I've seen some of that. There's a lot of unknowns, so asking them to delay my order until I can get a facelift doesn't sound like a good idea. Plus I love how the pre-facelift looks anyway.
I was told by my dealer that they were told by Audi that all of their customers that currently have a deposit on a RS3 will have one built for them. If they weren't killing it with the RS cars I'd be a little hesitant to believe them, but with what I've been seeing on their website I believe it. I don't think they have a ton of RS3 orders though. I'm 4th in line and I think there's only a few people after me. It didn't sound like they had a long list. They currently have 11 RS cars incoming to their dealership. The other 2 dealers near me I've never seen more than 3 or 4 RS cars incoming or on the lot at the same time. Audi also told my dealer they'll be getting additional cars delivered to them because of all the totaled cars from hurricane Ian, so that might help me get one sooner.
I saw something about EU emissions getting stricter in 2025 or something like that too, plus the rumor about the next RS3 being electric. I wonder if 2024 will be the last year for this car with the upcoming emissions changes or if they'll be able to make them through 2025. It was an emissions issue preventing it from being sold in Canada right? Maybe they changed something with the facelift that's allowing it to be sold in Canada and at the same time meets the 2025 EU regulations.
I would be somewhere in the same ballpark on financing. My low mile R is worth 30-40k depending on whether I trade it or sell private. The spec RS that I wanted w/ Tech, sport exhaust, black optics, puts the car at about 65k.
AZ has excess taxes that we have to pay on auto sales which hikes up the total. Also, you have to take into account the increase in insurance. It's going to be a big jump, something that many don't think about. Again, at a 5% rate, it's bonkers. I'd be afraid to drive the car, honestly. Would be going straight to the shop for PPF on a good portion of the car, and the best UV blocking tint available. Something like 3M Crystalline.
I will say, based on your comments about where you're at in line, there are variables that exist there. I've spoken with and have friends who work at dealerships, and I've received different reports / stories from them. I've spoken with salesman who state that allocations go to the salespersons specifically, while others go to a "list", and if the person on the list no longer wants the car, it goes to the next person on said list.
The car I almost bought was from a salesperson at a dealership local to the Phoenix greater area. He told me that an allocation was coming up by the end of the month, and that the guy buying the car already had an R8 in the same color. Just so happened to be the same spec and color combo I wanted. I asked him "what about the next person on the list," he replies "you can be the next person on MY list." I thought it was sketch, but he knew I would have bought the car. The guy ended up closing on the deal, so he now has an RS & R8 in the same color.
Dealerships are shady, and I've been told by more than one that a "list" isn't even allowed to exist. You just place your order and wait. If a car comes in before that, outside of your order, and someone that wants it just so happens to be at the lot that day, they are going to sell the car to the person standing there. The dealership isn't going to start running down the list calling people, not in this market. If you want a car faster, you have to be persistent, making connections wherever possible. Ordering and waiting will take 1-2 years if you ordered a car today.
Remember this is for my area. I've added an extra thousand to the car for TTL, doc fees, add ons. I'm being generous with the 37k for trade, will likely get closer to 35k. The total financed would be closer to 35k+, unless I put extra money down, which I can. I would never buy this car unless I owned my R outright.