Audi Quality

[h5djr]

I originally posted this the in 'door handle' thread but decided to post it again as a seperate thread to indicate how good I think my A3 is from a quality point of view.
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And just for the record, July 2004 was obviously a good quality vintage (at least for 3-door A3s)

My door handles have not fallen off.
My 2.0TDI has used around 3 litres of engine oil in 23k miles
My steering does not make any noise at all and works just as it should.
My front tyres lasted 20k - to 2.5mm
My rear suspension does not rattle.
My exhaust does not rattle.
It's never failed to start or has never broken down.
The paint work quality is fine.
The seats and interior are fine.
It drives very well and my DSG does just what I expect it to do.

If I could change anything, I would prefer that the clock was the radio-contolled version fitted to the German versions so that it was also 100% accurate and changed automatically for summer/ winter time in the same way as my German watch.

Apart from that small item - I love my car and it's build quality.

It's no more than I expect, my current A3 being my 5th A3 and my 9th Audi. All have had similar build quality with little or no problems.

One very happy Audi customer.

 

[d3fy]

Good for you mate,

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And just for the record, my 3 month old 25k lump

Has had failed folding mirrors twice
Has a permanent hissing BOSE sound system

One not so happy Audi customer.

 

[h5djr]

Also forgot to mention....

I have an excellent dealer, who seems to charge a lot less than most for routine servicing. All my 9 Audis have come from and been looked after by this same dealer.

 

[god_thats_quick]

Can I just add something... the fact you have felt the need to post this clearly says something in itself - there are lots of owners that are having lots of problems, it's difficult to say which is the norm as obviousily more owners with problems post than those are happy with there cars - which i think is the good thing about your post people should applaud good service and products more.

Just out of curiosity - why are you on your 5th A3, I just don't get it were they all the same or have you had 5 very different models - and how long have you kept the longest car as most people can't afford / don't think they should have to change their car all the time?

I don't want this to come across as negative or anything against you I'm just a curious ******

 

[h5djr]

All my A3s have been different in some way. I bought my first one, an original spec 8L 1.8T Sport model in April 1998. The second one was a face-lifted 8L 1.8T Sport l puchased in November 2000. The third was the only one I was not so keen on. It was also a 1.8T Sport, but was a demostrator 'runout' 8L model with larger wheels and much harder suspension. I only has that one for 2 weeks and disliked it so much that the dealer agreed to change it for a different second-hand 8L 1.8T Sport and gave me some money back! The fourth one was also a normal 1.8T Sport which I had for 15 months until I ordered a new 8P 2.0 TDI which I shall almost certainly keep for around 3 years.

The only thing that they have all had in common is the exterrior colour - silver and the quality. Apart from having all four coil-packs replaced by Audi Assistance one Sunday morning in a hotel car-park whilst away for the weekend I have no other problems.

Also for d3fy - I decided not to have folding mirrors as I had already heard of some problems with them not always folding back correctly and whilst all but one of my other A3s have had BOSE this one I decided not to have it. So no problems with those on mine.

 

[bacardi]

on the mirror front, mates SLK has them and they don't fold at the same speed either..........

 

[ginner]

I am also very happy with my car. I agree with god-thats-quick, that people who have problems with their car are more likely to speak out than those that are happy and have had a good experience. I have to say I love my car, have never enjoyed driving a car as much and could not believe it when I got the reminder for my tax disk this morning..........meaning I have had it for a year already. I have never lasted more than 4 months without losing all interest in my car. The Audi still looks great...drives great and is a quality build.

I'm with you on this one david

 

[god_thats_quick]

Well F/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gifK me... trust me for trying to talk about audi quality in an unbiased way... my ****** s3 is now without any powersteering fluid as it's all on the F/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gifING road under the car.

F/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gifING CAR!!!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/soap.gif Rant over... thanks for listening...

 

[johnmv55]

My opinion for what it's worth. Audi are still making some VERY nice desireable cars, but they have lost the quality at the moment and because of that It means trips to the dealer, you then realise what a bunch of toss ers they are, I have two friends who have defected to other brands after years of Audi ownership, IF my present one is as much hassle as my last one that will also be the end of the road for me and my next car will have to be Jap

 

[HuntsA4]

Ok, in the interests of balanced discussion;

Always aspired to have an Audi, but once I had it, its probably caused more sleepless nites than any other car I've owned.

ripped Leather seat on Delivery, not picked up by Dealer.
While you wait Oil change service, nearly 5 hours! then £56 on bill for fitted wipers!!!
4 Visits to dealer try diagnose and fix a crackling Bose speaker.
two steering racks to solve a problem, which was eventually solved with a Steering Fluid pipe. This problem took three weeks and 9 visits to dealer. During which time they also scratched the car.

its just not been a good experience. I have the same local dealer as David, but appear to get a different level of service, as do other members of my family and friends. i think building relations with the dealer helps (buying 5 cars from them should do it), but i don't expect to have to do it.

