Service Quality.

[JonRola]

After many years as a Jap fan (last two cars being a Primera eGT and then a GT which I still have) I decided to give the German cars a go. After owning my A3 for nine months it was due it's next service (50k). I visited my local Audi dealer (one of the biggest in the UK) to book it in. It was like walking into the Taj Mahal - it was impressive - guys in suits - free coffee etc. and a comfy lounge to wait in.
But that's where the quality ended!
The service was atrocious and incompentent but I thought it was maybe a one off.
Shortly afterwards I had to book my car in again for another procedure peculiar to Quattros. Another farce ensued - it wasn't a one off!!!

I am currently trying to get the dealer to sort out the two messes they made. If they can't resolve the problems to my satisfaction I will name the company and share my experiences with you all.
I was very pleased with my A3 before I handed it over to the 'professionals' - now I feel my enthusiasm for the car has been tainted. I just don't feel the same about driving it.

I would be interested to hear from other owners regarding problems with quality of after-sales service.

JonRola.

 

[A3Bash]

Well which ever centre it is, it isn't the only one. I've had the experience of 4 different Audi dealers & all off them are just the same. Personally I've found they all have the "do it tomorrow" attitude. Love the cars but the service just boils me up. What can you do though...

 

[JonRola]

Belfast (Isaac Agnew) Audi...
I would recommend that you try your local plumber first! I don't think he could do a worse job!!

 

[Harrelson]

What did they do?

 

[sub39h]

You aren't the first person to complain about that particular dealer. With the exception of one blonde service advisor at Leeds Audi, I've not had any problems at all with the service at any of the dealers I've used.

Birmingham Audi Approved will bend over backwards to cut costs for me, and last time I gave them my car with a bone dry tank and they put petrol in it for me to run it for a while and didn't even charge me (I specifically asked what I owed them for it). Couldn't fault the service at all

Only minor niggle was when I had it serviced with them last month they forgot to reset the service light. That's the worst thing I can say about them.

 

[S3Alex]

It's all down to individual franchises and often individual dealerships as to their philosophy(!) regarding customer service.

Leadership as they often say,comes from the top,and if the owner/manager isn't interested,you get rubbish.....fortunately,mine is excellent,and I've got no complaints about their service or coffee!

 

[eddyd]

Leadership as they often say,comes from the top,and if the owner/manager isn't interested,you get rubbish.....fortunately,mine is excellent,and I've got no complaints about their service or coffee!

So true especially in this case, none of the Agnew group I have ever dealt with have been very good and especially Audi as they have a total monopoly in Northern Ireland. I've come to the conclusion you just have to steer clear if at all possible, there are just too many horror stories much worse than the op's.

At the end of the day you don't have to go to them though, you can buy a car privately or in GB(discount pays for the travel), genuine parts from TPS, and all you need is a vat registered workshop for servicing to keep the warranty or even better vw/seat/skoda dealerships.

 

[JonRola]

I wasn't worried about the warranty, I just wanted to get a good service so that, if I passed it on, any purchaser would be confident of it's provenance.
Besides the smaller problems I have had with this company they managed to make a mess of my service record.
After I had the car serviced for the first time by them I discovered that they hadn't updated the service record, despite the fact that it had been left in plain view on the passenger seat. A short time later I left it with them for a 'Haldex' service and was ensured that the first service omission would be corrected. When I collected the car I found that the 'Haldex' service had been entered but the original service was still missing. When questioned about this they told me that everything was up-to-date. After a bit of persuasion they realised their error and put the original service on the next page of the service record - resulting in the recorded mileage reducing between services.
I was stupid enough to believe that I had just been unlucky and left my car with them again for another service. This time I took the precaution of emailing the service manager, reminding him of the previous documentation error, and asked him to ensure that it would not happen again.
I collected my car after the service and on checking my service record I discovered that the mileage had been written in, scribbled out, and written in again. They HAD done it again. When I complained I was told by the service manager that they were disappointed by my complaint as they had corrected the error in a professional manner. Scribbling the mileage out and writting it again is professional(?) - maybe in primary school(!?).
I contacted the MD of this company and his reply gave me the impression that they didn't like people who complain. He also stated an untruth in saying that I had made a declaration stating that I had made a preference to deal with smaller unapproved service facilities. I had, in fact, suggested that this might be what I should consider - not what I preferred. It seemed to me that the MD was saying that I should go away. Maybe almost £500 in approx 7k miles wasn't enough for them.
Great cars - rubbish aftercare!!

 

[a9503128]

I am starting to think I should change cars because the main dealer network is so poor, the shaven monkeys (service managers) that have been kicked through NEXT and landed in the dealership in a cheap suit, pointy shoes and matching hair are a fancy facard. It is designed to make sure you are kept away from the engineer doing the work and you are left to deal with a jumped up PARTS SALES MAN.

I have checked over my service history (before I owned the car) and the last owner was getting raped by Audi. I sent once to Audi for a £49 MOT without telling them of the car had changed hands to see what they are like. And yes they tried to rape my bottom too. Two phone calls to another Audi Dealer and an Award winning Audi Specialist I had cut £300 of an original £622 quote.

I had to stop them performing the valet they perform after the MOT because the clown headed in the direction of my car with a dirty yellow sponge, a sponge yes a f-ing valet boy using a sponge!

Then to really **** me off they cold called me 5 weeks later laying it on think that the bushes they quoted for are "in need of doing, could turn dangerous". At this point I lost the plot and read this monkey the riot act. If it "could turn dangerous" then how did it pass the MOT, why when I phoned around could I save £300, why did you charge the last owner £280 for a £120 tyre, why is you valet boy using a sponge and why do you put a greasy shaven monkey in a cheap NEXT suit in-between me and the person doing the work on my car?

 

[eddyd]

I wasn't worried about the warranty, I just wanted to get a good service so that, if I passed it on, any purchaser would be confident of it's provenance.
Besides the smaller problems I have had with this company they managed to make a mess of my service record.
After I had the car serviced for the first time by them I discovered that they hadn't updated the service record, despite the fact that it had been left in plain view on the passenger seat. A short time later I left it with them for a 'Haldex' service and was ensured that the first service omission would be corrected. When I collected the car I found that the 'Haldex' service had been entered but the original service was still missing. When questioned about this they told me that everything was up-to-date. After a bit of persuasion they realised their error and put the original service on the next page of the service record - resulting in the recorded mileage reducing between services.
I was stupid enough to believe that I had just been unlucky and left my car with them again for another service. This time I took the precaution of emailing the service manager, reminding him of the previous documentation error, and asked him to ensure that it would not happen again.
I collected my car after the service and on checking my service record I discovered that the mileage had been written in, scribbled out, and written in again. They HAD done it again. When I complained I was told by the service manager that they were disappointed by my complaint as they had corrected the error in a professional manner. Scribbling the mileage out and writting it again is professional(?) - maybe in primary school(!?).
I contacted the MD of this company and his reply gave me the impression that they didn't like people who complain. He also stated an untruth in saying that I had made a declaration stating that I had made a preference to deal with smaller unapproved service facilities. I had, in fact, suggested that this might be what I should consider - not what I preferred. It seemed to me that the MD was saying that I should go away. Maybe almost £500 in approx 7k miles wasn't enough for them.
Great cars - rubbish aftercare!!

A vw stamp is every bit as good as an Audi stamp for resale aswell.
I would count myself lucky if I was you. They havn't cost you thousands like they have other people and you now have the chance to take your business elsewhere.
As long as you keep the invoice for the work carried out, service book and letter from audi you won't have a problem when you come to sell.
I find it's their attitude to problems which makes them 10 times worse than they need to be.

Enjoy the car and forget about it, they're not worth it!