IMPORTANT ALL READ. Rusting bottom of doors, when will it be yours?
- Thread starter Markb
- Start date
racc
Registered User
I got my '96 A3 back from paint shop on Friday. It spent 4 days there. Now it looks great again. I bought this car about 6 months ago. There was visible damage in left door already then, but I didn't understand it was so serious and car was priced accordingly.
When I bought it damage didn't look horrible (yet): http://www.modeemi.fi/~racc/a3.jpg
When I took car to Audi dealer they talked mostly about changing the door. They clearly didn't want to deal with car this old and I didn't even get a proper cost estimate (not for only repair & painting nor changing whole door) despite my request. Audi shop in nearby city was much more friendly, but also talked about replacing whole door.
So finally car was taken to a paint and body repair shop with a good reputation. Rust was also found from right door and from lower parts of both front fenders. Total cost was 700 euros which I consider a decent price.
I was also told to install front mud flaps to prevent fenders getting destroyed again. Installing those (original Audi parts, no need to drill holes!) was easy and I must admit they don't look as ugly I was afraid. These are a must if one has to use studded tires and drive sometimes in dirt roads. I already noticed that amount of slush, gravel, etc. they collect (instead of fender) is amazing.
When I bought it damage didn't look horrible (yet): http://www.modeemi.fi/~racc/a3.jpg
When I took car to Audi dealer they talked mostly about changing the door. They clearly didn't want to deal with car this old and I didn't even get a proper cost estimate (not for only repair & painting nor changing whole door) despite my request. Audi shop in nearby city was much more friendly, but also talked about replacing whole door.
So finally car was taken to a paint and body repair shop with a good reputation. Rust was also found from right door and from lower parts of both front fenders. Total cost was 700 euros which I consider a decent price.
I was also told to install front mud flaps to prevent fenders getting destroyed again. Installing those (original Audi parts, no need to drill holes!) was easy and I must admit they don't look as ugly I was afraid. These are a must if one has to use studded tires and drive sometimes in dirt roads. I already noticed that amount of slush, gravel, etc. they collect (instead of fender) is amazing.
I bought my 1999 A3 Quattro 6 months ago privately... having joined this site tonight and having a great time reading through various tales i came across this thread so iv'e nipped out to have a look at mine as i have never noticed any problems before and there is just the slightest hint of a bubble appearing on the drivers door just above the trim..
is the anti corosion warranty transferable or do you have to be the origional purchaser of the car ??
my service records are only stamped to the end of 2006 and are also 20,000 mile out of date... this in itself does not bother me as i do all my own servicing but would it be a get out clause for them should i try to make a claim... also they could claim perforation of the bodywork has not occured as it has neither rusted through the bodywork nor the paint it's just bubbled
is the anti corosion warranty transferable or do you have to be the origional purchaser of the car ??
my service records are only stamped to the end of 2006 and are also 20,000 mile out of date... this in itself does not bother me as i do all my own servicing but would it be a get out clause for them should i try to make a claim... also they could claim perforation of the bodywork has not occured as it has neither rusted through the bodywork nor the paint it's just bubbled
thats a good point as mine has a few rust marks on the roof and bottom of door, too scared to take off the magic peice of trim at the bottom as i dont want to see behind it as it might depress me. is it transferable between owners?
I would be staggered if the warranty is not transferable; the warranty is for the car, irrespective of whether or not it has been sold on, or if the has the same owner as new and this is an important point.
Now I'm no legal expert, but reading from the service booklet supplied with my motor back in 2002 it reads, as stated, (pardon me for typing this out verbatim, but bear with me!):
"In addition to the warranty terms for new Audi vehicles as specified in the contract of sale, Audi dealers also give a paintwork and body warranty on vehicles sold by them. In accordance with the relevant legal provisions, this provides:
* 3 years' guarantee from the date of delivery against corrosion-related paint defects, and
* 12 years' guarantee from the date of delivery against rust perforation in the bodywork.
However, should this type of damage occur, it will be repaired free of charge for parts and labour by any Audi dealer #
#Terms of the warranty maybe different in some countries. Your Audi dealer will be able to give you more detailed information
Warranty claims will not be accepted if:
* damage is caused by external factors or inadequate care of the vehicle
* damage to the bodywork or paint has not been repaired promptly in accordance with the manufacturers requirements.
* or if corrosion damage has resulted from failure to use Genuine Audi Parts
After completing body or paint repairs, your Audi dealer will confirm that the affected area is still fully covered be the bodywork warranty against rust perforation."
