Bad experience at the Dealer today.

[BobA6Avant]

1999 A6 Avant 2.5 TDI with 1 year Audi warranty still in force.

I had my car serviced today by the my local Audi Dealer, it was my 1st service since i got the car. I had the usual advisories which I duely noted, one of them was a comment that the performance was really bad. I thought that was strange cause the car felt like a road rocket on the way to the garage. I took the keys and left, on the way home i couldnt accelerate much and the speed wouldnt go above 55MPH. I took the car straight back and complained, to my surprise the General Manager argued with me in front of staff saying that they hadnt done anything to cause this. I took the mech for a drive and he admitted it felt like the turbo wasnt spinning up.

Got back to the garage to let them take another look, the General Manager still towed the same line. He claimed that they didnt do anything that would cause it to run so badly, I stood my ground saying i was fine below but dreadful now. I sat in the waiting area quietly seething, anger starting to rise at the managers attitude. He came back asking me in to the garage workshop area saying something was not right with the engine. He and the mech pointed out that the EGR pipe was cut and blanked off, I almost felt like he was accusing me of doing it. He continued to insist that the turbo couldnt have ever worked, I argued that it did. In the background the mech's spotted a pipe and connected it, after a quick run the mech returned saying that was the problem and the car was fine now. I took it for a run and indeed the performance was back.

My issue is this, i felt that the General Manager was calling me a liar in front of people. I have never been treated like this in my entire life and I not happy with how he treated me, he never even had the decency to apologise to me. I will be taking this up with Audi.

Word of warning to everyone, if your car doesnt seem right after a service maybe it isnt go straight back and fight your corner.

[Peter D]

I'll go even better if you resolve the EGR problem and replace the cut pipe. Regards Peter

[BobA6Avant]

Just when I thought things couldnt get any worse, they did. I was walking past my car tonight after just being out in the wifes car to collect dinner, I noticed the 3 out of my 4 RS4 alloys have been chipped. I know that they were not like that before going to the garage because the car had recent had some warranty paintwork done and the garage called me to advise me that one of my wheels had a 1inch scratch otherwise spotless, the car was returned on monday (they are only 3 months old with no kerbing at all).

Needless to say when I noticed this tonight I went totally off on one, I will be popping in to the garage tomorrow to make a complaint about the Manager from today and the state of my wheels. I can only assume that this has happened when they took the wheels off to check the brakes and discs, i know this because they issued me an advisory on all discs and pads.

I cant believe how badly treated i have been, this is my worst dealership experience to date.

[BobA6Avant]

I'll go even better if you resolve the EGR problem and replace the cut pipe. Regards Peter

My understanding of the purpose of the egr valve is that it recycles some of the exhaust gases through the intake system, the valve is only opened at peak acceleration. The egr valve will only impeed performance and engine efficiency, many people think that without it your car will fail and MOT but I understand that it wont because on a Diesel car they only look for smoking. Also they egr valve would not be open during their tests.

Regarding the wheels I mention, its funny how things look better in the cold light of day. Its only 2 wheels one has 3 chips and the other only has one small one. I will probably just fix myself. I will be making a complaint about that manager though, he treated me like crap.

[dandam]

I have used an Audi main dealer 3 times to service my A6, each time it came back with a list of advisories which I always checked myself but never acted on. Each time the advisories were different, if something was so wrong at 100k miles how come it was never then mentioned at 110k or 120k miles ?? On one occasion if I had acted on all the advisories it would have cost me almost 4,000 pounds !!! Aparently the clutch HAD to be replaced 40k miles ago but funnily enough it still seems to be fine.

Strangely enough I no longer use the Audi main dealers for servicing. I have always felt that they are more interested in selling cars and only servicing cars less that 3 years old that wouldn't dirty their nicely tiled workshops.

Still love the cars though

[BobA6Avant]

Interesting visit to a independant mechanic tonight, I was getting my rear discs and pads done as advised by the dealer. The mechanic couldnt understand why I was advised to change the discs, nothing wrong with them apparently but never mind they are done now. Also the front was supposidly 80% worn and also with thin discs, I looked at these myself and there is nothing wrong with them either.

How about this for a comparison for Rear discs and pads fitted:

Dealer = £296
Budget = £140
Indy = £70

I know where I am going in future, the guy is a excellent mechanic only took 1/2 hour.

[a8 tech]

wear limit on the discs = 2mm so that's why they have advised them and unless your technician used i micrometer he must have checked them visually and made his own judgment as you also have,the dealer will refer to wear limits stated by Elsa win.I hope that clears up the three opinions on the wear to your brakes

[a8 tech]

I have used an Audi main dealer 3 times to service my A6, each time it came back with a list of advisories which I always checked myself but never acted on. Each time the advisories were different, if something was so wrong at 100k miles how come it was never then mentioned at 110k or 120k miles ?? On one occasion if I had acted on all the advisories it would have cost me almost 4,000 pounds !!! Aparently the clutch HAD to be replaced 40k miles ago but funnily enough it still seems to be fine.

Strangely enough I no longer use the Audi main dealers for servicing. I have always felt that they are more interested in selling cars and only servicing cars less that 3 years old that wouldn't dirty their nicely tiled workshops.

Still love the cars though

Sound like there were offering advise as they were advisory and this can differ with each technician