Deceitful Audi

powerplay

powerplay

Grrrr
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
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Location
East Sussex, UK
I'm furious.

Took the car into Audi (Eastbourne) today for a minor repair, the passenger door window switch had stopped working, they were to fit a new switch.

Dropped car off at 9.30 today, walked around the car with service person, nothing was noted. I clearly remember signing a sheet of paper at the top to state car received in good order, they had not indicated anything on it.

I collected the car this afternoon, job done. Got in, tried the switch, all working, great.

Got home, and in hindsight should have walked around to passenger door at the dealer, but didn't and noticed this:

damage.jpg


A horrendous FRESH gouge on the door panel. :angrymod:

I dashed back to dealer (just a mile away so was back there in 5 mins) and got them to look at the door.

The service person who I'd left the car with this morning immediately produced the paper I'd signed ealier and now it indicated a mark on the door, which they DID NOT point out to me this morning, and could not have because it wasn't there this morning; we walked around the car and clearly I would have seen it had it been there, and clearly they would have pointed out anything which they found to warrant being made note of; I know it was not there, I washed the car last week before going on holiday, the first journey it has made since was to the dealer. Seems a bit co-incidental there should be damage to the door they had just a short while ago been working on!!

So not only did Audi fail to acknowledge the damage, but have tried to cover it up and claim the (clearly fresh) mark was already there.

I'm now awaiting a call from their body shop manager with a view to them respraying the door panel.

I've suddenly lost all respect for my Audi dealer. The next time I ever have cause to take the car in (even a service) I am going to take my video camera and VIDEO it in their presence before leaving it. They cannot be trusted... :no:
 
This is the sort of thing that gets up my nose.
The lies and deceitful behaviour.

Personally I would take the matter further as deception is a criminal offence as is forging paperwork.

It is relatively easy to see if the scratch is recent or not.
 
Every Time i have taken my car in for a service or to have work done I have always been given a carbon copy of the sheet they fill in to mark any damage. They really should have done this. I really hate this dealer Lottery we have to play. I now have to (out of principle) drive 50 miles to get to a dealer that seems to know about customer service and value.
 
Yeah, don't understand this business whereby you had to sign the paperwork and didn't get a copy - surely this is backwards. It's them that should be signing it to confirm they received it in good order and you keep the paperwork or at least a copy of it.
 
Why dont they just put their hands up and say sorry and then repair the damage without any fuss or lame excuses or in this case blatant lies.

I remember having a new £500 split rim kerbed at Graham Goode Racing when they were working on my Cosworth . They asked the mechanic if he had done it and of course he said NO and then I was made to feel like I was trying my luck on after spending nearly 20k with them rebuilding the engine and bits and bobs.

Have never spent a penny with them since and never will do.
 
That's truly shocking. Good point about valetting the car BEFORE going to the dealer though - it will make any further damage easier to spot.
 
Not good, Hope you get it sorted, Pity they don't give you a copy of that damage sheet, or initial the scratches when you pick it up :mad:
 
Definitely did not receive a "copy" of their document to show any vehicle damage. The only paperwork they gave me was the receipt for the work done when I collected the car.

The more I think about it the more angry I am - I feel as though I will be made to look, like co55ie mentioned, like I am trying my luck. thinking back to when I took the car in, I am 100% positive the service person did not note anything down when looking at the car - definitely nothing was pointed out - and that the document I signed was blank. as far as I'm concerned the car was in pukka condition.

I wonder if anyone else has a similar experience and if, just in case, I should mention it to my insurance co?
 
Wouldn't mention it to you insurance as it will prolly come of fyour NCB, keep at the garage and say you want it sorting.
 
Thats pretty bad! - i'd want a copy of someones P45 for that - seriously. I'm sick of dealers treating cars like crap. They don't seem to understand its someones well cared for pride and joy - just cos they drive round in abasjed up crappy old mondeo doesnt mean we want ours all bashed up and crappy.

Good pint about valeting car b4 going in for service - i learnt my lesson for this when i took my car in and it came back with a patch of light lacquer scratches on the front wings. What i suspected was they had covered the wings up with those mats they use when working under bonnet - but because the wings were quite dirty the grit must have caused the scratches as the mats moved around - so in future ill never take car in without making it spotless first
 
not an audi issue but i bought a brandnew mini cooper sport 2000 x reg, tahitti blue with silver roof and stripes.

went in for the 1000 mile service, picked the car up and drove home, washed and dried her, started polishing her and the sun was shineing on to the side of the mini and i noticed a line and few dots of touch-up paint on the door, had o look closser and the door was dented and touched up, straight back to rover, the service man before i even said anything his face went scarlet, i went nuts at him, i got all the appologys under the sun, they admitted it, was apparently an apprentance mec rubbed it up against the arm of the ramps, f****n muppit.

