First dealer "issues"

[Ageing Biker]

So last Monday my car went to the dealership to refurb the front wheel after my light collision with the kerb during the snowy weather. It was not a major dig but as the car was only a month or so old (and the leasing company were paying) I had it sorted. As they wouldn't lend me a car, they volunteered a collection/delivery service. Collection is any time between 9.00 and 11.00 am. So at 11.05 the guy turns up to collect and leaves his car outside my house. So why could I not use it?? "It's needed for delivery and collection all day"......."but it will be just standing there until you come back with my car". No reply. Anyway, after me telling them that I needed it back by 3.30 I was informed that delivery back to the customer is between 4.00 and 6.00. I made alternative arrangements for collecting my daughter from school only to have them call at 3.00 to say that the car is ready and they were bringing it back. I hastily retracted the "alternative arrangements" and the man showed up at 3.45. Now in a hurry, I briefly looked at the repair and went. When I got back, I had a closer look and noticed that they had laquered over the dirt that they had not cleaned off. Not massively bothered, I left well alone. That was until this Saturday when (after the car had back the coating of dirt) I noticed some odd-looking lines on the drivers door mirror. I tried to rub them off only to find that they were actually scratches in the glass! They were clearly made by something being wiped across the glass which had some pretty tough grit attached. I have arranged to have both items re-looked at by the dealer but have not yet found the courage to wash and look at the rest of the car. I dread to think what the paintwork is going to look like. It is going back next Monday, so I will give it a clean (weather permitting) over the weekend. Further details to follow........

[Ess5ive]

Oh dear AB - not good. Like you say, not life and death but irritating to say the least.

Had they cleaned the car then, i.e., do you suspect that was how the mirror glass came to be damaged?

I employ a strict 'no wash' policy when the car goes in (and leave a note to that effect in the car as the message invariably doesn't get passed on to the scote with the gritty rag). Hours of TLC and the occasional £150 or so on paint enhancement work ain't going to be undone by a careless dealer wash!

[Hobbes]

Originally Posted by Ess5ive

I employ a strict 'no wash' policy when the car goes in

As do I.

[hashluck]

Originally Posted by Hobbes

As do I.

+1

[Ageing Biker]

Thanks guys. I should have gone this route when it went in but I didn't think that they would clean it. I think I'll do the same as all of you when it next goes in. On the plus side, I have now fitted the bag hooks in the boot (piece of cake) and after treating myself to a new drill today, will be fitting the side net over the weekend. Car goes in Monday for them to look at the wheel/mirror. I'll let you know what they say.

[Ageing Biker]

So I roll up at the dealership and speak to the young lady that took my call last week. "I'll need to get my Manager" she says. So I get a cup of coffee while I wait. After a few minutes he turns up and asks me to show him the car. He has with him the man that does all of their in-house wheel refurbishment. As soon as the wheel man sees the car he absolves himself with "I haven't worked on one of these wheels for months". The service manager explains that all wheel refurbishment is done in house and that we will need to check the record to see when it was done. I showed him the mirror and he said that "they would only have used a leather and if it was them that scratched it then the rest of the car would be scratched too. In short, all he was trying to do from the outset was to absolve himself of any responsibility. He agreed to re-do the wheel as the record showed that -as I had told him- the wheel was done two weeks ago. He has not yet agreed to do anything about the mirror other than to "talk to the valeter". The record also showed that the car was not actually cleaned. "It's a miracle" I exclaimed, " I must have the first self-cleaning car". He admitted that the record was probably wrong. In short, the whole process revolved around the service manager looking for ways to avoid having to rectify the situation. It's back in next Monday for a "while you wait" wheel refurb which they say they can do in an hour. I guess we'll (no pun intended) see!

[ManoftheMoment]

My Dealer (Camberley Audi) has been perfect, any problems (few) resolved quickly. Not suggesting you've upset them but I find the friendly approach is best rather than confrontational.

[Rab88]

Wow, certainly not nice to hear.

At least it seems like you're getting somewhere. They could have turned round and denied all responsibility, and then it can get ugly.

MoTM, yea it is usually better to take the friendly approach. Afterall, no point in shooting the messenger at times, right? But I think theres a line for patience, and when someone denies all responsibility, and with bare faced lies, I lose all that patience and get pissed off.

Anyway, AB, make sure you've got someone who witnessed the condition the car was in before and after, just in case it gets ugly. They could quite easilly claim that it was like that before it came in.

