A3 Paint Warranty claim declied !!

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JB_A3_Turbo

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I spoke to my local Audi centre to report a fault with the paintwork on my 99 Audi A3 1.8T. Bubbling paint work is appearing either side of the roof rails. There is not external damage and is blatently coming from the inside or the roof rail channel. I've seen several people on this forum mentioning the same fault and some of which have had it fixed under the 12 year paint warranty.

A technician came out of the showroom took a brief look made a brief note and submitted the claim ( no photos). Two weeks went by an nothing. I rang them again and they said Audi HQ had not looked at the claim yet but they'd keep submiting until it got answered. A couple of months later I rang again and eventually they managed to find out the claim had been refused by Audi.

They are now saying they can do nothing more, that is it?

I don't understand how they can make a proper assessment of the problem without someone properly looking at it or at least some photos! The guy I spoke said nothing more they could do, speak to audi customer services.

I've not tried customer services yet. HAs anyone had any luck with getting this fixed on a similar aged car? Audi appraently take into consideration age and mileage (86K) of the car within the claim. But this should not matter the car comes with a 12 year paint warranty, it's within that period with no external damage to the areas effected end of story surely? The local agent also tried to tell me the warranty on paint has changed (how can they do that!!)

Any suggestions,


Thanks,

JB
 
well, audi are more than entitled to consider the mileage of teh car as well as age.

but that can only go in your favour!

mine was assessed, and approved 1 year ago, so the same age as your car is now, when it was on 126000 miles.

the rust was on both sides of the channel, both sides of the car.

audi repaired and resprayed the roof, channels, and both quarter panels all free of charge.
 
inform watchdog, if everyone who has problems with this and if it goes to watchdog audi will most likely have to sort it out
 
That sounds encouraging!

You obviously had better luck with your local Audi dealer which one did you speak to? Huntingdon Audi where I went really aren't interested even though I've pushed them quite hard on the claim!
 
Watchdog arent interested in if Audi fixes someones paint.

From the retailers point of view, I couldnt give a **** if someone threatened me with watchdog, in fact, it makes me care less, as I know they know nothing.

Now, if someone scheduled a meeting with me, clearly pointed out the problem, and asked for my input in resolving the issue, I'd probably take a fair more interested view in the matter and help them.

People respond to someone asking for advice far more than they do to threats.
 
plymouth audi sorted mine out.

great people, really helpful, top service. got it done at a really good body shop, and despite being only a 19yr old student at the time, they gave me a nic fabia courtesy car for the week!
 
audi upgrades
Got mine done not too long ago, and even started a thread about which you have read I presume.
They was most helpful and even without photo's, they approved it, the warranty guy took a paint thickness reader out to confirm it was original paint, and to my suprise, they resprayed a whole rear quarter, taking a previous polished carkey mark out!
 
Thanks for the replies so far. I think I need to hit my local Audi with some of these examples (don't know if a print out of this forum thread would be enough to get started?) or I need to get in contact with someone at an Audi centre who's successfully got this claim through Audi.

Not sure where to start!:think:
 
JB_A3_Turbo said:
Not sure where to start!:think:
Click to expand...

You can start with trying another dealer, sounds like the one you used doesn't want to play ball.
There's no reason for them not to try harder and make a claim go through though, as it's profit for the dealer in question, they just charge for the work to be done and claim it back of Audi UK I'm presuming.
 
mine was approved, with 103k on....
 
Id try a different dealer, I went to bedford audi, and the service guy there said id have to go to wayside mk as bedford doesnt have the equipment to assess the paint. I went to wayside and on further inspection it seems it has been done once before and not by audi or under warrenty so i cant make a claim :-(

I still need to get mine sorted.
 
Don't worry about it mate. Audi UK is aware of this issue, and has been aware of this issue for a few years now. They even have a TB (technical bulliten) out for this issue. If your dealer doesn't agree, just simply go to another one. Call Audi Customer Services too on 0800 699 888, they are brilliant, and will take care of things.

Dealers will try and fob you off saying that the roof rails are a "trim" item, and not covered under warranty. They are lying. And they WILL replace them FREE OF CHARGE. Just be persistant mate. If all else fails, I can recommend a few Audi dealers around the midlands which will have no problem replacing them for you.
 
