since I ordered the vehicle, but in all likelihood could end up waiting even longer if I join the back of the queue for another vehicle.

A number of readers have told us about long lead times on the VW Tiguan – in fact, all three waiting for the same spec, the R-Line versions. They’ve said delays go back between 16 and almost 20 months

Kenny, 60, Durham: ‘My order is for an almost standard car, but the lead time is still looking like 17 months’

I was surprised to read in your MailOnline article last month that VW is stating a 10 month waiting time. That’s because I placed an order in March 2022 for a Tiguan R-Line and – having originally been given an expected delivery of 21 April 2023 – have just received an email saying the car will not be delivered until 31 August 2023. That’s 17 months after ordering.

The car I specced does have metallic paint but no other factory-fitted extras. My dealer is using the ‘shortage of chips’ excuse, but the customer service as a whole has been terrible.

Martin Culverwell, 73, Claygate, Surrey: ‘My son took delivery of a BMW in three months – why am I waiting 16 for a VW?’

Martin tells us he will have waited 16 months between ordering a new Golf Estate and taking delivery – while his son bought a new BMW and collected it within just three months

I ordered for my wife a new VW Golf Estate in standard specification from a main local VW dealer in March 2022. At the time, the sales staff said he thought I would have it by last November.

The salesman does update me on a monthly basis but the build date keeps getting pushed back. Previously it was 17 April 2023 but has since been postponed to the end of May. Furthermore, there is a further shipping delay of six to eight weeks, meaning a total 16-month wait for the car. I appreciate the Golf Estate is a fairly low-volume model, but am assured this is not reason for delay. The only consolation is that the agreed price is protected.

By contrast, my son ordered a new BMW 340i last September with numerous extras and received it within three months. It was built one week and he collected from the UK dealer the next.

I’m forced to wait for delivery as the Golf is one of the only cars that satisfies our needs – we have two labradors so need something with a large, but low, boot. Also, the subsequent price increases since March 2022 would hit us hard if we cancelled now – and we could have to wait longer for a completely new order.

Martin told us he has little choice but to wait for the new Golf Estate to be delivered because it’s one of only a few cars that meets his family’s requirements

Philip Bray, 60, Rotherham: ‘The dealer keeps telling me they’re sorry’

I ordered my Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line in March last year and it still has not arrived. The latest estimated date I have is 28 May but I fear it will almost certainly be delayed beyond the end of this month. All I get back from the dealer is that they are sorry and there is nothing they can do due to the production delays.

I am not happy to wait but this has gone on for so long that I am forced to do so.

Anonymous MailOnline reader: ‘Delays mean we are incurring service and maintenance costs on our current car’

Delayed delivery of a Golf GTI means one reader is having to incur unforeseen maintenance costs on a current car

I ordered a new VW Golf GTI for my wife on 18 February 2022. So far, I have had no prospective build date for the car, let alone a delivery date.

VW can give me no information whatsoever, either through the dealer or their national customer service centre.

My wife usually gets a new car every three years. At this rate, it will soon be time to order the next one before we have even got the current one!

And with her current car now out of warranty, we are starting to incur servicing and maintenance costs that we’ve always avoided by getting a new model every three years. It’s very frustrating!

What VW told us: When we contacted all manufacturers about lead times in March, a spokesperson at VW told us: ‘Due to the wide range of models and supply lines, as well as allowing for the typical lifecycle of cars including new model launch curves, a statement of average waiting time has little relevance.

‘All of our retail partners have cars available for immediate delivery.

‘As always, our sales teams are on hand to work with our customers and advise on specific model availability as well as the opportunity to advise on minor modifications of a specification which may reduce waiting times significantly.’