[Ageing Biker]

Thanks
Ultimately, it doesn't really bother me that much because even if they deny all responsibility, the leasing company will get it fixed and then take the matter up with the dealer. However, if it comes to that it just means that they will never see the car again. As I have it for almost three years and 70k miles, the loss will be theirs and not mine. BTW, I have not been in the least bit confrontational and have remained calm throughout. I was just disappointed that the Service Manager's opening gambit was to try to find some way to absolve the dealership of responsibility- something that I recognise from my days working in a Ford dealership. I still have my concerns that they think that they can remove the wheel, remove the tyre, clean the wheel and strip the laquer off, reclean it before repainting/relaquering and replacing the tyre, all in just one hour - unless I'm missing something?

[Ess5ive]

Originally Posted by Ageing Biker

I still have my concerns that they think that they can remove the wheel, remove the tyre, clean the wheel and strip the laquer off, reclean it before repainting/relaquering and replacing the tyre, all in just one hour - unless I'm missing something?

Think you're right to be cautious AB - bear in mind that their idea of an 'acceptable' repair may differ vastly from yours, not least because you're coming at it from the angle of someone who's already (rightfully) a bit p*ssed-off.

They're probably thinking more along the lines of 'wheel off (hopefully), clean affected area, rub back lacquer, quick point respray & lacquer and away you go'. If that won't do it for you, best to be clear on your expectations from the outset!

[JockTheRock]

I've been meaning to get my local dealership to take a look at some flaking on one of my wheels since June last year. It's not been washed since before then though, so the brake dust on the wheels keeps it hidden.

I'll stick it through the carwash and get it booked in this week.

[nutts]

The problem with wheel repairs unlike general bodywork, is that when the wheels are painted they are painted onto a hot surface and the paint bonds. A wheel repair will never have the same resilience, though you can get lucky. However, I'm not saying that it won't look as good as new if repaired properly.

[TJM_A5]

Originally Posted by ManoftheMoment

I find the friendly approach is best rather than confrontational.

Good advice - also worth remembering when contributing to Forum threads methinks...

[ManoftheMoment]

Originally Posted by TJM_A5

Good advice - also worth remembering when contributing to Forum threads methinks...

Absolutely TJM but condescending 'Luvvies' ganging up hacks me off BT. Had this at a dealer once (Saab) when conversation was getting heavy, the Service Manager appeared to just side with the Operative without listening.

[thetoothdoc]

I have had 2 alloys repaired at an Audi dealership , the painted finnish began to peel off after about 2 years although the actual repairs to the dings stayed put .

[TJM_A5]

Originally Posted by ManoftheMoment

Absolutely TJM but condescending 'Luvvies' ganging up hacks me off BT.

? Care to elaborate ?

[Ageing Biker]

Who would have thought that a wheel refurb could take so much time??? I took the car in again as arranged and after a few "we weren't expecting you" - type discussions, the nice man that was going to be doing the job took the car into their body shop. I availed myself of their electricity and coffee and sat working at my laptop in their "customer waiting" area. After two hours the service man came to explain that when they had tried to repaint the wheel, the existing paint had "reacted" so they had stripped it to try again. After a further hour, the service manager came out to tell me that the wheel was done but that they were not happy with it as the paint had "gone soft". This would mean that they would need to completely strip the wheel and re-paint and re-laquer it which would mean having the car for a whole day. So on Monday March 15th it is going in for a third visit and they are now willing to lend me a car for the day. Starting to irritate me now!

[Howdi Audi]

Why not use the spare wheel?? Then they could take however long they wanted

[Ageing Biker]

Originally Posted by Howdi Audi

Why not use the spare wheel?? Then they could take however long they wanted

Because the spare is a "space saver" which is very skinny, very small and has a speed limit of 50mph.!!

[Spinner]

Hmmm AB, a full refurb which is what is required when an attempted repair fails and it takes a lot longer than 24 hours.

I'm lucky enough to live local to one of the best wheel refurb companies in the UK (had to use them twice), Wheel Works. The fastest they will turn around a wheel is 72 hours (at a real push 48 hours). The refurb includes chemical stripping of paints/lacquers, blast cleaning before fixing and repainting which is another 3-4 step process. Noting what has happened to your wheel and how it has reacted anything less than a full refurb and it's unlikely it will be not be right in 6 months time even if it looks like it when you get it back.

[Ageing Biker]

Originally Posted by Spinner

Hmmm AB, a full refurb which is what is required when an attempted repair fails and it takes a lot longer than 24 hours.

