Reply With Quote22k that's madness. Not sure how that works but I would be fuming especially as the car was in there possession. Hope he gets it sorted, but I think my blood pressure would be through the roof if Audi don't sort it.
A friend left his 56 plate RS4 at the local Audi dealer for a gearbox oil change. He asked them not to leave it outside in case of theft.
Anyway they did and his front seats were stolen.
Apparently they are stolen to order. He’s been quoted a mind boggling £22000 (twenty two thousand) fitted to replace them.
My jaw dropped.
It’s likely to be written off now but he’s trying to get the dealer to offer compensation.
Crazy prices
Andy
22k that's madness. Not sure how that works but I would be fuming especially as the car was in there possession. Hope he gets it sorted, but I think my blood pressure would be through the roof if Audi don't sort it.
He’s pretty mad as you can understand. He’s owned that car from new
£22k! He can get a whole car for half that!
Their premises their insurance surely?
Bonkers, but the Audi dealers problem, surely?
It was on their premises and in their care wasn’t it, so their insurance will be coughing up?
Their premises their fault.
Does anyone actually know the legal (not moral) position regarding the garage having been given instructions by the owner relating to the cars security while in their care, and their liability?
I would hope they are responsible, probably via their insurer, but am aware that might not be the case, hence the question. A definitive answer may help not only the OP's friend, but maybe some of us in the future.
I imagine all the OP wants is new seats to put him back in the position he was in before this happened but given that utterly absurd cost, I imagine Audi will dispute the verbal storage request/instructions and along with the insurers will wriggle like worms on a very hot griddle!Originally Posted by Beanie
Time to use his legal cover me thinks
We learn a new thing everyday
What car not to buy
Unfortunately this a known problem with B7 RS4's- I used to sell a hell of a lot of them back in the day- When they first came out in 2006 my local police force (Thames Valley) had markers on their system to stop any seen at night as they were being stolen and used for jobs. Interiors have been/are stolen to order and have heard of quite a few getting written off, which is crazy .
I'm sure there will be a little sign up somewhere stating that cars are left at customer's risk. Most garages have them.
Been reading about theftbif these seats for years now. Awful, and one reason I wouldn’t buy the car as it’s an instant target. Seats need to have unique identifiers to prevent this and police need to be hot on any modified golfs or Audi’s that have these seats in. I suspect there will be a couple of gangs responsible for all the thefts.
What's the market value of the car?
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That is the problem especially with older cars are written off for the interior. If you go to any motor show it is amazing the number of Golfs etc with these seats in. As the doors deadlock they somehow get them out through the windows too !
Well having had this when I worked at VW around 2007 (R32 recaro’s, same seats but without the active bolsters) our insurance excess was £10,000 we just paid for new seats and fitting.
£22k seems excessive when they were about £2300 each back then!
We never left any customers cars outside overnight, not Audis, but any damage could occur, pub 50 yards away. Surely once the garage have possession of the car keys it becomes their responsibility regardless of any disclaimer signs.
That sign only works (perhaps) when he’d parked the car & handed the keys without asking them to put the car inside.
Must say that 22,000 for two Recaros is even better business than Submariners. Totally inflated. On the other hand, they must be worth a lot since they’re getting stolen. Still... 22k?
Edit: added to that, the best chance of finding the correct seat would be eBay Germany
Last edited by thieuster; 6th April 2019 at 13:49.
This. Whatever verbal instructions he gave are irrelevant. If he left the keys with them their insurance should cover the theft.
Was this a main dealer or an independent?
I found the £22k part hard to believe so I googled it and sure enough...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...-to-order.html
Some Audi mechanic charging £132 an hour to build the seats back in 2014...I’m clearly in the wrong job!
How much would one have to pay for a written off one minus the seats?
Definitely not £22k less that’s for sure lol!
Are these the ones? Two sets for sale both in Leicester at £2.5k and £2.3k
50/-
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I think his main problem is whose ever insurance will cover it, it will be written off and he will be without his treasured car.
I will let you know how it all unfolds
If he isn't worried about the car having a written-off marker on its history, I'd just let them write it off, buy it back from them at a fraction of its value and fit a second hand set of seats (or a set of Recaro Sportster CSes, which are lovely) . I agree it seems silly that interior theft could write off the car, but that doesn't necessarily mean he has to part with the car.
Surely the onus of care is with the dealer so their insurance should sort it out. I think the signs are there for visitors to the dealer who might pop in and out.