Moved brands now, but believe it or not, would like to have another Audi some day, but perhaps not until I start to hear better things.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[rickquattro]

Hmmm. Maybe 2003 was a good year too. Mines on 70k now and all the finance paid off which is a nice feeling. Its a keeper, and at the risk of dooming the car to multiple failures this week...

Nothing rattles
Nothing has fallen off
Nothing has stopped working when it should
Its on AVS and apart from that I have put in 1.5 litres of oil in 65k miles. Ragging it for ages on the autobahn/motorway did this
Never broken down or failed to start
Its out of warranty and hasn't been to Audi for a long time

Worn out:
Tyres x 4 sets
4 brake discs replaced with cross drilled/groved items, pads and higher spec fluid

I wish I had:
Xenon lights
Recaro interior
Armrest
TT Sport type suede/alacantra steering wheel

Fitted/payed for by me:
Superchipped at 5k miles
RNS-e navi (thanksCraigyb)
18" RS4 reps (two sets from Rochford)
100w main beam headlight bulbs
Heavy duty custom made bootliner. (rear seats have never been used, they are always folded down)
4 wheel alignment (all the wheels were pointing (slightly), in different directions

Unfortunately however, the main niggle is that the ashtrays are now full.....

 

[h5djr]

If the ashtarys are now full there are 3 solutions to this particular problem....

1. Change the car - most expensive option
2. Give up smoking - saves money and keeps the ashtrays empty.
3. Empty them - least expensive and painless option.

 

[imported_unkle]

[ QUOTE ]
ripped Leather seat on Delivery, not picked up by Dealer.
While you wait Oil change service, nearly 5 hours! then £56 on bill for fitted wipers!!!
4 Visits to dealer try diagnose and fix a crackling Bose speaker.
two steering racks to solve a problem, which was eventually solved with a Steering Fluid pipe. This problem took three weeks and 9 visits to dealer. During which time they also scratched the car.


[/ QUOTE ]

Apart from the faulty speaker those all look like issues with a dealer and not with Audi....

Im on my second A3 in two years, not had any problems with either *touch wood* and service has been exceptionally good. (only used German dealers however)

Hope you have better luck with the next one...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[cdb2]

Around 7 problems in under a year that I've been to the dealer with.

Have about 6\7 new problems outstanding to be raised when I next go in including an oil leak, noisy\rattley exhaust, electrical fault in the lighting, petrol filler flap that won’t open automatically and a few rattles.

I just didn't expect to be visiting the dealership inbetween services in the first few years of Audi ownership.

The car looks beautiful and is lovely to drive, but the ownership experience hasn't been the hassle free experience I wanted. I sometimes get in the car wondering what will go wrong or start making a noise next, which is a real shame.

Didn't have this much bother with my last Renault!

Just my honest opinion.

 

[Amchlolor]

Things like tyre wear are irrelevant,as that is down to how you drive and good wear rates can hardly be attributed to the way the factory build the car.

Since picking up the car in April,my car's been in at least once a month,for everything from rattles to fuel flaps etc.etc.

It's never actually let me down,although the excessive oil consumption has lead to the warning light coming on during long journeys,which is a right pain.

It's been a real shock to the system,as my previous A4 was cheaper,better built and only visited the dealer for servicing.

That was the reason I went for Audi again,as I had a good experience,so I am not 'anti-Audi',as such.

I wouldn't even absolutely discount Audi for my next purchase,but it wouldn't be an A3 again,and I don't think anyone could blame me for that.

If it had cost £18k,I could probably forgive (some of) it's problems,but it cost a whopping £24400,which is a tremendous sum of money for a 'compact' car.

So,it's either under-built or over-priced,in my book.

 

[h5djr]

It's interesting to comparing an A3 with an A4 as they are built side by side in the same factory in Ingolstadt. I wonder if the new A4 is as well built as the previous A4.

 

[steeve]

I'm risking all by posting this.......
but no problems at all with my 2005 3.2 A3. Its the first new car I've had that hasnt had to go back time after time for repairs and things missed by the Dealer. Its been fault free, is nearly 12 months old (in March) hasnt done a huge mileage, just over 7,000 but has not used any oil. Its ideal, bit thirsty, but then I knew that would be the case and with my low mileage I'm not all that bothered.
So is this a bit unusual? I'm very fussy so if it wasnt perfect it would go back.
STEVE.........

