jkirby4

so is it frowned upon to purchase your new Audi from one dealer and have the warranty service (AudiCare) done by another dealer. i have one local Audi dealer then 2 others about 60-70 miles away. going to try to get a fair price locally but would not hesitate to purchase elsewhere if price was much better. anyone run into issues or gotten lesser service because of it ? just wondering.

Wires

Nope, that is your right to do whatever you please. Obviously the selling dealer would like the revenue from you. I'd anticipate you'd probably get better service from the second dealer just because they'd want to you like them more, and come back to them for your next purchase.

-hef-

i have owned 3 Audi's. i have never bought one at a certain dealer and then had it serviced there also. i'm not doing this on purpose. but most dealers don't have great car prices and also great service at reasonable cost. i shop around service just like i shopped around for best car price. i havent noticed the service being affected. one thing to keep in mind though - wherever you buy it is most likely to give you a free loaner for service. if you didnt buy the car there, they are less likely to do the free loaner.

spindlewood

For Audi Care, I wouldn't worry about it as the regular services are straight forward. However, when you start asking favors or hoping they go above and beyond, then the one you bought it from might prove more loyal. It will depend a bit upon your local dealer.

I am in the same boat. I bought my Audi from a dealer 3 1/2 hours away. If my local dealer had great online reviews that showed them to be at the top end in service, then I might have considered supporting them and paying a small amount extra. Not thousands, as it was. And the local dealer's online reviews also were not great.

I know there will come a time I need to do my service locally ("only" 2 hours away). I've worried about the same thing. For now, I'm scheduling my warranty work six months out and going to make the long distance drive to where I purchased it - believing I'm going to get better service. I don't have Audi Care but there are other issues - window regulators and software updates to name two.

TYJ

rccoleman

My experience is that the sales and service sides of the dealership barely even know each other. Further, the service rep that I deal with doesn't know much about the actual service being done on the car and just acts as an intermediary between me and the shop foreman. I bought my car from a dealership 2000+ miles away and have it serviced locally with no problems.

spindlewood

True, but the GM will know. If you ever get into situations where you really need his of her help (e.g. lemon law issues, out of stock parts, hard to replicate issues), it will depend on the dealership how much they are motivated to help. Having bought the car from them might make a difference. Ideally it wouldn't. I would think 2000 miles away would actually be better than 100 miles away. My local dealership GM might actually remember the test drive we took (it's small enough). But you're right, for most any other situation, the Service Department is completely separate.

Wires

Keep in mind that people buy vehicles all the time, and people move all the time. If you move across town, you will typically pick the dealership closest to you as well (so this stuff happens all the time).