a4 multitronic problem

[a4god2ulot]

bought my a4 multitronic early this year with warranty its a late 2003 model.anyway a few weeks ago it started to like jump into first when comeing to a hault,didnt take much notice at 1st just put it down to the road surfaces,so i let my missis drive didnt say anything whilst she was driving,she comes to a hault and it does it again which comfirmed my suspisions as she complained to.

so next day i go to our local dealer john fox of nottingham,ask them to check it,left it with them as they said as there checking it they have to do a oil sample,fine carry on but befor you do how much is this check going to cost,its ok sir its done under warranty:Blush:

4hrs later i get a call to come and collect it,gets there sees the service manager and this is what he told me!!!

we have done the checks and oil sample it needs a new box,we found iron filings in the oil a rebuild will be no good as we couldnt get rid of all the bits,ok so when can this be done and is it being done through warranty,yes of course sir here is a print out of what is going to be done ,new box new filter plus audi approved transmission oil plus price!!!!!!! i nearly fell off the chair total cost of £4,650 :1zhelp: well good job its got warranty well so i thought well it as sort of?as i was leaving he says to me can you look in your service book and see if its had its forty thousand mile oil change on the box?i didnt own the car at that mileage so yeah i will look,looked it had a service at 34k with additional work ticked on the 40k bit to say box oil change due when reached this mileage,then turned the page it had a 51k service but no mention of the box and the dealer was warrington audi thats done it all from new,so go back to john foxes tell them they say **** phone audi uk and talk to them,in the mean time new box as arrived,audi customer services say we will look into it,i call warrington audi to ask them they say never changed it the customer must of advised us not to do it tuff **** they say you got to pay!!!!basically,so i go back to my dealer john fox,i didnt buy it from any garage i bought it private,they say this is whats going to happen,they have requested all invoices and work logs for this car,they say warrington audi knew about the 40k oil change but still let it go in for its 51k service and not made it clear about this oil change and should of told the previous owner this is a must as if the box fails your warranty will be void?so looks like there going to have to foot the bill?i am still waiting to see what the outcome is because at the end of the day i was sold this car with full audi warranty and no one told me how essential this oil change is?.so moral of the story is if you buy a audi multitronic under warranty make sure its had the 40k box service if its up to that mileage i got mine at 54k but didnt know about the box:zx11: will post up the outcome soon as i know:Blush:

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Did you ever get any further with this. 'twould be good to know the outcome.

[a4god2ulot]

yeah audi uk just said its not there problem there not doing nothing about it,because warington audi used there get out clause by saying they notified the previous owner to remind them it needed doing?? but still after the 34,000k service it had1 at 51,000 at the same place but still no gearbox oil change,audi uk customer services were s**t,i went back to the place i bought my car from and they said they will send it to a gearbox speacialist and put a recon in with a years warranty but i said no because at the end of the day if this car would of had its oil changed audi wouldnt say here you go its a recon?under the full warranty .i think there is a problem with these gearboxes anyway i have heard they are replacing the multitronic with a 7plate clutch setup instead of the 6plate.put it this way i will not have another one.:zx11:

[RickT]

its a tough one that...

However Audi Warrington need to prove they told the previous owner.. however its they word which will go in favour..

i would get writing to Audi UK explaining as they tend to get matters resolved in a postive outcome via letter than phone.

Cheers

RicKT

[RickT]

however... they can now turn around and say its out of warrenty with having 51k on it and over 3 years old...

if thats the case... did u buy it from a garage?? if so you could try getting them to foot the bill via Audi as they have sold a car stating Full Audi history when its not had the requires service..... however if the stamps are there they will just say it appeared to had from their knowledge.

Cheers

RicKT

[Teutonic_Tamer]

yeah audi uk just said its not there problem there not doing nothing about it,because warington audi used there get out clause by saying they notified the previous owner to remind them it needed doing??

Audi UK may initially try to get out of their responsibility, regarding the warranty, but with the appropriate type of pressure - such as the proper documentary evidence, they should alter their original stance. You may ultimately get Audi UK to authorise 100% of the cost of the repairs, or they may (more likely) offer a "goodwill contribution" of something like 75% of the cost, leaving you just 25% of the total bill. It may not be easy, and may involve a few letters back and forth with then, and even may require an independent examination (who will be refunded by Audi if you firstly agree [or simply tell Audi if they get difficult] in advance of the examination, and secondly, the examination finds in your favour).

I will agree with RickT, regarding proving that the previous owner declined the gearbox oil change. However, to add a little more flesh to the bone on this issue, Audi Warrington should have got a signed disclaimer from the vehicle owner, which clearly stated the owner formally declined that particular item of routine maintenance (the gearbox oil change). Signed disclaimers are very common practice, and the absence of the necessary signed disclaimer from the owner would lead the Audi garage easily open to negligence, and therefore, the warranty would still be enforcable in any arbitration scheme or ultimately a Court of Law.

If Warrington Audi either refuse, or are unable to supply you with the necessary documentary evidence, write to the previous owner, as shown on the V5 logbook. There are a number possible outcomes, the previous owner may write back, stating he was never told about the oil change requirement, which would throw the neglignece issue clearly onto Warrington Audi. Alternatively, he may write back to confirming he did refuse the oil change - if this happend, you need to look carefully at the advert he placed when selling the car - if he satated something like "full Audi service history", or "Audi warranty still remaining for XX months / 'till Dec 06", then the seller clearly lied to you, and you can clearly sue the seller for misrepresentation.


but still after the 34,000k service it had1 at 51,000 at the same place but still no gearbox oil change,audi uk customer services were s**t

Audi UK can be a pain!


i went back to the place i bought my car from

Did you buy it from a Trader, or was it merely a private sale, from the actual previous owner?


and they said they will send it to a gearbox speacialist and put a recon in with a years warranty but i said no because at the end of the day if this car would of had its oil changed audi wouldnt say here you go its a recon?under the full warranty.

