Had to buy new A6 3.2 engine after just 44k miles, Audi UK only pays half

[TJAP]

I bought my A6 3.2 FSI Quattro when it was 18 months old from Leeds Audi. It is only 5 months out of warranty, has a FSH with Audi main dealers, and has done just 44k miles.

The engine completely failed 4 weeks ago.

After diagnosis at Audi Watford, I was told it needed a new engine, all because a relatively small and inexpensive item - a n/s bank tensioner - had failed, causing damage to valves and pistons.

I was also told the total bill would be in excess of £10k and that Audi UK would pay at least half of this as a goodwill gesture, with me being asked to pay the remaining £4.2k.

I am extremely brand loyal towards Audi. This is my 5th consecutive Audi, following 2 other A6s and two A4s.

Technically, whilst Audi UK is not obliged to contribute anything towards this repair - I had the option to invest in an extended warranty - I still think they should be making a far more significant contribution, particularly given my brand loyalty but also the age of the car and its low mileage. Everyone that I have spoken to - friends, family, business colleagues - feel that my treatment has been appalling.

I am not looking for Audi UK to fund the entire bill, even if other brands/manufacturers seem to do so in identical situations.

Machines sometimes go wrong but the whole reason for me buying into the Audi brand so passionately over the last 20 years is based around the design and build quality of their engines.

To have such a catastrophic failure with such a young engine, and for that to be caused by a failure of such a small engine component, really has left me shell-shocked.

Any thoughts or, better still, similar experiences? If so, what was the outcome?

Others I've spoken to think Audi UK ought to take the entire hit? Am I being short-changed?

All comments welcome.
Thanks.
Tim

 

[fjtwelve]

Try contacting Honest John at The Telegraph. I've seen a few similar issues highlighted by him that have resulted in a more favourable outcome. Yours, slightly less shell shocked but still hurting
(I got to 176,000 before my 2.5TDI disintegrated (cog that drives the oil pump stripped all its teeth) after i'd been led to believe 350,000 was likely. About £6k later i'm back on the road but still have problems.)

 

[maxlbrown]

You say you bought the car at 18 months old and that its 5 months out of warranty Assuming the warranty was 12 months. In reality is you car nearly three years old.


few manufacturers would give any warranty on a three year old car so the fact audi agree to pay half is good. PS you may be able to get the engine rebuilt for less if you look around. Im am not sure what a rebuild would cost nowadays.

Though i do agree i would expect audi to be more simpathetic toward this sort of thing a lot of common problems audi do not recognise nor will they replace yet we still buy what is essentially a vw.

Unfortunately in this day and age Brand loyalty means nothing as far as they are concerned you bought the car and now they have got you as you have no altenative but to replace or rebuild the engine as the car stands now its practically worthless so selling and replacing is out of the question.

As much as i love my A6 i dont find the engines particually good in terms of maintainability and reliability and certainly not for the price audi commands to many problems to list.

M

 

[EBN]

My A6 3.2 quattro with similar mileage developed the same problem last November, just two months outside warranty. I took it to my Audi dealer who played around with it for two months, replacing the tensioner and a rake of other top end parts. I refused to pay the ensuing €9,000 bill and after 2 weeks, the garage got the importer to agree to absorb 70%.

Just last week, the same problem occurred. I took it to an independent Audi garage this time who on opening it up said that the tensioner is again to blame and that a valve has impacted a piston. The car is again immobilised with an estimated €6,000 bill this time. On the advice of the independent, the car is back again with the dealer who repaired it last year. I have been told me over the phone that the repairs done last year are fully warrantied for two years. I am waiting for confirmation.

Reliable sources inform me that this problem is not at all uncommon and that Audi are well aware of it. So I would say you are definitely being short-changed!
Good luck!

 

[Andyuk911]

I would not pay, stand firm and explain this just plain ridiculous !

 

[marmite]

Have you spoke to customer services about this?
They work on a matrix system for goodwill, so speaking to them they maybe able to top it up.

Have you spoken to the selling dealer?
The other side of this is that anything can go wrong at any time it is a car held to together with nuts and bolts, glued cliped and all sorts, so things going wrong is always poss.

Is there a reason why the ex-warranty wasn't taken out, Customer services may ask this.
I my self wouldn't drive a car with out one.

The contribution is a gesture of goodwill, and they don't have to support in any way so if offering 50% is what they say in most cases that is it, Phone customer services. A little advise do not bleet on, just give them the facts and the history and see what they can do, they will go away and contact the dealer and some cases they get the dealer to reduce the costs to you!


ou will get a 2 year warranty on the engine if you contribute towards it, so If they come back offering 100% I would pay something toward it then you get 2 years warranty on the engine and new parts replaced!

