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Audi A5 2.0 tfsi - Audi Main Dealer Terrible Customer Service - Mark Davis

Shocking customer service from Audi Main Dealer, that you would expect from a back street garage. I brought a Audi A5 TFSI from my friend, he advised me that the car was perfect. Except for a warning light that had come on stating oil pressure low. He then promptly took the car to Audi Vindis main dealer and had it checked. He told them my oil lights on and that the car is using a lot of oil. They advised him that it was just a sensor, and that there was a slight oil leak that would need further investigation. But other than that the car is fine. I then brought the car three months down the line, now theres black smoke coming from the exhaust.

I then send the Car back to Audi Vindis to have it checked, when i rang Audi they advised me. It would take 48 hours to let me know what the problem with the car. It took them 9 days to get back to me with the problem. Had i known it was going to take 9 days just to find out what was wrong. I would have opted for the courtesy car service they offer.

After calling Audi Vindis 5 times in those 9 days, i didn't get thru to my service advisor at all. He was constantly busy or out on lunch and didn't return calls. I was told he would call me back but he never did. I then got a call on the 10th day, my service advisor advised me that my car needed a new turbo and catalytic convertorcosting £2600. I then stated i have spoken to a friend who works for Audi. And they have advised me that my car might have a oil consumption problem, and that it should be looked at to see if mine is faulty. They have since done a test, and it has come back that my car is using to much oil. But i would need to drive 600 miles for further testing procedures. Clearly my cars in no fit state to move so I'm outer luck with the oil consumption side of the problem. My arguement is that the oil problem could of been what caused the car to break down in the first place. Given the fact that my friend had a oil related problem before why wasn't he made aware of the recall fault. They clearly didn't want to mention to my friend at the time that these cars do have a manufacturer problem. Now that is my first issue with Audi Vindis.

My second issue is, whilst in Audi Vindis my car was cleaned by a valeter. He left the handbrake off my car and it smashed into another car. I have seen the damage and advised Audi Vindis that because my car has been wrapped, all the wrap will need to be removed from the car to fix the wing and bumper. It is near impossible to match the exact white wrap for my car without knowing who the manufacturer is of the particular wrap. It is also going to cost around £600 to have it all removed and cleaned, and £2000 to have it replaced so that all the colours match equally.

Audi Vindis have taken no responsibility for the fact, my car was left in there care. And subsequently damaged whilst with them, they are merely trying to fob me off to the Valeting companys insurance. And stating you guys sort the issue out with your insurances. My argument with Audi Vindis is that my car was left with Audi Vindis, and i was not doing business with this valeting company. So i merely stated could i have Audi Vindis insurance details please, so i can get my insurance company to contact yours. They refused and told me are you prepared to be messed about, because its not our fault the valeters damaged your car.
Now i have it on video the service manager refusing to give me there insurance details, after my car had been damaged in their possession. Which is against the law when an accident has occurred, the refusal to give documentation is a criminal act. They have since contacted me and said that they have some offers on the table. The £2600 still stands for the repair on the mechanical side, but the valeting company is willing to do 3 things. Firstly offer me £500 and he would get a dent devil guy to pull the dents out, 2nd £700 and thats the end of it no come backs, or i can go thru his insurance.

Now they must not have listened to me when i told them, i went to a Car Wrapping Specialist and he has said the whole car will need to be re wrapped, unless i wish to see the difference. Now I'm facing owning a car thats been damaged before which i don't want. Or a car that has mix match wrapping, and if a trained eye looked at carefully will notice its had a knock.

Do i even want this car after its been damaged. When i advised the customer service manager that all i want today is a courtesy car, so i can pick my kids up and have a think about my options. I was told no we need to know what you want to do. She was rude too me and my partner and refused to give me there insurance details. I then spoke to another manager who heard me out and agreed with me slightly. Then he went away listened to his colleague, and later pushed a bit of paper on the table saying theres the valeting company insurance details. I then stated that i would like Audi Vindis Insurance details he advised me that its a waste of time but went away and got them. At this point a senior manager came out, and made me feel like she had everything under control. And made me feel at ease and said this is not how we operate or do business. Only to call me back a few hours later, with the offer that i just mentioned which quite frankly is poor customer service. From a company with such a prestigious reputation.
As it stands i have no courtesy car, i have no insurance details, i have only been offered the valeting company details which were then taken back from me.
I am going to seek some legal advice, and take this matter further seeking compensation for the cars I'm having to rent, the devaluing of my car because of the accident. And their complete incompetence in handling this situation. I will also be going to the Retail Ombudsman for the Oil Recall that should of been tested.

