djgilson
27-01-2008, 07:28 PM
Did you know that Audi have a company policy not to give technical advice to owners?
When I was fitting Audi parking sensors to my A3, I phoned the dealer service dept for advice on removing the bumper. They said they weren’t allowed to speak to me about it. Tried another dealer, with the same result. One guy did help to the extent of hinting what not to do, but he made it clear he was risking his job by doing so.
So I contacted Audi UK to get the official position. They were apologetic, but confirmed that that was the policy. Evidently they worry about being sued by owners who follow their advice and do damage or injure themselves. When I suggested that that was fairly pathetic, the spokesman did not disagree.
Now, I am used to phoning BMW, for example, for advice, and finding some staff less helpful than others, but a company policy of unhelpfulness is altogether different and rather disturbing. One doesn’t have to be very cynical to suspect a simpler commercial motive. Makes me feel that perhaps becoming an Audi owner was not a good idea.
To be fair, I gather that advice on servicing matters should be freely available, though I haven’t tested this. Presumably that would cover things like service intervals, or brake disc minimum thickness, for example, but I imagine more searching questions, like how to change a cam belt, might meet resistance?
Has anyone else had a similar experience? Are VW and Seat dealers the same? What about other car makers?
My feeling is we should not be put off asking dealers for advice when we need it. Perhaps if they find themselves constantly having to turn away enquiries, they may eventually be shamed into changing the policy? Well, one can only dream.
When I was fitting Audi parking sensors to my A3, I phoned the dealer service dept for advice on removing the bumper. They said they weren’t allowed to speak to me about it. Tried another dealer, with the same result. One guy did help to the extent of hinting what not to do, but he made it clear he was risking his job by doing so.
So I contacted Audi UK to get the official position. They were apologetic, but confirmed that that was the policy. Evidently they worry about being sued by owners who follow their advice and do damage or injure themselves. When I suggested that that was fairly pathetic, the spokesman did not disagree.
Now, I am used to phoning BMW, for example, for advice, and finding some staff less helpful than others, but a company policy of unhelpfulness is altogether different and rather disturbing. One doesn’t have to be very cynical to suspect a simpler commercial motive. Makes me feel that perhaps becoming an Audi owner was not a good idea.
To be fair, I gather that advice on servicing matters should be freely available, though I haven’t tested this. Presumably that would cover things like service intervals, or brake disc minimum thickness, for example, but I imagine more searching questions, like how to change a cam belt, might meet resistance?
Has anyone else had a similar experience? Are VW and Seat dealers the same? What about other car makers?
My feeling is we should not be put off asking dealers for advice when we need it. Perhaps if they find themselves constantly having to turn away enquiries, they may eventually be shamed into changing the policy? Well, one can only dream.