 

[Amchlolor]

[ QUOTE ]
It's interesting to comparing an A3 with an A4 as they are built side by side in the same factory in Ingolstadt. I wonder if the new A4 is as well built as the previous A4.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you saying my '02 A4 would have been built in a different factory than a new one ?
If so,that's interesting.
I've only had new-style A4's for the odd day or two,but they seemed every bit as solid and quiet as my '02 one.
The interior's currently too old-fashioned in the A4 though.
It's,more or less,the same as my '02 one,including the really ugly vents.

 

[Japper]

bowfer, the A4 for whatever reason has always faired better in build quality than the A3. Same for the VW Passat over Golf. Passat was / is far better built than the Golf......why?.

 

[h5djr]

Bowfer - No all the A4s and A3s have always been made side by side in the main Audi factory in Ingolstadt.

It's just that the production and in particular the final assembly line has to be redesigned for each new model. Many of the parts will be new for the new A4 and the final assembly changes over time, hopefully for better quality but also for speed of assembly. Each team at each part of the line have regular meetings to pick up on any quality issues.

I'm almost certain the 3-door A3 and Sportback A3s are built on the same line at the same time. When I last visted the factory was before Audi had started production of the Sportback, but the cars on the line were all different colours and for different markets one behind the other. My wife and I had our own personal tour by the senior guide who had woreked in the factory all his life before becoming a guide and spoke perfect English as well. Left hand drive and right hand drive are producted at the same time as well as different levels of trim and different engines etc. It's up to the computers to deliver the correct components to the line for each individual car. By all accounts when the line first starts up for a new model some very strange cars get built by the guys are told just to put together what they are given and it will be sorted or scrapped at the quality control stage at the end of the line. Each car produced goes through a series of quality control checks at the end on the assembly line before it is released. Any car failing these tests goes to a rectification area to be sorted before it can be released.

 

[Dandle]

[ QUOTE ]
Bowfer - No all the A4s and A3s have always been made side by side in the main Audi factory in Ingolstadt.

[/ QUOTE ]

The last model A3(2001 to 2003) was built in Gyor Hungry.

 

[h5djr]

None of the 5 A3 that I have owned have to built in Hungary. The engines have but the final assembly was done in the Ingolstadt factory in Germany.

This can be determined by the VIN number.

 

[Dandle]

I just did a quick search and came up with these

http://www.hoot-uk.com/content/news/archive/audi/02072003-1.html

http://www.audi.com/audi/com/en1/company/production_locations/hungary.html

 

[h5djr]

Obviously it seems some A3s were produced in Hungary but some were also built at the main Audi factory as well. According to the VIN codes all mine were made in Ingolstadt.

When I last visted the factory in Ingolstadt in June 2003 they had just started production of the new 8P A3.

 

[markneal]

Now here is a subject that we could go onfor hours about! Having had excellent and reliable cars from Audi, there have been those, such as my previous A8 (D3) 4.2 that was a complete disaster. Back to Milton Keynes twice, Back to Audi Poole twice (I live in Jersey!) 2 gearboxes later plus replaced xenons, finger print control, keyless go, steering rack, electro hand brake, phone and MMI all due to faults. Out of the time I had the car (6 month) it was in the garage for 4 of them.

However, Audi in true style gave full refund and I bought an A8L W12, which apart from the Active Cruise control has been fault free for 12 months! Well Done AUDI!

 

[RobB]

David

As part of my forthcoming trip around Europe in my A3, I am planning to visit the factory. Audi UK do a very expensive 5 day trip, but they have also said that I can go it alone although it will be a tour in German. It would be really helpful to know how you went about your trip and whether you would recommend it please?

Might be better to PM me as it is going a bit off topic? I'll be adding my bit to this thread when I have a spare half hour - not all bad either!

Cheers

Rob

 

[Amchlolor]

I'm not saying this to 'flame',I'm just intrigued as to why anyone would want to visit a car factory,or any kind of factory (cars,bikes,TV's etc.etc.)

Isn't that buying into the Audi 'thing' just a wee bit too much ?

I like steaks,but I don't want to meet the cow.

 

[d3fy]

I would really like to go to the Nissan plant in Gateshead (?) just to see it, but I don't want to drive a Mirca!

 

[bacardi]

Just booked mine in for its first service and they've got to look at

1 - Steering rack
2 - Noisy air con (EGR Valve?)
3 - Drivers Seat Creaking
4 - Fuel flap sticking
5 - Rattling boot floor/parcel shelf


None of which would cause it to break down but none the less ,annoying problems

 

[h5djr]

As you've said before bowfer your not really into cars. Some of us are. I have visited Audi's main headquarters and factory in Ingolstadt 2 or 3 times over the years on the way back from holidays in Austra. Not everyone would even enjoy a holiday in Austria. The Audi Forum and the other buildings are interesting to me as buildings as I used to be an Architectural Technician and they have some very interesting exhibitions inside.