I interpret the "sold by them" part as, at the initial point of sale (i.e. from new) and the car must have been obtained from an Audi dealership at the initial point of sale; proof of this would be your service handbook, with the relevant Audi stamp in the delivery inspection page. If you have this, then Audi has to honour the paintwork and body warranty as stipulated above, replacing the affected areas at their own cost.
The only sticking points to which Audi could wriggle out of it is if they deem the car to have been repaired, i.e. been in an accident at some point in it's lifetime, or repainted at some point by a non-Audi garage. The key is when it refers to, "in accordance with the manufacturers requirements".
Such repairs would have been stamped accordingly in the "repair record for bodywork warranty" section of your service handbook. I assume that this would only be applicable if this is stamped by an Audi Dealership, and not if it were stamped by say an Independant Audi Specialist...
Although, in my opinion, it could be argued that repairs done by Audi Specialists should also be granted as acceptable - supplying suitable evidence of the repairwork - as they are carried out more often to a higher standard than dealerships. This is particularly relevant for cars that are affected and are more than three years old.
All this apart, you are on much more stronger grounds, if you purchased the car from new. When I complained about a Mini Cooper I purchased brand new in 2002 and encountered so many problems it spent more time in the garage, than on my driveway in the first year of purchase, I demanded the dealership provide me with a new motor.
After they refused to my request, I wrote a letter by recorded delivery to the managing director of Mini and BMW demanding they take action, quoting the Sales of Goods Act and that my car was, in my eyes, unfit for purpose and not of reasonable quality. Within a week, they agreed to my request. In fact, I got a better specced model and a further years free car tax to boot ! It made it almost worthwhile the six months of heartache, fighting BMW and getting a result....!!!
Under the Sales of Goods Act, you can request action to be taken on faulty goods, up to six years in England (five in Scotland) from the point of sale. The fact that Audi's warranty extends up to 12 years for bodywork and 3 years for paint defects, should help bolster a claim under the Sales of Goods Act, as their statement is in affect a guarantee that your Audi - if it meets the criteria above, as stated in your service handbook - should be free from any bodywork defects for 12 years (or 3 years for paintwork) from the original purchase date.
Whether your car encounters such a problem after six months, or 11 years and 11 months under the bodywork warranty, Audi still has a legal obligation to repair and resolve your problem, if all the criteria has been met.
Sorry for the length of this, but I hope the above has been useful and I attach a link that will (hopefully) help under such circumstances. Obviously if you are reading this from the US or any other European country (although Europeans should have a similar law in place), you will need to refer to you own local regulations and laws. All the best.
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdot...RCES&itemId=1073792597&r.l2=1074400662&r.s=sc
Now I'm no legal expert, but reading from the service booklet supplied with my motor back in 2002 it reads, as stated, (pardon me for typing this out verbatim, but bear with me!):
"In addition to the warranty terms for new Audi vehicles as specified in the contract of sale, Audi dealers also give a paintwork and body warranty on vehicles sold by them. In accordance with the relevant legal provisions, this provides:
* 3 years' guarantee from the date of delivery against corrosion-related paint defects, and
* 12 years' guarantee from the date of delivery against rust perforation in the bodywork.
However, should this type of damage occur, it will be repaired free of charge for parts and labour by any Audi dealer #
#Terms of the warranty maybe different in some countries. Your Audi dealer will be able to give you more detailed information
Warranty claims will not be accepted if:
* damage is caused by external factors or inadequate care of the vehicle
* damage to the bodywork or paint has not been repaired promptly in accordance with the manufacturers requirements.
* or if corrosion damage has resulted from failure to use Genuine Audi Parts
After completing body or paint repairs, your Audi dealer will confirm that the affected area is still fully covered be the bodywork warranty against rust perforation."
I interpret the "sold by them" part as, at the initial point of sale (i.e. from new) and the car must have been obtained from an Audi dealership at the initial point of sale; proof of this would be your service handbook, with the relevant Audi stamp in the delivery inspection page. If you have this, then Audi has to honour the paintwork and body warranty as stipulated above, replacing the affected areas at their own cost.
The only sticking points to which Audi could wriggle out of it is if they deem the car to have been repaired, i.e. been in an accident at some point in it's lifetime, or repainted at some point by a non-Audi garage. The key is when it refers to, "in accordance with the manufacturers requirements".
