Urgent advice needed due to Audi mistake on new BE

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Medrep

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Hi All

After some head scratching I've finally realised my car does not have the S Line Suspension that I specifically asked for when ordering.

Audi have acknowledged their mistake but say it's now not possible to retrofit. I have been offered £25 gift vouchers or to take a browse through their accessories catalogue!!

What would you be thinking a reasonable gesture would entail? And what amount? I am pretty gutted about this but if there is any chance of a decent offering then it may take the sting out of it!!

I'd love to have the car remapped, but not sure if Audi offer this??

Any help greatly appreciated.

The car is an Avant 2.0TFSI BE, pretty much standard bar a tyre pressure monitor.

Thanks. :(
 
walk away, you cant do without the sline suspension.The alternative set up ie se 20mm drop is poor.amazing what 10mm does.....and it IS able to be retrofitted
 
Last edited:
johnnythepie said:
walk away, you cant do without the sline suspension.The alternative set up ie se 20mm drop is poor.amazing what 10mm does.....and it IS able to be retrofitted
Click to expand...

Really!!??

They told me it was impossible??

Sigh.
Not sure what to do now.
 
Its only springs and shocks
Eibach Federn : Produktphilosophie

I had to fit front and rear eibach arb's too to control the roll.Anything bar sline is like driving a 2cv.If you can, very quickly drive an se.But tell them to stuff it, they cant refuse.And offering you 25 squid is a pisstake.Once you take delivery youre ********.
 
Cheers.

I've had the carvfor around x2 months now though, i take it that's a problem?

If so, what would you perceive as an acceptable compromise.

If I'm being honest though, I don't mind the current handling, it's just the aesthetics. With two little toddlers sitting in the back maybe the softer ride is a blessing in disguise??

Thanks for your input.
 
Ah.Curing the aesthetics is fitting the springs to drop 30-40mm.An acceptable compromise would be carbon inlays!! (fitted to keep, loose to sell on.Thyre like rocking horse ****)
 
johnnythepie said:
Ah.Curing the aesthetics is fitting the springs to drop 30-40mm.An acceptable compromise would be carbon inlays!! (fitted to keep, loose to sell on.Thyre like rocking horse ****)
Click to expand...


Are the carbon inlays an Audi option then? I've not seen any but saw similar in an M6, it was jaw dropping!!


I'm intrigued!!
 
Why didn't you sort this when you got the car? It doesn't take a couple of months to work out how happy/unhappy you are with it.

IMHO you've blown your chances of getting a decent outcome. Get what you can and learn the lesson I'm afraid.
 
Funny, that's exactly what my wife said to me earlier!!!

I suppose I found the ride ok, it was just yesterday when a similar spec Audi parked (intentionally) next to me. I could see the difference in ride height and it got me thinking!!

But to be fair when you have spec'd something and made an effort to check throughout the order process, then to be told all is well you have to accept a certain degree of faith, which has been quashed!! I think to be honest that is why i am so pi££ed off. Me putting my faith in and not following my gut feelings.
 
You know the more I think about this, the more I'm not so bothered. I recall my test drive of the s line specced saloon being fine, but used to tramline under heavy acceleration around the dodgy a/b roads that surround my local area. My current car doest do this as much.

I wonder if the stiffer springs of the s line, under real world bad road driving, creates unsettled tram lining and the softer sports set up absolves this, resulting in a more settled, easier to put the power down, drive??
 
I can't see the dealers paying for aftermarket springs to lower it!
Perhaps you could push for a free service or two?
Sorry but I think that might be your lot!
I spec'd 30mm drop - going out to check now!
 
Keef said:
I can't see the dealers paying for aftermarket springs to lower it!
Perhaps you could push for a free service or two?
Sorry but I think that might be your lot!
I spec'd 30mm drop - going out to check now!
Click to expand...

It's a company car, so the servicing doesn't concern me as I don't pay for it, unfortunately!!

If you check in your Audi Service Schedule you will see a load of codes in the front page on a White sticker. If you see the code 1BE your unlucky!! Hopefully for you the right code is 1BV!!!

I have asked if it's possible to have bigger wheels put on but they said 19" was the biggest possible!?
 
If it's company then I guess most of the 1st line things they would offer
Wouldn't be of interest sevicing, valeting etc.
May be a audi track day?
Dont think I've seen an A4 with bigger wheels than 19's!
 
