CatD Audi A5 - advice please
Discussion
Hi all.
I purchased a 61 plate Audi A5 Sportback earlier this year (mid feb) which has started to give me some problems and I'd like to know what I can do, and what the community THINK I should do.
Now I'll come out there and say it straight away - it was a CatD car with "some side impact" as expressed by the dealer.
I paid cash, full amount (just under 20k) and checked the vehicle out as a layperson would and it all looked good. I even got it inspected by an independent workshop and they said it all checked out.
A few weeks into buying the car, I started to get problems and the dealer has now taken the car back whilst he fixes them. (had it for 2 weeks now)
I've listed the entire list of my problems below (you may be surprised) and I am in a quandary as to what i can do legally and what I can do practically without cutting my nose off to spite my own face.
The chronological order of issues is as below:
1) Front drivers light failed / failing, inspected by Audi, needed new ballast - paid for by me - £200+
2) Interior courtesy light failed, replaced bulb at halfords and didnt work.
3) Rear drivers side door didnt lock when using central locking
4) Alarm randomly was being set off
5) Driver seat belt became completely LOCKED and activated the seatbelt light.
At this stage, I then took the car to my local Audi dealer (not the people who sold it to me) as I wanted to order a new spare key. Whilst at Audi, they took a quick look at the above items and discovered that the seatbelt mechanism was bent hence was locked. also, the wiring loom down the middle of the car had been severed and replaced with "diodes" which gave resistance on the wire to trick the car into thinking the safety system was complete. Finally, when they took the trim off the car they also discovered that the driver side B-Pillar (the post in-between the front and rear door) was snapped, and could be twisted easily with your hands. (I obviously didnt do this test when I inspected).
Whilst at Audi, they provided me with my new spare key, but it also turned out that the physical lock inside the key did not match the cylinder lock in the door. Even the key that came with the car couldn't unlock the door which identified that the door had been replaced and re-coded, but the cylinder was from another car, hence the physical key locks wouldn't work. Audi said I'd need a new cylinder (£200) and re-coding otherwise if my fob failed, the only way to get into the car would be to smash one of the windows - brilliant).
I took the car back to the dealer (sadly, they're 200 miles away from me) and they've had it now for 2 weeks conducting "electric - welding" to the B-pillar as "gas welding is hotter and would melt all the paint-work". I've also got to wait 2 weeks for a new cylinder replacement (at my own expense) for Audi to provide a new Cylinder which the dealer is happy to fit.
Now, I've given them a chance to repair the car, but all of this has simply been more than I bargained for! (yes, I know it was catD), but does the community think that the above works are over and above what is expected of a vehicle being sold (it was a 20k car). I've mentioned the option of a refund to them (even though this would leave me still at a loss given the amount I've spent on the car, I'm willing just to get back to square 1), however, do you all think I have a chance of this, or barking up a tree?
Regards
Jenny.
I purchased a 61 plate Audi A5 Sportback earlier this year (mid feb) which has started to give me some problems and I'd like to know what I can do, and what the community THINK I should do.
Now I'll come out there and say it straight away - it was a CatD car with "some side impact" as expressed by the dealer.
I paid cash, full amount (just under 20k) and checked the vehicle out as a layperson would and it all looked good. I even got it inspected by an independent workshop and they said it all checked out.
A few weeks into buying the car, I started to get problems and the dealer has now taken the car back whilst he fixes them. (had it for 2 weeks now)
I've listed the entire list of my problems below (you may be surprised) and I am in a quandary as to what i can do legally and what I can do practically without cutting my nose off to spite my own face.
The chronological order of issues is as below:
1) Front drivers light failed / failing, inspected by Audi, needed new ballast - paid for by me - £200+
2) Interior courtesy light failed, replaced bulb at halfords and didnt work.
3) Rear drivers side door didnt lock when using central locking
4) Alarm randomly was being set off
5) Driver seat belt became completely LOCKED and activated the seatbelt light.
At this stage, I then took the car to my local Audi dealer (not the people who sold it to me) as I wanted to order a new spare key. Whilst at Audi, they took a quick look at the above items and discovered that the seatbelt mechanism was bent hence was locked. also, the wiring loom down the middle of the car had been severed and replaced with "diodes" which gave resistance on the wire to trick the car into thinking the safety system was complete. Finally, when they took the trim off the car they also discovered that the driver side B-Pillar (the post in-between the front and rear door) was snapped, and could be twisted easily with your hands. (I obviously didnt do this test when I inspected).
Whilst at Audi, they provided me with my new spare key, but it also turned out that the physical lock inside the key did not match the cylinder lock in the door. Even the key that came with the car couldn't unlock the door which identified that the door had been replaced and re-coded, but the cylinder was from another car, hence the physical key locks wouldn't work. Audi said I'd need a new cylinder (£200) and re-coding otherwise if my fob failed, the only way to get into the car would be to smash one of the windows - brilliant).