Such repairs would have been stamped accordingly in the "repair record for bodywork warranty" section of your service handbook. I assume that this would only be applicable if this is stamped by an Audi Dealership, and not if it were stamped by say an Independant Audi Specialist...
Although, in my opinion, it could be argued that repairs done by Audi Specialists should also be granted as acceptable - supplying suitable evidence of the repairwork - as they are carried out more often to a higher standard than dealerships. This is particularly relevant for cars that are affected and are more than three years old.
All this apart, you are on much more stronger grounds, if you purchased the car from new. When I complained about a Mini Cooper I purchased brand new in 2002 and encountered so many problems it spent more time in the garage, than on my driveway in the first year of purchase, I demanded the dealership provide me with a new motor.
After they refused to my request, I wrote a letter by recorded delivery to the managing director of Mini and BMW demanding they take action, quoting the Sales of Goods Act and that my car was, in my eyes, unfit for purpose and not of reasonable quality. Within a week, they agreed to my request. In fact, I got a better specced model and a further years free car tax to boot ! It made it almost worthwhile the six months of heartache, fighting BMW and getting a result....!!!
Under the Sales of Goods Act, you can request action to be taken on faulty goods, up to six years in England (five in Scotland) from the point of sale. The fact that Audi's warranty extends up to 12 years for bodywork and 3 years for paint defects, should help bolster a claim under the Sales of Goods Act, as their statement is in affect a guarantee that your Audi - if it meets the criteria above, as stated in your service handbook - should be free from any bodywork defects for 12 years (or 3 years for paintwork) from the original purchase date.
Whether your car encounters such a problem after six months, or 11 years and 11 months under the bodywork warranty, Audi still has a legal obligation to repair and resolve your problem, if all the criteria has been met.
Sorry for the length of this, but I hope the above has been useful and I attach a link that will (hopefully) help under such circumstances. Obviously if you are reading this from the US or any other European country (although Europeans should have a similar law in place), you will need to refer to you own local regulations and laws. All the best.
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdot...RCES&itemId=1073792597&r.l2=1074400662&r.s=sc
Well, I've finally(!) got round to tackling the nearside door on my '97 A3 (I got the offside one sorted out at a bodyshop a couple of years ago, though the rust is starting to come back again :-()
The rubber strip had previously resisted my attempts to remove it, but after squirting WD40 along its top edge every day for a week, it finally came off. After I wiped off the accumulated muck and removed the plastic attachments, this is what I could see:
Most of the rust seems to have originated around the "nail head"-type posts that seem to be welded into the door skin, and under the paint. Not much evidence of the paint being worn off due to vibration. This door had some accident repair work done about 7 years ago, but there was no damage to door sill, so I don't think that can be blamed for the rust.
I think I'm going to be busy with the sandpaper and Kurust for a while...
The rubber strip had previously resisted my attempts to remove it, but after squirting WD40 along its top edge every day for a week, it finally came off. After I wiped off the accumulated muck and removed the plastic attachments, this is what I could see:
Most of the rust seems to have originated around the "nail head"-type posts that seem to be welded into the door skin, and under the paint. Not much evidence of the paint being worn off due to vibration. This door had some accident repair work done about 7 years ago, but there was no damage to door sill, so I don't think that can be blamed for the rust.
I think I'm going to be busy with the sandpaper and Kurust for a while...
In the worst-case scenario that Audi didn't accept a warranty claim for the door corrosion issue, how much would you expect to have to pay to get it sorted properly if paying privately?
Cheers,
James
Cheers,
James
Mine went in for this yesterday, the are planning on fixing the rust and painting only the door upto the middle bumpstrip, they said this is all the repair covers which im not to happy about tbh.
I'll see how it looks when I pick it up but if its a **** poor job then I want be accepting the car back until its right.
I'll see how it looks when I pick it up but if its a **** poor job then I want be accepting the car back until its right.
I paid a tad over £300 two years ago to get one door treated and partially resprayed by a small local bodyshop. I think I was quoted around £500 for the two doors.