You were quite right to refuse their initial offer.


i think there is a problem with these gearboxes anyway i have heard they are replacing the multitronic with a 7plate clutch setup instead of the 6plate.

These multitronic gearboxes are actually quite good. There are known issues, but with the high torque from the 2.5 V6 TDIs. Your particular problem seems to stem from a neglect of a specific maintenance procedure. You don't actually state what engine you have.

Have a chat with these guys http://www.inde-tech.co.uk/multitronic.html, there is another positive response elsewhere on these forum about Inde-Tech.


put it this way i will not have another one.:zx11:

I would not give up on the VW Audi stable. I find them very well engineered cars. Like any make of vehicle, if crucial maintenance is skipped, then you are bound to encounter problems!

Rgds

[Teutonic_Tamer]

however... they can now turn around and say its out of warrenty with having 51k on it and over 3 years old...

Not necessarily, as long as the problem was initially reported to the Audi garage before the warranty expired, then that problem is still covered, even if the warranty has since run out.


if thats the case... did u buy it from a garage?? if so you could try getting them to foot the bill via Audi as they have sold a car stating Full Audi history when its not had the requires service..... however if the stamps are there they will just say it appeared to had from their knowledge.

If he did buy it from a garage, even a back-street non-franchised independent trader, his rights are much stronger. Depending upon the detailed circumstances of the sale, Trading Standards may be able to help.

Rgds

[a4god2ulot]

thanks guys for your replies,i will put that to them regarding the desclaimer,i have tried the previous owner the company no longer exists,mine is a 1.9tdi 130 sport avant s line,i was sold it with 7months remaining warranty its run out but the claim is still valid as it was reported whilst under warranty.i bought it from available in derby i paid cash and had a year on finance,no one is intrested the finance company say its ok with them to have a recon box and tradeing standards say there within the law as the car is second hand,theres no way this car is going to a gearbox speacialist bin there done that with these back street guys who say they can repair them this car is more complex theres the software that runs the box ect ect.i just do not know what to do next,i think the idea of sueing the garage for starters,if i stop paying the finance i lose by getting a bad name for not paying and thats not fair so what do i do?:(

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Right, to start off, it seems there are a number of issues unravelling and arising here, and they all probably need adressing individually, using different methods for each "problem".


thanks guys for your replies,i will put that to them regarding the desclaimer,i have tried the previous owner the company no longer exists,mine is a 1.9tdi 130 sport avant s line,i was sold it with 7months remaining warranty its run out but the claim is still valid as it was reported whilst under warranty.

It's too bad about the previous owner/company going down the tubes, stuff like this happens. You may be able to do some searches, looking for the Company Secretary from the failed company, and then seeing if the same name crops up in any new registered company, and contact them from there. The person shouldn't have any problems replying to your request, unless their previous company was folded due to some kind of unlawful activity. :(


i bought it from available in derby

Right, that helps you an awful lot, as it was an official motor Trader. Firstly, you are protected by the balance Manufacturers warranty (you did not knowingly purchase the car, with the knowledge that vital items of routine maintenance had been omitted), secondly you are protected by AvailableCars warranty (don't believe the tosh on their web site, registered traders are "expected" by EU law to provide 6 months warranty, free of charge on high value second-hand goods). Thirdly, you are protected by general consumer laws, such as the Sale of Goods Act, and the Supply of Goods and Services Act. These state a number of legally binding conditions, such as "fit for its' purpose", to be "as described" in any advert, literature, conversation, and "be free from minor" defects. The "minor defects" would be on a sliding scale, in proportion to the newness of the product. A brand new car would be expected to be perfect, with no defects at all, whereas, say a six year old car with 90,000 miles on the clock would naturally be expected to have a degree of wear and tear arising from the acceptable useage from those previous 6yrs/90k miles - nevertheless, all components (unless previously described otherwise) should work in a satisfactory method, ie, the engine should run, the gearbox change gears, the brakes stop the car, the windscreen wipers wipe, the heater heat, the flashers fla.... (ok - I'll stop there :p ), etc, etc.


i paid cash and had a year on finance,no one is intrested the finance company say its ok with them to have a recon box and tradeing standards say there within the law as the car is second hand,

The cash bit - you have little protection in isolation, however the finance bit offers you very robust protection. Technically (depending on exactly what type of finance, if it is HP), the legal owner of your car is the finance company (even though you may be the registered keeper on the V5), and they have the legal responsibility to sort it out. If the finance company do agree to a recon box, then it must still be of satisfactory quality.

Get back in touch with Trading Standards, and demand of them that they assist you in your legitimate and lawful protection of your Consumer Rights. If they become obstructive or useless, get over to either (or both) Martin Lewis' web-site www.moneysavingexpert.com (http://www.moneysavingexpert.com), and/or the highly regarded Telegraph motoring journo http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/ (click on the "the back room" for the forum).


theres no way this car is going to a gearbox speacialist bin there done that with these back street guys who say they can repair them this car is more complex theres the software that runs the box ect ect.