I'm lucky enough to live local to one of the best wheel refurb companies in the UK (had to use them twice), Wheel Works. The fastest they will turn around a wheel is 72 hours (at a real push 48 hours). The refurb includes chemical stripping of paints/lacquers, blast cleaning before fixing and repainting which is another 3-4 step process. Noting what has happened to your wheel and how it has reacted anything less than a full refurb and it's unlikely it will be not be right in 6 months time even if it looks like it when you get it back.

Thanks for that. I will discuss exactly what they are going to do when I drop the car off. I will also confront them with information from Wheel Works if required. Cheers.

[Rab88]

Sounds like you're getting messed about. Do you really trust someone who's tried twice and failed to repair the wheel?

If I were you, after all this now, I'd be demanding a new wheel.

[Ageing Biker]

Originally Posted by Rab88

Sounds like you're getting messed about. Do you really trust someone who's tried twice and failed to repair the wheel?

If I were you, after all this now, I'd be demanding a new wheel.

I think that you may be right. I'm going to make it very clear that I will be expecting the wheel to be spotless before I get it back. If not, I will be requesting a new one. Three attempts at the same repair should be enough to restore the wheel to pristine condition, surely?? I also have a sneaking suspicion that they are going to give the problem to an outside company. I guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks.

[Mulski]

Originally Posted by Ageing Biker

I also have a sneaking suspicion that they are going to give the problem to an outside company.

AB, I'd be very surprised if they didn't. Wheel refurbishment is unlikely to be a core business function, i.e. the cost of the required tools / training etc is unlikely to generate enough revenue to make it worth their while.

I tend to agree though - this should be their last chance before demanding a new wheel.

Cheers

[andyhud007]

AB,

Just wondering if you have any further developments on this and the wheel fiasco?

Feel very sorry for you that you have had to go through this and its one thing that frustrates me about dealers (not all of course I'm sure). General lack of care and attention, but hopefully its just a minority.

Andy

[Ageing Biker]

So, on the fourth attempt the guys at Watford Audi have finally come good. I was told at the last visit that (the truth finally!) they actually rent space to a wheel refurb company within the dealership. So they are actually an outside company but completely based at the dealership. I suggested that after three attempts, it surely would have been more cost effective just to replace the wheel. As it turns out, the cost of the poor repairs has been bourne by the wheel refurb company. As I was now beginning to weary of the whole affair, the Service Manager took full control and threatened their internal company with a bill for sending the wheel out to someone who could do it properly. This prompted the Regional Manager from the company to actually visit and complete the repair himself. After explaining the issues to him, I have to say that he completed the repair very well and in one day. They also showed a degree of common sense in not allowing their valeters to clean the car at the risk of damaging the new finish with a jetwash. All in all, they have now redeemed themselves and despite his demeanour, the Service Manager is actually a nice bloke. We had a discussion about chipping and he told me about Richter Sport. The dealership always use them for remaps and they have an agreement with the dealership that if the remap is removed by any subsequent service updates, they re-install free of charge to the same owner. I told him about the additional security on 2010 models and he suggested that I contact Richter. Done this and am currently awaiting response. Apparently they have achieved 750ps from an RS6 V10Turbo!

[Ageing Biker]

Just as I thought the wheel refurb situation was all over and done with, I noticed that after I had cleaned the car, the wheel is a different colour!!!! I wasn't going to do anything about it but I just got fed up with looking out of the window and seeing the two different colour wheels on the same side of the car. So after having two e-mails directly to the man who arranged the last repair ignored, I called and spoke to the Service Manager. He explained that the other guy was off on holiday which would explain why he hadn't replied. Anyway, and agreement has now been made between the dealer and my leasing company to fit a brand new replacement wheel (hurrah!). When this whole debacle started the car was less than a month old with about 1700 miles. It's now coming up 10500 miles and five months old and I still have to wait for the wheel to arrive and be fitted - not good.

[gruffle]

wouldn't be too disappointed an new wheel outcome - seems pretty decent to me. Though ineptitude at fixing a simple kerbing is neither clever nor that surprising.

okay you have to wait a bit, but car is not exactly VOR.

[Ageing Biker]

Originally Posted by gruffle

wouldn't be too disappointed an new wheel outcome - seems pretty decent to me. Though ineptitude at fixing a simple kerbing is neither clever nor that surprising.

okay you have to wait a bit, but car is not exactly VOR.

Yes, you're right. I'm very pleased with the outcome, just a little nervous as it's still not completely sorted - fingers crossed!