I get the impression that the dealer is trying it on with the replacement costs hoping your friend will go away. Also knowing the car they must also know it’s “thievability” status so leaving it parked outside was also just poor responsibility on their part.
If need be take them to the small claims court, is there a max claim amount for small claims?
The OP would be well within:
https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-...ney/court-fees
You can get a perfectly functional watch for half the price of a replacement link for a Rolex bracelet
Any high end brand will pull your pants down when it comes to repair or replacement parts because
1) if you want genuine stuff, they have you over a barrel. You pay what they tell you to pay
2) you probably do want genuine stuff because your desire for quality is why you’re a customer in the first place
Last edited by The_Perfect_Sandwich; 7th April 2019 at 13:24.
I think the maximum for a small claims court is 5K
If the Car was on the Garages premises it’s 100% down to them to sort this out.
You left instructions for the Car not to be left out side and that’s what the Garage did just ask to see the Dealer Principal
and tell him what you said to the service department.
If you sill do not get what you want contact Audi UK.
Pretty sure it's nothing like that low.
https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-...ney/court-fees
Strangely enough I was on a test drive yesterday in a Type R and was telling the sales manager what happened and he said once they take the keys the car is their responsibility.
I meant he could buy a whole B7 RS4.
Audi RS, S and certain Quattro models along with BMW M and M Sport and VW R models remain the preferred choice unfortunately.
Last edited by MST; 7th April 2019 at 17:15.
No he won’t. The Small Claims Track limit is £10,000. If he presents a claim for either his seats or the write off value of his car, it will be for over £10,000 which will take the matter into the Fast Track. The difference between the two tracks is primarily costs. If he loses in the Fast Track, he has to pay the other parties costs. In the Small Claims Track, there are generally no costs awarded win or lose.
OP or OP’s friend, don’t take legal advice from the internet as you don’t know whether it’s accurate or not.
The last paragraph is accurate.
A solicitor will likely give you a quick appraisal of the situation and the options you have.
I suspect the OP has a very real chance of winning a claim in or before court, but for the sake of a few quid allow a professional to review it!
As I sugested earlier, time for the legal cover on his home insurance...
Surely a car with emissions that high and mpg that low should be scrapped anyway.
No excuse for having a car with an engine that dirty theses days.
Zzzzzzzz
"Active Bolsters"? Some kind of expensive g-meter controlled inflating restraint in the seat?
If it makes you feels better he had covered 110,000 miles since he brought it and the average mpg over that period was 11 mpg. He drove it very hard which is why he loved it so much
Nominal 50k on fuel... ? Jesus H Christ !!
Where did he bring it from ?
Yep side bolsters inflate and deflate when you corner to hold you on the seat.
Looking at the photo, they look very much like Recaro Pole Positions- which cost about £2k if you go leather. The seat bolster does however look a bit different on the Audi seats, but I am sure the folks at Southbound could stitch up some swabs.
That said a pair of genuine 964 RS Pole Position were for sale on EBay for £15k.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Strange situation all round. CCTV? Dealer 100% liable? Audi (company) committing some kind of fraud by charging so much...?
Pretty sure they’re not Pole Positions, but if they were, I can tell you the Audi mark up on the Poles in mine is amusingly bad too (the RRP is something like £3500 each compared to circa £2k each for comparable non-Audi Pole positions in similar materials). And the Poles are basic seats.
Sadly I suspect plenty of those sub £2k Wingback seats for sale on Facebook are pinched.
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sadly if the garage has a x/s and the costs exceed this to repair ,& they pass the claim to their insurers, the insurer will either pay to repair only if economical to do so , or deal as a total loss as the car is beyond economical repair if repair costs exceed the vehicles pre accident value or constructive total loss if the repair cost together with the salvage value exceed the vehicle p.a.v. the vehicle should be categorised as a cat N ( non structural), probably the owner may be able to negotiate to retain the salvage with the insurer at a cost/reduction in the settlement. but the owner must be aware with a knowledge of hpi/ loss history any subsequent insurance claim will be effected by a reduction in value or when he comes to sell.( and he has to inform his own insurers )
and the repair cost is no surprise to me , be aware new headlamps on new BMWs can cost between 2-4 K alone. its the price of technology.
Last edited by mitch1956; 8th April 2019 at 21:24.
The reality, is the cost's are vastly inflated and not representative of the actual cost.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
These seats must be very comfortable.
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