Service Issues - Beware Bexley Audi

[reevesroadster]

Ok,
Some further clarification so the topic stays factual.

The speeding issue at more than twice the limit is actually them exceeding 60mph in a 30mph zone. More than once. One of the roads in question has actually been part of a speed reduction programme because of a number of accidents in the road. As for the speeding, the dispute was raised over 14 days ago, so unlikely I'll be getting one now - although I doubt this is a one off, and the parties involved probably have good local knowledge of the camera locations/speedtraps.

The car diagram form described earlier was used by Bexley Audi (alledgedly), although not whilst I was present. The form was faxed to me after the queries were raised, which was not clear and portrayed the car had been driven 4 miles, compared to 16 miles on the tracker log. Theres nothing to prove this form was completed after the isues were raised. I have suggested that a walkthrough with the customer would remove any ambiguity. As I didnt video/photo my car at the precise point I parked it in the dealership, or at the precise point i collected it, I cant 100% guarantee they caused the damage, and likewise, they cant guarantee they didnt.

As for the VAG-COM query, that was me - for obvious reasons.

[tweek]

60mph in a 30mph zone, I think thats worse than 140mph on a motorway. What if a pedestrian (think child as it is the school holidays) had been hit, suspect they wouldn't be in a position to complain.

This kind of incident requires the maximum publicity possible, Bexley Audi should sack the technician, immediately!!

Suggest everyone who is outraged phones Audi Customer Services about this incident and protests, now what's their phone number..

Pete

[Marcus-RS4]

If only there was as much get up and go about the DRC issue...? lol

[MikeD]

Someone asked this recently and Ross-Tech replied that the values are not stored in the ECU (or if they are they don't know anything about it).

I suspect they are stored but that Audi won't tell anyone what is stored, where or how to retrieve it.

I was told by my local Audi stealer that they had made a warranty issue void on an S3 , due to the fact that the car had logged a over rev at 4:13am on a specific date, they went on to say that it was not the limiter cutting in , but rather the driver had selected the wrong gear and over revved it that way. So yes it does record info that will help Audi against you ( as in getting the wrong gear on the way home racing your mate ) but it may help your case with the Audi workshop in question ,
I will try to get more detailed info as to where it is stored, as for the form, make the dealer fill it in with you there and take a photocopy with you, make sure you check the miles they put on the form are spot on even down to the 10th, that way you can prove the point.
Just my 2cents worth.

[svassileou]

Hmmm - methinks, come service time, it may be worth making the journey to Camberley or Epsom (despite Bexley being far far closer to me).

[andyt]

So, inspite of having spent ~£800 on the Horizon, they want me to spend another ~£1K on the Response!
I told them they weren't going to win friends and influence people who have already paid for their top of the range product with such an upgrade policy....

Hmm.. that's almost rewarding the people that took out the annual subs instead of the lifetime one since they can just wait for it to expire and then switch to the other one. They really should allow you to switch lifetime subs even if it means deactivating and removing the old kit.

[SR71]

<Temporary Thread Hijack>

Thats what I thought....

Presumably they can remove the Horizon, recondition it (if indeed it even needs that - its only a bloody transmitter isn't it?!) in order to install in someone elses car, re-install my new Response, and I'd pay the difference in the sub to upgrade so to speak....

Still I told customer services as much and we'll see whether anything comes of it....

[Dom81]

I don't thing they are being massively unfair. I would think that at best, they should offer you a small (say 20%) reduction on the price of the new unit, and transfer the value balance of your lifetime subs. Value is the important word here, as the Response only has annual subs, not a lifetime one. Buying 3 years together is very slightly cheaper than doing it annually, but the benefit stops there.

Even with a 20% discount, you'd pay £400 for the unit and at least £175 for installation (which I believe is very different from the Horizon) - you might even need to pay more if they have to install the new one in a different location.

If you've had the Response for a couple of years, the sub balance is only £50-£100, so you'd be looking at another £350 or so for a new 3 year cover. Gets close to £1k quite easily...

[SR71]

Dom81,

The Tracker WWW site shows a "Duration of Ownership" option for the Response? (I appreciate this really means 3 years.)

I have such a subscription for my Horizon, but I'd like the extra features of the Response.

I'll happily pay the (re)-install fee and a balance on the subscription fee (for my cover to end when my original cover ended - I'm sure a deal could be struck on this account if this wasn't agreeable...), but I really object to them quoting me for the full price of the Response unit bearing in mind I paid the full price of the Horizon unit and the Response wasn't an option when I bought the car.

Being a cynic, whats to stop me arriving at the conclusion that they're onto a money spinner if every year they'll roll out a new product with some extra functionality (which really should be in all their products) and expect punters to cough up the full price of a new unit if they want to upgrade?

As it is I'd be daft to upgrade until my 3 years is up....

ReevesRoadster,

Apologies for the thread hijack but your post did alert me to the fact that Tracker now do an option I'd quite like which I hadn't previously been aware of....for exactly the reasons you've discovered.

Maybe there is another product I could use to acquire the same functionality....

[Dom81]

So it's not really Duration of Ownership then (unlike the Horizon) - it's just a slightly discounted 3 year deal...

Agree that it would be nice for them to knock something off the Response, but I guess it's their call. The technology is totally different so it's not so much an upgrade as a whole new (more expensive) product - hence them still offering both 18 months after the Response came out

If you want one, for the sake of about £100 I'd change now rather than wait for 3 years to be up. The fixed costs don't look like they'll change, so all that remains is the balance of the old sub

[Mikeyboy]

I've used Bexley before, mainly as they're cheaper than my nearest one, by a considerable margin, they've always been helpful and the milage hasn't crept up more than just moving the car around the car park.
Its all seems odd to me therefore that this has happened.

Thats not to say it didn't. You could threaten to sue them if this has happened. If you have taken all the required steps before this it is in fact the logical next one to take. Taking it to the press will only harm that case though.

[SteveG]

Damn ! I have booked the RS6 in at bexley for a major service and some warranty work, they seemed quite helpful last time I was there and they have said that they can price match the service cost. Gonna have to find another garage now. Anyone recommend another in the area by any chance?

I did tell them that no one was allowed to test drive my car, for the ' speeding' reason, and they laughed and said that they treat customers cars with respect. What a joke !

[jwotdia4]

That is appalling sefvice - whilst i do not have an RS, that behaviour is outrageous in any car. My tractor goes to VAG Tech for it's servicing - chap there is very knowledgeable and mechanically sympathetic etc. and wife's car goes to Thorney Motorsport. Unfortunately main dealers are now so bad that you can't trust them (obviously not all are like this - Aylesbury Audi are v.good imo).

[reevesroadster]

SteveG - you have pm.


Cant comment too much at present as pursuing several avnues - lets just say all of the recommendations have been taken on board. Watch this space.

[reevesroadster]

Further Update:

A journalist rang Bexley audi today to get their comments on the issues and report a balanced story. The dealership personnel that spoke to the journalist were quite rude, according to the journalist, citing libel claims and even hanging up on her mid conversation.
Bizarrely, the journalist has now made a complaint to Audi UK about the dealership aswell.

Enough said!