FYI: Always note any damage on day of delivery

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kmanmx

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I am sure most people do this anyway, but just chiming in with some experience on my behalf that I have had. Hopefully this helps someone here too.

When you take delivery of your B9, please note down and take pictures of any imperfections. Small dents, chips, etc. Email both the company you arranged the lease through, and also your lease finance provider. In my case this was Nationwidevehiclecontracts and Lex Autolease. Email them, do not ring them - you want it to be documented so it can be referred back to at a later case. (This happened with my previous leased car that I just returned, not my B9): I had a small 2 pence size dent infront of the passenger door. I email them on the day of delivery describing accurately the location of the dent. They replied saying sorry, and they would enquire with the dealer who provided the car. That was the last I heard of it but I wasn't really bothered as the dent was barely visible, but importantly I saved all these emails in a folder back in 2014, and backed them up to OneDrive cloud backup just incase I accidentally deleted the emails.

Suffice to say I was not surprised when I got an invoice in the post for the car I just returned, asking for £162 for damage to the front left panel as it was not covered by fair wear and tear. Straight away, I forwarded the email chain about the damage on day of delivery to Lex Autolease. I had to email them 3 times until they finally replied after 8 days (initially I got a automated response saying lead time to reply to emails was 21 days !). To be fair to them, they did not put up a fight. They agreed that my description of the damage on the day of delivery matched the location of the damage they invoiced me for, and agreed to immediately cancel the charge and apologised for the inconvenience.

Moral of the story is, make sure you have plenty of evidence of any delivery day damage. If you can get them to fix it, that is ideal. But at the very least, document that you told them about the damage on the day of delivery and you should be okay...
  • Email them in detail about the damage and location of the damage
  • Make sure you email them on day of delivery
  • Get photo evidence
  • Make sure someone at least acknowledges receipt of the email
  • Save your email chain ready for when you return the car
 
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Good you reminded me of this because Highland Audi have now asked me if I can pay 1 day in advance by bank transfer (car is 100% cash purchase), I told them no sorry, but I will be paying by debit card on the day of collection as agreed initially. I will only put that card in the machine once i'm 100% satisfied with the car. Btw out of interest does anyone know how much it costs Audi for debit card transactions?
Cheers
 
I was asked to pay for my last 2 Audis on the day before collection. I found it a bit of an odd request and on the first occasion I queried what would happen if the dealership went bust overnight. The salesman assured me that that was not going to happen and I thought “Well if it did, you - as one of them employees - would be the last to know!” Fortunately, all went well on both transactions.
 
Wise words for those who have leased/have cars delivered.

I was fortunate enough to spot a scratch on the main aluminium trim piece that runs the length of the dash whilst sat in the car in the dealership on handover. My sales rep took one look, apologised and had a tech waiting before I got out of the car to verify it would need replacing. Car goes in this Thursday.
 
You want to have piano black, at least the trim isn't a silver painted plastic...
 
Ive had the brushed aluminium before and have always managed to keep it scratch-free. Personally I just don't get piano black. Scratches way too easily and for me doesn't look as good.
 
I like it as is different though from any other Audi interiors that owners tend to chose and goes well with Matador red. I use Gtechniq glass sealant which eradicates the fine scratches....
 
I was asked to pay the car off in full 1 week (!) before collection day (collecting a then 2 year old A3). This was at the end of the month and dealership weren't even subtle about the fact they wanted to get the sale in before the end of the month to bump up their figures. They basically threatened to reduce the trade in value of my Corsa if I didn't pay up there and then. Of course, collection day came and they phoned me early doors to say "there's been an issue at the body shop, some dust got on the back bumper before it was re-sprayed" so I was left waiting another week. Fortunately when I did get it, it looked the dog's b*llocks so that was at least something.

Pretty unpleasant experience to be honest, if I'd been a bit older and wiser I'd have told them to shove it. At the time though, I was a bit giddy at the idea of getting an Audi (as if no other used black 1.6 TDI A3 existed anywhere else :L)
 
cuke2u said:
I like it as is different though from any other Audi interiors that owners tend to chose and goes well with Matador red. I use Gtechniq glass sealant which eradicates the fine scratches....
Click to expand...

I kind of regret getting the piano black trim - gets micro scratches way too easily and particular when the sun shines it doesn't look great. @cuke2u - do you find the Gtechniq glass sealant removes the scratches or just protects against getting them in first place? Do you use anything else?
 