There are gearbox specialists (who will work on all kinds of 'boxes, manual and auto), and then there are the real, dedicated gearbox specialists, like Inde-Tech, who really do specialise in just one type of box. Please do get in touch with Inde-Tech - "Scottnd" over on the A6 board had a very positive outcome - check it out http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=11991.


i just do not know what to do next,

At may be a bit of a long slog, but be determined, stand by your guns, work through all suggestions logically, and don't fall at the first hurdle. There may be a few tears of anger/frustration to shed, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. You are not alone, because there are pleanty of other documented examples of the Multitronic gearbox going south due to lack of maintenace.


i think the idea of sueing the garage for starters,

A very realistic possibility of success, but you will need independent expert reports, don't even contemplate this kind of legal action without them, I know, been there done that & got a bloody nose:mad: . I must warn you though, I am not a Lawyer, so you'd be very wise to seek professional legal advice - even if it were just for an opinion on the merits and de-merits of your case. You should still be able to persue the legal action through the Courts by yourself, without any legal representation.

Another option would be one of the "alternative dispute services", or a formal mediation service. Unfortunately, AvailableCar don't show any membership of any of the car sales "regulator" type organisations, such as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF), or the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) - http://www.motor.org.uk/.


if i stop paying the finance i lose by getting a bad name for not paying and thats not fair so what do i do?:(

Whatever you do, do NOT stop paying the finance. You are quite right regarding the bad credit history etc. It can seem unfair, but finance companies do have a balancing act between their rights and responsibilities. You need to write to the finance co (recorded delivery), formally rejecting the car, and threaten (but don't actually do it) to suspend payments. The finance company must, by law, comply with the regulations enforced by the Financial Services Authority http://www.fsa.gov.uk/consumer/

Again, it's worth getting some more specific independent advice from the MoneySavingExpert - http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/.

Another very good source of financial help is the National Debtline, call freefone 0808 808 4000 http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/, you may be on hold a little while, but they are very, very helpful.

Chin-up, rgds

[a4god2ulot]

thank you very much for your information its good to know there are good people around when needed,well after reading the posts i decided to see if i could trace the previous owner that was on the logue book.

i tried various ways going through business directories ect,they all turned up blank i then went on to companies house website and typed in the company name and bingo there it was but registered at a different address but no telephone number so i put the name and address i had through the business pages it turned up a number great i will give it a try,
got through to a lady who told me the business used to be there but have moved not ceased tradeing and gave me another number tried it got through to yet another number explained to the lady my problem she replies oh yes i remember the vehicle it was my directors personal car, "bingo",sorry though he is not in till later i will get him to call you...

lowe and behold i recieve my call from the previous owner mark,i explained the situation to him i also told him that warrington audi say they informed you by letter that the gearbox oil wanted changeing and that you had declined there instructions???he replies sorry mate i never knew anything about it requiring a oil change at 40k this is the first i know he says warrington are lieing because as far as he was concerned it went for its required services when it was due and not at anytime did they mention this was a stipulation of the terms of the warranty if a fault had arisen also i did not get told to sign any disclaimers regarding this he says as a company owner who owned a expensive car i would not skimp on its requirements to knowingly putting myself in a position if anything did go wrong for them to turn round and say its your fault you refused our advice,he said he will write me a letter to back this up and also he traded in the car at lancashire audi for a softop and even they never asked him if it had,had a gearbox oil change and they have sold it on and still not notified anyone to this box.great news i have the amo i need now and have spoken to audi uk whos tune as now changed to that of panic i am just awaiting a call now to see what they are going to do,the previous owner as given me his mobile number to call him direct so its heres hopeing at the moment:o

cheers paul

[Teutonic_Tamer]

thank you very much for your information its good to know there are good people around when needed,

You're welcome, just make sure you keep us updated.


well after reading the posts i decided to see if i could trace the previous owner that was on the logue book.

i tried various ways going through business directories ect,they all turned up blank i then went on to companies house website and typed in the company name and bingo there it was but registered at a different address but no telephone number so i put the name and address i had through the business pages it turned up a number great i will give it a try,
got through to a lady who told me the business used to be there but have moved not ceased tradeing and gave me another number tried it got through to yet another number explained to the lady my problem she replies oh yes i remember the vehicle it was my directors personal car, "bingo",sorry though he is not in till later i will get him to call you...

Positve result number 1.


lowe and behold i recieve my call from the previous owner mark,

This is good news, and quite a relief, I bet!


i explained the situation to him i also told him that warrington audi say they informed you by letter that the gearbox oil wanted changeing and that you had declined there instructions???he replies sorry mate i never knew anything about it requiring a oil change at 40k this is the first i know he says warrington are lieing because as far as he was concerned it went for its required services when it was due and not at anytime did they mention this was a stipulation of the terms of the warranty if a fault had arisen also i did not get told to sign any disclaimers regarding this he says as a company owner who owned a expensive car i would not skimp on its requirements to knowingly putting myself in a position if anything did go wrong for them to turn round and say its your fault you refused our advice,he said he will write me a letter to back this up

Superb - a brilliant result - well done mate, I bet you are mighty releived! Just keep your fingers crossed that he keeps his word.


and also he traded in the car at lancashire audi for a softop and even they never asked him if it had,had a gearbox oil change and they have sold it on and still not notified anyone to this box.

This really confirms my own experience that Audi dealers are - well to put it politely, a bunch of useless, incompetent muppets. I had an Audi dealer try to tell me when my B6 S4 needed a cam-belt change; I replied: "errr - it has timing chains", they reply "but it still needs the cam-belt doing at ..." - now where did that 4 foot plant pot and bag of quick drying cement go ... ?



great news i have the amo i need now and have spoken to audi uk whos tune as now changed to that of panic i am just awaiting a call now to see what they are going to do,the previous owner as given me his mobile number to call him direct so its heres hopeing at the moment:o

cheers paul

Well, your persistance and hard work seems to be paying off - fingers crossed and all that. Keep us in the picture.