Pimpster said:
Dealers will try and fob you off saying that the roof rails are a "trim" item, and not covered under warranty. They are lying. And they WILL replace them FREE OF CHARGE. Just be persistant mate. If all else fails, I can recommend a few Audi dealers around the midlands which will have no problem replacing them for you.
Click to expand...

On top of having my whole roof and left side rear quarter panel sprayed, the bodyshop replaced both the roof rails as part of the warranty claim.
 
Just chased mine up today after hearing nothing since early August. Seems like the message I left with the car chassis number, colour and mileage didn't get to the person who needed it so my claim has gone nowhere. Great. So only going to be submitted today. I asked why no-one had taken any photos of the car or done a paint test and was told 'Audi UK don't check all of them - just a sample'.

Not getting a good feeling about this and definitely the last time I use Camberley Audi/Basingstoke Audi/Colbournes.
 
From my experience, the paint warranty is only 5 years and its the anti-perforation warranty that is 12 years. If they're wrongly claiming that your damage is to the paint itself, and outwith the 5 year warranty then you need to ask for independant verification. The bubbling in the paint is caused by osmotic blistering in the galvanised steel - in other words the car is rusting from the inside out. It should be covered under the 12 year warranty. My original claim was refused also, but this is the route I went down to get things sorted.
 
great will try audi customer services and see if they can get someone to take a look.

Cheers Guys- will let you know how I get on!
 
just had mine declined at Teesside Audi :mad: they reckon its 'Zinc Inclusion' whatever that means, so im heading off to York Audi for a second shot :w00t:
 
That's bull mate! Tell them that the bubbles are coming from the inside outwards, not the other way round. Hence a defect. Keep pushing mate, and they'll sort it out!
 
had mine done with 80k on the car...

initially the dealer said there was nothing they can do about it, i kicked up a fuss and took it to the dealers approved bodyshop. they took one look and said it was a really common problem with the a/s3.

Apparently some moisture gets in the join between the roof panel and side panel when its being welded / painted, causing this problem

They eventually did mine with no probs since. The car was over 5 yrs old.

Best thing is, because they have done it officially now, the roof is covered for another 5 yrs.
 
well going to a main dealer aint goiing to solve the problem as i did the same and there spoke a load of ****** and tryed to fob me off so and wen i asked what body shop they used they told me BALGORS in romford essex went strait down there and with in 2day i was booked in for a full respray as my rear arches-bottom of doors and roof rails wer bubbleing and picked the car uo 2 weeks later looking brand new and got 3 years warrenty as well:thumbsup:


just to let you no my cars SEPT 2000 X REG with 100.000 miles and when i went to the body shop they said audi allways try to fob off customers with crap like that

balgors...01708344122 romford essex
 
I got a call yesterday and mine has been approved - yippee. Booked in for 15th October so I'll still have the car for Audi Driver International (if I can be bothered going...)
 
Audi A3 1.8T '99 T Reg, 89,000 miles. Took mine to Finchley Road Audi in London, a few days later approved and work carried out a week later. I would just take it to another dealer and keep pushing for it.

As long as the car hasn't been re-sprayed and the paint isn't craked over the bubbles then it can only be a bodywork issue and they have to accept it.

If you want to know who I spoke with at Audi etc then just let me know.
 
Making some progress eventually!

After failing to get my local Audi dealer to get my paint bubbling claim approved I spoke to Audi customer services. I sent some example photos but yet again this got declined by Audi a few weeks ago. I suggested to them that I get a local VW/Audi bodyshop to look at it and give me their opinion to forward on. Took it to the bodyshop today and it took them all of 10 seconds to decide that it was a valid warranty claim. They have seen loads of these this year already and where somewhat surprised neither the local dealer or Customer Services didn't wave this straight through without issues?!?!?

Just waiting to get a quote and letter from the bodyshop to forward onto Audi.

Fingers crossed then!! Wonder if I can convince them to lend me something nice instead of a bodyshop micra or polo!!
 
woo I think i've got bubblibg paint near the roof trim, is this covered under the warranty??
has anyone got a link to a thread which higlights this common problem or pics of other peoples bubbling etc?
 
i had same problems, mine was done with mileage just over 100k
 
djakster said:
just had mine declined at Teesside Audi :mad: they reckon its 'Zinc Inclusion' whatever that means, so im heading off to York Audi for a second shot :w00t:
Click to expand...