Goodluck

 

[AAD]

TJAP
I can symapthise. Audi A6 Avant been with Aston Green Slough THREE times with red oil light. They tell me not to worry as its electrical and not mechanical. Driving with family over Easter and car stops on outside lane of m'way. Goes back to Audi who tell me it IS mechanical and will cost £6k+ to rebuild engine.

Will let you know the outcome

 

[mickey_a6]

TJAP
I can symapthise. Audi A6 Avant been with Aston Green Slough THREE times with red oil light. They tell me not to worry as its electrical and not mechanical. Driving with family over Easter and car stops on outside lane of m'way. Goes back to Audi who tell me it IS mechanical and will cost £6k+ to rebuild engine.

Will let you know the outcome

That's outrageous - it'll cost THEM £6k to rebuild, thank you very much. Hope you've got it all documented.

 

[AAD]

Documents

I asked Audi Slough for them and they are only able to locate 1. Makes me wonder exactly what they have/have not done for my hard earned £600-£700 I have paid. Apparently it is not a requirement that they need to produce a read out when pressure testing an engine.

Despite any assurances from their head technician, it is my firm belief that a car with no previous problems suddenly develops an array of issues.

Sales target may be a little tough to achieve following world credit problems

 

[finhunter]

Hi all, new to the forum.

Reading this thread I don't know whether to feel confident with Audi UK's level of goodwill gestures. (I know this is at their discretion)

My Audi 2.0 T FSI S-Line went for it's first MOT on 25/03/08. Passed no problem but on the way home the clutch packed in.

Sods law my warranty expired at 23:59 on 24/03/2008.

A mechanic friend reckoned it was the duel mass part of the clutch that had failed with the symptoms given.

Long and short is that at this point in time Glasgow Audi are fighting my case as after investigations there have shown the clutch flywheel had failed.

All this and only 15580 miles on the clock after 3 years......... and 10 hours old. And a full Audi service history (due it's 3rd nservice next month)

Expected to get a lot more mileage from the car before hitting snags like this.

 

[AAD]

I'd be an interested party tro see how you get on finhunter

 

[finhunter]

Got a reply yesterday;

Audi warranty and Technical say the clutch is burnt out according to the report and photographs Glasgow Audi sent to them.

Glasgow Audi say that the flywheel is damaged and it's not due to wear and tear or being burnt out.
Who's right

I spoke last night to a supervisor at Audi Customer care on the issue she has the authority to grant goodwill gestures but they say "clutch is burnt out"!! so no goodwill gesture will be authorised.

It's costing £1,357 to fix at Audi and I'll continue for now to see if I can get some form of goodwill gesture from them.

I would rather take the business away from Audi now but I feel as though if I do that it will make it harder to try and recoup anything.

 

[AAD]

Got a reply yesterday;

Audi warranty and Technical say the clutch is burnt out according to the report and photographs Glasgow Audi sent to them.

Glasgow Audi say that the flywheel is damaged and it's not due to wear and tear or being burnt out.
Who's right

I spoke last night to a supervisor at Audi Customer care on the issue she has the authority to grant goodwill gestures but they say "clutch is burnt out"!! so no goodwill gesture will be authorised.

It's costing £1,357 to fix at Audi and I'll continue for now to see if I can get some form of goodwill gesture from them.

I would rather take the business away from Audi now but I feel as though if I do that it will make it harder to try and recoup anything.

I would be looking for an ombudsman to mediate or indeed a soilicitor

 

[finhunter]

Thamks again for the reply and advice.

I got a call yesterday from the customer care manager at Glasgow Audi.

She was given another name to contact on my behalf. Long and short she initially felt that there would be a negative response but he returned saying they were now prepared to pay 50% of the total cost as a goodwill gesture.

Not an ideal conclusion but I was beginning to feel as though I would see no goodwill so 50% is better than nothing.

I still as an Audi customer question the following;

1. Glasgow Audi after sending an investigation report and photographs still got the response from Audi UK Technical that there were signs of wear and tear and not a fault as found by Glasgow!

Why then did Technical and warranty not see past their wear and tear diagnosis that they stated before this info. was sent?

2. (Devils Advocate here) How can I as an Audi customer now trust Glasgow Audi to repair, fault find or service my Audi in future if Audi UK do not trust the judgement of their own garages! How can I as a customer with minimal dealings with them trust them?


I cannot fault Glasgow for this situation even after I had resigned myself to paying all costs and trying to continue my fight via another route. The customer services manager did continue to pursue it on my behalf to semi-satisfactory conclusion.

Again thanks for any resposes sent with my rant.