Brand new A3 breaks down... Dealer then goes Golfing in it..
Discussion
My good friend, who will remain nameless while this affair gets sorted out, decided to treat herself, using her hard earned cash, to her first ever new car.
She is 25 and works jolly hard, so this purchase was a really big thing for her, as would buying a brand new car be to anyone.
She goes to her local main Audi dealer, chooses a nice A3 Sportback S-Line, picks the colour and the options, then waits a couple of months for it to be delivered, finally gets car.
Really likes car, cleans it religiously every week and keeps it pristine.
Few weeks into the ownership, the car refuses to start on a couple of occasions. Dealer is called. Car is taken away and then she is told there is "Nothing wrong with it".
Car fails to start yet again, gets taken into dealership again. They phone her and then decide that yes, the fuel pump is knackered and will fix it. Car stays there for nearly 2 weeks.
Gets car fixed finally and she is told to come and get it, but unfortunately has to send this email to them later on:
Subject: XX11 XXX
Hi XXXXXX,
Thanks again for all your assistance so far, however I have some concerns.
As you know, I collected my vehicle this afternoon. I have just opened the boot to find inside a receipt and score card for 2 x 9 Hole Junior golf pass for Allerton Golf Course, paid for at 2.47 yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. There are also multiple scuffs to the backs of both front seats as well as what looks like tree debris in the boot. I have not had anyone at all in the back of my car and the marks look like those that occur when children sit in the rear of a vehicle and knock the back of the front seats with their shoes, these marks have not been caused by my usage. I am also sure that there was no tree debris in the car boot prior to it being handed over to yourselves.
There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation, but to me it looks like someone has taken their two children to Allerton Golf Course for a round of golf on a Sunday afternoon in my car.
Whilst I understand that the vehicle needed to be driven to establish that the faults had been corrected, I do not feel that this is an appropriate use for my vehicle whilst it is in Audi's possession awaiting repairs.
Please can you let me know what your policy is in regards to the use of my vehicle without my consent, and also what my car was doing in Allerton or a Sunday afternoon, when I presume your service department isn't even open, or of it wasn't in Allerton how the receipt got into my car and the scuffs on the back of the seats?
I look forward to your response.
XXXXXXX
Now, if anyone had spent hard earned cash on a car which was their prized possession and kept it 'as new', you would be pretty annoyed by the disrespect shown here wouldn't you??
She is 25 and works jolly hard, so this purchase was a really big thing for her, as would buying a brand new car be to anyone.
She goes to her local main Audi dealer, chooses a nice A3 Sportback S-Line, picks the colour and the options, then waits a couple of months for it to be delivered, finally gets car.
Really likes car, cleans it religiously every week and keeps it pristine.
Few weeks into the ownership, the car refuses to start on a couple of occasions. Dealer is called. Car is taken away and then she is told there is "Nothing wrong with it".
Car fails to start yet again, gets taken into dealership again. They phone her and then decide that yes, the fuel pump is knackered and will fix it. Car stays there for nearly 2 weeks.
Gets car fixed finally and she is told to come and get it, but unfortunately has to send this email to them later on:
Subject: XX11 XXX
Hi XXXXXX,
Thanks again for all your assistance so far, however I have some concerns.
As you know, I collected my vehicle this afternoon. I have just opened the boot to find inside a receipt and score card for 2 x 9 Hole Junior golf pass for Allerton Golf Course, paid for at 2.47 yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. There are also multiple scuffs to the backs of both front seats as well as what looks like tree debris in the boot. I have not had anyone at all in the back of my car and the marks look like those that occur when children sit in the rear of a vehicle and knock the back of the front seats with their shoes, these marks have not been caused by my usage. I am also sure that there was no tree debris in the car boot prior to it being handed over to yourselves.
There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation, but to me it looks like someone has taken their two children to Allerton Golf Course for a round of golf on a Sunday afternoon in my car.
Whilst I understand that the vehicle needed to be driven to establish that the faults had been corrected, I do not feel that this is an appropriate use for my vehicle whilst it is in Audi's possession awaiting repairs.
Please can you let me know what your policy is in regards to the use of my vehicle without my consent, and also what my car was doing in Allerton or a Sunday afternoon, when I presume your service department isn't even open, or of it wasn't in Allerton how the receipt got into my car and the scuffs on the back of the seats?
I look forward to your response.
XXXXXXX
Now, if anyone had spent hard earned cash on a car which was their prized possession and kept it 'as new', you would be pretty annoyed by the disrespect shown here wouldn't you??