[a4god2ulot]

teutonic mate its been a pleasure reading your posts you are obviously clued up on these situations and everything you have quoted as been bang on and if i need any further assistance i know where to come.

i am somewhat relieved for the time being knowing i now have the ace up my sleeve and thats the previous owner,he as just given me a call back to say if i want to pop over to manchester where he is he will gladly go to warrington audi with me to confront the dodgy service manager to see what he as to say about this letter reminding him that the box oil needs changeing?,he seems a genuine guy with nothing to gain from this but the satisfaction that warrington audi will have to pay up for using him as there scape goat.the address the car was registered to is his home address he just put the car through the company for his own reasons.

the only thing i was worried about is when i came to sell the car had it had a recon put in it because you know as well as i do the net holds a wealth of info if you know where to look especially on the forums i think i would of been stuck with it in terms of the resale value.

anyways i am glad something is finally going to be done hopefully and i get the car back to how it should be,i am still undecided what to about available in regards to,if audi uk replace the box because at the end of the day i have been forced to sort this lot out myself and was sold it with full warranty by them.any ideas lol

[a4god2ulot]

update:got a call back from audi uk they are now saying there not interested in warrington audi wether they did or didnt send a letter to the previous owner,they made a good will gesture of £1400 pounds towards the cost of replaceing the gearbox??i just laughed i told them no way this isnt my fault the dealer as obviously lied about it?so he replies am not bothered about them he went on to say because i didnt buy it from a dealer this means its no longer in the dealer network????so this is why we are only offering what we are!!also you have 14days to except this offer or that will be the end of the claim if you dont?so it looks like a big uphill battle:zx11:

[Teutonic_Tamer]

update:got a call back from audi uk they are now saying there not interested in warrington audi wether they did or didnt send a letter to the previous owner,

That is really typical of Audi UK, they just don't give a toss about the so-called "quality" standards from their franchised dealer network.


they made a good will gesture of £1400 pounds towards the cost of replaceing the gearbox??

A start in the right direction, but absoultely not good enough - you want the TOTAL cost of the repairs, both parts and labour, as per the warranty.


i just laughed i told them no way this isnt my fault the dealer as obviously lied about it?

Yup, quite right. You do need to make sure you do get the letter from the previous owner, though!


so he replies am not bothered about them he went on to say because i didnt buy it from a dealer this means its no longer in the dealer network????

Absolute ******** - it doesn't matter where you purchase from, be it a franchised Audi dealer, an independent motor trader, or a private individual, providing the original terms of the original warranty were complied with, ie; serviced in accordance with the manufacturers servicing schedule, using genuine Audi parts, then the warranty is still valid.

There is an issue regarding the warranty though. The first two years (and this is now European Union legislation from Jan 02, applicable to any moveable consumer product - http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/library/press/press31_en.html)
are a "manufacturer" supported warranty, ie; Audi UK are fully and ultimately responsible for the first two years. The third year of the warranty (providing the car is an official UK model initally sold though the franchised dealer network, and NOT a personal import) is a Dealer warranty, with some subtle but important differencies. The main issue (though i'm not to sure if this would be enforceable in a Court of Law) is that the car must be serviced for the whole three years of the warranty by an official Audi franchised dealer


so this is why we are only offering what we are!!

I can understand their method, and it is fairly common practice throughout the motor industry, to try certain "get-out" clauses to mitigate their loss.


also you have 14days to except this offer or that will be the end of the claim if you dont?

Utterly unlawful. Get proper advice from "Consumer Direct", a central government "one-stop-shop" advice line for England and Wales Trading Standards - Google for the fone number.


so it looks like a big uphill battle:zx11:

Righty, keep at it. Get all the important details written down in front of you. Start by looking at the V5C logbook. Double check that it is an official UK car, and write down the date of first registration. Then look in the service book, and write down each service, including the date, miles, type of service (ie; 1st AVS etc), additional work carried out, and the dealer who did the work. Work out the date and the mileage between the date of reg and each subsequent service. Make sure that between each occurance, it is less than 24 months, and/or less than 20,000 miles for petrol, 30,000 miles for diesel. You need to prove that the servicing (appart from the gearbox oil change) was carried out without any deviation from the maunfacturers specification.

Be very firm, positive and curteous, not rude or agressive with Audi UK, afterall, in all honesty, you probably need them more than they need you at this moment. State that you need all and any answer from Audi UK confirmed in writing (this is, i'm sure you've gathered, very important). Thank Audi UK for their inital offer, but state that it is completely unacceptable. Ask Audi UK to reconsider its initial offer, stating you want the total cost covered by them, as you have clear documentary evidence that the reason for the failure of the gearbox was simply down to the absolute negligence of Warrangton Audi, by failing to change the gearbox oil at the proper time.

Feed Audi UK some bull, that you think Audis are marvelous, well engineered products, and that you believed you had purchased a high quality, premium brand product which would offer you miles of reliable and pleasureable motoring. Go on to tell them you think their product is so good, you have recommended Audi to family, friends and work colleagues. However, this incident with the gearbox failure, along with the untruthfulness of Warrington Audi has seriously dented your confidence in the Audi product range as a whole, and should this immediate issue remain unresolved in my total favour, then I would strongly reconsider my opionion of Audi ownership, and also recind the recommendations made to my family, friends and colleagues, advising them of the problems with the car, the dealer network and Audi UK.

