I had an A3 two litre turbo Diesel and it was the best car I ever had. When my wife had a baby in July, a three door car was no longer practical, and I part exchanged it for a red one-year old Audi A4 Avant two litre turbo Diesel (170 engine) with cream leather seats, walnut trim and gear knob, and electric sliding sun roof.
The car cost slightly under £20,000, and the salesman at Poole Audi didn't mention potential problems with the DPF.
Since then the DPF 'information light' (not 'warning light'!) has come on three times shortly after the car has done long runs on motorways and dual carriageways. I've been told that it can come on after multiple urban trips, and when I told the Audi technician about it coming on after long runs, he said that it can happen after those too.
There are times when I may do 1,000 miles in a few days, and other times when we'll only do short urban journeys for a week. Regardless of the fact that the information light has come on after long journeys, if I'd known that the car isn't suitable for short urban journeys, I wouldn't have bought it. The Audi technicians have told me that my 'driving profile' is wrong for this particular car, which needs to be driven on fast journeys regularly for the DPF to regenerate itself. I find this un-acceptable, and think that I've been sold a car that is legally unfit for purpose.
What concerns me is that after the warranty has expired, it'll be me who pays for the car to go into an Audi dealer to have the DPF regenerated. I've tried doing what they say in the leaflets, eg driving the car at 2,000 rpm for twenty minutes, but it didn't work. I think it's unacceptable that one should have to do this anyway.
The Audi customer helpline tells me that Poole Audi should have informed me about the potential DPF problems, and say this is a matter between me and Poole Audi. I've asked Poole Audi for my money back, but they want to replace the car with another one. The trouble is that most Audis are what I consider boring shades of grey, and very few of them have sun roofs. I can't see why I should take a car that I wouldn't have chosen because they knowingly sold me a car that was likely to be faulty. If I'd wanted a car that was unreliable, I could have spent £2,000 on an old one, instead of £20,000!
I've taken legal advice from a helpline at my insurance company, and was told that Poole Audi didn't break the law when they sold me the car. It was my responsibility to find out about the DPF issue. The advisor also said that if I took the case to court, they would consider it reasonable of Poole Audi to offer me another car of similar value, regardless of model, colour, leather seats, walnut trim, etc. He also thinks that it would be hard to prove the car is legally not fit for purpose as the DPF issue is intermittent.
Ive been told by two Audi Roadside Assist technicians that the most common reason theyre called out is to regenerate DPFs. They have disabled the DPFs on their vans, because they have similar problems. Brighton Audi have bought cars with 170 engines and DPFs back off disgruntled customers.
I feel highly unsatisfied with Audi UK's stance on this. Is anyone else in a similar situation, or does anyone have advice? Unless my legal advice was incorrect, the only hope I have of getting fair treatment is the threat of negative publicity. I dont like conflict or complaining, and I dont want to waste time and energy doing it. Id much rather be very happy with the car and telling everyone how brilliant it is.
The car cost slightly under £20,000, and the salesman at Poole Audi didn't mention potential problems with the DPF.
Since then the DPF 'information light' (not 'warning light'!) has come on three times shortly after the car has done long runs on motorways and dual carriageways. I've been told that it can come on after multiple urban trips, and when I told the Audi technician about it coming on after long runs, he said that it can happen after those too.
There are times when I may do 1,000 miles in a few days, and other times when we'll only do short urban journeys for a week. Regardless of the fact that the information light has come on after long journeys, if I'd known that the car isn't suitable for short urban journeys, I wouldn't have bought it. The Audi technicians have told me that my 'driving profile' is wrong for this particular car, which needs to be driven on fast journeys regularly for the DPF to regenerate itself. I find this un-acceptable, and think that I've been sold a car that is legally unfit for purpose.
What concerns me is that after the warranty has expired, it'll be me who pays for the car to go into an Audi dealer to have the DPF regenerated. I've tried doing what they say in the leaflets, eg driving the car at 2,000 rpm for twenty minutes, but it didn't work. I think it's unacceptable that one should have to do this anyway.
The Audi customer helpline tells me that Poole Audi should have informed me about the potential DPF problems, and say this is a matter between me and Poole Audi. I've asked Poole Audi for my money back, but they want to replace the car with another one. The trouble is that most Audis are what I consider boring shades of grey, and very few of them have sun roofs. I can't see why I should take a car that I wouldn't have chosen because they knowingly sold me a car that was likely to be faulty. If I'd wanted a car that was unreliable, I could have spent £2,000 on an old one, instead of £20,000!
I've taken legal advice from a helpline at my insurance company, and was told that Poole Audi didn't break the law when they sold me the car. It was my responsibility to find out about the DPF issue. The advisor also said that if I took the case to court, they would consider it reasonable of Poole Audi to offer me another car of similar value, regardless of model, colour, leather seats, walnut trim, etc. He also thinks that it would be hard to prove the car is legally not fit for purpose as the DPF issue is intermittent.
Ive been told by two Audi Roadside Assist technicians that the most common reason theyre called out is to regenerate DPFs. They have disabled the DPFs on their vans, because they have similar problems. Brighton Audi have bought cars with 170 engines and DPFs back off disgruntled customers.
I feel highly unsatisfied with Audi UK's stance on this. Is anyone else in a similar situation, or does anyone have advice? Unless my legal advice was incorrect, the only hope I have of getting fair treatment is the threat of negative publicity. I dont like conflict or complaining, and I dont want to waste time and energy doing it. Id much rather be very happy with the car and telling everyone how brilliant it is.
