Why choose specialists?

[Jeffreh]

I work for main Audi dealer myself, came out my apprenticeship about 2 years ago, but what i really dont understand, is why buy a spanking beautiful Audi and then get it serviced somewhere other than your nearest main dealer. I dont understand why people buy a car of such a 'caliber' as Audi n then not spend any money on it getting it sorted. Maybe im being a little nieve here for a 20 yr old lad but, people who do that are surely cheapskates?
The whole idea of Audi is to sell to a particular customer, of course like the obvious mercedes and BMW, am i right in thinking these customers are really betraying Audi by taking their business elsewhere? and possibly lowering the brand image?

[Rustynuts]

You seem to think that Audi technicians are superior to independent technicians. Given that you're only 20 years old and many independents have gained years of "main dealer" experience before breaking free and working for themselves, maybe your outlook will change when you have the experience that many others have acquired over their years in the trade.

[mb]

Its down to 1) attention to detail 2) speaking/dealing with the person doing the job & c) main dealers seem to rely on the diagnostics & then replace large expensive items rather than diagnose problems.

Skilled labour costs much the same as at the main dealer so specialists are certainly not the choice of "cheapskates" I don't really think anyone who travels a couple of hundred miles to have their car worked on by the proprietor of a business with 20 years experience of the marque devalues the brand in the slightest - arguably it is the service offered by main dealers that devalues the brand...

[Mouse]

I'm 22 years old and see putting it to a dealer as not really caring. Well certainly most VW's dealers seem to be useless, they are in Aberdeen. 4 VW's in our family and they have ****ed up with 3 of them regarding service. Independants are a little cheaper and usually more trusted.

I'd rather have a car with receipts to prove work/service history from an independant, than a FSH from a shoddy dealer

[BillBlank]

1. Experience. I worked in the trade in my youth and knew a lot of people from other workshops. As a consequence I wouldn't trust your average main dealer to either do a good job or not rip me off, lie and damage my vehicle.
Example. I purchased a Sports motorcycle of a different make to my usual, intending to use it properly. This would involve speeds that if a mechanical failure occurred, would result in my death or someone else's. I took it to the local main dealer for that manufacturer. I paid for a full service and three hours extra labour for them to go over every safety critical part of the bike because the previous owner was not someone who I had any confidence in. Being a paranoid loon I created twelve faults that would easily be picked up by a cursory inspection but that if they were missed WOULD hurt me at some point. Finger tight brake caliper bolts, loose fork stanchions, bearings, etc., etc. They picked up three. Even after the test ride. I have more examples but can't be bothered to type any more.

2. Product knowledge. Could you, even after two years at an Audi dealership, discuss my car with me and understand the myriad quirks and oddities that that particular model throws up? Can you diagnose problems by ear? Would you listen to my opinions, tell me I'm a cretin in the nicest possible way and take the time to show me where I got it wrong? Diagnostic aids are great but they are just that and it gets on my nerves when they are taken to be omnipotent sources of truth. "Computer says no".

3. Customer Service, courtesy and good manners. How dare anyone charge you eighty pounds an hour for their work and then patronize you and give off an air that it's an honour for them to deign to work on my vehicle.

For that kind of money I want good coffee and to feel like a valued customer. My local Honda bike dealership did that, it got them three bike sales, two full sets of leathers and three helmets from me in a year. My local bike shop who I now use for stuff I can't be bothered to do are the same. Trust is what it's all about.

I'm sure you personally are a lovely fellow and competent. Would I trust you? Er, no. I dismantled my first engine (an opel manta 1.9 lump, 1972 vintage) 22 years ago, I reassembled, correctly, my first engine 21 years ago, . If I go to a professional it's because I don't know what to do next. To be more often than not confronted by someone with less knowledge and skill than my self, sometimes a borderline, dribbling, cretin, put me off main dealers.

