Advice required... the car I purchased from Audi isn't as expected

[walkerwek1958]

I sympathise entirely; there's no excuse for getting the description wrong.

I wouldn't let the grass grow under your feet; get on the phone, tell them you're bringing the car back immediately, ask to know exactly where your old one is and tell them you want it back. If it's humanly possible I suggest you do it tomorrow...... the longer you leave it the less chance of getting your old one back.

Head north with an overnight bag and enough money.........to quote the Nike t-shirt 'just do it'.

Paul

[sammyl1000]

I feel for you and agree with the majority this car is not what you thought it was and show be rejected.

I had two issues with Audi Basingstoke some while ago.

1. My A4 went in for a minor service and I thought it strange that at the end of the day they hadn't called me. I started to hound them the following day on the and was told they had no information on when it would be done. I went down there at the end of the day and managed to find out they smashed it up outside with another car going into the garage within the first few moments of having it! After 4 weeks and a too small A3 as a loan car I got it back. Like new but not the point. I was still charged the service. Which I regret now paying for.

2. My partner who also had an Audi went into by a part in the same dealership a few years later and had his brand new phone stolen from the parts area. They refused to hand over the CCTV as there were no other customers in the time it was obviously a member of staff. Again no recourse from them.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[W44NNE]

The only issue Paul is today is likely to be impossible for me to make any kind of phone call, so then it'll be weekend before I know it anyway.

One thing I'm finding annoying though is there's no other car that "does it" for me?? I've just had a look at the following websites:

Jaguar
Land Rover
BMW
Alfa Romeo (I know!)
Mercedes-Benz

No offence to anyone with these cars but from what I can afford, meh.

The A7 was a dream car for a long time. I love the AWD system on Audis and the 3.0TDI engine is really superb. I do feel like the cars themselves are incredible, but the customer service is severely lacking.

So do I boycott Audi completely, knowing whatever else I find from other brands in that price range doesn't give me the same joy, or do I go for another A7 and check, double check, triple check and quadruple check everything related to it?!

[senwar]

The only issue Paul is today is likely to be impossible for me to make any kind of phone call, so then it'll be weekend before I know it anyway.

One thing I'm finding annoying though is there's no other car that "does it" for me?? I've just had a look at the following websites:

Jaguar
Land Rover
BMW
Alfa Romeo (I know!)
Mercedes-Benz

No offence to anyone with these cars but from what I can afford, meh.

The A7 was a dream car for a long time. I love the AWD system on Audis and the 3.0TDI engine is really superb. I do feel like the cars themselves are incredible, but the customer service is severely lacking.

So do I boycott Audi completely, knowing whatever else I find from other brands in that price range doesn't give me the same joy, or do I go for another A7 and check, double check, triple check and quadruple check everything related to it?!

No - don't boycott and let this incident put you off.

I bought a brand new TT from Wearside Audi in 2003. Had a major issue with it regarding how it was delivered to me and I vowed to never use again. I also had it in Audi Sheffield for a service and overnight something fell on it in the workshop. I wouldn't use either dealer (still) but have found a few decent ones since (notably Wakefield) and I just like the cars. Saying that, I don't have one at present and bloody miss having my old A5.

[thieuster]

You had a bad experience with one dealer. Not with Audi as a car. In fact, your previous one was an Audi as well and bases on that, you searched for another one. For you, Audi's (cars) are good.

Menno

[W44NNE]

You had a bad experience with one dealer. Not with Audi as a car. In fact, your previous one was an Audi as well and bases on that, you searched for another one. For you, Audi's (cars) are good.

Menno

I also had a terrible experience with the first Audi dealer though and thought it was a one-off

[adrianw]

I also had a terrible experience with the first Audi dealer though and thought it was a one-off

I never realised just how good Lexus dealers were until I bought a BMW

[noTAGlove]

Wow, you deal with all of this crap when parting with 40k of your very hard earned money.

Sums of money that over 95% of the population can only dream of. Life changing amounts of money for most people.

And then you come back for more, and get the same old crap.

