Audi A3 - Car Rejection - PLEASE READ - GOOD TO KNOW

[Bristle Hound]

@S3LVX - If your checking prices at other Dealers, don't forget to check out the the online brokers Carfile & Carwow

Both will ultimately be with Coventry Audi

Carfile were slightly more competitive on S3 prices in the latter part of 2014

 

[S3LVX]

I went Northampton Audi (my local) ..... I honestly think my deal is in the lower ball park....a lot of others have had even better deals.

.......all this BS really does take the fun out of owning a brand new Audi ....such a shame and I honestly hope you get to the day where ur driving a car that makes you smile everyday

They done a good deal for you well better than Bexley lol. It honestly does. Its my third s3 now and second one I have encountered issues with. It has somewhat made me lose the love for the Audi brand but I love the S3 as a car and in saloon format ticks all the boxes for me. Hopefully the new one is trouble free.

 

[S3LVX]

@S3LVX - If your checking prices at other Dealers, don't forget to check out the the online brokers Carfile & Carwow

Both will ultimately be with Coventry Audi

Carfile were slightly more competitive on S3 prices in the latter part of 2014

Thanks will definitely bare this in mind

 

[S3LVX]

I have completely hijacked this thread. I do hope Mani also was able to come to a resolve hsi problems with Bexley audi for problems encountered on his car

 

[mister.c.]

I have completely hijacked this thread. I do hope Mani also was able to come to a resolve hsi problems with Bexley audi for problems encountered on his car

I wouldn't worry about that - your needs are more immediate and Mani hasn't visited ASN since October.

 

[S3LVX]

Just had a really odd call from Audi. I was asked if they can use my car to be discussed in their monthly product testing meetings as it was of interest to them as they did want this to happen to other vehicles. I am in brighton at the moment but i was told that a like for like replacement can be brought to me and the swap made here. Bit of an unusual one considering they had the car for a month, but i suppose they were yet to identify the underlying issue.
I have yet to decline but as long as i am provided a like for like replacement i do not think i really mind

 

[David83S3]

Just had a really odd call from Audi. I was asked if they can use my car to be discussed in their monthly product testing meetings as it was of interest to them as they did want this to happen to other vehicles. I am in brighton at the moment but i was told that a like for like replacement can be brought to me and the swap made here. Bit of an unusual one considering they had the car for a month, but i suppose they were yet to identify the underlying issue.
I have yet to decline but as long as i am provided a like for like replacement i do not think i really mind

The fact they want to make an example of your car internally tells you something!!!! Its that bad they are using in meetings on product testing.

I understand you just want this to be over .......but if it was me I would be going for the neck vein!!

 

[S3LVX]

The fact they want to make an example of your car internally tells you something!!!! Its that bad they are using in meetings on product testing.

I understand you just want this to be over .......but if it was me I would be going for the neck vein!!

It really does! I do somewhat find it annoying but I think my level of expectation of Audi has really gone down the pan. The service received and aggro really does not make me feel like I want to be a returning customer after this next S3.

 

[David83S3]

It really does! I do somewhat find it annoying but I think my level of expectation of Audi has really gone down the pan. The service received and aggro really does not make me feel like I want to be a returning customer after this next S3.

Maybe don't lose faith in Audi .... just your local garage. Others on here have had great experiences with Audi

 

[S3LVX]

Maybe don't lose faith in Audi .... just your local garage. Others on here have had great experiences with Audi

That is very true. Going to be fourth S3 going to hard to pull myself away from them they just tick all the boxes but will definitely looking for a dealership with much better sales and after care service to regain my faith.

 

[SJR88]

Not an A3 but thought it might be of interest to this thread having followed it...

http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/news/146655/watchdog-two-day-old-audi-a1-in-brake-fault-shock

 

[mister.c.]

Whats the latest SJR?

 

[satyp]

Hi everyone,

Not sure if you are aware from the limited posts that I have made, I have had a horrific experience in owning my Audi A3 1.8 TFSI S-tronic. I purchased in May 2013 from a dealer in South East London/North Kent (trying to be nice I won't be specific which dealer group it was). I received a £3,000 discount on the car and for the time in respect of what was available as spec it was fully loaded - Audi Connect, B&O, half leather alcantara seats, I could go on - gorgeous car. I will now list the issues I have had in owning the vehicle:

June 2013 - (Yes one month from ownership) I was driving on a dual carriageway at 40mph, the entire car switched off and carried on rolling at 40 mph. All of the electronics died - air con, speakers, navigation, the steering became exceedingly heavy. The only part of the car that worked was the brake pedal, I consider myself extremely lucky not to have had an accident. I stopped called Audi Assist who asked me to restart the car and drive the car home where Audi would send out a technician to see if it could be fixed. The Technician informed me that one of the 9 ECU's had melted out causing a switch off of the cars electronic systems. Nothing too dangerous then!