Note that the only permanent cure would be to reskin the door, and that, in the words of an employee at another (VAG-approved) bodyshop I visited, would be "silly money" :-(
dan77
dan77
i had my a3 done recently for corrosion on the roof bars and rear quarter, i was told by the guy at audi a 12 year warranty did apply but only if it hadn`t gone past the point of neglect, so if you leave to get really bad they wont approve any work, the bit on my rear quarter panel was really small, but because i took it in as soon as i had spotted it, the work was approved on the spot and the car was in the bodyshop within a week
Stride
Registered User
hi guys. I have just recently discovered the same problem with my S3. I called my local audi bodyshop and the guy was desperate to fob me off saying that it sounds like a respray and unless the perforation was right through the plate it wouldn't qualify, nor would it qualify if it was deemed to had a respray which it hasn't. Is there some sort of test they do to check the respray thing because i really don't think I am going to get much joy out of my local dealer and may have to travel. any advice?
Stride
Registered User
Well i went to see my audi dealer today and he did his little test. he reckoned that the paintwork should register at around 120 microns to qualify for repair under the audi anti corrosion warranty. Unfortunately for me one of the panels came in substantially higher than that and it was the one with the worst rust bubbles on it! So it looks like I will have to fork out to get it repaired myself. What's the best way to go about it? Ideally i would like the whole car resprayed ton be honest but it costs about 2500 quid so that's not ideal.
they checked paint thickness on mine, used it as an excuse to get out of it. local bodyshop said £150cash to fix rust on bottom of door and replace trim.
are we talking paint thickness on the panels that need doing ??? or any panel on the car ??? i know my car has had front end work... but thats not where the problems are
I took mine into Stockport Audi today for a once over.... the guy said he would submit it to Audi UK but he said in all honesty without FSH i stood very little chance... he also seemed to think ANY bodywork either in the effected area or otherwise would also be cause for a knockback.... least he was honest with me
boyblue
boyblue
took my s3 into Exeter audi on monday about little bubbles of rust coming through on the roof bars, all he did was take a picture, no tests or nothing, had a phone call today saying its been approved and its booked in for 28th of this month! and a get an A6 for a week apprently, but being 21 i have to pay a little excess or something!
had my s3 about 5 weeks now, after spotting this thread had a look at the door strips and came across a slight bubble on the drivers side. i took it down to audi who took some pictures and measured the paint depth to check for respray, called me a week later to say it had been declined and they wanted better pictures. 4 weeks later (today) got a phone call to say the work had been approved on warranty and they will need my car for two days and provide a replacement 
How does this work then?..ive got some rust coming up on my drivers side!.ive not owned it from new.is it just the case of taking it down to audi and getting them to respray it??..its 1998 it that helps.
i bought my S3 and noticed it had rust coming through from the bottom of the door. took it to audi and they did there thing but testing the paint and said it was way too high. wouldn't even bother sending it through. my reading came out as 280's. they said it should be around 120's. they said it had been resprayed.
i've taken it to my friend who owns a panel beating company and i know he does a really good job because he's sprayed other parts for my other cars i've had. he said if its been resprayed they've done a really good job. infact he thought it hadn't because my cars red, and reds the hardest car to spray because the red fades with years and to just spray the door it would come out in a different colour. i was well gutted.
i've taken it to my friend who owns a panel beating company and i know he does a really good job because he's sprayed other parts for my other cars i've had. he said if its been resprayed they've done a really good job. infact he thought it hadn't because my cars red, and reds the hardest car to spray because the red fades with years and to just spray the door it would come out in a different colour. i was well gutted.
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Ive had a bubble appear at the bottom of the drivers door literally within the last 2 weeks! The car has had a full respray though so I know Audi will tell me to feck off! I'm getting it done at my local bodyshop, I trust them more anyway. Would've been nice to have a new Audi courtesy car though!
Dan-A3-Quattro
Registered User
i had some bubbling on the roof and audi re-sprayed/repaired it no hassle but only got a ford ka courtesy car! my door is starting to rust now you all come to mention it so its going back!!! (A3 sport Quattro)
Just been to my local Audi Dealer and hada bloke look at my car for rust and do the paint test,he onlt found one panel that had been resprayed.
He did a test on the rest of the car and it came out as oe paint work which is good!..he also said that the door with the rust my have to have a new door!.he was good tho,he spotted all the up and coming rust took pics and done the readings and i have just got to wait for a couple of dasy to find out if i can get it done!..I should be able to get it done as it has not been resprayed and is in the 12 year warrenty!..fingers crossed!!.
He did a test on the rest of the car and it came out as oe paint work which is good!..he also said that the door with the rust my have to have a new door!.he was good tho,he spotted all the up and coming rust took pics and done the readings and i have just got to wait for a couple of dasy to find out if i can get it done!..I should be able to get it done as it has not been resprayed and is in the 12 year warrenty!..fingers crossed!!.
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