You can quite rightly state that you purchased a car with the necessary full servicing, and that it was done by the official Audi franchised dealer, and therefore you did not have any alarms or concerns that the service history was anything other than perfect. You could state that if the car had been serviced by an independent, non-franchised garaged, then you would have studied the history with more detail. As it was done by the official Audi network, you had no reason to concern that an Audi garage had skipped any required items of work.

State you are prepared to take the matter further, using whatever means necessary, including using web forum, motoring press and journalists, regulatory bodies, and even a Court of Law, but that you sincerely hope that the issue can be resolved in a mutually amicable way, and that Audi are able to prove their fine engineering, quality and loyal customer service, by their swift resolution of the issue in favour of their customer.

Another option would be to adivse Audi UK you will raise your concerns directly with Audi Germany, (write to Audi AG, Postfach 220, D-85046 Ingolstadt, Germany - english would be fine, just try some simple salutations in German!).

If all this is done by way of telephone conversation, you need to confirm in writing what you stated/asked for.

If they continue to be difficult, write to Audi UK registered office, with a £10 cheque, citing Data Protection Act, demanding copies of all tape-recorded conversations, between all parties in this issue.

Finally, if I were in your shoes, and Audi UK improved their offer (in writing) to say 85% or so of the total cost, I would be very inclined to accept it. Should you refuse, and subsequently take legal action, whilst you may be utterly and completely correct, a Court may take a dim view of the fact that you were offered, but rejected a substantial part of your claim, and may actually award you much less than the original offering. You could take their 85% or whatever they finally offer, and then sue Audi Warrington for negligence for the remaining 15%, and you would stand a huge increase in your chance of total success of claim.

Rgds

[a4god2ulot]

sean thanks for your excellent advice,i called the garage i baught it from and told them i am starting proceedings against them regarding the sale of second hand goods and that at the end of the day you sold me this car with full warranty albeit 7mths remaining the fact still stands,and as a trader you should have contacted derby audi as you implied thats who you use when you sell other audis for servicing for any recals or any stipulations to the warranty on servicable items to check if these had been adheerd too but in your case you did not because when i told your sales manager to check the service stamps were real and that the cam belt was ok he would of known thaT the cam belt did not require changing till 80k instead he as wrote all services checked cambelt looks fine so on the basis of all this i want some recompense for the 5mths i have had to pay for alternative transport also paying my finance on something i cannot use due to the fear of breakdown and causing further damage to the car,and also i am still standing by the reconditioned gearbox sanario as it was sold to me with a warranty,and just out of interest where was the gearbox going to be done?he replies mansfield gearbox centre they speacialise in automatic gearboxes i laughed at this point and said i know the owner and yes your quite right he does speacialise in autos and manual boxes but not MULTITRONICS lol,i was armed with all the technical side of things due to speaking to stuart at inde-tech who was very helpful on this matter and advised me on some key points regarding them so i hit him with all the tech stuff he was just gobsmacked he obviously hadnt done his home work and started saying what do you want sir and we will sort it??excuse me i have just told you and can i make you aware that inde-tech are dedicated speacialists on these boxes so a exchange box from them is 3500k so its up to you, ok ok i will get back to you,and to finnish off i said you see the pretty adverts you do on tv saying you have won best car retailer of the year well mate i am a moderator on the consumer action group website and i will make it a sticky to alert the problems i am having with the car i purchased from yourselfs so please be aware this isnt a blagging contest its FACT.so i am waiting for a call back from them.

on to audi uk as of this morning there still saying there legal team are standing by the goodwill offer,i told him again its not good enough at first you didnt uphold the warranty because warrington audi told you they sent a letter,now the previous owner as been found its not being upheld because i bought it out of dealer network which is total rubbish it does not state this in the warranty book and it says the warranty can be passed on to a next customer without there statutory rights being affected and no where in the service book does it state this geabox oil is a condition of the warranty but only as additional work,also the paint work was done under warranty with no mention of "it was bought out of dealer network so we cannot honour the warranty in full" i told him that allthough there are problems you have not made it a recall but waited as you knew there was a problem untill people had returned to the dealers to hit them with the 40k oil change and if this had not been carried out then tough,i told him that i would alert all the consumer action groups and also watch dog to this huge problem including all the vwaudi websites as i am sure there are people with the same problems as me i also said such a big company like yourselfs who are jeopardising the the popularity of such a prestige mark on technicality you have dreamed up so you dont have to foot the full bill? he just replied well thats our offer and thats it,ok mate been nice talking to you have a good day,at no time did i lose it and started threating as i knew i could send a dpa letter requesting all phone coversations and letters as i have done this with my bank.

so thats all up to yet:(

cheers pj

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Hi PJ

Do you have any more updates for us?

