Audi Service Standards- Region to Region

[GazzaP]

Gents,

This may be a bit of a rant more than anything else but I'm interested to hear your feedback on experiences with Audi Post Sales and Service around the world. I have to believe that Audi would expect a baseline of best practice from their dealers but unfortunately my relationship is rapidly deteriorating with my local dealer due to what I would consider extremely poor customer service and professional etiquette.

Perhaps I'm being unreasonable but I'll let you decide that.....

I took delivery of a MY2014 B8 RS4 (with extended warranty and 5 year service plan) in late November , a very rare car here in Middle East and I believe only the 8th registered at the time in UAE. As expected, initially I was as pleased as Punch with my new toy. However within a couple of days I noticed (a) a consistent squeaking noise from the rear suspension which sounded like a busted mattress (b) that the rear end felt soft/bouncy and the car rolled a lot in Comfort and was undrivable in Dynamic, like it literally was going to throw you off the road and (c) the car seemed to miss or have a momentary loss of power when pulling from low revs- albeit intermittently. I initially put the squeak down to it being a new car and thought it might just need to loosen up, assumed the poor ride quality was just the natural state of the car and since I couldn't replicate the momentary power loss I thought it maybe just needs run in properly. I despondently resolved to live with it for the time being. I really should have taken it to get looked at immediately but with life getting in the way it was an irritation rather than a priority and I left it for a few weeks. Come late January and the squeaking in particular is really getting on my nerves and I'm increasingly sure all is not right, so dropped by the service center for their opinion. I quickly got attended to by the Service Team Manager, who took the car for a spin around the block and confirmed straight away that there was certainly something wrong with the suspension and after a quick look on a ramp couldn't see immediately visible. So agreed that we should book the car in for a proper look, including a diagnostic on the engine performance, and handed me over to one of his Team Leaders to make arrangements. All good so far.....

The Team Leader, a proper little weasel, asked me to come sit by his desk whilst he took some details from me. I asked about a courtesy car for the period when they had my car and mentioned that I would prefer something of sufficient size since I needed to ferry kids around etc and was assured by the Weasel it would be no problem given some sarcastic and rude comments about me "choosing the color I wanted", which properly irked me at the time. Having taken my details he said that he was unable to schedule the car in himself but would have someone call me to arrange- so as much as I could tell this jokers job function was "details taker"? So I left with my car again expecting a prompt phone call. 4 or 5 days later, still no phone call, so I called the Weasel, both landline and mobile, no answer, left a message. Another day goes by, so I call again, Weasel answers this time and tells me that he'll follow up with his admin again! Finally later that day I do get a call but the first appointment available is 3 1/2 weeks away. Is that reasonable? Fast forward nearly a month and I arrive at the scheduled time to drop off my car and I'm handed off to yet another Service Advisor (after a 20 min wait) who goes through the same detail taking (you'd think my info should all be on file!) and checks in my car. I ask how long they think they will take with the car and I'm told they'll probably look at it the next day (it was 10am, why booked in today if you won't look at it until tomorrow?) and it will likely take a few days including the weekend, more if parts are required. When I ask about the promised courtesy car all I get is a blank look, told apparently this isn't something they do normally (what!!!???) and that they can give me a taxi number if I want to call one for the ride home! Incredulous, I ask to see the Weasel, who is is nowhere to be seen, I'm directed to his desk again and asked to wait, 30 mins later he shows up Marlboros in hand, mumbling something about being with a customer when I could clearly tell he had just been out for a fag. The Weasel point blank denies the promise of a courtesy car, claiming it was "subject to availability" only and that no cars were available at this time. Having expressed my frustration, I was given the choice of leaving the car without replacement for an unknown period of time or waiting until a car became available (likely within a week I'm told) and re-booking the appointment. Choosing the latter as the only viable option I'm told the Admin would be in touch to reschedule- why it wasn't possible to do there and then I have no idea! So I leave a very frustrated customer!

Another few weeks go by, no phone calls for my appointment, but several phone calls and voice messages to the Weasel, when I eventually give in and drive to the service center again. Weasel is not there but yet another Team Leader assures me my request for a courtesy car is logged on their system and when one becomes available they will call to schedule. Another few weeks go by and I finally get a call from the other Team Leader to bring my car in and that they have a Q5 replacement vehicle, appointment is made for the following Thursday (last week). Low and behold I get a call on Wednesday saying they could no longer fit me in on Thursday but to bring in the car on Monday morning (today) instead. I called the other Team Leader first thing this morning to confirm again they where ready for me, he says he's not sure since the Weasel was handling it and he'll call me back. An hour later the Weasel calls and says to come in and my car would be looked at today. On arriving 30 mins later at the Service Center I'm made to wait another 20 mins for the Weasel, who promptly hands me off to yet another Service Advisor who goes through the process of "detail taking" all over again. After my car handed over and I'm asked to wait for them to bring the courtesy car around for me. I waited almost an hour, having been told several times it was on it's way from an offsite location (why it wasn't ready I have no idea!). Finally my courtesy car pulls up, not the Q5 I was expecting but a boggo A4 1.8T, which was absolutely filthy- literally a thick later of dust, leaves and debris over it, not a single panel undented, kerbed wheels, rubbish in the interior including butts in the ashtray! I couldn't believe that they were going to hand over a car that hadn't seen a carwash in months and had clearly been sitting unused for a long time. Of course, the fuel tank was in the red as well! The Service Advisor shrugs and hands me the keys and asks me to sign for it with a parting comment that hopefully they'll look at my car tomorrow and he'll call me with feedback. I don't hold out much hope.