July 2013 - My first issues with the S-tronic 7 speed dry clutch system. I pulled out of my driveway and applied normal force to the accelerator to initiate movement and the car jolted from 2nd gear in to 3rd. Audi Assist called once more to see if they could rectify the problem - no error codes or issues shown on the box. He offered to update my software but was trying to apply 8P DSG software to my 8V till I informed him that my A3 was an 8V (like really!?!?!) - the car goes in to the dealer I purchased from in order to review and fix if possible the problem.

August - September 2013 - I have a small graze on my door in a hit and run parking accident. Between Audi Insurance and the dealer, it takes the best part of 2 months to get the graze rectified and the vehicle returned to me. I go to pick up the vehicle, it is filthy and smells of cigarettes. I switch on the car and whilst giving the car to Audi with about 3/4 of a tank of petrol I have 15 miles range in the car. I go back in to the dealer and ask where my petrol is and I am told that the car had been driven 80 miles round trip to the bodyshop to be repaired (Hamilton and Palmer Coachworks) this didn't justify the rest of the fuel and so I believe the car had been used for other purposes.

November 2013 - Further S-tronic problems. The car on rare a once a month basis starts holding 3rd gear and instead of changing at 2,000 RPM kept holding till 3,000 RPM and refusing to change up to 4th gear. Additionally, changing down from 4th to 3rd (once a day) was changing slightly too early giving a lumpy down change. Both issues are/were a constant going forward to date.

December 2013 - January 2014 - Car goes in to the dealer 2 times to sort out an Air Conditioning fault on a faulty part and was misdiagnosed 2 times - i.e. 3 changes of various Air Conditioning elements to find the fault item. The car is returned to me in January and in the morning after having the car I note two suction pads on the windscreen and I contact my insurer to find that a claim has been made to replace my windscreen. I contact the dealer to ask them why and how this took place - I never received a response.

February 2014 - I begin a process with Audi HQ and the dealer to get me out of the car as I have had enough of the treatment and the general faults on the car that I have experienced. I am offered a preferential deal on an Audi S3 (£3,000 discount) and £500.00 from Audi HQ - I am quoted delivery once I eventually finalise my specification in February 2015. I repeatedly state that I need more assistance given that I can get 8% off the car as a minimum and that my initial deposit (£3,700) in my current car has evaporated to the tune that I have a £1,200 deficit in the vehicle.

March 2014 - August 2014 - Constant gearbox problems as mentioned - 4th gear to 3rd gear remains untimely and odd occasion the gear is held from 3rd to 4th till I stop at a set of lights (start/stop on). The car goes in for servicing in August. This is effectively a £250.00 oil change (or oil pack) and a valet of my car. One week after the car stops at a set of lights - start/stop engages but the car refuses to fire. My phone has ran out of battery and I borrow someones phone to call home for assistance. I coax the car in to life - bring it home - it holds 5th gear from the point that it goes up the box and stays there unless I used the paddle to change the gear. I call Audi Assist who come home in the morning and note a fault code. I am told to either wait 45 minutes to winch the car to the van or drive to the same dealer following the Audi Assist technician. I elect to drive. They take the car from Audi Assist only to call me three days later to state that they cannot find the fault code. Audi up their contribution to my new car to £1,000. I contact Volkswagen Finance in the hope that they can rectify my problems in respect of my deposit and negative equity in the car.

September 2014 - The Master Technician reviews the car and detects that there is too much clutch judder. I now provide them a video of the gearbox problem about holding 3rd gear to which they respond saying this is inconclusive (outrageous!). Per the service note received at collection the clutch and s-tronic units are overhauled. They maintain that they cannot find the fault code that I had when I drove in to the dealership (with Audi Assist).