It can protect and it can hide them. However go look at your b pillars as they will be covered with them and easily visble in all lighting. Far worse in fact...
FB IMG 1526991732835
 
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Tbh I wish I had done this when I picked up my car. Ive picked up plenty of scratches in places that another car cant reach without leaving a scratch across the whole pannel.. interior scratches too.. lesson learnt however, dont let excitement get the best of you
 
It's ****** hard not too when you've a new toy...
 
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psychopomp1 said:
. Btw out of interest does anyone know how much it costs Audi for debit card transactions?
Cheers
Click to expand...

IIRC a typical charge for a business to have a debit card transaction processed is about 0.25% of the transaction. It was made illegal in January of this year for companies to charge a card fee which covered their loss. Some are opting for an ‘admin fee’ across all payment methods. Could you do a bank transfer whilst you are stood there in the dealership on collection day?
 
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pjeffe9172 said:
Could you do a bank transfer whilst you are stood there in the dealership on collection day?
Click to expand...
I could but my bank (FirstDirect) have a limit of 10k per day in Faster Payments so couldn't pay the 28k in one go. Anyway, it will only cost them 70 quid or so if i pay by debit card so hardly a huge amount. They seem to have gone quiet when I said i will pay by debit card on collection day - like they originally told me i could when I placed the order.
 
I've paid by debit card before, though admittedly not with an Audi dealership but it shouldn't be a problem. Maybe just give your bank a heads-up first. Could save time/embarrassment if they suspect fraud and decline the transaction.
 
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DohNut said:
I've paid by debit card before, though admittedly not with an Audi dealership but it shouldn't be a problem. Maybe just give your bank a heads-up first. Could save time/embarrassment if they suspect fraud and decline the transaction.
Click to expand...
Yep I will definitely be calling FirstDirect beforehand to give them a heads-up.
 
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Just done the same with my new car, they wanted me to pay prior to collection and I declined. When I turned up they tried again to get payment before I looked at the car but once again I declined. I then had a REAL good look around the car and then sat down with the salesman. When I offered my debit card he stated the most he could take was £5000. I said well its a debit card and I'm off to work in an hour or two so if you want me to come back it will be in a week.
Needless to say he went and had a chat with the finance manager and came back and took the payment required.
As long as you stay polite and professional things will get sorted quickly, if not, then take you business elsewhere.
 
Personally I can't see any issue with paying up front for a new car, the trading standard laws protect you and it shows in good faith you actually have the money and from a legitimate source...
 
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cuke2u said:
Personally I can't see any issue with paying up front for a new car, the trading standard laws protect you and it shows in good faith you actually have the money and from a legitimate source...
Click to expand...
Yes very true, Trading Standards Law is there to protect us but it is still an inconvenience to us all when we have to fight for something we have bought legitimately and in good faith. Like any other business, once they have your money you are not at the forefront of their mind.
Past experience has proved (for me anyway) that every time I have paid up front, I drop down the "priority/importance" scale. Paying when I'm satisfied has always kept the swing of things in my favour. Obviously this is my own opinion and everyone will have different experiences and preferences when buying goods.
 
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cuke2u said:
It can protect and it can hide them. However go look at your b pillars as they will be covered with them and easily visble in all lighting. Far worse in fact...
View attachment 156051
Click to expand...

Please could you post a link to the one you use? There seem to be a few different kits and I can’t work out which to get. The results look very impressive!
 
Unfortunately the picture I posted was one the detailer send me when he performed his magic. So can't help you but jazzy06 over in the detailing forum will...
 
cuke2u said:
Personally I can't see any issue with paying up front for a new car, the trading standard laws protect you and it shows in good faith you actually have the money and from a legitimate source...
Click to expand...
Unless the company go bust between you paying and collecting.... you’d then lose all of your cash! Happens all the time, though less so with main car dealers.

If you paid any of it (e.g. deposit) by credit card, and the price was less than £30,000 then your credit card company are liable for the full amount. But that £30k maximum price rules out a lot of A4 purchases. The dealers get a credit card deposit from me and rest of balance by debit card when I collect.
 
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I assumed we were talking new cars with main dealerships and Ford are no different is asking for the balance to be paid up front either. As stated I have no problem with this. If it was a legal process, such as buying a house with contracts exchanged on the day then it would be different but even then fingers can get burned. I knew a family who turned up to their house purchase only to find the kitchen had been completely stripped out.
Having said that who pays full cash for a car nowdays anyway?
 