I took the car back to the dealer (sadly, they're 200 miles away from me) and they've had it now for 2 weeks conducting "electric - welding" to the B-pillar as "gas welding is hotter and would melt all the paint-work". I've also got to wait 2 weeks for a new cylinder replacement (at my own expense) for Audi to provide a new Cylinder which the dealer is happy to fit.
Now, I've given them a chance to repair the car, but all of this has simply been more than I bargained for! (yes, I know it was catD), but does the community think that the above works are over and above what is expected of a vehicle being sold (it was a 20k car). I've mentioned the option of a refund to them (even though this would leave me still at a loss given the amount I've spent on the car, I'm willing just to get back to square 1), however, do you all think I have a chance of this, or barking up a tree?
Regards
Jenny.
Edited by GeordieLass87 on Thursday 28th March 19:01
It sounds to me like they've pulled a fast one selling you the car and are trying to do the same again in repairing it or trying/pretending to. I'm unsure where you stand legally but if they've misled you on the level of damage initially I wouldnt mess aeound any more, take them to court.
Get rid of it if there's any way that you can.
Sales of Goods Act still applies, it may be a previous write off but it should still have been repaired to a roadworthy standard if sold by a dealer I would think? If you'd bought privately you'd be even more up s
t creek than you already are.
Good luck, but I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them, for a start it sounds like none of your airbags or pre-tensioners will work if you're in a crash, the airbag light may be going out but that's just a trick, I bet if you pull the trim off there isn't even an airbag behind it anymore...
Sales of Goods Act still applies, it may be a previous write off but it should still have been repaired to a roadworthy standard if sold by a dealer I would think? If you'd bought privately you'd be even more up s
t creek than you already are.Good luck, but I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them, for a start it sounds like none of your airbags or pre-tensioners will work if you're in a crash, the airbag light may be going out but that's just a trick, I bet if you pull the trim off there isn't even an airbag behind it anymore...
Cat D repair on a nearly new, high value car means it will have had a proper thump, not surprised to hear about these issues/bodges/use of second hand parts. That is why they are cheaper than non cat D!
Its a risk you take.
Did you get photos of the accident damage and the repair work, or did you just buy it repaired?
Should have been 25% cheaper than a non cat D.
There are no guarantees of the quality of the repair, shame your inspection didnt spot the problems before you bought it. Wobbly B pillar sounds like a scary bodge.
Its a risk you take.
Did you get photos of the accident damage and the repair work, or did you just buy it repaired?
Should have been 25% cheaper than a non cat D.
There are no guarantees of the quality of the repair, shame your inspection didnt spot the problems before you bought it. Wobbly B pillar sounds like a scary bodge.
All you can expect is for them to repair this to a reasonable standard. I've seen countless cat D cars repaired to very high standards and they almost always represent very good value for money but the mistake the OP has mad is not getting it checked out before buying it.
This car sounds like a lemon and if the repairs have been carried out to such a low standard, I can't see it being anything but trouble. Try to get at least some of your money back before you lose more.
This car sounds like a lemon and if the repairs have been carried out to such a low standard, I can't see it being anything but trouble. Try to get at least some of your money back before you lose more.
The whole thing is a bodge, the wobbly B-pillar is truly frightening. Does this category not need to be independently inspected before it goes back on the road?
But the 'diodes' thing in the wiring loom proves that it has been bodged, so far you have only found a few of the bodges, how many more are there? It has been deliberately repaired in a manner to fool someone into thinking that the car is OK. Is this legal? Who did the repairs?
You will have to try and get a refund and get as far away from that car as possible.
But the 'diodes' thing in the wiring loom proves that it has been bodged, so far you have only found a few of the bodges, how many more are there? It has been deliberately repaired in a manner to fool someone into thinking that the car is OK. Is this legal? Who did the repairs?
You will have to try and get a refund and get as far away from that car as possible.
SV8Predator said:
The whole thing is a bodge, the wobbly B-pillar is truly frightening. Does this category not need to be independently inspected before it goes back on the road?
But the 'diodes' thing in the wiring loom proves that it has been bodged, so far you have only found a few of the bodges, how many more are there? It has been deliberately repaired in a manner to fool someone into thinking that the car is OK. Is this legal? Who did the repairs?
You will have to try and get a refund and get as far away from that car as possible.
VIC test not required for Cat D to the best of my knowledge, although that may have changed.But the 'diodes' thing in the wiring loom proves that it has been bodged, so far you have only found a few of the bodges, how many more are there? It has been deliberately repaired in a manner to fool someone into thinking that the car is OK. Is this legal? Who did the repairs?
