Why I will probably never buy another Audi

[macdond]

Being new to the Audi brand four year ago, my first two years of ownership experience was fantastic. Well that is where it ended when I bought a 1 year old S4 cabriolet. What a great car but what went wrong, well read this letter which I sent to Audi:

Ref: S4 Cabriolet registration S400DMD

To whom it may concern,

I wish to bring to your attention what in my opinion are serious failing of both Audi products and your appointed representative in this instance Stirling Audi.

During the ownership of this vehicle I have experienced numerous failures resulting in numerous visits to Stirling Audi, including:

1. Gear box failure (March 2006) (1 Visit)

a. The gearbox failed shortly after purchase and was repaired promptly after I served a letter of rejection on Glenvargill.

2. Alarm system failures (March 06 – December 2006) (3 visits)

a. The alarm system starting sounding for no reason initially in March 2006. This was initially dealt with by a mobile Audi technician, which insisted that the issue could be resolved by turning down the sensitivity of the sensors on my vehicle. I however insisted that the issue should be investigated further.

b. The vehicle was sent to Stirling Audi at which point they diagnosed faulty alarm sensors and replaced them (11/4/06).

c. The vehicle again suffered from intermittent sounding of the alarm during August 2006 and the vehicle again was returned to Stirling Audi. On this occasion they again diagnosed faulty alarm sensors and subsequently replaced them (11/8/06).

d. The vehicle again suffered from intermittent sounding of the alarm during August 2006 and it was suggested that a replacement coin tray would resolve the fault. I asked that this be sent to me, as no professional fitting was required.

e. The vehicle again suffered from intermittent sounding of the alarm during August 2006 – December 2006 at which point I insisted that Stirling Audi again investigate the issue. The vehicle was returned to Stirling Audi and they diagnosed a control unit and sensor faults. These units where subsequently replaced and the fault was finally cured.

3. Paint failure to rear bumper (September 2006) (3 Visits)

a. N.B. I have not been able to supply dates of actual visits, as Stirling Audi have been unable to supply me with this information.

b. My vehicle suffered from cracking paint to the rear bumper of the vehicle. I delivered the vehicle to Stirling Audi expecting that the vehicle would be repaired on the premises. On the evening I picked up my vehicle it was dark and raining and I was not in a position to inspect the repair work. The next day I noticed that the paint work to the rear bumper was sub-standard. I complained to Stirling Audi and subsequently discovered that my vehicle had been repaired at H & J Burgoyne, Airth.

c. The vehicle was returned to Stirling Audi to be repaired at which point when I got the vehicle back the bumper was not fitted correctly.

d. I returned the vehicle to Stirling Audi to have this rectified but was subsequently informed that there was no adjustment to the rear bumper and my issue with the fitment could not be resolved.

4. Chrome window surround failure (June 2007) (2 Visits)

a. My vehicle was delivered to Stirling Audi during June 2007 to have the chrome window surrounds replaced. They where subsequently replaced however on receipt of my vehicle, I was unhappy with the alignment.

b. I delivered the vehicle back to the dealership to show this to the then dealer principle John Kildare who agreed that the fitting was not to standard. He agreed that he would get the vehicle uplifted to be repaired for a second occasion. The vehicle was then repaired to an acceptable standard.

5. Automatic roof failure (June – July 2007) (2 Visits)

a. When my vehicle came back from the first window surround repair the operation of the roof failed. On the second visit for the repair of the chrome surround failure Stirling Audi informed me that they had re-calibrated the roof.

b. The roof subsequently failed again and the vehicle was returned to Stirling Audi on the 12th July 2007 and the fault was subsequently fixed with the replacement of a potentiometer.

6. Auxiliary radiator repair (June 2007) (1 Visit)

a. The vehicle was delivered to Stirling Audi to have alternator repair work completed. The radiator was replaced and since then a top of the fluid was required during a visit to Stirling Audi on 23/5/2007 for a replacement bulb.

7. Alternator noises (March 2006 – August 2007 (10+ Visits)

a. I initially started hearing strange noises coming from the vehicle during the early initial stages of ownership. This would manifest itself in the form of a screeching noise for the first minute of engine operation. I registered this with the Stirling Audi on a number of occasions with vehicle being checked on the 1st July 2007 with them finding no fault. The fault returned during the damp weather of December 2007 at which point I made further complaints to Stirling Audi to be told that they would have to experience the fault at the dealership.

b. The vehicle was delivered to Stirling Audi in January 2007 with documented video recorded evidence of the fault occurring at which point they completed a software update on the vehicle.

c. The vehicle was delivered to Stirling Audi in February 2007 because the fault remained and I intimated that I would reject the vehicle if the issue could not be resolved. They subsequently replaced the alternator, tensioner and belt.

d. The vehicle was delivered to Stirling Audi in February 2007 at which point they replaced idler pulley and bracket.

e. The vehicle was delivered to Stirling Audi in June 2007 due to again a noise coming from the vehicle. They subsequently replaced the alternator and returned the vehicle to me. However the fitment of the front bumper was not of an acceptable standard and was refitted during rectification work to the chrome window surrounds.

f. The vehicle was delivered to Stirling Audi in July 2007 due to again a noise coming from the vehicle. They subsequently replaced the front pulley. Again on this occasion they did not fit the front bumper correctly and it had to be refitted on a subsequent visit.

g. The vehicle was delivered to Stirling Audi in August 2007 due to again a noise coming from the vehicle. I also explicitly explained to Alan Cochrane the service manager that the front bumper had been poorly fitted on a number of occasions and could he please check this before the car was returned to me. The fault was diagnosed as a faulty alternator and belt. When the vehicle was delivered back to me the fitment of the bumper was not correct and I asked them to rectify this. I subsequently collected the vehicle the next day.