Wow, just wow

[Saint-Just]

I am for the moment extremely satisfied both with my Mercedes dealer and the level of service I got from Mercedes itself across several dealers on the continent, but I have no experience from competing brands to compare them with. I genuinely do not know what else they could have done to make things better, apart from footing all invoices (the Merc assistance did not cost me a penny thought, despite having to pick the car up in the woods (literally) and delivering it once fixed several hundred miles away).
I have however only heard great things about Lexus dealers.

[amnesia]

I never realised just how good Lexus dealers were until I bought a BMW

Isn't that the truth !

My LS was in sooo many ways a better car than the 750i that replaced it. The dealership in Poole was genuinely superb, whereas you could see the BMW dealership's eyes light up with £ signs everytime I dropped my 7 series off for some work.

Anyway, back to the OP... if you can find time to come on here and write about your experience, I find it hard to believe that you can't use a telephone until tomorrow.

[W44NNE]

Made and received some phone calls as I had a postponement this morning. The garage has totally changed their tune after I emailed their head of sales and offered me £800 for the camera, £500 for the Audi Connect, and they'll pay for the brakes to be repaired at a local dealer.

I've told them I'll mull it over and get back to them Monday. In the meantime I've had them send the offer in writing.

[jaytip]

So is that £800 in addition to them getting an aftermarket camera installed?

[W44NNE]

So is that £800 in addition to them getting an aftermarket camera installed?

No basically, this offer to me sounds like a way of just getting rid of the issue. I'll receive £1300 back in my account but still be without the features. I've spoken to Audi manchester and the camera can't even be retrofitted. It requires several modules and a different tailgate.

[pitbull666]

No basically, this offer to me sounds like a way of just getting rid of the issue. I'll receive £1300 back in my account but still be without the features. I've spoken to Audi manchester and the camera can't even be retrofitted. It requires several modules and a different tailgate.

I guess the deciding question is would you of purchased it originally with the lower spec you wanted if it £1300 less?

[Geoff W]

That does surprise me, Audi Solihull lost me as a customer several years ago due to my unwillingness to tolerate a supercilious cheaply suited sales drone who seemed to consider it 'beneath his dignity' to deal with a cash purchaser, i.e. A buyer who was not interested in a credit/finance purchase.
At the risk of boring everyone to death, we went directly next door to Honda where we were treated extremely well and bought a CR-V for my wife (she has been delighted with it) instead of a Q3.
Subsequently when I replaced my A4Q, I did NOT trouble Audi Solihull!

Funny my brother went to that exact dealership and did want some credit facility and thought the sales team were diabolical. He then went and bought a Honda too!

[scooter]

It's just me but I don't think that I would ever feel happy with that car.

scooter

[aldfort]

I assume you've seen this?

http://www.advanced-incar.co.uk/prod...mera-retrofit/

[Captain Morgan]

I also think that even if you get aftermarket solutions fitted they won't work in quite the same way as factory fitted and the kludges will serve as a constant reminder that the car is not as you expected, even if you asked for a more round £1500 it would still stick in the craw.

[W44NNE]

I guess the deciding question is would you of purchased it originally with the lower spec you wanted if it £1300 less?

This is what I'm going to mull over. What a difference a day makes :-s

[mrushton]

Only an opinion but £1300 is buttons in this world. The dealers will take that off you for a service and extras. You wanted the car with the features listed and it doesn't have them. How much is that model without them normally? For me, I'd be irritated everytime I got in it just thinking about the stuff involved when you could have took your money elsewhere and poss got a car you want. If you take the car and next week decide to trade it in, are you going to get 'well sir' it doesn't have these features, so we can only offer you £x amount'. I'll bet it won't be a £1300 drop

[stuie-t]

For a car the size and shape of the A7 I would want a reversing camera too and it would annoy me every time I went to park it if it was missing, not to mention I would probably cause >£1300 in damage by hitting something!

[senwar]

This is what I'm going to mull over. What a difference a day makes :-s

It shouldn't be something you'd need to mull over.

Thinking about it means it's something you're not sure of. Reject it as you'll never settle with it (seriously, I've been in a similar position). It will always be in the back of your mind

[MakeColdplayHistory]

Is your old car still with them?

