So I was going back and forth between the BMW 330xi and the A4 2.8. Test drove the xi and loved it, basically a rocket with four tires. Superb handling, nice road feedback to driver, lots of options, great seats, good looks, etc. Two problems, small and really freakin' expensive for the amount of car you get.

Then went to check out the A4. It was alright. Pretty much same as 330. Ho-hum. Then there was the A6 2.7T and love ensued...

After convincing the wife to let me spend a few more bucks(sic) for it, we pulled the trigger and got one in Ebony w/Melange Ambiente interior. Ever option except the Sports(we live just north of Manhattan where it snows a lot) and Navigation(who ever gets this, old people?). We picked it up on Friday, Sept 21 around noon. Drove it all day and night. Woke up Saturday at 7 am and took it to the car wash, to get a radar detector,and open her up a little on the highway. Got home, picked up the wife and kid, and started on our long journey to who the hell cares as long as we're driving. Then it happened...

I heard a bing or two and noticed a picture of an oil can in the message display area. What the hell is that?! I pulled over, read the Owner's Manual and discovered it was a Low Oil Pressure warning. "Pull the cover over and turn off the engine IMMEDIATELY. Notify the closest Audi dealership for emergency service." read the manual. WTF! So I called the salesman from the dealership I was at less than 24 hours before. He casually tells me to call roadside assistance and have the car towed to him. I casually tell him to go screw himself and I'm bringing the car back to him to either fix it, give me the same exact one, or my money back. This is not what I gave him $47,000 for.

So I get to the dealership and see the Service Manager who has the nerve to be annoyed at me for "doing something to the car". Right, I did it on purpose. He tells me they'll look at at I should wait a few minutes. Fine. An hour later, he informs me the Oil Pressure Sensor has failed and needs to be replaced. No problem. He tells me to pick call him on Monday or Tuesday to find out when I can come get it. I don't think so. I tell him to make sure it's done on Monday and HE can bring it to me and pick up the loaner at the same time. "Oh, you want a loaner?" No, I'm going to walk from Greenwich CT to Eastchester NY. With a 3 month old. "We don't have any loaners an this time, sorry" he tells me with a real sense of caring. I tell him to find one. He tells me he might have an old Corolla or something in the back. I tell him that I didn't buy a Toyota, I bought an Audi, find an Audi. So he miraculously finds an old A6 2.8 that has about 137,000 miles on it and it shows. As he gives me the keys, he points out where the nearest gas station is and he would appreciate it if I would fill it back up with Premium. First of all, no and secondly, it's bone dry empty. After nearly having to mug him for 20 bucks to fill up these piece of crap we were on our way.

If the car weren't nearly perfect in nearly every way, I would have had my lawyer start proceedings against the dealership to get my money back. But I love this car. I really, really love this car, I just wish Audi would train their people to be more professional and proficient.

I'll update you guys when I get my car back...one day. Hopefully real soon.

 

So where's the unpleasant part??? This is just how Audi breaks new owners in ;-)

 

Audi policy is to provide loaner cars ONLY during scheduled maintenance.. Loaner cars during warranty repair is at the dealer's descretion..

If you want world class service, you should've bought the BMW from either Westchester BMW (owned by BMW NA) or Wide World of Cars.. Wide World provides 528i loaners regardless if you bought the car from them or not or if you drive a beater 15 yr old 318i or a new $90k 750iL..

 

I think you have it backwards. I had to pay $50 for a Geo Metro while my car was in for 10k service. hmph!

 

Loaner cars during service are only complimentary if you bought the car from the same dealership you're getting your car serviced at, if they provide one at all in the first place.. Otherwise you have to pay for it out of pocket..

Audi's may be better value for the money than a BMW, but they skimp and cut corners when it comes to service... Audi's idea of roadside assistance is subscribing owners to AAA when other makes in the same class have their own inhouse roadside assistance with an authorized technician come service your needs..

 

My DEALER'S policy is that will provide a loaner for any warranty OR repairs to customers who bought their car from them.

 

Don't let a small problem ruin your fun. You will get through it. Remember its just one guy, not the whole company. This is one great car, very very nice. And if you want a little more performance, chip it....

 

The attitude of the dealer where you bought the car, seems more than a little lacking. Did you take it to the dealer at which you purchased the car ?

I am not sure if your style of writing is how you express yourself in person, but it might be a tad confrontational and dictatorial. It is quite understandable that you be upset, but people are not at their most helpful when faced with a confrontational customer.

Your salesperson has little or no jursidiction in service matters, could not know this would happen, and cannot re-write the deal after it has been submitted to the bank ( probobly Friday or Sat AM ). At best, they could arrange a cab to take you home if it is not too far, or give you a used car as a loaner - even this is a big step as sales loaners are to be used only as an aid to selling a car, not servicing a car.

A service manager cannot desert their post to deliver cars for obvious reasons. It was rude of them to not arrange for some kind of dignified transportation, but if it was late Saturday, there are usually very few cars available to loan out. If they didn't have a car, surely they could have rented one for you. Your dealer is compensated approx 24.00 per day by Audi for routine maintainence, but not warranty work ( speeds up repairs;-).

In California, if you have test driven the car, signed the paperwork , and have left the dealership premises, the car is yours. Period. Only way AoA will take back the car is if some sort of sales fraud occured or if you can prove that the car is a lemon ( check your state lemon laws ). Audi has done a good-will buy back program for cars that verge on qualifying for the lemon law, but this has tapered off as most of the gremlins are handled.

I really hope that you will have smooth sailing from here on out. Glad to hear that you like the car.

 

I probably was a tad confrontational and dictatorial, but you know, when you drop nearly $50k on something, you should expect stellar service from the selling dealership, especially less than a day after you bought it. I'm not some guy who makes $500k a year and has nothing to do with my time other than be miserable to other people. I work my *** off for a better life for my wife and child. This is hard-earned money I gave them.

I work for a leading magazine publisher in NY and if someone, no, anyone buys my products, I make sure they will be satisfied with it. If not, it gets personal and I make sure they're happy enough to come back again and again. So as far as the Service Manager deserting his post for an hour to make me(someone who might know 1, 2 or 50 people looking to buy or lease a vehicle) I say heck yeah!

Bottom line, make me happy or make me buy a BMW. Amen.

 

you to a more satisfactory conclusion.

If you need to talk with the sales dept, talk to the sales manager or GSM ( general sales manager ) as it is called. After you have purchased the car, they have very little control over what happens next. The service dept operates as an independent entity from the sales dept.

The service manager cannot leave, but should send someone to assist you ( imagine if an emergency came up that needed personal supervision, accountability, or liability and the manager was not available ).

Overall, I hope that both you and the dealership can arrive at a more equitable relationship. Just keep in mind that you may need to see these people periodically for some years - try to keep that long range plan in mind.