Dealer's asking for an Anti-theft Registration fee.

[JonS4]

Got the call yesterday, the car is finally here! Working out delivery details and things look as excepted except for a $249 anti theft registration. Is this an Audi thing or some third party product they are hoping I'll bite on?

[wwhan]

This is another way for the dealer to make money. You should refuse this.

[Brooklyn]

Refuse it. Sounds like lo-jack or something, but whatever it is, it's not an Audi product and appears nowhere on my sticker.

[wwhan]

Sounds like engraving

[NWS4Guy]

Yea Lexus tried this with me, the etched a serial number into the corner of every window on the car (sides and windshield) without my asking during PDI. Then they said in order to register the car they needed to charge a fee once, then yearly subscription to keep the info in the database and exposed to police in case it's stolen.

I thanked them for thinking for me (with dripping sarcasm) and asked how much I thought it would take to remove this etching, and they said it can't be removed, all the glass would have to be replaced. I said how much would that cost, and they said a few thousand dollars, so I said they will be taking that off the price I negotiated, since I didn't ask for this, and now felt my car was damaged. They tried to explain it didn't hurt the car, but I stuck to my guns, and they eventually gave me another grand off

In short I would say no. This car has to have the key to start, most all new cars do now.

Someone who can afford an S4 new, likely will not live, work, or park in an area where car theft is typical, nor is it quiet exotic enough to lure in high class thieves who might target something like an R8.

[JonS4]

......They tried to explain it didn't hurt the car, but I stuck to my guns, and they eventually gave me another grand off

In short I would say no. This car has to have the key to start, most all new cars do now.

Good on ya for the full court press :-)

Thanks all for the feedback.

[ahcow]

It's for some global theft tracking thing.....there's a stick on your driver door side that has some ID number for your car. It's for if you want them to use GPS to track down your car if it gets stolen. It's a fee of $249 per year, but my salesperson told me not to bother. Unless you have a rare car that's not easy to have replaced, it probably isn't worth it.

[theKB]

please let this thread know if you can get this taken off... you must be buying the car at openroad... see if you can get the DOC fee taken off as well... I am waiting for a new S4 and don't really want to pay these fees...

Considering in canada we pay 2 grand for freight and PDI... plus 500 for doc and 300 for theft prevention... simply garbage... all of it...

I know when we bought our touareg at clarkdale we were forced into it...

This "theft protection" is not for your benefit... its for the DEALERS benefit... they just charge you for it... although the 249 is less than Clarkdale is charging at $500... It really gives the dealer easy access to track down the car if you default on payments etc...

[JonS4]

please let this thread know if you can get this taken off... you must be buying the car at openroad... see if you can get the DOC fee taken off as well... I am waiting for a new S4 and don't really want to pay these fees...

Yup, at Open Road. It's an "optional" service they "highly recommend" is the party line I was given this morning. So I've not so politely declined. If this is the only wrinkle, I'll still count myself a happy customer.

With the un-pleasantries out of the way, I'm off to pick up the car at 5:00pm. A rare sunny day in Vancouver for the occasion no less

[theKB]

Yup, at Open Road. It's an "optional" service they "highly recommend" is the party line I was given this morning. So I've not so politely declined. If this is the only wrinkle, I'll still count myself a happy customer.

With the un-pleasantries out of the way, I'm off to pick up the car at 5:00pm. A rare sunny day in Vancouver for the occasion no less

Yeah... overall a great dealership to deal with... reminds me how clarkdale was in the "old days"...

Very jealous... I'm sure you will have a fun evening... just don't let the PO catch you doing 40 over or you will be missing your brand new car for 7 days!!!

Also take a spin over to Shift Autosport (5 minute drive) and order yourself an APR chip for it!!