h. The next day on starting the vehicle I again heard a strange noise coming from the vehicle. I contacted Stirling Audi in the morning, however everyone in the service department was busy and they would call me back later. I did not receive a call back by late afternoon therefore I decided to drive to Stirling Audi to express my concerns. Upon arriving at Stirling Audi, Alan Cochrane apologised for not returning my call. He then inspected the vehicle and deemed that he could not hear any strange noises coming from the vehicle. I explained that the vehicle had been making strange noises upon starting and warming up, additionally I could also hear what I would describe as a loose belt upon the engine returning to idle. Alan Cochrane explained that as far as he was concerned he could not hear anything abnormal. I asked Alan Cochrane if it would require getting an independent report and he explained that if I wasn’t happy that I should take the car elsewhere for repair. This is clearly a statement I do not expect to hear from an Audi dealership. To avoid any further confrontation I decided to leave the dealership.

i. During the next morning I started the vehicle and recorded the fault on video. I promptly emailed this to Alan Cochrane asking if he believed the noise to be normal. I then called Stirling Audi and spoke with Alan Cochrane at which point he advised to return the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired and returned to me three days later.

As you can see from the long list of faults above, I have experienced considerable issues with the vehicle, workmanship and conduct of Stirling Audi staff. In particular:

Fitment of bumpers

Stirling Audi not returning calls

Stirling Audi not listening to customer concerns

Repeat visits to Stirling Audi on nearly all occasions where a fault has occurred.

From the evidence that I have enclosed there has also been considerable expenditure in excess of £5,000 for warranty repairs and further costs for the hiring of cars.

Whilst I appreciate that components can fail, I do not expect for the number of failures, which I have experienced. In addition I do not feel confident that the repair to the alternator area will be a lasting repair and would intimate if this fails again within the duration of extended warranty I will make moves to seek compensation or I may reject the vehicle.

The offer of the extended warranty made in March 2007 in no way compensates for the additional inconvenience caused since then and would expect further compensation. In addition I would expect an investigation to be carried out at Stirling Audi to ascertain why faults keep reoccurring and additionally why quality checks have failed.

Yours sincerely

D.MacDonald

Well just spoke to Richard at Audi customer services and this is his responce:

The offer made in February of an extended warranty is final and whilst we appreciate you have experienced numerous issues with your vehicle, we are only prepared to fix them under the terms of the warranty. I will publish Audi's responce when I get it.

[PetrolDave]

Well all I can say is you have been very unlucky with you vehicle and your dealer.

I've owned 5 Audis since 2000 (an S3, an S4, an A4 130 TDi Sport, another S4 and currently an RS4) and have only had a problem with one of them (the TV tuner on the first S4 was faulty) and that was fixed quickly and efficiently (and I was always given a suitable loan car) by my dealer (Camberley Audi).

So I understand your frustration and reasons, but all I can say is that your experience is very different from mine (both the cars and the dealers) and I will DEFINITELY be buying another Audi.

[macdond]

Dave

It's such a shame because the car is fantastic when it's behaving itself. I pretty sure that the majority of the problems have been down to Stirling Audi, however it makes my blood boil that Audi UK will not do anything about the situation.

[PetrolDave]

Just proves that the whole ownership experience is what matters ... something companies like Lexus, Toyota & Honda learnt a long time ago but which Audi UK still haven't learnt yet.

Poor dealers need to be removed from the dealer network, and the importer needs to believe the customer more often than he believes the dealer.

I remember a Ford executive saying to me several years ago while I was visiting their Dunton Research Centre that we tell 7 times more people about a bad experience than we do about a good experience. Something well worth remembering whenever dealing with customers ....

[TDiAvant]

I'm on to my 7th Audi in ten years, and have never had the amount of problems you have had with your S4. As Dave say's poor dealers do need to be removed, and Audi UK needs to look a littler closer at it's dealer networks

[DanG]

We should have some sort of Lemon Law like that that exists in the US.

30 days off the raod and its a 'not fit for purpose' and its a refund or new car.

Also improves turn around times as dealers do not want to keep cars over night for that very reason.

[techieboy]

More like your 4th or 5th in 24 months!

[cosmicblue]

I do remember from my own days in the retail motor trade - now some 20 years ago that it was often the nicest people that ended up with the poorest cars.

Some cars are for whatever reason 'not right' and become 'less right' the more they are torn apart and repaired - the repairs just generate more problems in their own right.

The quality of the dealer and their support from the vehicle importer is of paramount importance here.

Most vehicle importers have systems that monitor the warranty spend (warranty is underwritten by a special kind of insurance policy) on individual vehicles. If the warranty expenditure becomes too excessive they know that an unhappy customer is involved and many importers will seek to get the car back and either fully fixed or replaced.

It is likely that Audi have a catalogue of failures here - not just at the dealership (who are pretty helpless here and can be shafted by both the customer and the Importer concurrently). The dealership failed to communicate the severity of the recurring problems to Audi, Audi's field aftersales manager or equivalent failed to pick up on the issues and Audi UK failed to catch the problem before it got our of control.

Like many here I've been impressed by Audi's quality but accept that the dealerships vary immensely - from wonderfully professional through to woefully incompetent - and that is all down to the people. Great leadership can create a great team which in turn can deliver exceptional customer service. The challenge that many dealerships have is that the 'leader'is more often then not a former car salesman and that isn't the best place to start.....

[PetrolDave]

[ QUOTE ]

We should have some sort of Lemon Law like that that exists in the US.

[/ QUOTE ]

Second that!!!

We need some real measures in place to help us get away from the "Rip Off Britain" culture that's slowly but insidiously taking over.