Guess What (follow-up)?
 

(Follows on from "Guess What?".)

Dealer asked me to take the car in so that I could have the steering rods
replaced free of charge as no records showed this had been done under the
original campaign. Boy, was I not in for a bigger surprise when after
dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me that
while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up on
Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before), the
German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
including labour.

I say "thanks for the info", but could you please lower my car and get it
ready for me to pick it up when I finish work?

So, in the end, I just took the car to an independent mechanic and had all
of this plus an oil-and-filter change and 2 new Bilsteins for the front end
for $1000..

I really felt I had been cheated by the dealer. I did not check any other
ones as I did not have either the time of patience to drive an extra 100
miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
customers.

JP Roberts

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

JP Roberts wrote:

>dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me that
>while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up on
>Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before), the
>German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
>kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
>tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
>prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
>including labour.

What about warranty on the first repair/exchange job? Was it already
expired?

>miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
>customers.

US customers.. ?

Well, just to drop another view in:

My A6 TDI developed sort of a rough idle after 4 years. To sort it
out, my Audi garage changed both camshafts, filters, engine mounts and
re-adjusted timing etc.

The whole procedure took several visits and a few months, but I always
got a free loaner and didn't have to pay a single euro (except for the
fuel for the loaner). They were flexible with appointments and the car
was washed and cleaned inside every time.

During one of the first service visits in 2000 they should have done a
rewiring of the MAF which they didn't. It was not an absolute must,
but a recommendation. That caused the consumption of 3 MAFs of which I
didn't pay a single one. I insisted on the re-wirig after ~5 years.
The car was out of any warranty of course by then but as I had told
them about the re-wiring before (which I myself estimated at roughly
1,5 hours job for a good mechanic) I paid a more or less symbolic
contribution of 15 Euros.

Sure, one could argue, that it should have been completely free, but I
was happy it had been done and the tip to the mech would have been
there anyway.

And finally: I had an aftermarket (Eberspaecher) pre-heater installed,
which was subcontracted by them to another company. I was suspicious
because I wanted Webasto. They recommended Eberspaecher and sure
enough the pre-heater smoked like an old chimney and was unusable.
They picked up the car two times at my company to bring it into the
shop, leaving me a loaner. They agreed to change to a Webasto free of
charge for me in case they couldn't fix it in short time although the
Webasto was more expensive but finally found the flaw and fixed it
(pre-heater exhaust installation error). Since then it works like a
charm and hadn't shown a problem at all. To get this done in the end
they got their head mechanic, the subcontractor AND the Austrian
Eberspaecher head tech in to discuss that directly on my car.

I'm at the moment factually basing my decision on the next car brand
almost purely on the fact that I finally found a shop which is good,
fast, precise, flexible and features a good price/performance
relation.

Ok, enough babbling but the pluses almost never get mentioned. It's
the complaints which get sorted out here.

Regards

Wolfgang

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

JP Roberts wrote:

>dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me that
>while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up on
>Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before), the
>German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
>kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
>tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
>prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
>including labour.

What about warranty on the first repair/exchange job? Was it already
expired?

>miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
>customers.

US customers.. ?

Well, just to drop another view in:

My A6 TDI developed sort of a rough idle after 4 years. To sort it
out, my Audi garage changed both camshafts, filters, engine mounts and
re-adjusted timing etc.

The whole procedure took several visits and a few months, but I always
got a free loaner and didn't have to pay a single euro (except for the
fuel for the loaner). They were flexible with appointments and the car
was washed and cleaned inside every time.

During one of the first service visits in 2000 they should have done a
rewiring of the MAF which they didn't. It was not an absolute must,
but a recommendation. That caused the consumption of 3 MAFs of which I
didn't pay a single one. I insisted on the re-wirig after ~5 years.
The car was out of any warranty of course by then but as I had told
them about the re-wiring before (which I myself estimated at roughly
1,5 hours job for a good mechanic) I paid a more or less symbolic
contribution of 15 Euros.

Sure, one could argue, that it should have been completely free, but I
was happy it had been done and the tip to the mech would have been
there anyway.