Edited by NinjaPower on Tuesday 23 August 17:04
A very good approach to this from your friend. My response would have been far less rational!
She better milk this for as much as she can. Full new car preparation from a professional detailed of her choice and as many free services as she can get out of them.
Let us know how she got on.
BTW, is the car White, and is she pretty?
She better milk this for as much as she can. Full new car preparation from a professional detailed of her choice and as many free services as she can get out of them.
Let us know how she got on.
BTW, is the car White, and is she pretty?
Can you argue TWOC? The owner gave permission for it to be driven for a short drive to test the car, by using it to go golfing with the kids, you are going beyond the permission granted by the owner?!
Surely that's TWOC?
As above i'd be in asking for the service manager and demanding a full valet and some new seat's!
ETA: beaten to the TWOC arguement by a minute by "XJSsometimeSoon"
Surely that's TWOC?
As above i'd be in asking for the service manager and demanding a full valet and some new seat's!
ETA: beaten to the TWOC arguement by a minute by "XJSsometimeSoon"
Petrolhead_Rich said:
Can you argue TWOC? The owner gave permission for it to be driven for a short drive to test the car, by using it to go golfing with the kids, you are going beyond the permission granted by the owner?!
Surely that's TWOC?
As above i'd be in asking for the service manager and demanding a full valet and some new seat's!
Great minds.......Surely that's TWOC?
As above i'd be in asking for the service manager and demanding a full valet and some new seat's!
This is by no means an excuse, but did the service department offer to let a technician take it on an extended road test to ensure the issue was fixed?
I have seen this done numerous occasions, some times I know the customer will be cool with what its really about - some times absolutely not. Essentially its a combination of technician wanting to have a nice car for the weekend and a little bit wanting to make sure the problem is fixed. (in that order)
Its vile behaviour, and needs to stamped on hard. I doubt that Audi UK will be too interested, the dealer Principle or Brand Manager will be very keen to see this issue resolved. Car should be valeted and first service FOC as a minimum.
Good Luck!
I have seen this done numerous occasions, some times I know the customer will be cool with what its really about - some times absolutely not. Essentially its a combination of technician wanting to have a nice car for the weekend and a little bit wanting to make sure the problem is fixed. (in that order)
Its vile behaviour, and needs to stamped on hard. I doubt that Audi UK will be too interested, the dealer Principle or Brand Manager will be very keen to see this issue resolved. Car should be valeted and first service FOC as a minimum.
Good Luck!
She should go to the dealer principal first before talking to Audi in my humble.
There may be more leverage there, especially if it's a franchise.
If she gets nowhere, then she still has the option to escalate upwards.
I'd say a valet, free service and a weekend in the dealeship's R8 (or other top spec demonstrator) would be a starting point for negotiation.
There may be more leverage there, especially if it's a franchise.
If she gets nowhere, then she still has the option to escalate upwards.
I'd say a valet, free service and a weekend in the dealeship's R8 (or other top spec demonstrator) would be a starting point for negotiation.
LukeSi said:
Tell her to get in touch with Audi UK, if I was in her position I would be demanding that the dealer replace the car with a brand new one.
That's just silly. I'm sure you'll give me lots of reasons why you think it isn't, but it just is. There are many ways of fixing the situation. That, to me, is just needless and petty.davidjpowell said:
With intermittent hard to diagnose faults I have had garages agree that a member of staff would use a car for a few days to see if they can replicate a problem.
Not cleaning it afterwards and not specifically agreeing it is naughty though.
Bit rich for a starting problem though - and it took them 2 weeks. Sounds like a main dealer with less clue about how to diagnose a car than the average two year old. A simple fuel pressure check sound like it would have caught this one.Not cleaning it afterwards and not specifically agreeing it is naughty though.
Globs said:
Bit rich for a starting problem though - and it took them 2 weeks. Sounds like a main dealer with less clue about how to diagnose a car than the average two year old. A simple fuel pressure check sound like it would have caught this one.
you haven't worked for an Audi dealer have you?NinjaPower said:
I look forward to your response.
XXXXXXX
In all honesty I think its rediculous how the car was taken like that. That would seriously put me off even sending the car back to them to service ect... I just cant believe they can do that to someone elses property. Not only was there an "extended test drive" usage of the car, but that many miles and the balls to take the prestine car golfing (which in my experience is usulaly quite messy) is just unspeakable!
Hope everything works out for your friend, and keep us updated.
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