October 2014 - I am contact almost two months after I raise my complaints with VWFS. I receive the car three weeks after giving it to Audi (this long due to a shortage of parts apparently!) - I am elated I finally get to make use of my Bang and Olufsen stereo (it really is that much better than the standard system in the A3 saloon - my courtesy car). I turn on my fixed car to find that I have 25 miles range of fuel in the car - I go back in to the dealership and the Workshop manager takes me to a Petrol station and fills my car up with petrol. I drive him back to the dealership. The cars gear changes are superb - silky smooth. I drive halfway to work - 16 miles in to a 33 mile journey and the car stops at a set of lights once more - the same issue as in August - refuses to fire after a stop/start cycle. After spending 20 minutes on the phone to the dealer trying to coax the car back in to life I am told by the Master Technician that once we start the memory of the car traces the last 20 stop/start events - I exceeded this driving from my home to the dealer with Audi Assist previously. The car eventually fires and the Start/Stop is switched off to ensure the error code is preserved. I return to the dealer once more and for the first time in this whole debacle I am angry.

I demand to speak to the Head of Business, Sales and Service. I eventually speak to the Head of Sales who states he will now initiate a Process of Rejection to return the car to Audi HQ - he states that the faults I have experienced on the new A3 is unprecedented. He states that this process will take 2 weeks and that I am no longer allowed to use my car and will be using their A3 saloon till my S3 arrives. I will be informed of how the finance will work in due course.

I have been disgusted by the level of service from the dealer although this has improved as the number of times I have been in increased and the performance of the vehicle throughout has been awful - it was/is my first car also. The S3 Saloon will now be arriving at the end of the month but my preferential deal of £3,000 (preferential discount - yea right!) and £1,000 from HQ is now off the table and that I will be receiving benefit by taking the S3 Saloon on the terms of my current finance arrangement - the Head of Sales will confirm this in the coming weeks and I will keep this thread updated.

Don't hesitate to ask questions or provide advice on this below.

Many thanks.

Hi

"Mani_S_Bhogal

Thanks for sharing your experience, more and more folk should take the time and do this. I am really keen to find out, how you handled vwfs in the end?. I am currently having a similiar issue getting heard from Audi with regards to an pulling issue with a Q7 from the outset, bought June 2013, however it's no where as serious as your series of issues.

Any pointers on how to tip them into providing a finance contribution to match the level of the contribution that existed when I bought the last car that currently doesn't exist on the newer model. It appears to be very difficult to get any email response from either Audi or VWFS. All the seem to want to do is acknowledge you email and confirm security and that's it.

I have tried to use resolver to escalate the matter once without any luck.

Would appreciate any response.


Thanks in advance

Saty

 

[Alva78]

My bet is that you've been dealing with Bexley Audi!
I think you should tell us who you've been dealing with as it will help the rest of us to avoid them in future.... they will lose business based on your history

Wow I'd be worried getting back into the car after the engine cutting off....

8%? that's a bit of a joke isn't it.... you can get that just by going through a car broker such as Carwow....

Yep Bexely Audi are terrible Andrew Collins (service manager) has gone now wonder if he was ther when you had your issues?

 

[Callum Jarvis]

I thought I'd just give my two cents on the matter, I'm guessing you're talking about Bexely Audi. If so they're my local dealer and one of the most incompetent, rude dealers I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with. Back when I had my A1, I had to take it in for a clutch issue, I gave them an immaculate key and was returned a key that looked like someone had a go at it with a butchers knife. Raised a complaint and to this day haven't heard anything about it...they most defiantly try to sweep things under the carpet. About a week ago I tried to call up Bexely Audi because my A3's alarm would sporadically go off at all times of the day. After serval failed attempts of trying to get through and being on hold for no word of a lie 40 mins, I eventually spoke to someone who sounded like I was inconveniencing them. I began to explain the issue with my car and the guy on the phone couldn't have sounded more disinterested if he tried. After a few minutes of explaining, the man on the phone tells me his system is down; explains to me he'll have to call me back and if I could give him my number...I proceed to give him my number, it didn't sound like he wasn't actually writing or taking note of my number in any form so I ask him to repeat it back to me...And guess what, the phone 'conveniently cuts out' ...That was it! I had had it with Bexely Audi, I went there the same day and got my car booked in but not without complaining to the service manager...But this time I wont make the same mistake twice and also informed him I will also be contacting Audi UK to log a complaint. I'm waiting for Audi UK to get back to me, thankfully I've never actually bought a car from Audi Bexely as I wouldn't give them a penny. My previous and current car are from the Inchape and Listers Audi groups respectively. Bexely Audi need to fix up! I expect that sort of slap dash service from a WJ King outisde a petrol station, not Audi..part of my believes I'd still get a better service from a WJ King outside a petrol station. I really hope someone from S@itty I mean Bexely Audi reads this.