Rgds

[a4god2ulot]

yes mate the garage as taken it in where i got it from and sent it to a speacialist,audi uk would not play ball and would not hand over the goodwill payment towards a box unless i took it to john foxes the dealer?why am i takeing it there when they claim because i didnt buy it from a dealer its out of the dealer network??:zx11:

[a4god2ulot]

well another update on this car,they took it to a speacialist in mansfield called e j rose who as had thirty years experience in auto boxes,he may have this experience but only got 7days experience with multitronics,i called him to find out what is happning with my car he says he doesnt think theres anuthing wrong with the box only a brake switch error code???,by this time he had,had the car 6days befor he came up with this conclusion!!!then he says i think your 19inch wheels have changed the ratios in the box!!,i just laughed at this and thought who the hell is this guy??he then said i told the garage i didnt want to get involved in this car they dont want to pay out for a new box,ok i said i will collect it back do not touch it.i called the garage i got it off they said dont worry we will have a new 7plate box put in ok i said you have seven days to get it done then am off to my solicitors........saturday i get a call your cars ready to collect....went and got it requested all paperwork for it on the box they say ok wait till we get it in and we will give it you,ok off we went all seemed well no esitations just a very slight jump when pulling away all gears changing not to bad got home and though i will leave it to cool and see what happens take it for a drive cos thats when it was at its worsed,so left it most of the day till around 7.30 ish in the evening,went out started it up selected reverse it took ages to take up drive there was nothing there eventually it moved off i happend to look down to see a patch of oil,i thought must be sumone else cos this car did not leak any oil,went about my buisness to my mates and noticed a whining pulled up left it a while pulled forward a bit and loadsa oil i was fuming at this time,drove home whining in sport mode in manual and slightly in drive,this morning jumping into gears smelling of burning oil opened bonnet oil every where i was in a frame of mind for killing someone at this point,so i got in it went to the garage who i bought it off got hold of the guy who dealt with it and told him befor i start opening my mouth infront of your customers this car isnt rite what are you going to do i told you not to let mr bodgit to touch it you have obviously cut corners on it so this time as you have commited yourselfs in doing it what are you going to do because this time if it dont get the proper box in it i do not want the car either give me a replacement exactly as i have got with warranty and box oil changed or my money back otherwise your customers will all be leaving here when i start shouting what cowboys you are.he absolutely shat himself gave me a replacement motor filled it up with fuel and said dont worry you will not have it long enough to re fuel it cos your car is going to be sorted tomorrow.

so please be warned e j rose of mansfield is no multitronic speacialist.i am off now to spread the word of mr rose..:zx11:

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Well, what can I say!

I'm sorry to hear of your ongoing woes, but we did warn you that the multitronic box is a rather specialist beast, and did advise you to contact Inde-Tech, who have a number of positive reports on these very forums!

I would seriously consider consulting a Solicitor, because it has been nigh-on six months that you have had this trouble, and there seems to be no resolve. You have the clear documentary evidence that the problem arose due to the negligence of the Audi franchised dealer network, and you have a full legal right to be re-imbursed fully for the relevent breach of consumer regulations.

Rgds

[a4god2ulot]

i spoke to inde-tech and told the garage not to deal with anyone else but them,they would not tell me where the car had gone untill i threatened them i would report it stolen,i spoke to my solicitor he said to let them carry on as they have commited them selfs by doing the car,its been a nightmare from they i took it to john foxes its even worse now.audi uk tried it on my solicitor is dealing with them he as the service book and all evidence from previous owner,and there written offer.just waiting to see whats going to happen on that side.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

i spoke to inde-tech and told the garage not to deal with anyone else but them,they would not tell me where the car had gone untill i threatened them i would report it stolen,

Yes, I understand all that, but, at the end of the day, the car is your property (or was it on finance???), and YOU have a legal right to state who works on your car.


i spoke to my solicitor he said to let them carry on as they have commited them selfs by doing the car,

I'd try a different solicitor - he clearly doesn't grasp the gravitas of the need for the Multitronic boxes to be worked on by truely dedicated Multitronic specialists. You need to instruct your solicitor very firmly on this matter.


its been a nightmare from they i took it to john foxes its even worse now.

Whp decided to take it to Roses? Was there any recommendation from any Audi dealer, or any VAG independent garage? If it is taken outside the Audi dealer network for "disputed" warranty repairs, Audi will take a very dim view with regards any "goodwill" guestures or compensation payouts.

One argument in your favour if you need to go to Court, is that by using a cheaper non-Audi workshop, you were doing your best to mitigate any expenses ;) , but this actually seems to have backfired slightly. This seems to be a classic scenario: you are damned if you do, and you are also damned if you don't.


audi uk tried it on my solicitor is dealing with them he as the service book and all evidence from previous owner,and there written offer.just waiting to see whats going to happen on that side.

Keep at it :beerchug:

[a4god2ulot]

well my solicitor as been intouch with the garage and as told them to take it to the audi dealer to have the multitronic box replaced and i have just received a phone call to say its booked in at derby audi dealers to have the box replaced on wednesday 21st of feb and when its done i can go and sit with the tech guy whilst he sets it up,so hopefully this will be a end to it all.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

well my solicitor as been intouch with the garage and as told them to take it to the audi dealer to have the multitronic box replaced and i have just received a phone call to say its booked in at derby audi dealers to have the box replaced on wednesday 21st of feb and when its done i can go and sit with the tech guy whilst he sets it up,so hopefully this will be a end to it all.

Who is paying ??? ;)

[a4god2ulot]

the garage who i bought it off,and getting them to give it a full service whilst its there.so see what happens wednesday?