And finally: I had an aftermarket (Eberspaecher) pre-heater installed,
which was subcontracted by them to another company. I was suspicious
because I wanted Webasto. They recommended Eberspaecher and sure
enough the pre-heater smoked like an old chimney and was unusable.
They picked up the car two times at my company to bring it into the
shop, leaving me a loaner. They agreed to change to a Webasto free of
charge for me in case they couldn't fix it in short time although the
Webasto was more expensive but finally found the flaw and fixed it
(pre-heater exhaust installation error). Since then it works like a
charm and hadn't shown a problem at all. To get this done in the end
they got their head mechanic, the subcontractor AND the Austrian
Eberspaecher head tech in to discuss that directly on my car.

I'm at the moment factually basing my decision on the next car brand
almost purely on the fact that I finally found a shop which is good,
fast, precise, flexible and features a good price/performance
relation.

Ok, enough babbling but the pluses almost never get mentioned. It's
the complaints which get sorted out here.

Regards

Wolfgang

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

JP Roberts wrote:

>dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me that
>while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up on
>Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before), the
>German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
>kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
>tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
>prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
>including labour.

What about warranty on the first repair/exchange job? Was it already
expired?

>miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
>customers.

US customers.. ?

Well, just to drop another view in:

My A6 TDI developed sort of a rough idle after 4 years. To sort it
out, my Audi garage changed both camshafts, filters, engine mounts and
re-adjusted timing etc.

The whole procedure took several visits and a few months, but I always
got a free loaner and didn't have to pay a single euro (except for the
fuel for the loaner). They were flexible with appointments and the car
was washed and cleaned inside every time.

During one of the first service visits in 2000 they should have done a
rewiring of the MAF which they didn't. It was not an absolute must,
but a recommendation. That caused the consumption of 3 MAFs of which I
didn't pay a single one. I insisted on the re-wirig after ~5 years.
The car was out of any warranty of course by then but as I had told
them about the re-wiring before (which I myself estimated at roughly
1,5 hours job for a good mechanic) I paid a more or less symbolic
contribution of 15 Euros.

Sure, one could argue, that it should have been completely free, but I
was happy it had been done and the tip to the mech would have been
there anyway.

And finally: I had an aftermarket (Eberspaecher) pre-heater installed,
which was subcontracted by them to another company. I was suspicious
because I wanted Webasto. They recommended Eberspaecher and sure
enough the pre-heater smoked like an old chimney and was unusable.
They picked up the car two times at my company to bring it into the
shop, leaving me a loaner. They agreed to change to a Webasto free of
charge for me in case they couldn't fix it in short time although the
Webasto was more expensive but finally found the flaw and fixed it
(pre-heater exhaust installation error). Since then it works like a
charm and hadn't shown a problem at all. To get this done in the end
they got their head mechanic, the subcontractor AND the Austrian
Eberspaecher head tech in to discuss that directly on my car.

I'm at the moment factually basing my decision on the next car brand
almost purely on the fact that I finally found a shop which is good,
fast, precise, flexible and features a good price/performance
relation.

Ok, enough babbling but the pluses almost never get mentioned. It's
the complaints which get sorted out here.

Regards

Wolfgang

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

JP,
I'd venture that it's not necessarily the "make" but the "dealer" who is
mistreating their customers - maybe you should consider going the extra 100
miles to the other dealer - post on Audiworld and here asking what the rep
of the other dealership is - and while you're at it, post the name of the
dealership that you had problems with so others can avoid lousy treatment.
If the independent is a good shop and does great work, why not continue with
them?
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45frn$ob8$1@news.ya.com...
> (Follows on from "Guess What?".)
>
> Dealer asked me to take the car in so that I could have the steering rods
> replaced free of charge as no records showed this had been done under the
> original campaign. Boy, was I not in for a bigger surprise when after
> dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me
that
> while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up on
> Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before),
the
> German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
> kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
> tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
> prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
> including labour.
>
> I say "thanks for the info", but could you please lower my car and get it
> ready for me to pick it up when I finish work?
>
> So, in the end, I just took the car to an independent mechanic and had all
> of this plus an oil-and-filter change and 2 new Bilsteins for the front
end
> for $1000..
>
> I really felt I had been cheated by the dealer. I did not check any other
> ones as I did not have either the time of patience to drive an extra 100
> miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
> customers.
>
> JP Roberts
>
>
>