As for a particular kind of customer and cheapskates. A fool and his money are easily parted. If you, as a customer, take a business at face value and are impressed by the designer desks and nice carpets then bully for you. I'd rather drink coffee out of a chipped mug in an immaculate workshop where they are happy to let you wait and watch them work on your vehicle and they know what they are doing. It helps if their own vehicles are shining examples of either well maintained bangers or race prepped loveliness.

Does my rant answer your question? You touched a bit of a nerve I fear

Bill

[pontyslapper]

I have to agree with the majority.

Cardiff VW are a bunch of crooks - £345 for the second longlife service. And they didn't change the pollen filter or top up the windscreen fluid, but still charged for it.

Service indicator flashed when I was in France this month - I popped into the 'local' VW main dealer over there - what a difference - the name on the garage signage was the chap I was speaking to, his wife was the receptionist and the service techs were his sons.

I asked for a longlife service (4th one, so equivalent to 2nd) price - €150 was the reply - I asked any chance of being done the next day - he was full - I saw the booking in sheet - he then made the decision to 'fit' me in as long as I was there with car at 2pm.

I was. Service was done while I waited - in the car park - enjoyed the 2 hours or so reading my book - the showroom was literally a rack of windscreen wipers and a table with 4 chairs. No coffee machine or fluff!

I wandered in to the service bays and watched the garage owner and one of his sons for a while working on my car and several others.

When I was reading my book - he came over - he was apologising that he'd have to charge me €50 extra for some bits for the aircon service - eh, thats an extra £100 on its own in the UK - in France its part of the regular service apparently?!?

So all told - €202.15 for a 4th Longlife service including the aircon - thats with some of the filters costing 2-3 times the amount they do here in the UK!!

The breakdown of costs....

Labour was about £30 an hour - £110 for Cardiff VW last time I asked
Air filter was about £18 - UK VW charge about £7

Compared to the equivalent UK cost based on my 2nd service 2 years ago - I'll be hoping that the service indicator flashes up just before or during next years holidays in France!!

[cruiser647]

Originally Posted by Jeffreh

I work for main Audi dealer myself, came out my apprenticeship about 2 years ago, but what i really dont understand, is why buy a spanking beautiful Audi and then get it serviced somewhere other than your nearest main dealer. I dont understand why people buy a car of such a 'caliber' as Audi n then not spend any money on it getting it sorted. Maybe im being a little nieve here for a 20 yr old lad but, people who do that are surely cheapskates?
The whole idea of Audi is to sell to a particular customer, of course like the obvious mercedes and BMW, am i right in thinking these customers are really betraying Audi by taking their business elsewhere? and possibly lowering the brand image?

Does this include older Audis? Many main dealers won't touch older Audi's.
They wouldn't know what to do and don't have the knowledge.

My VAG indy cahrges something like £50 p/h + VAT as opposed to £110 + VAT at the official Audi stealer.
So, when my 2nd hand Audi needs a service, I'll go to the indy - as mentioned before, most have worked and been trained in the VAG system.

I had an Audi V8 Quattro (original big Audi, pre A8 model). If I took that to a stealer, he would not know :-
a) what it is
b) how to service it and get parts
c) probably charge a fortune
d) not care, as there were not many int he UK and he's not likely to see one again

So my indy got the job.

All the VAG indies are more than likely to use origianl VAG parts anyway.
And, as mentioend before - they know the cars and customers well.


Give it 5 - 10 yrs or so of you being told what to do by the Audi service manager and of him not caring about the customer cars (and not doing things properly) and you'll see why people get hacked off with the stealer. Then you'll go and open your own VAG indy garage.

[Mollox]

I think there's a time and a place for everything and situations when you would really want to go to a main dealer.

Obviously, the older a car gets and once its out of warranty then the more open you become to trying something different. At the end of the day its knowledge and service you're paying for.

I've had a few conversations with main dealers recently when trying to book my S3 in that I have ended quickly after hearing things like "What engine size is that Sir?" and "Sorry, I didn't realise it was Quattro"...

The other thing is, at £135 + VAT per hour, that's a lot of folding (*in this current economic climate) and when they're happy to charge you half an hour to unblock your washer jets (extreme example) then you have to be realistic about these things.