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Good for you. :beerchug:

Keep us updated then. ;)

Rgds

[a4god2ulot]

well it was all to good to be true they took it to derby audi i called them today to be told it was only in to be checked what was wrong with what the other guy as done and told me they have advised a new box ffs?this is the best bit they have took it to e j rose again,i called him today to ask him what he had done he told me he had replaced everything in the box including putting in a 7th clutch set up,so i asked him why is it winig and why is it leaking oil,he said i think a diff seal as gone and do you know why its whining ?i dont know your the speacialist i asked how many he had done and does he know which cars they put the boxes in he could not reply he then just said i have done hundreds of a4s and a6s i said strange that is why are you not a audi approved repairer then because i have been told by inde-tech who just speacialise in those boxes and dsg boxes that you cannot just drop a 7th clutch in he says who`s inde-tech never heard of em what ever there telling you is ------,ok then why doesnt anyone know you for doing these boxes he turns round and says your not a very nice man **** off to where you got it from and sort it out with them.

i have been intouch with available told em i dont want this car back and to sort something else out am going to e j rose to get my wheels back and then its up to them i have had enough of them all the car will never be rite anymore unless it gets its box that it should of had in the first place.and put in by someone who knows what there doing.

[a4god2ulot]

new update after the e j rose episode i demanded my money back for this car,they soon changed there tune as this was the last straw for them,they ended up takeing the car to john fox audi dealers and paid out 5grand in total for the new gearbox collected the car today and it runs sweet as a nut got the updated box in it so all machanicals are hundred percent now,just a few issues on the scratches they have put in the metal strip at the back top of rear bumper,my engine cover is scratched to hell and the plastic lugs are missing on the locating nuts for the cover oil prints all in the interior and a big gouge in the front underside bumper been on the phone to them again and hopefully this lot should be sorted.:approve:

[Sam]

I didn't read everything as the lack of paragraphs/punctuation made my eyes hurt!

Sounds like you got it sorted though, at last.

[a4god2ulot]

lol when ya tired and peed off you dont concentrate,but yes its all sorted finally.:D

[Teutonic_Tamer]

new update after the e j rose episode i demanded my money back for this car,they soon changed there tune as this was the last straw for them,they ended up takeing the car to john fox audi dealers and paid out 5grand in total for the new gearbox collected the car today and it runs sweet as a nut got the updated box in it so all machanicals are hundred percent now,

Well, that is a big, big positive result. You must be relieved that all your hard work and perseverance finally paid off.

What continues to amaze me, though, is why we have to give ourselves stomach ulcers, merely to get dealers to do their jobs correctly in the first place! :aargh4:


just a few issues on the scratches they have put in the metal strip at the back top of rear bumper,my engine cover is scratched to hell and the plastic lugs are missing on the locating nuts for the cover oil prints all in the interior and a big gouge in the front underside bumper been on the phone to them again and hopefully this lot should be sorted.:approve:

Sadly, there are always some nasty aftertastes which seem to tarnish dealers works. At least these little snags should be relativley straight forward to rectify.

Good luck, and thanks for the updates! :beerchug:

[a4god2ulot]

it as been a long struggle on this one,at last its all sorted and the car now as its warranty on the box as long as i adheer to the terms as per box oil change at 40k.
i would like to say thanks to teutonictamer for all your advice on this matter and every one else who had an input on this thread.

:beerchug: cheers pj.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

it as been a long struggle on this one,at last its all sorted and the car now as its warranty on the box as long as i adheer to the terms as per box oil change at 40k.

Great stuff, thanks for the update. Just don't forget that 40k oil change - tie a knot in the corner of your hankey or something! ;)

Did you get all the cosmetic dings sorted too?


i would like to say thanks to teutonictamer for all your advice on this matter and every one else who had an input on this thread.
:beerchug: cheers pj.

Why thank-you, kind sir! If you would like to add to my reputation, then kindly click on the little snowflake, next to the warning triangle, in the post or posts which helped you the most.

Rgds :beerchug:

[zenman63]

This has made me smile!
I am looking for some help with a Mercedes V280! it has the VW Vr6 engine and an Audi box, the same one fitted in the 4 speed sharron.
The box was new fitted 27000 miles ago, and has started a new problem!
It changes badly into 3 gear, abit of a thump!.
I have a link to see the story behind it ! LOL.

Ian UK

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/v-class/1205721-has-anyone-got-some-good-things-about-v280-2.html?highlight=V280

[Dozz]

Glad you got it sorted. I did loads of research myself before I purchased my A4 and I was getting loads of worrying reports, so much so I decided to buy a quattro which uses a more traditional box than the 2 wheel drive variants. Having said that my wife has a seat Alhambra auto with only 63k miles on it. I also made sure this was a non multitronic box but it's still gone wrong. Cost to me nearly 2k car is out of manufactures warranty being an 01 car but I had a private warranty on the car and they have paid up, mind you it has a claim limit of 500 quid but something is better than nothing. So it looks like VAG are pretty pants when it comes to autos and it says something when the independent specialist can take a gearbox made by global multimillon pound company and make it better/stronger than before. Well done for taking the fight to them and winning

[a4lover]

Am reading this with part dread / part relief. Part relief in that you finally got it sorted but part dread as took my A4 in today for an annual service with a slight judder when pulling away at low revs. when explained problem to garage he immediately said there was a problem with the gearboxes that Audi knew about and it may require changing. A positive side was he said audi usually pay up to 95% of the costs. Am no longer in warranty but will be checking the service log to see if oil change occurred as bought post 50k mileage.