I have just taken a spin to local dealer, pretty much all the s lines I saw had the same drop, even some s4's, i.e 20mm sports. The parts dept wasnt much help, but did confirm that 20's were not approved for the A4.

Has yours got the 30mm drop Keef? If so could you post a pic side on for me?

Cheers.
 
Didnt get a chance to check. I'm working the rest of the day
Will check and post pic this evening!
 
You can put 20" on the A4 but need obviously to check the clearance and fit hub spacers.Check out audizine in the US.First thing the do to a new A4 is drop it and stick 20's on.Most of the stuff they do is too chavvy or 'ricey' as they say for me.
 
Medrep said:
I have just taken a spin to local dealer, pretty much all the s lines I saw had the same drop, even some s4's, i.e 20mm sports. The parts dept wasnt much help, but did confirm that 20's were not approved for the A4.

Has yours got the 30mm drop Keef? If so could you post a pic side on for me?

Cheers.
Click to expand...
sline drop is 30mm
 
Medrep said:
Funny, that's exactly what my wife said to me earlier!!!

I suppose I found the ride ok, it was just yesterday when a similar spec Audi parked (intentionally) next to me. I could see the difference in ride height and it got me thinking!!

But to be fair when you have spec'd something and made an effort to check throughout the order process, then to be told all is well you have to accept a certain degree of faith, which has been quashed!! I think to be honest that is why i am so pi££ed off. Me putting my faith in and not following my gut feelings.
Click to expand...

You may not be aware that I had an issue with my car. They missed the quattro!

I rejected it within 1.5 hours of collecting it. They said keep driving it whilst we look into it.

I kept it for 6 months whilst I delayed things* and then my new car was built.

* - MY2010 was around the corner and I wanted the LEDs, 3G, stop/start, smaller mirrors etc ;)
 
TBH if you paid for something & didnt receive, I'm sure the law backs you up.

£25 is an effing joke TBH, tell them nicely to fix the issue or trading standards & audi uk will be dealing with it, sorry but I have no patients anymore for ridiculous feckups like this, how can anyone miss ordering quattro ***, seriously thats extremely poor.
 
I doesn't matter if it's free or chargeable.

If the goods are not what you ordered then you don't have to accept them. However if you accept them and then a few months later start pondering the issue then I don't think you'll have much joy.
 
If it's a company car did you fund it yourself or is it paid for/leased by a third party? If it is then I'm afraid you'll have little to do with it as the contract is between the dealer and the third party all you can do is inform them that it is not as ordered and see what they want to do.

If you are the owner, perhaps for your own company, then if I were you I would pursue it. Ok so it's taken you a while to spot it but actually you expected it to be correct so had little reason to check beforehand.

It would of course be retrofittable by the dealer, they would simply need to order the springs and shocks for a car that is S-Line Sports and fit them to your car. I wouldn't want to go down the route of Eibach etc as it would be classed as a modification an insurance issue.

Assuming your purchase order says that you ordered S-Line Sports and if they are unable to provide the option as ordered then simply tell them you reject the car on the basis of breach of contract. As much as you didn't notice until now, neither did they and all cars should be checked at delivery against the spec ordered.

You will have to put everything in writing and I'd suggest some serious advice, perhaps free RAC Legal as you have RAC cover with the car.

Keep us posted.
 
Thanks guys.

The dealer has offered me a £60 T Shirt!!!!

I am going to speak with my lease company and see what they say!?

Before I go down the road of complaining though, would you think the s line drop would rub when fully loaded, i.e. family 2 week holiday, full roof box, boot, bikes, interior etc etc? We went away recently and the car was real low, drove fine but sat very low on the rear?

Hypothetically speaking, if I 'was' to have the s line retrofitted and it rubbed or ended up in a poor ride in the above circumstances I am going to look like a giant kno.............!!

Cheers
 
If the S-line sports 30mm drop was an issue when the vehicle was fully laden then surely the manufacture wouldn’t
offer it as an option - I’m off on hols next week with a car full and don’t expect to have any issues.

Tell them to stick the T-shirt where the sun don’t shine!