anyways i was quite lucky got 2 yrs free servicing for the sheer embaressment of wat they done, had the car for 1 month l8r and sold it, wasnt the same anymore
 
raymie said:
not an audi issue but i bought a brandnew mini cooper sport 2000 x reg, tahitti blue with silver roof and stripes.

went in for the 1000 mile service, picked the car up and drove home, washed and dried her, started polishing her and the sun was shineing on to the side of the mini and i noticed a line and few dots of touch-up paint on the door, had o look closser and the door was dented and touched up, straight back to rover, the service man before i even said anything his face went scarlet, i went nuts at him, i got all the appologys under the sun, they admitted it, was apparently an apprentance mec rubbed it up against the arm of the ramps, f****n muppit.

anyways i was quite lucky got 2 yrs free servicing for the sheer embaressment of wat they done, had the car for 1 month l8r and sold it, wasnt the same anymore
Click to expand...


It is unbelievable that they even try and palm the car back off on you. :sadlike:

Whilst on the topic of Mini's We nealry bought a 2nd hand Mini Cooper S from Woolaston BMW in Northampton . The car was displayed on the forecourt and was in great condition not a mark on it and it had 4 brand new tyres so the deal was done. A week later we went to pick the car up only to find it now had a huge scratch an extra 600 miles and 4 bald tyres.

Obviously told them where to get off and they even had the audacity to try and argue with me about giving me my deposit back..

Unbelievable.

I have found laughing at the excuses the best way to deal with the dubious staff as for some reason or other it seems to really wind them up :think:
 
exactly why i haven't been to an audi dealership in oooo 5 years :thumbsdown:
 
I put mine into the local stealership (Ingrams of Ayr) to get an MOT and got it back with scratches in almost exactly the same place, many more smaller ones though (looks like someone has leaned into the car through the window). I got the service dude out & told him about it before I left. He tried to deny it explaining it hadn't moved. I had already checked the milage & there was 7 extra miles on the clock. I told him & he went silent, looked like a right ****. He promised me a full valet to polish out the scratches and everything would be great. When I went in to pick it up from the valet, I got some feeble excuse about a valeter being off sick & they didn't have enough guys in to do it! I gave them a piece of my mind & said I'd bring it back when they were back. I checked round the car & everything looked ok on first glance, but......I didn't check the wheels!! On getting home I give it a good wash and on washing the wheels, theres 2 (albeit small) kerb marks! They definetly weren't me as I always park about a foot away from the kerb, just in case!
So, I'm never going near their shoddy establishment again! It's a shame such a good Marque is taken advantage of by cowboys.
There's a good Audi specialist nearby so he'll be getting all my work from now on in. Sacrificing FASH an all!:mad:
 
powerplay said:
I'm furious.

Took the car into Audi (Eastbourne) today for a minor repair, the passenger door window switch had stopped working, they were to fit a new switch.

Dropped car off at 9.30 today, walked around the car with service person, nothing was noted. I clearly remember signing a sheet of paper at the top to state car received in good order, they had not indicated anything on it.

I collected the car this afternoon, job done. Got in, tried the switch, all working, great.

Got home, and in hindsight should have walked around to passenger door at the dealer, but didn't and noticed this:

damage.jpg


A horrendous FRESH gouge on the door panel. :angrymod:

I dashed back to dealer (just a mile away so was back there in 5 mins) and got them to look at the door.

The service person who I'd left the car with this morning immediately produced the paper I'd signed ealier and now it indicated a mark on the door, which they DID NOT point out to me this morning, and could not have because it wasn't there this morning; we walked around the car and clearly I would have seen it had it been there, and clearly they would have pointed out anything which they found to warrant being made note of; I know it was not there, I washed the car last week before going on holiday, the first journey it has made since was to the dealer. Seems a bit co-incidental there should be damage to the door they had just a short while ago been working on!!

So not only did Audi fail to acknowledge the damage, but have tried to cover it up and claim the (clearly fresh) mark was already there.

I'm now awaiting a call from their body shop manager with a view to them respraying the door panel.

I've suddenly lost all respect for my Audi dealer. The next time I ever have cause to take the car in (even a service) I am going to take my video camera and VIDEO it in their presence before leaving it. They cannot be trusted... :no:
Click to expand...

Is your car Misano Red, powerplay?

I agree that what the dealer has done constitutes criminal activity, and I would tell them so.

You should expect the damage being put right at no charge and very generous compensation as an alternative to a trip to your local cop shop to report the matter.
 
Same story as ever great cars terrible service from the dealers.......If i was you Powerplay i would not give them 1 more penny of my money there body shop aren't any better
 
Thats just appalling, seems you cant trust people to be honest these days. My car has never been back to the Dealer yet and I worry when it goes for its first service.
 
Sorry to hear that - shocking behaviour, but not unexpected.