I'm in the 'you'll never feel right about this car' camp and reckon they should either return you both to your starting positions or find you another 7 in the Audi dealer network that's got everything you want (if this is even possible).

[Phil Lee]

There seem to be quite a few A7 3.0 TDI quattro cars available on the Audi used website. There's one in Warrington with the parking and technology packs with only 6000 miles on the clock for example. Obviously I don't know how much you paid to change your car so it makes it hatd to do a full comparison. I'd reject the car and get the spec you want.

[pitbull666]

This is what I'm going to mull over. What a difference a day makes :-s

The fact you have to mull it over does suggest you are having to justify it to yourself! I'd personally walk away taking your A5 back or requesting a loan car until the locate an A7 with the spec you actually purchased and wasn't supplied.

[AsifG]

There's a well respected guy on the Audi Forums who does loads of installs of OEM products into cars. I've got an RS4 and am quite active on some of the forums. May well be worth having a chat with him - he's mobile too.

I'll see if I can dig out his info

[AsifG]

https://www.facebook.com/AudiRetrofits/

If you do a search for Camera on his page, you'll see he has installed them into various Audis

Good luck!

[AsifG]

For those that hate Facebook!: http://audi-retrofits.co.uk/#products-services

[hilly10]

A lot of these dealers are the same with the people who are selling the product know nothing about them,and it's just left to some junior to put the spec together. I searched all over for three months for a Discovery 4 I finally found one, it stated that it had TV a tow pack and a few other minor items. They stated the mileage at x and when I picked it up I noticed it was 900 miles more now was not bothered about the TV etc but I was miffed on the mileage although it had only done Sub 10k. I did complain and have got free mats and a big service out of them

[Dave O'Sullivan]

Wayne, back it mate. It's not a cheap car and the lack of those two features will always annoy you.

It's not the only Audi in the world. You'll find another soon enough.

[W44NNE]

Wayne, back it mate. It's not a cheap car and the lack of those two features will always annoy you.

It's not the only Audi in the world. You'll find another soon enough.

Parked it at my parents' today and I'm driving something else for the weekend. I didn't want something to happen to it in case I decide to send it back to them. I'll have a good think what to do and decided Monday :-)

[shoppy]

I would personally reject it now as others have said you will never be happy. I know first hand, had a similar experience different brand, convinced my self it was ok, 6 months and got rid of the car as it just annoyed me. Got a new one in August last year lost quite a bit buy hey ho, you live and learn. Wife wants to trade her car in for the exact same one but with the new wider sat nav display, I said pointless but needless to say new one is on order.

[Barton Red]

Just get rid, it's always going to annoy you and you'll get rid sooner in a few months anyway. I bought a merc a few years back when my dad was ill, just gave me something to occupy my mind, bit like yours, missed a few options listed on the advert and we came to an arrangement but it always niggled me (and reminded me of a bad time) so after 9 months and a few further issues I got rid with a 6k loss. I was glad to see the back of it.

[Albellisimo]

Get shut! They're leading you a merry dance it seems to me; £1300 is an insult. I certainly wouldn't want a car that size without parking camera. You specifically wanted that spec so wait until a car comes up. You'll look on Autotrader and Sod's law is one will turn up in your region and you'll be gutted

[Dave+63]

Only you can decide whether you can live with it or if it is always going to annoy you.

It may be worth chatting with the guy mentioned above about both the missing items. If he can retrofit them at a cost less than the £1300 then you'll end up in a better position than you thought. If it costs more then you've a good argument for an increased offer from Audi.

You clearly like the car and want to keep it so it's worth asking the question.

[Saint-Just]

One of the reasons stated for having all these options was regarding the resale value of the car. Non OEM options will not achieve this.
Return the car, you now know that it is indeed a model for you. You can give the dealer a break by challenging him to get you another spec'ed as you wish within a set time, or not.

