Is it me or are they being unfair ?

[pflowers]

Ok, I took my 53 plate S3 into the dealers back in September whilst still under warranty. They said it needed a new headlamp leveller and anti roll bar and bushings which was covered by the warranty. They did not have the parts in stock so would have to order them.

i took the car away and a week or so later ( into october now I think ) they phoned to say the parts were in and I booked the car in for 2 weeks after that. ( end of October ) they said they could not lend me a car and the day before the booking I found out I had to work and so cancelled the appointment saying I would rebook.

As they were making such a fuss about a loan car I had to be sure I could get a lift. I phoned at the beginning of December to re-book but was told my warranty had now expired so I would have to pay. I explained that yes I understood my car was now out of warranty ( 2 years 2 months old 70k so the 2 year unlimited was over ) but at the time the parts were diagnosed it was under warranty and it was not my fault they did not have the parts in stock and they could not repair it at the time. I also explained my situation with the lack of loan car.

I phoned Audi customer services who phoned me back 10 days later
( despite promising a same day call )
they said there was nothing they could do.

Am I being unreasonable in asking them to replace these parts now ? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/noidea.gif

Oh and BTW I have read the Audi warranty conditions and nowhere does it say the car has to be under warranty at the time the parts are replaced, only that it should be in warranty at the time of the faults developing.

 

[VAGMAN1]

YES - they are being unfair

don't expect anything from Audi UK customer services - in my experience they're muppets. Go to your local Trading Standards and get them to clafiry the situation - you paid the premium to buy from the dealer so make sure you get what you PAID for!

btw who is the Audi dealer?

 

[pflowers]

Sinclair Swansea.

 

[S3Steve]

They are definately being unfair, but i bet your regretting cancelling your original appointment now as it would have saved alot of hastle, even if you get them to back down and do the work under warranty.

 

[pflowers]

[ QUOTE ]
but i bet your regretting cancelling your original appointment now as it would have saved alot of hastle, even if you get them to back down and do the work under warranty.

[/ QUOTE ]


In hindsight yes /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bang.gif

 

[S3Steve]

Speak to trading standards and have a good read of the small print on your warranty. Hope you manage to get it sorted. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/book.gif

 

[jdp1962]

Wave the Small Claims Court in their faces.

 

[imported_gek]

They should still complete the work under warranty.

My air-con stopped blowing cold and I booked it in while still under warranty in May.
It was finally fixed on December 2nd, after my warranty ran out in July.

Audi customer services told me that if the dealer has started a job card for work while still under warranty, then ALL subsequent work will be covered, even if the warranty period lapses.

 

[ImS3ola]

Typical Audi. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif cnuts

But doesn't your warranty expire in 2006 if it's a 53 plate?

 

[pflowers]

[ QUOTE ]
Typical Audi. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif cnuts

But doesn't your warranty expire in 2006 if it's a 53 plate?

[/ QUOTE ]

The Audi warranty is 2 year unlimited miles from Audi and the third year is a dealer warranty up to 60K total.

My car has 70k on it but was under 2 years old at the time.

I am pleased that everyone is agreeing with me so looks like I will be persuing this further ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bravo.gif

 

[S3Si]

As mentioned before, threaten to go with the county court. I have just had a dispute with a dealer which has been going on for a few months with many letters and customer services being a waste of space (took 6 weeks for them to say they couldn't help as the dealerships are independent, therefore they have no authority over them. What is the point of CS then?!) Anyway, wrote to the managing director mentioning court action and a possible call to the local paper and funnily enough it got sorted. Well, mostly, but that's another story...

I am absolutely shocked at how audi behave and prob won't get another based on my experience, good luck.

 

[god_thats_quick]

There are now four manufacturers that are off my list to give more money too in the future (at least for a brain lead purchase)

Audi - Crap customer service and seems to be getting worse from reading the threads on the new A3 forum.
Renault - Good service, bad built quality (that said I had less problems less often with my clio)
Mazda - Mate had a new 6 estate, not one but two gearboxes went in the space of a month, they tried to blame him!
Ford - girlfriend has a fiesta in warranty that they refuse to fix even though the clutch is broken(not friction material wear) within 3 years and at only 30,000 miles!

I think manufacturers are in general have a shocking attitude to customers because they can get away with it on the most part!

If I were to buy a new car with my money that wasn't for fun ie TVR, it'd be a Lexus, Honda or Porsche they seem to be about the only ones I don't constantly hear bad things about!

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

Yep - totally unfair and wrong.

Call again and ask to speak to the general manager.

These people don't seem to understand that good customer service is actually a sales aid because you are less likely to buy from them again if the service is poor.

 

[stressfrees3]

Job creation,Audi customer services. They have to have a department so people have a number to call to complain but in reality they just reply with a standard type letter and bin ours. I have three letters to them now and have had the standard replyon the lines of 'nothing we can do, need to speak to the dealer themselves'

and by the way has anyone seen the audi channel on sky? Its cheap and tacky. crap like their customer services

 

[ianhg]

i had a golf whos turbo broke a week before the warrenty ran out. i managed to get the job card for the car and eventually through a few meetings with the manager managed to get the turbo replaced under warrenty a few months later. so fight for it they are being unfair