The zinc inclusion as they put it is probably the zinc reacting with the metal bodywork, (zinc being what they use to galvanize the body) I've seen this happen where the metalwork is exposed to air & the zinc around it starts to corrode.
 
Mines going in on December 10th to be done. I went to the Crawley dealership 1st and they tried to fob me off saying it was outside its paint warrenty but i argued it was actually covered under the 12 year (anti-corrosion?) warranty so they hooked me up with the number for the local audi bodyshop to get it looked at (Epsom). So I went to Epsom audi, the guy at the bodyshop was really helpful and wanted to get it sorted for me. My millege on my S3 is 53k.
 
dont bother with audi direct go to a approved bodyshop and they do all the paper work for you.i went to audi and with no joy after i found a bodyshop 2 weeks later car was in a a full respray under warrenty.my car is a X reg september 2000 and had 110.000mils on the clock.

the place went to is BALGORS BODYSHOP in romford essex

JB_A3_Turbo said:
Making some progress eventually!

After failing to get my local Audi dealer to get my paint bubbling claim approved I spoke to Audi customer services. I sent some example photos but yet again this got declined by Audi a few weeks ago. I suggested to them that I get a local VW/Audi bodyshop to look at it and give me their opinion to forward on. Took it to the bodyshop today and it took them all of 10 seconds to decide that it was a valid warranty claim. They have seen loads of these this year already and where somewhat surprised neither the local dealer or Customer Services didn't wave this straight through without issues?!?!?

Just waiting to get a quote and letter from the bodyshop to forward onto Audi.

Fingers crossed then!! Wonder if I can convince them to lend me something nice instead of a bodyshop micra or polo!!
Click to expand...
 
Has anyone been to Hatfield Audi to try and get theirs done there? Just found mine to be bubbling and that's my nearest stealer
 
ChriS3 said:
From my experience, the paint warranty is only 5 years and its the anti-perforation warranty that is 12 years. If they're wrongly claiming that your damage is to the paint itself, and outwith the 5 year warranty then you need to ask for independant verification. The bubbling in the paint is caused by osmotic blistering in the galvanised steel - in other words the car is rusting from the inside out. It should be covered under the 12 year warranty. My original claim was refused also, but this is the route I went down to get things sorted.
Click to expand...

visually it looks like a paint blister with a raised point in the centre.

i've just had my rear qtrs authourised...dealer felt that it would be declined due to water getting in via small stone chips, but referred to AUK to confirm.

assesor came out and confirmed it would be cover in about 2 seconds flat.
 
Can you not just try another dealer?

Is it a really long process then what they do? Ive got the bubbling on my roof rails i darent rip off my skirts and see the rust so theres probably rust there too.

Mines 88k 99 T Sport.

Can some-one explain the process as they said to me you can only do it in a week day which means taking time off work etc.

Cheers
 
I need to take mine too i have some surface rust appearing on my inner door seals, hopefully this is covered too. Do you need to have full dealer service history?
 
dont know how mant times you have to post but going direct to audi wont get you nowere and WILL fob you off.you dont need fsh and you dont need to show audi prof of your rust its down to the bodyshop you take it to as they are the ones who will be earning the money for the JOB
 
Ballcrusher said:
dont know how mant times you have to post but going direct to audi wont get you nowere and WILL fob you off.you dont need fsh and you dont need to show audi prof of your rust its down to the bodyshop you take it to as they are the ones who will be earning the money for the JOB
Click to expand...

I disagree with the above, it depends on the dealer you are dealing with, I had the warranty work approved by my local Audi dealership with no questions asked, infact, they we're more than helpful in my case and did a good job!. With regards to the bodyshop earning the money, if it goes through an Audi dealership, they will add something on top and claim it back off Audi UK, so what is there to lose if it's all about making money? You have to see it from a dealer's point of view that we, as the customer, are trying to get something for free, but lucky for us, it's written in black and white on their own website.
 
Has anyone had their claim accepted at Bristol Audi?
 
woo just checked mine and seems like ive got the bubbles running along about 1/2 of the roof lining on both sides :D and some rusting near the bottom drivers door.

What do i need to say to get a full respray!?
 
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