[KavKav]

My view is this. The dealership sees you as just another punter they sold a car to, the sale having been made they now see you as a nuisance that they want off their backs at minimum cost. Many have said here that if you keep the car then it will never feel right and they are correct, your 'happy' comfort zone with this car is gone and will not be back! Forget about second class solutions as far as retrofitting goes, the car you want IS out there, you just have not found it yet. The longer you leave this, the more the dealership will feel right is on THEIR side, I advise you to make a positive and firm decision today and reject the car. Good luck with finding what you want.

[IAmATeaf]

Outright rejecting it might get the dealership to start focusing on the issue at heart, namely they sold you a mis-advertised car.

At the moment with your delays they think they can solve the problem by throwing some derisory offer your way.

[senwar]

Parked it at my parents' today and I'm driving something else for the weekend. I didn't want something to happen to it in case I decide to send it back to them. I'll have a good think what to do and decided Monday :-)

Again yet another 'give it back flag'.

Seriously.

[ETCHY]

I'd take it back.

I know it's a crap analogy (however this is a watch forum) but If it were a watch would you accept a Rolex Submariner instead of a Sea Dweller if the SD was what you'd wanted & gone in to the shop to get?

You didn't get what they advertised or what you wanted, they've buggered you about & you still won't have what you really want if you keep it. It'll always pi** you off, so just take it back.

You're spending money, why not have what you actually want.

Dave

[deepreddave]

I'd suggest they source an either alternative A7 with the best spec possible in terms of your understanding on purchase, if it's older /more mileage then you get a refund as appropriate but under no circumstances pay more.

If not acceptable then seek the max they'll offer which is probably a little more than they have so far ;).

[Rob (NZ)]

OP, any update?

Rob.

[W44NNE]

Sorry yes I actually called them late on today and left a message to say I'll be returning the car. The manager was on site but unavailable at the time, and of course didn't get back to me. I'll see what tomorrow brings with it.

[bloater]

I'd get them to pick the car up, after all it was there mistake, why should you waste time and money taking it back.

[thieuster]

Sorry yes I actually called them late on today and left a message to say I'll be returning the car. The manager was on site but unavailable at the time, and of course didn't get back to me. I'll see what tomorrow brings with it.

I think you did good.

I wouldn't drive with the car anymore from now on. Take a pic of the milage + date and time and send that to them so that there's no discussion about "You rejected the car but at the same time you kept on driving it!"

Menno

[Fords]

The Audi dealer I use is fantastic, since I purchased my new A8 I have had one problem which was sorted in a day, they also retro fitted my towbar, which included a new selectable rear camera view on top of the other 5 selectable views for hitching up you follow a line to the hitch, I must admit I got some strange looks at Audi as they had never fitted one or had an order for one to be added on production before to the New D4, they said it's the only one in the country.

I had the choice of the new Range Rover or Discovery, I spend less time towing than driving and this car spanks them both.


So a positive from the dealer I use.

[jaytip]

I did actually wince when I read you put a tow bar on an A8.
Is it a removable one ? Please tell me it is. It's too good looking a car to have that ugly ball on the back.

[W44NNE]

The Audi dealer I use is fantastic, since I purchased my new A8 I have had one problem which was sorted in a day, they also retro fitted my towbar, which included a new selectable rear camera view on top of the other 5 selectable views for hitching up you follow a line to the hitch, I must admit I got some strange looks at Audi as they had never fitted one or had an order for one to be added on production before to the New D4, they said it's the only one in the country.

I had the choice of the new Range Rover or Discovery, I spend less time towing than driving and this car spanks them both.


So a positive from the dealer I use.

Lol well there's a unique scenario for you! Glad you're enjoying it :-) Which dealer?

[Fords]

I did actually wince when I read you put a tow bar on an A8.
Is it a removable one ? Please tell me it is. It's too good looking a car to have that ugly ball on the back.

Yes it's fully detachable, I must admit I get some odd looks when towing my twin axle, it's an Alko swan neck brushed


Very comfortable all the mod cons, auto level, solar panel, gas combi boiler, winterised. 4 wheel drive motor movers. Large double fridge freezer, air con.




I love it.

[mrbez]

Lol well there's a unique scenario for you! Glad you're enjoying it :-) Which dealer?

So did they get back to you? What is happening? /curious