New owner of an A3...damaged it already! Need help please!

[slants]

Hey everyone,

Quite new to this forum, been a lurker for a few months but decided to post now for some advice..

I bought an '06 A3 over a month ago and just tonight I have severely damaged the bonnet and slightly dinted the side of the front bumper! I had parked the car in the middle row of a 3 row carpark and when I came back to it the car had rolled down to the barrier, damaging the bonnet and bumper. It was very lucky that no car was parked in the space where my car ended up. That person would have been stuck there haha.

Obviously I am at fault for not pulling the handbrake higher up and/or leaving the car in gear but I can not figure out how the car started rolling in the first place.
This is because when I had parked the car, I was sat in it for at least 5 minutes mixing and drinking my protein shake. The car was perfectly stationery, didn't hear any sound whatsoever. Could it have been that my car was nudged from behind? Hopefully there were CCTV on the car park to determine the cause.

The main question though is do I have any argument at all of claiming it under the audi warranty? I know it's a long shot but I'm really strapped for cash atm. Faulty handbrake maybe haha? A loophole I could take advantage? I'm clutching at straws here..

I've planned on replacing the bumper with either the s-line or new shape A3 bumper in the near future but it looks as though it will have to happen sooner. Does anyone where I can find them and how much I will likely have to pay for the parts and labour (respray, fitting, etc)? I'm a complete n00b when it comes to modifying cars!

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[consilio]

Its happened to me before. As the brakes and discs cool they shrink, decreasing the pressure applied by the brakes, and the car starts to roll. I find that the arm rest is particularly not helpful as this can sometimes get in the way of the handbrake meaning you dont always apply it properly.

 

[Pii]

Handbrake doesnt go up completely unless it lifts the armrest another inch or too. Have read others' stories of rolling cas but not sure if you can get a claim from Audi on this. The only thing you have is the fact that you stayed in the car for 5 minutes I suppose.

Good luck though!!

 

[NHN]

Check CCTV 1st.

But, IMHO, not a chance in hell the claim will get further than your printer/email client.

Have you tested the handbrake since on a steep hill?

 

[nally]

test drove a couple of a3's and alltho the arm rest is nice on the motorway. its a pain in traffic pulling it up w ould always leave in 1st gear also on a steep hill. as for the bumpers mate sline front bumpers go up to about 300 but expect the grill and fogs for that. i have just got one for £51.00 but its needs fogs and surronds so might not be on the car for some time.

 

[slants]

Check CCTV 1st.

But, IMHO, not a chance in hell the claim will get further than your printer/email client.

Have you tested the handbrake since on a steep hill?

Yeah I tested the handbrake and it's fine, musn't have applied it fully. Must be what consilio said about brakes cooling and pressure on them decreasing which started the car rolling.

test drove a couple of a3's and alltho the arm rest is nice on the motorway. its a pain in traffic pulling it up w ould always leave in 1st gear also on a steep hill. as for the bumpers mate sline front bumpers go up to about 300 but expect the grill and fogs for that. i have just got one for £51.00 but its needs fogs and surronds so might not be on the car for some time.

Do the fogs and grill on the sport not fit the s-line? Say I bought this bumper: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/audi-a3-s-lin...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a5d760d12 , what else would I need to buy for it?

Also where could I find a bonnet from? eBay only has the 03-05 bonnets.

Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this subject, I've only ever been to a garage for servicing and MOT!

 

[PH1L]

youve not a chance mate better just saving for your mods and getting them done

 

[GConn]

Too late for an advice, but I always leave my car in gear when I park on a slope.

 

[PH1L]

Too late for an advice, but I always leave my car in gear when I park on a slope.

i never use the handbrake always 1st or reverse gear