[a4god2ulot]

well i am having slight problems with this one,its developed a grinding noise when you come to slow down also when i go to put my foot down from slowing it clunks,i have been back to john foxes and they tell me all is well with it its just the noise when its takeing up drive????funny because the last box didnt do it and that was faulty by way of clunking into 1st and shudder when pulling off,there excuse is the multitronics was never that good mated to a diesel??they reckon they have tested another vehicle against mine and it acts the same,but when i asked to test drive this other vehicle it was ooh ooh we have sold it we work on a quickturn around!!!yeah rite lol.
for what these boxes cost the drive should be flawless but hay what can you do every time i go down they just make up more excuses and to be honest i have totally lost intrest in this car,my advice to anyone is think long and hard about having one with multitronic and double check your homework on it.:(

[jas777]

I am at the start of a similar problem with A4 Cab 2.5TDi Multitronic. The car started to judder when pulling away - not seriously, but when I took the car in because the radio had stopped working, (£590 for an aerial part - that's another story) I asked them to look at the gearbox. They told be it needed a new '7 plate' clutch and modified wotsit for £1800+++.

I said surely Audi would be paying for this (2003 45,000 miles) - they said they'd try. The response was tough luck, and although we had followed the variable service to the letter (we were early) and the car went in at 43,000 miles (it then had the gearbox oil changed for £280 - I see why some people might refuse to have it done - see above) - we were told that the gearbox oil should have been changed at 40,000 miles. Apparantly a letter was sent to all owners telling them of this. I bought the car second hand and, as noone does, didn't inform Audi immediately of my details. The car had been to West London Audi for some minor faults, however and nothing was mentioned about this gearbox oil change.

I have just spoken to Audi UK who are 'coming back to me'. There is definately a fault with these early 2.5 A4 CVT gearboxes.

[a4god2ulot]

That is audi`s get out clause,i bought mine second hand but i traced the previous owner who followed the service instructions and thought this was done?audi told me they sent a letter to him to advise of this oil change,he told me this was'nt true,as when he took it in for service it cost him over 600 pounds from warrington audi,i think audi are in trouble with these boxes but using the customers to bring about all the faults,dont get me wrong the drive is great from these boxes not like your standard auto's,if they would just sort there problems out without going round the houses there would be no problems,and the dealers do not care as they have made there money on the deal when replaceing them..i am still not satisfied with mine at all it makes allsorts of noises and when i go back to the dealers they just say everything is ok???if it was i would'nt be comeing back every other week:aargh4::zx11:
stick at it mate dont'give up on getting your multitronic sorted if you get no joy from them go direct to audi germany i have the main mans number and e-mail address if you want it,as i have complained to him i am just waiting on a reply.

[jas777]

I think I've had a result? West London Audi have phoned me to say that Audi will pay £100 of my radio aerial problem, (£590 wiring loom in boot) and 100% of parts for gearbox and 50% of labour. W. London Audi will reduce their labout by half leaving a total amount to pay for the gearbox of £264.38. I immediately said yes, as previously I was looking at a bill for approaching £3,000!
Should I have held out???

[a4god2ulot]

I think I've had a result? West London Audi have phoned me to say that Audi will pay £100 of my radio aerial problem, (£590 wiring loom in boot) and 100% of parts for gearbox and 50% of labour. W. London Audi will reduce their labout by half leaving a total amount to pay for the gearbox of £264.38. I immediately said yes, as previously I was looking at a bill for approaching £3,000!
Should I have held out???

this is better than paying £3000,at least your car will be sorted,what are they actually doing?are they replaceing the box or upgradeing you to the seven plate clutch set up?i ask this because when my problem arose,the shudering and clunking into first when comeing to a stop,john fox audi told me that they did a oil sample and this revealed iron filings in the oil so the total box was replaced,as west london audi told you they have done any tests to confirm the box is at fault or have they said its faulty and just going to upgrade you to the 7th clutch set up?i could do with test driving someones car that as had this upgrade or box change to compare it to mine to see if it acts the same way but as yet i have not found no one that could do this,imo i think the seventh clutch as made this box more notchy as when the old box was in it seemed more refined appart from the problem it at when stopping and coming into first,but i cannot confirm this until i can compare it;)

[jas777]

This is for the 7 plate clutch only. They have not mentioned that they carried out any tests on the oil, but I hope we nipped any gearbox damage in the bud. As far as the gearbox is concerned I thought it was always like writing a letter to the wheels to get the car to move it was so unresponsive when pulling away. I hope it is a bit fiercer with a revised clutch. We have had no other problems with the gearbox, such as noises or jumping out. I am sorry to say that I will be selling the car as soon as the work is carried out. I'm going to buy an Alfa Brera - at least when that breaks down you can understand it - after all if you want reliability buy a BMW or Toyota (in my experience).

[a4god2ulot]

This is for the 7 plate clutch only. They have not mentioned that they carried out any tests on the oil, but I hope we nipped any gearbox damage in the bud. As far as the gearbox is concerned I thought it was always like writing a letter to the wheels to get the car to move it was so unresponsive when pulling away. I hope it is a bit fiercer with a revised clutch. We have had no other problems with the gearbox, such as noises or jumping out. I am sorry to say that I will be selling the car as soon as the work is carried out. I'm going to buy an Alfa Brera - at least when that breaks down you can understand it - after all if you want reliability buy a BMW or Toyota (in my experience).

i think this is just an excuse used by dealers to try and keep the faulty boxes to a minimum and waiting until the customers go to them,and by this time everyones warranty would of run out or they use the excuse of the gearbox oil change to get the customer to pay otherwise this would cost them a fortune?i think i am with you on this one,as much as i like audi there customer service is s**t and there crafty ways to get out of replaceing the box like its your fault its gone wrong,i do like the concept behind the multitronic as its not like the standard dreary drive of the normal auto,but i think i will be getting rid too and going for something else,i have had bmw's and others so this time i think its going to be something jap..,its not just the multitronics though my mate as a A4 s line 1.8t and he is having trouble with the manual box thats in it,so who knows.?is yours a diesel?