If you can wait, then order and get exactly what you want. I live in VA, temporary in TX, and could not find cold weather pkg, or color combo that I wanted so I ordered. My price was very competitive (i shopped around three dealerships). Don't forget that the dealer gets more $$$ from the manufacturer because the vehicle doesn't sit on the lot, they also save on inventory tax. I am curious, what incentives are waiting on? The only ones that I have seen are on financing: 2 year 2.9, 3 year 3.9, 5 year 4.9.

 

The internet sales departments have told me the best incentives will begin in December. Then again, I'm in no hurry to buy. I don't mind ordering and waiting a few months, though I can't wait til summer for delivery.

The only down side to ordering is not getting to test drive your vehicle before leaving the lot. With my luck, I'd get a quirky one. My WRX was a special order but it was a buzz box from the get-go...if it had been on the lot with another WRX, I would have chosen the other.

 

Sorry your opting for the non open-sky.

I COULDNT IMAGINE MY A3 WITHOUT THE OPEN-SKY. It is a big reason why I loved the look of this car over anything else out there.

Since its November here in Jersey, the Winter coolness is approaching, so I cant really speak much yet about the heat intensity inside the cabin of my vehicle.
But I can speak for the intense pleasure of having this cool looking glass roof on top of my head. Had it open on Saturday last weekend, driving on the highway, and could barely hear much wind noise at all. It was the perfect amount of wind entering inside the roof, making it a nice open feeling and the ride more pleasureable.

And the look and style of the A3 is amazing with it open, and I love the fact that I havent seen ANYthing on the road that resembles the "OPEN-SKY SYSTEM".

 

I need to pipe in here too. This thread is just a little too negative towards the Open Sky. The Open Sky is one of the reasons that I bought the car. I looked on different lots around town and wouldn't purchase the A3 without it. Granted, I don't live where it gets unbearably hot, but I've seen days at just over a hundred and the car gets hot, but I've tinted all of the windows with 20% and the car stays remarkably cool now. I have the roof open probably at least every other day and I enjoy the breeze coming in and the fact that you can have it open on the highway with all of the other windows rolled up. Definitely the coolest sunroof system around at the moment. Nobody in my back seat has ever complained. Of course, I'd smack them if they did![:-]LOL Usually just my three kids.

Cheers!

 

I guess this all boils down whether you are a sun lover or you are not. :-)

 

It appears various drivers that have driven both A3's with and without Open Sky noticed the additional weight of Open Sky during quick changes of direction. Have any of you noticed this?

 

The glass of the open sky is so THIN!
If the glass portions do weigh more then a regular roof with no open-sky, I really dont think you would even be able to feel it.

 

No effect on rapid handling as far as I can tell. But then again, I've only test driven, and I prefer the 3.2 which is already a boulder on wheels. I'm surprised no one has piped up yet about structural rigidity/integrity...having that large of a sunroof area must some effect on flex.

 

I'm still leaning toward non-open sky, even though the car won't look as good...summer heat is terrible in my area, and the jury's apparently still out on aftermarket tinting making the glass succeptible to cracking.

I'd probably go for Open Sky if there were opaque or insulated covers available instead of that flimsy mesh.

 

As an automotive engineer, I'd be really surprised if the Open Sky roof system weight is the same as the std roof. With more weight higher off the ground, the vehicles center of gravity (CG) also goes up. Higher the CG, the more body roll you'll experience. And although the glass panels are 'thin', they're still heavier then a thin sheet of steel. Plus the weight of the mechanisms to hold and power the glass panels and the extra reinforcements to give the vehicle rigidity all adds up.
The 3.2L vehicles and AWD vehicles will have the weight of the engine/drive line to help offset the weight of the open sky system.
My 2 cents...