I guess the real question here is what do you want from them – car exchange, reasonable compensation etc..?
If you don’t get straight to the point with them they’ll keep offering silly stuff (don’t mean to sound harsh but
I’m speaking from personal experience – took me nearly 12 months to resolve)
 
Keef said:
If the S-line sports 30mm drop was an issue when the vehicle was fully laden then surely the manufacture wouldn’t
offer it as an option - I’m off on hols next week with a car full and don’t expect to have any issues.

Tell them to stick the T-shirt where the sun don’t shine!

I guess the real question here is what do you want from them – car exchange, reasonable compensation etc..?
If you don’t get straight to the point with them they’ll keep offering silly stuff (don’t mean to sound harsh but
I’m speaking from personal experience – took me nearly 12 months to resolve)
Click to expand...

A free S4!!??

Im just bitter because I really stressed thats what I wanted, and they told me throughout that it was ordered, and that it had it fitted when I collected it! I have spoken with lease company and they would like me to send them an email!

S Line Shocks is what I really want!

I can only try.

What took you 12 months to resolve?
 
audi upgrades
Soot1e said:
Don't know where you'd stand when the S Line Sports Suspension is a no cost option.
Click to expand...

I think there's some confusion here, I checked the audi site, seems you can spec an Sline Sport suspension, question is, is that an additional improvement to the existing Sline suspension or that is the sline suspension hence why its free, as why would it be selectable at all, as its an sline car which default has sline kit.

So after we establish this, which system is the OP questioning what he has got or not.
 
It’s a really long story so I haven’t bored AS users with it before.
Basically back in 07 I traded in my B6 S4 Avant for a B7 2.0TDi 170 quattro special ed.
8 months in I noticed I was only seeing 34-36mpg, the sales brochure quoted 51.5 combined
so I expected at least low 40’s. I was told the brochure was a miss-print - after emailing Audi customer service
and then emailing the MD if Audi UK every day for 3 months they acknowledged the error and offered a vehicle exchange,
by which time the B8 was out so I had to contribute a little cash but got a 2.0TDi 143….well you did ask.

Stick to your guns!...well perhaps not the S4 demand!
 
Extract from S line modle equipment:-
Sports suspension 20mm lower than standard
(S line suspension 30mm lower than standard
- available in lieu of sports suspension at no charge)

I had to spec the 30mm drop otherwise I assume it would have
come with 20mm drop.
I guess medrep spec'd 30mm and the dealer missed it of the order!
 
Keef said:
Extract from S line modle equipment:-
Sports suspension 20mm lower than standard
(S line suspension 30mm lower than standard
- available in lieu of sports suspension at no charge)


I had to spec the 30mm drop otherwise I assume it would have
come with 20mm drop.
I guess medrep spec'd 30mm and the dealer missed it of the order!
Click to expand...

Correct!! Except it was not missed off any order. It was on the order form plain and clear, and I called regularly during my 4 month wait and asked several times to confirm the spec. The sales consultant also confirmed upon my collection of the car that it was fitted.

This is why I am so miffed!
 
Ahh so it's an audi mistake not a dealer one!
Perhaps a well worded email to Audi UK customer service then?
 
I would say it's more likely a dealer mistake than Audi build error. It was probably missed off the ordering system when they person input the order and Audi have built to the ordered spec.
 
Slightly different issue,but i had a problem with my local dealer setting the service indicator after my first service the car went back to them 5 times before they got the indicator correct (nothing mechanical or major fault),anyway i complained to the dealer and Audi UK i got £200 vouchers to spendat Audi (i will use for my 3rd year service) from Audi UK and £150 towards a "meal" for me & my family from the dealer so i would say stick to your guns and persue it an offer of a T-shirt is a disgrace!
 
Hi there. In SA the sports and S-line options are extra costitems. I have S-line on my car. The ride is harder than normal as I have used aloan car from Audi. I also have the adjustable suspension which in comfort modeis great when the car is fully loaded. I have been on two trips fully loadedand the car has not bottomed out. I would not accept any minuscule monetaryoffer from AUDI. They have a responsibility to the customer. Try for a greater amount or insist they find you a similar car with similar mileage and swop out. They should come to the party if they want to retain you as a customer.
 
Just returned from a week in Paris with a fully laden boot and back seats packed with the 30mm drop. No issues whatsoever, just take it slow over any speed bumps. The conti auto headlights and KPH settings are a fab addition.
 
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