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

JP,
I'd venture that it's not necessarily the "make" but the "dealer" who is
mistreating their customers - maybe you should consider going the extra 100
miles to the other dealer - post on Audiworld and here asking what the rep
of the other dealership is - and while you're at it, post the name of the
dealership that you had problems with so others can avoid lousy treatment.
If the independent is a good shop and does great work, why not continue with
them?
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45frn$ob8$1@news.ya.com...
> (Follows on from "Guess What?".)
>
> Dealer asked me to take the car in so that I could have the steering rods
> replaced free of charge as no records showed this had been done under the
> original campaign. Boy, was I not in for a bigger surprise when after
> dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me
that
> while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up on
> Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before),
the
> German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
> kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
> tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
> prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
> including labour.
>
> I say "thanks for the info", but could you please lower my car and get it
> ready for me to pick it up when I finish work?
>
> So, in the end, I just took the car to an independent mechanic and had all
> of this plus an oil-and-filter change and 2 new Bilsteins for the front
end
> for $1000..
>
> I really felt I had been cheated by the dealer. I did not check any other
> ones as I did not have either the time of patience to drive an extra 100
> miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
> customers.
>
> JP Roberts
>
>
>

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

JP,
I'd venture that it's not necessarily the "make" but the "dealer" who is
mistreating their customers - maybe you should consider going the extra 100
miles to the other dealer - post on Audiworld and here asking what the rep
of the other dealership is - and while you're at it, post the name of the
dealership that you had problems with so others can avoid lousy treatment.
If the independent is a good shop and does great work, why not continue with
them?
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45frn$ob8$1@news.ya.com...
> (Follows on from "Guess What?".)
>
> Dealer asked me to take the car in so that I could have the steering rods
> replaced free of charge as no records showed this had been done under the
> original campaign. Boy, was I not in for a bigger surprise when after
> dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me
that
> while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up on
> Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before),
the
> German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
> kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
> tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
> prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
> including labour.
>
> I say "thanks for the info", but could you please lower my car and get it
> ready for me to pick it up when I finish work?
>
> So, in the end, I just took the car to an independent mechanic and had all
> of this plus an oil-and-filter change and 2 new Bilsteins for the front
end
> for $1000..
>
> I really felt I had been cheated by the dealer. I did not check any other
> ones as I did not have either the time of patience to drive an extra 100
> miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
> customers.
>
> JP Roberts
>
>
>

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

I've long been having oil changes done at the independent. I think you're
getting confused here, since what we were discussing is the fact that this
should have been covered under a faulty design silent guarantee by the
make - read dealer.

"Steve Sears" <steve.sears@SHOESsoil-mat.on.ca> escribió en el mensaje
news:J8t9e.10819$Jg5.682964@news20.bellglobal.com. ..
> JP,
> I'd venture that it's not necessarily the "make" but the "dealer" who is
> mistreating their customers - maybe you should consider going the extra
> 100
> miles to the other dealer - post on Audiworld and here asking what the rep
> of the other dealership is - and while you're at it, post the name of the
> dealership that you had problems with so others can avoid lousy treatment.
> If the independent is a good shop and does great work, why not continue
> with
> them?
> Cheers!
> Steve Sears
> 1987 Audi 5kTQ
> 1980 Audi 5k
> 1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
> (SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)
>
> "JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:d45frn$ob8$1@news.ya.com...
>> (Follows on from "Guess What?".)
>>
>> Dealer asked me to take the car in so that I could have the steering rods
>> replaced free of charge as no records showed this had been done under the
>> original campaign. Boy, was I not in for a bigger surprise when after
>> dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me
> that
>> while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up
>> on
>> Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before),
> the
>> German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
>> kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
>> tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
>> prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
>> including labour.
>>
>> I say "thanks for the info", but could you please lower my car and get it
>> ready for me to pick it up when I finish work?
>>
>> So, in the end, I just took the car to an independent mechanic and had
>> all
>> of this plus an oil-and-filter change and 2 new Bilsteins for the front
> end
>> for $1000..
>>
>> I really felt I had been cheated by the dealer. I did not check any other
>> ones as I did not have either the time of patience to drive an extra 100
>> miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
>> customers.
>>
>> JP Roberts
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

I've long been having oil changes done at the independent. I think you're
getting confused here, since what we were discussing is the fact that this
should have been covered under a faulty design silent guarantee by the
make - read dealer.

