I signed an order and paid the deposit on a new Audi A3 Cabriolet automatic on 24 May and the order says for delivery in mid-September (although the dealer expected it by mid-August). I got a lot of flannel about not being able to get a factory order number and manufacturing date up until 6 July, when we were told that a new system was being installed and no details could be obtained until the 26 July. Nothing appeared, so on 5 August I went into the dealership and we looked it up on the new system. I was then told that it was due to be manufactured in the week commencing 23 January 2011!

I registered a concern with Audi Uk on the 25th August and they finally spoke to me today. They are also completely non-committal and tried to tell me that my car was not even late, as I never had a manufacturing date. It was all the fault of Audi in Germany which is a separate company and they only import the vehicles.

I feel that I have been strung along and that the dealer knew there was a problem with the availability of the automatic gearbox, but never told me and it's since got worse and got out of control. I would never have ordered a car in May for delivery in February! What are my rights? How should this have been handled?