2020 Used A3 - lots of problems

[DavidCambridge]

Hi

I think I need a bit of impartial opinion and that’s why I’ve joined this forum. About 3 weeks ago I picked up a used Audi petrol A3 SLI with approximately 5000 miles on the clock and about 6 months old from the local (UK) Audi dealer.

Right from the start there have been problems:

1. The car dash intermittently reports that cruise control is unavailable and that I should consult the system manual. The manual doesn’t offer help and just says something about this happens when the breaks overheat. That can’t be the case as the fault occurs from cold and remains the case until I switch the car on and off, and then it’s fine. Anecdotally, the problem seems far more likely to happen if it is either raining or the air is a little damp following rain. It has happened in bright sun with the roads pretty much dry and a few hours after rain. The car does not have adaptive cruise control. The dealer does not know what is wrong and say they will not ask for Audi UK assistance unless the problems happens whilst they have the car or I video the problem whilst driving (???!!).
2. I’m having intermittent trouble upshifting and downshifting into 4th gear (grinding sound when releasing the clutch). I want to give the car the benefit of the doubt and want to blame myself just getting used to it. I’ve been driving for 30 years, on average I keep a car for maybe 6 to 10 years, and I have never had this before. I’ve never had a gear box or clutch fail on me (I usually buy at < 10K miles, and sell at ~ 80K miles). I’ve not yet reported this problem to the dealer, but today I convinced myself the problem is more than likely real. The problem is always only with 4th gear. This one worries me in case it becomes a very expensive problem when I’m out of warranty. It will be virtually impossible to prove it to the dealer.
3. After getting the car back from the dealer for the second look at (1), one of the mirrors started making a horrible whining sounds when folding in. The dealer said there is an advisory and has agreed to fix it this coming week.
4. The car was delivered without the “key code” and I’m still waiting for that.
5. The MMI occasionally locked up after power on. The dealers has updated the firmware and it’s not happened again.

Anyway, I am and currently about one week away from expiry of the 30 days refund\reject window. To be honest I really don’t want to reject the car because faults aside I really like it. If I did reject the car we’d be OK as we are both working from home and don’t strictly need two cars, but at the same time I don’t fancy the hassle of having to start again. So what do you think, reject the car and have the hassle of starting again, or stick with it and have the potential hassle of this dragging on for months ? I am particularly fearful that once I cross the 30 day window I’ll lose any leverage I have to get the dealer to act in any sort of helpful timescale.

Thanks in advance.

David

 

[Stevo5]

Reject the car-all day long.
It’s a 2020 model with significant issues that shouldn’t be there on a new/nearly new car.
Plus don’t get sucked into the whole ‘30 day window’ pish….you can reject a car up to 6 months post sale if not longer. The dealer will have to have taken the car back and tried to rectify the issues once before you reject it outright and then they legally have to take it back.
This will help you-helped me on a recent 2nd hand Mini that developed problems:

https://www.thecarexpert.co.uk/rejecting-a-car/

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Martin Foy]

I'd be inclined to reject it. For a nearly new car what you describe is just not on. Plenty of cars out there if you do. Good luck.

 

[Paul McGrath’s Knees]

Definitely reject it,plenty more A3’s out there,why keep a lemon?

 

[Fatbloke]

Reject it if you can. Audi will not fix the issues if they are not straight forward but go through the motions until the warranty is out.

 

[AlS3BE]

Like others have said reject it.
at least start the process that way the dealer will get off their a55 and might actually make an effort to fix it as it’s not in their interest taking the car back.
I wouldn’t buy in to the 30 days/6months bull either if they try that crap on you. I rejected a car after almost a year and got pretty much all my money back.

ps are you sure it’s an 8v a3? 2020 should be an 8y a3. Maybe just posted in wrong place in the forum.

 

[SamB2020]

Hi

I think I need a bit of impartial opinion and that’s why I’ve joined this forum. About 3 weeks ago I picked up a used Audi petrol A3 SLI with approximately 5000 miles on the clock and about 6 months old from the local (UK) Audi dealer.