And possibly the criminal justice system for Audi Vindis refusal to give me their insurance details when asked.

After a car in their possession had been damaged and they are taking no responsibility.

It even states on the invoice, please don't Valet the car has been wrapped. Negligent!


Your Sincerely
Mark Davis

Audi A5 2.0 tfsi - Audi Main Dealer Terrible Customer Service - RobJP

1. Private sale. Audi have absolutely zero liability to you for any faults. It appears that you knew that the car had faults prior to buying it (your 'friend' had taken it in after an emissions light came on) and yet you still went and bought it. So 'caveat emptor' applies - which in law means 'buyer beware', or, to put it more bluntly (but politely), 'tough cookies'. Replace 'cookies' with the word of your choice. You wanted a bargain, so bought a used car privately. That comes with virtually zero buyer protection, which is why it's cheaper.

2. The wrap, and damage. Of course a wrapping company is going to tell you that the entire car needs re-wrapping, they're going to want to make as much money as possible.

However, ask yourself this : would it be reasonable to expect the entire car to be re-painted if a single panel had been damaged ? Of course it would not be reasonable. As long as they can get a reasonable match, then you have absolutely no grounds for complaint. Wanting to take it to a wrapping specialist would not be 'reasonable'. It's a used car, not a new one.

I think you've approached this badly, and may have irrecovably destroyed any trust between yourself and the dealer. I think you'd be a fool to take the matter to court, unless, of course, you want a really big bill at the end of it all. The court will judge what is 'reasonable', in the grounds of liability. You not knowing who wrapped the car, or what make of wrap was used, is no liability of anyone but yourself.

Now, I asppreciate you might not WANT to hear this lot. You seem to feel you are in the right, and will probably reject any advice that says otherwise. However, you really need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and get a bit realistic.

Audi A5 2.0 tfsi - Audi Main Dealer Terrible Customer Service - Peter.N.

One of the reasons I run old bangers is the lack of stress if anything happens to it, I couldn't cope with that, stress of that sort does you no good at all.

Audi A5 2.0 tfsi - Audi Main Dealer Terrible Customer Service - liammcl

Gotta agree Peter.
.. some of the horror stories on the expensive cars...are horrififc !

Audi A5 2.0 tfsi - Audi Main Dealer Terrible Customer Service - SLO76
Hello Mark. I didn't notice anywhere in your post any mention of whether the car has a full dealer service history or its age or mileage. Can you fill in the gaps?

If you've bought it privately and it hasn't been maintained by the main dealer (vital on a complex and valuable car) then you won't get and can't expect any goodwill from the dealer.

It is however their responsibility to return the car to you in the same condition it was in before they took responsibility for it even if that means repairing or replacing the wrap in my opinion. If it was the valet company which is a separate entity then you claim on their insurance and forget what they've offered out with this.
Audi A5 2.0 tfsi - Audi Main Dealer Terrible Customer Service - skidpan
If it was the valet company which is a separate entity then you claim on their insurance and forget what they've offered out with this.

If I read what the OP has said correctly the garage employed the valet company thus the OP has no contract with them thus no right to claim. The OP's claim is with the garage who he took the car to who would need to claim in turn from the valet company they employed.

All very messy but it should make no difference to the OP. The garage should put the damage right and then worry about reclaiming their costs.

As for the problems with the car the OP bought privately and is basically on his/her own. It was a faulty car when purchased thus Audi will never accept liability. If the fix had been simple the seller, as always, would have sorted it. As we have seen before complex issues are often passed on as cheap fixes to the buyer.

Audi A5 2.0 tfsi - Audi Main Dealer Terrible Customer Service - nortones2

There is a known problem with certain TFSI engines, and Audi have replaced parts and/or whole engines within and outside warranty, with conditions of course. Saga and helpfull analysis of affected engines (Post 1 of 472 posts) set out here: tinyurl.com/z6kfwlb

As for the damage on the dealer premises, I agree with the two previous postings that the onus is on the dealer to get things put back as they were. They chose the contractor. They carry the can.