Watch your phone bill when youre looking for an Audi !

[ACWKGYTO]

Just a warning that quite a few but not all Audi main dealers are using 0844 numbers

It takes time to find the right car and I wasnt expecting to receive a larger than normal phone bill

I phoned one Audi dealer and we spoke for 19 minutes @ £1.60

I have a landline package which covers calls anytime except 0844 (Obviously I know this now !)

I think its ****** cheeky for Audi main dealers to charge customers extra to call their sales teams

What I found out later is they usually have two numbers, one normal, one you pay for !

Dread to think what the mobile cost would be to an 0844 !!!

So be careful !

I am waiting for Audi UK to respond about this, as an Audi customer who has already spent enough I am not happy receiving an inflated phone bill !!! What a Rip Off !

 

[SDHA4SLine]

Totally agree, any company that uses an 0844 is taking the proverbial, its just criminal in my opinion especially companies such as Audi.

I always try this website 1st
http://www.saynoto0870.com/

Surfing internet came up with this http://www.soh.co.uk/will-your-08-numbers-be-against-the-law.aspx#.VM-QfU1FC-o

Some quotes from that link below...

Will your 08 numbers be against the law?
On the 13th of June the Consumer Rights Directive will come into force and your 'service' and 'helpline' numbers may have to be charged to your customers at a 'basic rate'. The new directive will mean that it's against the law for you to only provide numbers like 0844, 0845 and 0870. Instead, you'll need to provide numbers such as those beginning 03 and 0800.
Does it apply to you?
If you're selling goods, services or digital content to consumers the changes apply to you.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

Its strange because they have a normal landline number and the 0844 but its very random

It seems to be a practice to catch out the unsuspecting potential buyer and make even money from them !

 

[Matt R]

They are not making money out of you directly, the phone company they have a contract will be though. The reason the dealer will use those numbers is mainly for tracking and logging of calls, something like the below, this is a common marketing practice for all sorts of corporate companies.
They can use all different numbers for departments and campaigns and monitor marketing spend versus responses and will also give them locality of your call.

http://www.nms-digital.co.uk/web-platform/view/3/leadbeast

 

[ACWKGYTO]

They are fools then !

 

[Jake 61]

The cances of me phoning a main dealer are pretty slim but, thank you for the heads up.
It is always handy to know these things.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

The automotive industry in the UK is pretty shocking nothing much surprises me now !

 

[ACWKGYTO]

To cap it all off just got my mobile bill today made 3 calls to my insurance company 0845 and Audi 7 day policy 0800 to cancel when I was picking up the new car

Should have insisted on using the Audi dealerships phone (car salesman should have offered if he was on the ball)

£8 bill !

Makes my blood boil !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jake 61]

Never call an 0800 number from a mobile phone and, never call an 0845...period!
****in' demented with 0845 calls to the house....!

 

[ACWKGYTO]

Never call an 0800 number from a mobile phone and, never call an 0845...period!
****in' demented with 0845 calls to the house....!

Easy to say in hindsight !

This post is just a warning re the hidden costs of car buying !

 

[Nilz]

Guys as already mentioned above use saynoto0870 or if you download this app, its really good, it doesnt have every single number, but the ones it does have can save you money instantly!!!

weq4u is the name of the app, do a search on it, i have it and its really good.

 

[RedTurtle]

I use saynoto0870 all the time, I used it yesterday to call up Admiral. as for 0800 numbers on a mobile.
1) some mobile contracts allow it, my EE one does not charge me for 0800 numbers
2) if you have BT there is an app you can get that will detect you are calling an 0800 number and route it through your wifi so that you are not charged via your mobile provider.

Though the easiest solution is SayNoTo0870.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

Spoke to Audi UK and some of the dealers have got rid of the 0844 numbers, apparently Drift Bridge being one of them.

They basically blame Audi UK and Audi UK blame them....pathetic really

Was offered a tenner by Audi UK which was like getting blood out of a stone anyway, as I had to chase up one of the sales managers to get it

but after the excellent RS open day last Sunday decided to let them keep their tenner !

I just hate anything dodgy like that and wouldnt want others to get stung !

Cheers !

 

[Oddfin]

Yes, they don't miss a trick, as if they're not making enough money already. When I enquired about a car they said there was no way that they could look at any discount on an S1 but would kindly give me a set of mats, one phone call later to carfile and I got £1800 off! and all arranged through an Audi dealer, sounds like some of dealerships are just over greedy even down to premium rate phone number for when you want to spend money with them. They must have lost customers through this.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

Yes, they don't miss a trick, as if they're not making enough money already. When I enquired about a car they said there was no way that they could look at any discount on an S1 but would kindly give me a set of mats, one phone call later to carfile and I got £1800 off! and all arranged through an Audi dealer, sounds like some of dealerships are just over greedy even down to premium rate phone number for when you want to spend money with them. They must have lost customers through this.

It doesnt make sense, why put customers off ! As you said they are greedy ! But also misguided, they will have been advised by someone to have 0844 numbers !