Right from the start there have been problems:

1. The car dash intermittently reports that cruise control is unavailable and that I should consult the system manual. The manual doesn’t offer help and just says something about this happens when the breaks overheat. That can’t be the case as the fault occurs from cold and remains the case until I switch the car on and off, and then it’s fine. Anecdotally, the problem seems far more likely to happen if it is either raining or the air is a little damp following rain. It has happened in bright sun with the roads pretty much dry and a few hours after rain. The car does not have adaptive cruise control. The dealer does not know what is wrong and say they will not ask for Audi UK assistance unless the problems happens whilst they have the car or I video the problem whilst driving (???!!).
2. I’m having intermittent trouble upshifting and downshifting into 4th gear (grinding sound when releasing the clutch). I want to give the car the benefit of the doubt and want to blame myself just getting used to it. I’ve been driving for 30 years, on average I keep a car for maybe 6 to 10 years, and I have never had this before. I’ve never had a gear box or clutch fail on me (I usually buy at < 10K miles, and sell at ~ 80K miles). I’ve not yet reported this problem to the dealer, but today I convinced myself the problem is more than likely real. The problem is always only with 4th gear. This one worries me in case it becomes a very expensive problem when I’m out of warranty. It will be virtually impossible to prove it to the dealer.
3. After getting the car back from the dealer for the second look at (1), one of the mirrors started making a horrible whining sounds when folding in. The dealer said there is an advisory and has agreed to fix it this coming week.
4. The car was delivered without the “key code” and I’m still waiting for that.
5. The MMI occasionally locked up after power on. The dealers has updated the firmware and it’s not happened again.

Anyway, I am and currently about one week away from expiry of the 30 days refund\reject window. To be honest I really don’t want to reject the car because faults aside I really like it. If I did reject the car we’d be OK as we are both working from home and don’t strictly need two cars, but at the same time I don’t fancy the hassle of having to start again. So what do you think, reject the car and have the hassle of starting again, or stick with it and have the potential hassle of this dragging on for months ? I am particularly fearful that once I cross the 30 day window I’ll lose any leverage I have to get the dealer to act in any sort of helpful timescale.

Thanks in advance.

David

Mine been a dog changing between 3rd and 4th since the day I picked it up, now when stationery the clutch makes a awful noise . It’s back in the dealership this week for gearbox removal and investigation work.

 

[Santiago]

Anyway, I am and currently about one week away from expiry of the 30 days refund\reject window. To be honest I really don’t want to reject the car because faults aside I really like it.

To me, that's the very reason to reject it. As said, plenty more A3's out there. If buying second hand I'd be inclined to look at a low mileage 8V, as there have been problems with the 8Y from the start; it's just that Audi have been very slow to admit to any of them. If you do decide to reject, send your official email request within the next few days. And make it crystal clear that you wish to reject the car, giving the reasons. You just have to be able to demonstrate a "significant fault", and I think you have mentioned more than one. Within the 30 day period the dealer can't deduct anything for usage or 'wear and tear', so you should get all your money back. How they react to your request should then determine whether you go back to them to source another A3. There are also plenty of dealers out there!

 

[DavidCambridge]

Thank you all for the advice, I must admit it wasn't necessarily what I wanted to hear, but undoubtedly you are correct and the sensible option is to reject the car. This I have done and have sent my letter to the dealer by both post and email. With a bit of luck it will all work out, and the dealer will be able to find another A3 for me.

If anyone is reading this in the future, and you are curious to if you have the same cruise control fault, I did manage to catch it on video and have posted it to my YouTube channel (skip to ~1:10 to get to the relevant part).



Thanks Again

David

 

[HulkRS3]

Hi @DavidCambridge, I also have the same cruise control fault intermittently on my 2021 S3. Turning the car on and off fixes it for me, so I can't replicate it. I'm not overly bothered about it personally but given everything combined you are facing I would also be inclined to reject the car.

Let us know if you get any further forward with the cruise.