Finman

Is there any reason in the world that one's vehicle would need to be running for 1 hour and 45 minutes during a service visit for warped rotors and a "check-engine" light...which ultimately turned out to be a bad O2 sensor???

I got gas just as I left yesterday...averaging ~60 mph over 1 hour 20 minutes with an average MPG of 21.0 on the computer. When I picked up the car as I started driving away down the highway I noticed the Avg MPH was down to 30!...then I scrolled through and noticed the clock was now at 3 hours and 5 minutes and the average MPG now at 17.6!!! So why the f*ck did these guys have the car running for an hour and 45 minutes?!?!

I'm pissed about a number of things about this service visit...
--refusal to change rotors (would only resurface) even though service advisor admitted many of these come back shortly after re-warped, just like with my 4.2
--refusal for a loaner car or rental since it was a one-day service (I know this is Audi's policy for re-imbursement, but if you wanna play the game of "high-end" automobile service, you should provide the service...both a problem with Audi and the dealer...)
--when I told the service rep that I always get a rental even if it is for one day, he checked the computer and said he didn't see that in there! He questioned the validity of my statement! Only one time did I not, when the car was towed from 65 miles away and I didn't go with it. I didn't elevate this to the manager because I shouldn't have to and I wanted to be a martyr and have something to be pissed about. I know for certain if I had my usual rep, I would've gotten a car, no sweat (he was out for a good reason).
--had to order the O2 sensor!!! (this is such a common part...so now I have to come another day, 130 miles round-trip x 2...in a rental that they won't pay for!)
--I spent ~$50 on the rental (POS Cavalier), $10 in gas for the Cav, $15 in gas for the S6, $8 in tolls...all to get my rotors turned...and now I have to do it again when the O2 sensor shows!
--the leaving the car running for 1:45!!!
--to cap off a very unsatisfactory service...when I came to pick it up...it was missing the valve-stem covers!!! The tech was gone already so we couldn't find them and they will replace them on Monday if they are not found (parts was closed and locked)...but still an annoyance. He suggested that I call him and I could come down to pick them up...uhhh, I think you could mail 'em to me...

The service rep was very polite and nice...but basically, I don't feel like I received the service that one should...they will be getting an honest evaluation when AoA calls...not the usual "all 5s" that I always do...even when they don't deserve it...this is the first time I felt like I was dealing with a low-budget operation...we only shoot ourselves in the foot when we give them undeserved 5s...that just encourages them and rewards them for sucking. This time they will get an honest evaluation.

--Overall satisfaction: 1 or 2 (again they didn't fix what I came in for, and put a temporary patch on the one part they addressed, plus getting treated like I bought a Hyundai is not good service.)
--Service rep satsfaction: 3 (questioning my integrity is not a good thing...whether intentional or not)
--On-time: 5
--Scheduling ease: 5
--Addressing problems: 2

Rant done.

April

turning it off and on again and again, they let it run, warm up, run fault codes, and check little things. Easier on the car than starting it repeatedly. Over an hour seems excessive though.

Totoally agree. If you are coming from so far to get this done and they know it, they certainly should have made better arrangements to accomodate you.

I would give/send a polite note to the service manager, explaining how you where let down.

2.7tDallas

Very simple. Call the GM (not the service manager) of the delership, and explain that from now on, if he ever wants to see you in the showroom again, that you expect to see an A4 or better waiting for you. In return - you promise that when you are ready for a new one, that you will call them first.

In addition, you expect them to have a check waiting for you for the rental car charges you incurred.

So when you go to get the 02 sensor put in, this would be a good time meet with the GM and service manager and get this fixed forever.

Also - the car will show as "runtime" even if it is not running but the ignition is on. so it may not have been running teh whole time, just on

LMGotts

my lease is up. I'd have to say that it's lucky for Audi that I've had so few problems with my car, otherwise I would easily abandon the brand based on my ongoing crappy encounters at the dealerships. The few times it's been in to a dealer have all been incredibly frustrating. For instance; I asked to have the wheels rotated at my 5K service and they wouldn't do it unless I paid $50, but said they'd do it for free at the 10K service. So at the 10K service they said they only do that at the 5K service and I'd have to pay $50 if I wanted it done at 10K. Same service writer, same dealer. Excuse me, but <i>what the fvck?</i> And this was a service writer that other people liked and thought was one of the better ones. Anyway, crap like that...ongoing at the Audi dealers, just unbelievable and unforgivable.

Yeah, yeah, I know all brands have issues and problems...it's just that I've had <i>much</i> better experiences with my used BMW at a local dealer, with my old Gold at a VW dealer, and so on.

I just hope my car doesn't have any problems between now and when I turn it in. That I can stay away from the dealers and so still love Audi and still feel okay about staying with a brand that I like. Those new A8's are looking just so fine!

no.radar

We are blessed here in Chicago with seven Audi dealers. I am midway between two...about 4 miles to either one, and at work downtown there's what USED to be a good Audi dealer (Loeber), but is alas now CarbonLord's nemesis, Fletcher Jones (which, I think, is a dumbass name, if nothing else!)

Anyway, sorry about your experience. (By the way, I think your AoA service grades are high.)

LMGotts

have to drive 29 miles to get to a mediocre one.

Grrrrrrrr...

Finman

I'm always polite...unfortunately, often too polite...sometimes gets me nowhere.

Finman

I will try the service manager approach...but I'm not expecting it to work...the owners of this dealership are known amongst their own employees to be tight-asses...but I'll see.

TraderAlex

You didn't mention the name of this miserable operation you dealt with, but you should just so everyone else can avoid ever buying a car there.

I suppose it is similar in many cases, but there are first rate Audi dealers who treasure your business (and won't play excuses about loaners with you), and then there are the others who could care less how much money you spent on the car.

If there no multiple Audi dealers in my area other than one miserable one, that would probably be enough for me to stop buying the brand, no matter how much I liked it. M view, it would not longer be worth the hassle. Unfortunately, I think Lexus and Infiniti have made a point to fill in the gaps for uniform quality service throught their dealer networks, whereas the German brands have not.

April

Sounds like it might be time to be a tad more forceful ;-)