"Steve Sears" <steve.sears@SHOESsoil-mat.on.ca> escribió en el mensaje
news:J8t9e.10819$Jg5.682964@news20.bellglobal.com. ..
> JP,
> I'd venture that it's not necessarily the "make" but the "dealer" who is
> mistreating their customers - maybe you should consider going the extra
> 100
> miles to the other dealer - post on Audiworld and here asking what the rep
> of the other dealership is - and while you're at it, post the name of the
> dealership that you had problems with so others can avoid lousy treatment.
> If the independent is a good shop and does great work, why not continue
> with
> them?
> Cheers!
> Steve Sears
> 1987 Audi 5kTQ
> 1980 Audi 5k
> 1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
> (SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)
>
> "JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:d45frn$ob8$1@news.ya.com...
>> (Follows on from "Guess What?".)
>>
>> Dealer asked me to take the car in so that I could have the steering rods
>> replaced free of charge as no records showed this had been done under the
>> original campaign. Boy, was I not in for a bigger surprise when after
>> dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me
> that
>> while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up
>> on
>> Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before),
> the
>> German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
>> kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
>> tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
>> prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
>> including labour.
>>
>> I say "thanks for the info", but could you please lower my car and get it
>> ready for me to pick it up when I finish work?
>>
>> So, in the end, I just took the car to an independent mechanic and had
>> all
>> of this plus an oil-and-filter change and 2 new Bilsteins for the front
> end
>> for $1000..
>>
>> I really felt I had been cheated by the dealer. I did not check any other
>> ones as I did not have either the time of patience to drive an extra 100
>> miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
>> customers.
>>
>> JP Roberts
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Re: Guess What (follow-up)?
 

I've long been having oil changes done at the independent. I think you're
getting confused here, since what we were discussing is the fact that this
should have been covered under a faulty design silent guarantee by the
make - read dealer.

"Steve Sears" <steve.sears@SHOESsoil-mat.on.ca> escribió en el mensaje
news:J8t9e.10819$Jg5.682964@news20.bellglobal.com. ..
> JP,
> I'd venture that it's not necessarily the "make" but the "dealer" who is
> mistreating their customers - maybe you should consider going the extra
> 100
> miles to the other dealer - post on Audiworld and here asking what the rep
> of the other dealership is - and while you're at it, post the name of the
> dealership that you had problems with so others can avoid lousy treatment.
> If the independent is a good shop and does great work, why not continue
> with
> them?
> Cheers!
> Steve Sears
> 1987 Audi 5kTQ
> 1980 Audi 5k
> 1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
> (SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)
>
> "JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:d45frn$ob8$1@news.ya.com...
>> (Follows on from "Guess What?".)
>>
>> Dealer asked me to take the car in so that I could have the steering rods
>> replaced free of charge as no records showed this had been done under the
>> original campaign. Boy, was I not in for a bigger surprise when after
>> dropping the car there, I get a second call in the afternoon telling me
> that
>> while the car is on the lift, a tie-rod replacement record has shown up
>> on
>> Elsa (they had pressumably not been able to set up a connection before),
> the
>> German database, and that I will have to pay for the whole thing. He very
>> kindly informs me that it's only the upper right-front end arms and both
>> tie-rod ends that need to be replaced. Since I had asked for an estimate
>> prior to any real arm replacements, he then quotes a total of some $800,
>> including labour.
>>
>> I say "thanks for the info", but could you please lower my car and get it
>> ready for me to pick it up when I finish work?
>>
>> So, in the end, I just took the car to an independent mechanic and had
>> all
>> of this plus an oil-and-filter change and 2 new Bilsteins for the front
> end
>> for $1000..
>>
>> I really felt I had been cheated by the dealer. I did not check any other
>> ones as I did not have either the time of patience to drive an extra 100
>> miles but this speaks volumes about how the make is treating their
>> customers.
>>
>> JP Roberts
>>
>>
>>
>
>