Apologies for the long rant, needed to get it off my chest more than anything, but please tell me this isn't the norm around the world?

[HYFR]

Wow.

[Graeme4130]

Although, in my experience with UK based dealers, there seems to be some variety, none have ever been as bad as what you've experienced (both with Audi and others)
However, region to region, I'd expect it to be driven by what the market demands. What are the other dealers like in the UAE ? Would you be treated any better by BMW over there, I don't know

With my limited understanding of that region, the only real advice I could give, would be to see if you can find another dealer within reasonable distance and not within the same franchise group, and give them the story of how bad you've been treated by weasel man and that you'd hope they'd be better. If they're anything like uk franchises, then they'll bite your arm off to 'one up' another dealership outside their group and hopefully go out there way to secure your future business (it always helps if you tell them you only keep cars a year or so too as the potential sales commission on the next car will be very attractive to them as well)

I'd also speak with the dealer principle at your dealer directly and explain how pissed off you are and that if they don't sort it you'll go elsewhere - always dangle sales carrots too as that's the thing that keeps them trying to please you

[GazzaP]

Unfortunately there is only one other dealer in the country, over 100 miles away, from which my car was originally sourced since they had a small number of high spec cars on order for delivery within a couple of weeks, as opposed to the 8month+ wait to factory order from the local dealer in question. When buying the car and service plan I was assured it was irrelevant which service center I took the car to post-sales. Perhaps I'm now paying the price for taking that at face value. Worth noting sales and service are at different locations here, I am in the market to replace my wife's Disco 3 family bus and have mentioned this but there is a distinct apathy from the service center staff. I've been holding off on escalation to dealer principal until I see what the outcome of the diagnostics are.

I've had direct experience in country with the Landrover and Jeep dealerships who have always been pretty good , the RS4 actually replaced a TT sourced 5 years ago and with FSH from the very same dealer- it just seems to have gone drastically downhill!

An M3 owning mate speaks highly of his experience with the local BMW franchise, and indeed I regularly get invited to track days and events in an effort to tempt me into something with an M badge.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Graeme4130]

Sounds like a shitty predicament
Personally, I'd make an informal contact to the dealer principle and let him know you're unhappy and that you'd go back to the supplying dealer
If he doesn't put some kind of relationship rectification plan in place and weasel man doesn't become your best mate, then speak with Audi UAE customer services (I'm assuming they have one)
I know we're passionate about our cars and we like to think of the purchase as an emotional and freind ship building experience with the dealer, but ultimately it's still a business transaction and all they want is your cash (in the form of sales/finance commission and subsequent inflated service/warranty labour premiums), so you can use that as leverage
They don't know you're not prepared to travel 100 miles for service/warranty work or that you might not be trading your rs4 for an rs6 in 8 months time with an sq5 for the wife
Sales is all carrots, so swing your fruit & veg bag accordingly to get the best result
After all, they'd lie through their teeth to get your cash

[Brooner]

Now that's crap service get on the Phone to Audi customer service and see what they can do but if it was me I would be doing the 200 mile round trip to get a better service they might even offer to pick it up and drop it off at your house

[Nickyboy]

Without reading that long rant as I'm too lazy I will answer the initial question.

Bath Audi who I use are pretty damn good and I always go to them instead of my local dealer in Bristol. I always deal with the same two guys whether it is buying, selling, service etc etc.

[Ian_C]

Bath Audi who I use are pretty damn good and I always go to them instead of my local dealer in Bristol. I always deal with the same two guys whether it is buying, selling, service etc etc.

Servicing?! Nice try - you cannot slip that one passed us - you've never had an Audi long enough for it to need a service!!

[Bacardi Jo]

Bath Audi who I use are pretty damn good and I always go to them instead of my local dealer in Bristol. I always deal with the same two guys whether it is buying, selling, service etc etc.

Servicing?! Nice try - you cannot slip that one passed us - you've never had an Audi long enough for it to need a service!!

Thats strictly not true Ian,he was always in the service dept with his cars due to all the faults they had.

[Ian_C]

Oh God yes that first nightmare S4!

[Nickyboy]

Bath Audi who I use are pretty damn good and I always go to them instead of my local dealer in Bristol. I always deal with the same two guys whether it is buying, selling, service etc etc.

Servicing?! Nice try - you cannot slip that one passed us - you've never had an Audi long enough for it to need a service!!

Thats strictly not true Ian,he was always in the service dept with his cars due to all the faults they had.

Exactly. They sorted me a new gearbox easily as well as other odds and sods.

Never had a service though.

[carsarecool]

That is bad....similar to service I've received from Reading Audi over the years. Took great pleasure in making them work hard for my RS4 order and then ordered elsewhere.

Unfortunately, it's not Audi but the dumbasses they employ, however they should care.

[smudge]

That is bad....similar to service I've received from Reading Audi over the years. Took great pleasure in making them work hard for my RS4 order and then ordered elsewhere.

Unfortunately, it's not Audi but the dumbasses they employ, however they should care.

I'd never buy a car from Reading Audi. Their service has to be the worst I have ever experienced in my life. Basingstoke were miles above them, but having moved to London I don't go near them now. When I bought my RS from Basingstoke & my B8 TDI Quattro before that, they frequenty had people buying from them who were based in Reading. You think someone would care, but Reading clearly don't.

When it comes to Service, Jack Barclays in London are without a shadow of a doubt 2nd to none, as stated in this thread by me & several others:

http://forum.rs246.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... ck+barclay