Personally I throughly enjoyed the factory visits, seeing the whole process from pressing the steel panels to the final assemly and completion of the cars. Even my wife found it fasinating to see cars actually being put together by both robots and humans.

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but then I'm sure there are things that you might do that I would find totally boring. Each to his own !

As I been driving either a VW or Audi for the past 30 years I think I'm aleady into the Audi 'thing' as you put it.

 

[Amchlolor]

Mind you,if I went to the Audi factory I could meet the bloke that designed the DSG's software..

And throttle the **REMOVED**... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif

Bowfer, please don't swear on the forum. Ta!

 

[god_thats_quick]

I would like to visit the factory (if I was near by already) just to see how they put my car together, arn't you even remotely interested in what's involved in producing the thing you (your company in your case) has paid thousands of pounds for?

Well Audi have impressed me again today, call dealer at about 10AM to ask for a quote for a replacement steering rack - "we'll call you back" will you buggery I do however remain to be impressed if they actually call back at all! You would have thought they might be interested as it's potentially a lot of money for them... but no.

I would say Audi are making good products (however I remain to see one in real life that's reliable) but in my experience they are really let down by customer service both from the dealers and from Audi UK when things go wrong.

 

[RobB]

Everyone is different Bowfer and David's answer pretty much gets my views across too. Personally, dull as it is to some, it is not an "Audi" thing, but an interest in how something so complex that we take so much for granted is actually created. The fact that I will be driving close by on my hols made me think that I might make a visit.

 

[h5djr]

The DSG was developed by a 50-strong team of engineers from Volkswagen headquarters at Wolfsburg for the whole group. The name of the lead engineer for Audi was Tobias Borchert. You may be a little out numbered

Bowfer - Why is it that everything that you personally don't like automatically wrong !

 

[Amchlolor]

Fair do's,I'd probably watch a documentary on telly about it,or be taken as an all-expenses paid guest,but I'm not that interested to travel and pay out of my own pocket.

Isn't there a chance it could spoil the ownership experience ?

If you see hundreds of the things being churned out by robots at a helluva rate of knots,just as with any other mass-producer,doesn't it dilute the 'premium' tag and price ?

Or do Audi do something different from other car factories ?

 

[RobB]

I am not expecting to see a crowd of Umpah Lumpahs working feverishly to hand build my car if that is what you mean. I saw my old 3.2 in bits before I got rid of it (back half was just a shell), so I am certainly aware that it is put together by robots along a line of thousands of other A3s and the like.

It certainly won't ruin the "experience" of my car or quosh the premium image at all - I am just curious to see how it is done.

 

[h5djr]

[ QUOTE ]


If you see hundreds of the things being churned out by robots at a helluva rate of knots,just as with any other mass-producer,doesn't it dilute the 'premium' tag and price ?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not in the least. Much of the welding of the body panels etc is done by rodot welders and the painting is all done by robot spraying machines but even with these it is fasinating to watch the way the have been programmed to do their job.

Most of the actual final assembly is still done by hand, all be it with all sorts of special tools and rigs to help. There can be 2 or 3 assemblers inside a car at any one time or working on the underside with the car tipped side ways in a cradle. It's all very clean, light, airey and modern. It certainly does not dilute the premium tage as you put it. It's good to see the expert way things are arranged and put together and the care that the individuals take with each operation.

I'm not sure I would go all the way to Ingolstadt just to visit the factory, but as part of a holiday when I am passing close by it's well worth it.

I watch so little tv that if there was a documentary I would probably miss it anyway !

 

[simonl]

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't that buying into the Audi 'thing' just a wee bit too much ?

I like steaks,but I don't want to meet the cow.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol, that's ****** funny man /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif and true.

 

[steeve]

I'd love to visit the factory, any offers to organise a trip?

I find any kind of factory visit enjoyable ..........................!

 

[h5djr]

Audi themselves organise trips to visit their various factories. If you go to their website (www.audi.co.uk), click on Experience and then Sign Up for further details they will send you details when this years trips have been confirmed.

Alternatively, it's easy to go it alone. Book a factory tour through Audi UK and then make a holiday out of it. Cross the channel, drive through France and Germany. Drive on the 'no speed limit' German autobahns. Accommodation is easy to book on the internet. If you do decide to go allow a couple of days at Ingolstadt, one to visit the Audi Forum, Museum and Factory tour and another to look round Ingolstadt itself. It's a very plesant town.