My previous one collected a wheel arch scuff down to primer and a chunk out of the SLine wheel. Back then there were no reviews of condition done but I spotted it immediately on collecting the car and complained quite loudly in the middle of the showroom. Fortunately for me, they gave in (without admitting liability) and replaced the wheel and did a touch up job on the arch using a Smart Fix type repair, which I was happy with.

They now do a review but strangely after I have left the dealer so I have no input, but in future I will do the walk with them and make sure I keep a copy of anything they write up.
 
Well 2pm and the promised phone call has not materialised, ho hum. Therefore I went back into the Dealer and asked to speak to the Manager.

Quite a different experience to normal, "Would you like to sit down, sir", "Would you like to help yourself to tea or coffee, sir" etc etc.

Still, waited 10 minutes to see the Service Manager who had just today returned from holiday and admits to having a "note in his pile" to call me but so far had not got around to it.

Anyway explained the issue and showed him the damage etc, he has agreed to have it make good and booked the car in for up to 3 days in their local bodyshop.

As to my query about them seeming to make a note of the damage on the document I'd signed (when on the walk-round the car nothing had been noted) after I'd left, he explained that "one of their technicians must have added that note" and that it was "perfectly acceptable" and "the norm" to indicate existing marks on vehicles after the customer has left.

I am astounded at this comment and pointed out to him that this policy basically gives them a "blank cheque" to cover up any damage they might make during their "care" of our property, and then claim it was already there.

The Service Manager had no alternative but to agree with me this was the case and that "clearly this needs to be reviewed".

He also confirmed to my query that they do not give out copies of the document I'd signed when I left the car (I now understand, as obviously they can't do that and then get away with their other acceptable policy of adding any other faults they fancy to it after the customer has signed it).

If this sort of practice is acceptable to car dealers then they must see us as all walking around branded "Sucker" on our foreheads. :jester:

From this experience my advice to anyone taking their car in for any work is to verbally agree the condition you leave the car in and if possible photo/video it at the dealer also.
 
Glad you got some were with it .......do the same again before it goes in the body shop walk round with the PDI
 
Hopefully you will get it sorted, what they should do is no damage, i.e acceptable condition no copy to customer.
But if there is Damage on the car beforehand, then the dealer should sign the form and give us (the punter) a copy!
 
Yeah. The stupid thing is that according to the service Manager, the document the customer signs when he leave the car is a one-off, there is no copy that is given to the customer.

Which surely makes it entirely useless, as there is no come-back in the case of a dispute.

Never fear, I will be raising this issue with Audi customer services, their standard operating procedures in this regard leave a lot to be desired.
 
insist they photocopy the document and give you a copy .

Obviously they are just trying to scam people by not giving a copy.
Again I am not sure if the way they are carry on in these type of scenarios is 100% legal.

The adding faults at a later date by the mechanic is definitley not legal unless its done in your presence and you initial it.#

I would at least inform the local trading standards of the way the dealership falsify documentation.
 
You need to write to the dealer principal mate and copy to Audi Customer Services.
 
For the sake of all Audi owners you should take this to Audi UK - completely unacceptable practice and procedure :asskicking:
 
garypaul said:
For the sake of all Audi owners you should take this to Audi UK - completely unacceptable practice and procedure :asskicking:
Click to expand...

Well put! Totally agree.
 
Agree also. As soon as the damage has been made good I will be writing to Audi UK to express my recent "disappointment" :motz:
 
Ok just to conclude this issue, got car back from Dealer today.

Door has been re-sprayed and no sign of the damage they did. Phew.

SORELY disappointed in the state of the car tho. Picked it up in pouring rain so not much time to pay much attention to anything. Now however I can see that the door and all around it is still covered in white powdery stuff, like dried wax polish but gunkier. The inside of the car is a right state. Mud on the carpet and white scuff marks on the leather, wheel and door trims.

Needless to say out came the Autoglym box of tricks and a cloth and a good cleaning session.

I think my Audi experience is probably not the run of the mill (I hope) but for me the next car will deffo not be an Audi. Far from impressed with this dealership!

Oh, on a side-note had a brand spanking new A4 2.0tdi Avant while mine was at the bodyshop. Nice interior but blimey what a lumbering chugging boat!! So unresponsive from stationary I kinda got used to flooring it most of the time and then waiting for something to happen.

Getting back into mine was such a contrast, just a few days without and you forget how quick off the mark it is - and how much more delicate you have to be with the pedal (oops).
 
audi upgrades
Least it's sorted now, sounds like compund dust what they left, oh well least you know better not to go back there!
Did you get your letter sent off to Audi?
 
Letter will be going off next week, wanted to wait to make sure everything was sorted before I let rip. As it is, I can now include their lack of care in the state they returned my car in my commentary!
 
Definitely include the poor state of the car on return - they clearly weren't that desperate to impress you and show you that they really do care!

Make sure you copy the letter you send to Audi to the Eastbourne dealer principal as well.

About time Audi gave there dealers a kick up the backside, nice cars, poor dealer service time and time again.
 
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