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cuke2u said:
Having said that who pays full cash for a car nowdays anyway?
Click to expand...

I'm probably in a minority but I prefer to save up and buy a brand new car in cash, and keep it for 10+ years knowing its being well looked after/maintained. I was really hoping to get another 5 years out of my 2005 B7 (bought from new) but since Audi offered me 6k for it as part of their diesel scrappage scheme, it was too good an offer to turn down. Audi have basically sold me a 2018 A4 Avant Black Edition with a list price of £39k for £28k, or nearly 30% off list price.
 
Anyone who buys a car for cash is in a minority these days and this is why there are so many cars on the road that aren't very old.
 
cuke2u said:
I assumed we were talking new cars with main dealerships and Ford are no different is asking for the balance to be paid up front either. As stated I have no problem with this. If it was a legal process, such as buying a house with contracts exchanged on the day then it would be different but even then fingers can get burned. I knew a family who turned up to their house purchase only to find the kitchen had been completely stripped out.
Having said that who pays full cash for a car nowdays anyway?
Click to expand...
Main new car dealers go into administration too, e.g. earlier this year: http://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publ...wales-dealer-group-goes-administration/147936

Last figures I saw were 80% of new cars were bought on finance... so 1 in 5 still paying cash (or perhaps part cash and a bank loan, so still a cash buy from dealers perspective).

Absolutely no reason to hand money over (except deposit) for a new car purchase in advance of collecting. Too risky if something goes wrong, and as jcbmally said, once they have your cash they often lose interest!
 
Well some of us are different and go about fostering a mutual trusting, good and positive relationships with their dealers. Instead of a mutual distrust.
As I stated, I assume we are talking Audi dealerships, as this is a Audi forum about the A4.
Actually it was 80% in 2014, according to Reuters this rose to 86.5% in 2017...
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-b...e-uk-cars-bought-on-credit-data-idUKKBN1882AX
One thing is for sure this will result in a credit breakdown...
 
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@cuke2u. That’s crazy. Would never have guessed it was so high. Have had a total of 3 new cars but never pcp. I couldn’t justify putting a big deposit down only to pay the depreciation for someone else.
 
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cuke2u said:
Well some of us are different and go about fostering a mutual trusting, good and positive relationships with their dealers. Instead of a mutual distrust.
As I stated, I assume we are talking Audi dealerships, as this is a Audi forum about the A4.
Actually it was 80% in 2014, according to Reuters this rose to 86.5% in 2017...
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-b...e-uk-cars-bought-on-credit-data-idUKKBN1882AX
One thing is for sure this will result in a credit breakdown...
Click to expand...
You can have the best relationship with your dealer, but it won’t alter the fact that if they go into administration between you paying for your car and taking delivery, you will be left in a very uncertain position - unless of course you pay by credit card. I saw it too many times in my job, which is why I said above that if the music stops before you take delivery, the salesman with whom you have been dealing will be the last to know. All the while there is a slim chance of a business avoiding insolvency, it’s business as usual and the pretence of normality must be maintained at all costs.
 
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Then we beg to differ, I am happy if I do actually purchase another new Audi using cash, which is probably unlikely in both cases, than I am confident AudiUK would protect me if there was the unlikely situation where the dealership went bust. Of course if I purchased from a non-franchised seller, such as an internet broker, then things might be different.
 
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cuke2u said:
Then we beg to differ, I am happy if I do actually purchase another new Audi using cash, which is probably unlikely in both cases, than I am confident AudiUK would protect me if there was the unlikely situation where the dealership went bust. Of course if I purchased from a non-franchised seller, such as an internet broker, then things might be different.
Click to expand...
If the dealer goes bust, they probably won’t have paid Audi for the car either. So the administrator will possibly have your cash and the car they were going to sell you, as assets to pay creditors much further ahead in the priority queue than a customer (unsecured creditor).

Dealers groups with VAG brands have gone into administration before. You really are mad to put your faith in VAG to bail you out, but if you have a spare £40k you can risk, I guess that’s fine! Me, I’ll trust my credit card protection and/or not pay anything bar a deposit until delivery.
 
It's all 'what if's' really and hypothetical anyway. Time to move on and it is also not unusual for anyone to pay up front before delivery for any item and happens all the time, that is a fact for any purchase and one day before collecting, even a week if the paperwork is signed I am comfortable with. I will do what I will do but thank you guys for your advice...
 
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