You will have to try and get a refund and get as far away from that car as possible.
Blue Oval84 said:
Sales of Goods Act still applies, it may be a previous write off but it should still have been repaired to a roadworthy standard if sold by a dealer I would think?
It's a criminal offence for a dealer to sell an unroadworthy car. I don't know if that applies if the car is a Cat D, but don't see why it shouldn't.I'm quite surprised Audi let her drive the car away.
I wonder if she realises there's no Audi warranty on the car, and if it's insured as a cat D?
GeordieLass87 said:
Now, I've given them a chance to repair the car, but all of this has simply been more than I bargained for! (yes, I know it was catD), but does the community think that the above works are over and above what is expected of a vehicle being sold (it was a 20k car). I've mentioned the option of a refund to them (even though this would leave me still at a loss given the amount I've spent on the car, I'm willing just to get back to square 1), however, do you all think I have a chance of this, or barking up a tree?
Regards
Jenny.
]
I dont think you will get very far trying to get a refund, as its a cat D car its cheaper than normal, ie not as good as normal and you were aware something significant had happened to affect the value before you bought it. Hopefully someone will have experience of trying to reject a previously damaged car and what happened.Regards
Jenny.
]
I've had cat D cars that have been fine, but prefer to see pre repair photos before buying them so I know what I am getting. Cat D can be as little as a broken bumper but a 2011 Audi cat d is a lot of repairs. Also worth checking it really was cat D and not infact Cat C - in which case you could maybe reject it.
You bought a cat D car and had it independently inspected, and they said all was ok, turns out its not the best repair.
You need to speak to whoever inspected it on your behalf.
Garage is putting right some of the problems, id let them do it.
I do not believe you are in the strongest of position regarding the SOGA.
Edited to add....safety related stuff they will have to fix, cosmetics you will be on you're own with.
You need to speak to whoever inspected it on your behalf.
Garage is putting right some of the problems, id let them do it.
I do not believe you are in the strongest of position regarding the SOGA.
Edited to add....safety related stuff they will have to fix, cosmetics you will be on you're own with.
Edited by POORCARDEALER on Thursday 28th March 20:07
Oh and I just realised, regarding the garage's "electric weld" of the structural component that is the B-pillar, what they're telling you is that they want to do such a superficial repair that they don't even damage the paintwork.
Think about that and then watch what that pillar is there to protect you against-
http://youtu.be/1I13wzKxvBg?t=1m14s
Think about that and then watch what that pillar is there to protect you against-
http://youtu.be/1I13wzKxvBg?t=1m14s
To be honest I think your best course of action will be to pay Audi for a complete inspection to at least get a comprehensive list of repairs and parts (when you get it back). If they won't fix it based on that then I think you'd have reasonable grounds to small claims them for some or part of the cost. This may do nothing or may get you some sort of a resolution.
My concern would be what else is wrong with the car, as another poster said there may well be airbags missing etc, you may have bought Cat D but there's no excuse for them to sell you an unsafe car. Oh and I think they should be paying the key too. I've come across many Cat D's and the worst I've seen is badly fitting/wrong panels and bad paint, this is v bad. What would happen if you crashed the car and couldn't get out cos the belt was stuck due to them not fixing it? Doesn't bear thinking about....
My concern would be what else is wrong with the car, as another poster said there may well be airbags missing etc, you may have bought Cat D but there's no excuse for them to sell you an unsafe car. Oh and I think they should be paying the key too. I've come across many Cat D's and the worst I've seen is badly fitting/wrong panels and bad paint, this is v bad. What would happen if you crashed the car and couldn't get out cos the belt was stuck due to them not fixing it? Doesn't bear thinking about....
Its a difficult one this..
Firstly the garage repairing it are probably going to bodge it again so I would collect it, diodes sound about right for a bodged cat D but a snapped pillar is truely alarming!
Option 1.
Take car back part ex it an an unspecting dealer they will bid you in the bks due to its CAT status and ultimately by the time its been auctioned some poor punter will end up with it again.
Option 2.
If you seriously like the car take it on the chin and accept this is one of lifes lessons.. Book the car in to be properly repaired at your cost, at least then you know the car is safe and the repair good. I believe someone on here did an amazing job on a late M3.
Firstly the garage repairing it are probably going to bodge it again so I would collect it, diodes sound about right for a bodged cat D but a snapped pillar is truely alarming!
Option 1.
Take car back part ex it an an unspecting dealer they will bid you in the b
ks due to its CAT status and ultimately by the time its been auctioned some poor punter will end up with it again.Option 2.
If you seriously like the car take it on the chin and accept this is one of lifes lessons.. Book the car in to be properly repaired at your cost, at least then you know the car is safe and the repair good. I believe someone on here did an amazing job on a late M3.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff