Issue with main dealer (advice required)

[JoeS3]

Hello people, i was wondering what your opinions are on the following...


I purchased my Audi about 6 weeks ago from a main dealer.
Last week i took the audi to my local main dealer to get a key coded. All fine.
When i picked up the audi the local dealer advised me that the rear break pads are 80% worn and the break discs need to be changed.


Having only had the car 6 weeks, i contacted the original dealer and questioned this. How can they sell me a car with 80% worn pads?
I questioned the whole Multi Point Check system but they're response was - well, we did our checks and everything seemed to be fine.

I mentioned that as a consumer i shouldnt be paying for this. Whats worse is that the original dealer also carried out an MOT a week prior to selling me the car. How did they not pick up on this? Again, sorry sir.....we did our checks, blah blah.

Additionally:
Ive only just realised that they didnt provide a service booket within all the documentation. Theyre offering to get this sorted (after giving me the, 'well, audi now store all service history online so we dont really send out service booklets) but im pretty ****** off to be honest.

what do you guys think? im thinking of taking this further. not very happy at all.

thanks

Joe

 

[sliced]

yea you should.

 

[Tonka Toy]

yea you should.

I agree, you should take it further and involve Audi UK Customer Services in writing.

 

[JoeS3]

thanks

Audi first then perhaps trading standards?

 

[JoeS3]

https://www.audi.co.uk/about-audi/contact-us/customer-services/contact-form.html ?

 

[andyam]

I just had the same! I'm fuming! I had picked my car up from Swansea audi in November. Recently my car went into Bristol audi for warranty work on the fuel flap and they said to me that my pads and discs are 75% worn. So I'm fuming right now. Will have to call Swansea and see what they say. Peeved me right off when I got my car back this afternoon...

 

[gilberto]

Poor from a main dealer, you pay extra for the peace of mind, they should replace with new parts as a minimum. They shouldn't have pushed back imo. You should get something as a goodwill gesture.

 

[voorhees]

I reckon the bloke who does the multi point check needs specsavers

 

[JoeS3]

gilberto, i know, terrible!

andy,
the original dealer accused the other dealer of making a bigger deal of the situation, saying they probably just wanted a sale.
although im fully aware dealers probably do this, thats no way to fob me off!!

poor, very poor.

 

[MrLapou]

I found they scare monger and exaggerate the wear of pads etc. Take it to a quick fit place for a free check, then decide what to do.

 

[JoeS3]

voor,
when the 'after sale manager' phoned me, he said the multi point check is only visual and in fact they dont literally check the level of the brake pad.

 

[sliced]

voor,
when the 'after sale manager' phoned me, he said the multi point check is only visual and in fact they dont literally check the level of the brake pad.

What to do is email the head of business for the branch that sold you the car, tell them that your local audi dealer has said the
"rear break pads are 80% worn and the break discs need to be changed." Ask them why they didn't get this sorted when they sold you the car just over a month ago, ask them how could they have missed something so obvious, and ask them how are they going to rectify the situation. The balls in their court now!

chances are you'll get a phone call tomorrow morning asking to bring your audi in for all breaks and discs changed FOC

 

[JoeS3]

sliced.

After sending an email to the original dealer, i received two phone calls...
[1] After sales manager (saying they were happy with the checks they did. i basically said no, im not happy, get the sales manager to phone me)
[2] Sales manager (saying again, they were happy with the checks...... the other dealer is making a big deal and no, we are not going to pay for the replacement discs & pads)

still think i should contact someone else at the branch? had enough of these buggers to be honest. need to escalate.

 

[honeybear]

Hi Hi I bought a car from Audi, with the warranty took the car for an independent safety check, because I am one hell of a suspicious Ba*****rd when it comes to garages. OH my Gord safety report,2 oil leaks 2differant tyres on the back with 3mm tread, Snagged seat belt and a couple of other minor points. Thanked the garage mechanic and took the safety report to Audi I had only purchased the car 3 weeks ago. They tried to weasel out of it. Looked under the good garage scheme,this garage was a member. Sat down and wrote a nice letter to the manager at Audi and named names and dates and gave him seven days to reply or I would send the same letter to head office and to the good garage. WOOOOOOW My mobile went white with the heat from this Audi garage the service manager phoned me up twice and then the technician phoned me up at seven o clock on the night. Took the car in the following day. Invited to talks with the garage Chief the following day could not have been more helpful . All work was done plus some minor work on plastics .The pen is mightier than the sword so put pen to paper.
Best of look this is my thread from just over a year ago

 

[voorhees]

voor,
when the 'after sale manager' phoned me, he said the multi point check is only visual and in fact they dont literally check the level of the brake pad.

It is easy for me to write this as I have read your post but replying "and you use exactly what else to check them,your nose" ?

Also this just reinforces my thinking that dealers are not that much better than buying from private sellers at all,people go to stealers thinking/hoping they are getting a guaranteed motor which is not always the case.

 

[Tonka Toy]

sliced.

After sending an email to the original dealer, i received two phone calls...
[1] After sales manager (saying they were happy with the checks they did. i basically said no, im not happy, get the sales manager to phone me)
[2] Sales manager (saying again, they were happy with the checks...... the other dealer is making a big deal and no, we are not going to pay for the replacement discs & pads)

still think i should contact someone else at the branch? had enough of these buggers to be honest. need to escalate.

Definitely escalate to Audi UK. Ring Customer Services first and express your disappointment at the poor level of pre-sale attention to detail and the complete absence of after-sales care. Then put it in writing..., always best to go belt & braces. Wont do any harm and gives Audi UK a chance to intervene and resolve matter amicably, probably resulting in the offer of some sort of "goodwill gesture" to placate you.

Trading Standards and Watchdog and worth a mention too during your rant and may help you get a satisfactory conclusion. If not, it's gloves off and really go for it!!!

 

[JoeS3]

to honeybear and everyone else in this thead, thanks very much for your advice....its helped alot.

i will definitely phone audi customer services first & then an email/letter n see what happens.

thanks!

 

[Viking]

I'd be more inclined to think that the second dealer is just swinging the lead and trying to get a sale out of a set of pads & discs. Easy thing to check, have a look at the pads (take a picture and post it up here) and see how worn they are. Many many stories of dealers inventing work when they get their hands on a car.

 

[JoeS3]

head down kwik fit then.

i actually got the second dealer to send an email to the original dealer stating the pads were 80% worn. i made sure they did that.
have an email trail.

 

[Viking]

No, not kwik fit! They're worse than the dealers for inventing work. Except they generally screw it up when they do it (unlike the dealers, usually).

 

[NHN]

With respect, if the brake discs & pads are still well within usage, then you as the buyer should of noticed this anyway when buying the car, you cant just rely on solely the checks by them, if you had seen the pads were low, you should of advised you wanted them replaced to buy the car.

TBH I can see why you would think its not right, to a degree, but its a used car & unless the pads/discs are down to the bone, then as long as they are safe to use/drive, then at the end of the day there is no reason to replace them & as said, another dealer is just plying for work when infact you will probably find they don't need replacing at all, YET, if it passed an mot, then there is no way they would need replacing, dealers may seem like money pinching at times, but they would unlikely compromise your safety & pass the car if the brakes are in need of changing, at worst an advisory & even that's not saying they're shot.

Example, our sb has some rust on the rear discs, but the pads have plenty of life & so do the discs tbh, they function perfectly & just because they don't look perfectly new, my mate whose anal audi mastertech always says look at the discs, I say its not because I cant afford, as I have new discs pads already stored to fit, its just unnecessary to change just because of a small amount of surface rust when they have passed mot & work perfectly & still would do another 10-20k tbh.

As for the service book, check service data with audi, if its stored fine then I wouldn't worry to much, they said they will supply one, ask them to put service data in it for you aswell based on audi's records & there you go, it really really isn't a big issue is it mate if they're prepared to sort the book, enjoy the car & don't stress over these things.

 

[Tonka Toy]

head down kwik fit then.

i actually got the second dealer to send an email to the original dealer stating the pads were 80% worn. i made sure they did that.
have an email trail.

You've done all the right things and "got your ducks in a row." The dealer's had their chance to sort it and stuck two fingers up at you. Now is the time to take it higher, no more chances or time wasting. I'm sure Audi UK will see common sense and do the right thing.

 

[JoeS3]

NHN, i completely understand what you're saying, perhaps i shouldve checked the pads before i bought the car. but im no tecchy, how many check am i supposto do? the reason i went to audi was for peace of mind and this is exactly what i didnt want.

whether or not the second dealer is looking for a sale, i dunno. what do i do? i have to go by the facts of whats been said and act upon it because ive only had the car for 6 WEEKS. im the consumer, ive got one dealer saying this, one dealer saying that. i shouldnt be in the middle of this getting shafted.
If i had the car for 6 months i wouldnt even bother, but its been 6 weeks. surely worth an escalation.

 

[Tonka Toy]

NHN, i completely understand what you're saying, perhaps i shouldve checked the pads before i bought the car. but im no tecchy, how many check am i supposto do? the reason i went to audi was for peace of mind and this is exactly what i didnt want.

whether or not the second dealer is looking for a sale, i dunno. what do i do? i have to go by the facts of whats been said and act upon it because ive only had the car for 6 WEEKS. im the consumer, ive got one dealer saying this, one dealer saying that. i shouldnt be in the middle of this getting shafted.
If i had the car for 6 months i wouldnt even bother, but its been 6 weeks. surely worth an escalation.

I fully agree with your sentiments. It remains an Audi UK issue to resolve if two of their franchised Main Dealers are making irreconcilably different statements. It's not for you to make technical decisions, THEY are the experts and you are guided by their opinions and findings. Furthermore, It's especially important in this instance as brakes are probably the most significant safety issue on the car!!

Oh, and I'd definitely kick-off about the missing service book too. A duplicate should be provided to you free of charge, fully stamped by appropriate dealers, as no book could be a potential major issue when it comes to selling the car privately in the future.

 

[NHN]

It was mot'd & passed by a dealer, I see no issues at all with the pads/discs or service book, they are still roadworthy, so accept its a used car & it will have used parts, its not really much harder than that fella, let it go as they really have done nothing really wrong, slip up with the book yes & they are resolving.

 

[sliced]

well one of the two dealers is telling porkies, let audi uk customer services sort it! Either way you should be better off after contacting them.

 

[JoeS3]

i hear what your saying, and yes, you're right in a way.

just gets a tad frustrating. i really dont like the crap dealers come out with, hard to keep it all in.

 

[NHN]

Ok, simple solution, show us a pic of the brakes condition, but I think they will prove to be roadworthy as you've not complained about the braking at all since having the car, just purely because a dealer says they're very worn, when in reality I suspect they have enough life in them for a USED car & dealers just trying to get some work.

 

[JoeS3]

as mentioned above someones telling porks, that in itself isnt good enough as far as im concerned.

will let audi customer services take a look into this. no harm.
just feel as though they need to know about this situation.

 

[JoeS3]

sure, will try and take a pic tomorrow

 

[hopeless]

I think Nigel is perfectly correct in saying that this is not a problem. If you buy a used car, even from a dealer, with a years MOT and the brake pads will not fail (wear down to metal) in that year or until the next service, then the garage hasnt done anything wrong.
Its a used car and the pads will be used.
Just ask for a goodwill gesture if you replace the pads yourself, you might be lucky.

If the pads look like they wont last a year or 10000 miles then by all means escalate it and take it up with the dealer as they would deserve flak for that.

pics will help.

 

[leeds2592]

Even if the pads do have some life left in them and the dealer is telling porkies to get some work, they are still in the wrong!

Just keep taking it higher and higher until you get a proper explanation as to why one dealer says they're fine and one dealer says they need doing. End of the day, they're ripping people off who aren't clued up on cars.

 

[Tonka Toy]

Even if the pads do have some life left in them and the dealer is telling porkies to get some work, they are still in the wrong!

Just keep taking it higher and higher until you get a proper explanation as to why one dealer says they're fine and one dealer says they need doing. End of the day, they're ripping people off who aren't clued up on cars.

Spot on!!:icon_thumright:

 

[JoeS3]

agreed. will contact audi customer services.

two dealers, someones telling porks, dont like this situation really