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slimtim1

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi Guys, sorry for the first newbie post but I could do with some advice.

I picked my glistening 'NEW' panther black SQ5 up on the 1st of March (which had been ordered back in October) and had a really good first week with it. The whole sales procedure was spot on and the staff at Audi really helpful. (I'll not name and shame the dealer yet)

However this was completely ruined yesterday when I saw it for the first time in full sun. The 'new' car i'd been driving had obviously at some point in the delivery process had quite a serious bang on the rear door. In full sun, it's a completely different colour and there is a noticeable fist sized shallow dent next to the handle. A paint thickness gauge confirmed in places on the door there is over 1mm of filler.

Now whats got me really angry is at no point during or prior to handing over ÂŁ50k was it mentioned by them it had damage. Had this been brought to light before I picked it up, it would have allowed me the option of rejecting it or to accept it and negotiate some kind of discount based on the repair being carried out properly and some kind of discount.

Suprisingly I was told that it's procedure and approved by Audi UK that dealers can carry out repair to any bodywork damage via a Audi Approved body shop and not have to disclose it prior to sale on a brand new car. Surely you'd have thought legally they would have to tell you, but apparently not!

And that's what's really frustrating, the dealer knew about the damage and had approved the work for it prior to handing it over but didn't say anything. They are however claiming they didn't know, even though it was done with them at their storage facility. They are saying because I didn't want them to valet it prior to collection they didn't know about the damage and that it would have been picked up by their valeters.

The real problem now is it leaves me in a bad position either way. They have offered to collect the car, repair to a standard and return it or they buy it back from me.

The problem with the first option is the dealer I bought it from is a 400 mile round trip away, but have offered compensation for the mileage for them collecting it and driving it there and back.

It's annoying as we like the car, but don't want a brand new car with a lot of paint repair but on the other hand don't really want to wait 6 months for another. We'd also sold our other car that was due to be collected next week although luckily we still have a van and can stop the sale on the car. But either way it leaves us in a bit of a predicament.

So any suggestions?

Oh and heres a picture of the colour match for you. (worryingly, although the dent is above the handle to the right, most of the filler is below it!)

Image


Image
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
That is a pretty poor job - although I have to say the Crystal paint is almost impossible to match perfectly... The dent is inexcusable though.

Can you negotiate keep this car while they build you a new one? What would make you happy? Whatever it is, make them do it - I think you have the grounds looking at the car to ask for whatever you like...

What about a whole new door panel - and get the paint a lot better than that...?
Thats what I'm worried about, if they repair it again is it ever going to be right again? In the shade it looks spot on but under sunlight it's night and day.

Keeping the car whilst they built another would be the ultimate best solution, but I really can't see them doing that.

I'm just really pissed they waited for me to find out rather than telling me before so we could have made the decision then. Either way now it leaves us in a bad position as it stands.
 
Thanks for feedback so far. I'll speak to the dealer again Monday and see what the absolute best they will offer is

Slightly intrigued at your comment that you did not wish the car to be valeted prior to delivery. I assume they took the white plastic shrink wrap off it before handing it over.
I just didn't want them washing it as I've had cars come back from dealers full of swirls after a service in the past. They did remove the wraps etc. and as per my request just removed the wraps and gave it a quick jet wash.
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Firstly I'm not defending the dealer - but they may not even know about it.
A high number of cars ARE damaged during shipping and these cars are repaired prior to being sent to the dealer, so don't assume its something the dealer has done. Some are even damaged during build and get rectified at the factory - none of this is communicated.

Call the dealer and ask them to take and look and work out how they can correct the issue.
its not a big deal, it just needs a little bit of calm and focus.

As for 50k comment, its really irrelevant what the car costs, this can and does happen to a 500k car just as easy.
Hope you get it fix.
It was repaired at the dealers, they have admitted that it was done in their storage compound that belongs to them. The two sales people I spoke to and made payment to are just saying they didn't know. Although I find that hard to believe as it was repaired through the dealer, there must be some communication between departments.

A replacement door definitely sounds like a option and something I'll ask about. Whatever happens though it's going to be a hassle and has already ruined the new car experience.
 
I'm not sure why this has been moved to 'marketplace', it took me a while to find the thread!

<It was moved to dealer experiences as this is a more appropriate home for your post. You can use your profile to search for your posts. You might like to add a post to New Members Introductions>

Anyway, quick update, the garage is adamant that there are only three options.

1. Allow them to take it back for repair, more paint and filler but will honour buy back if I'm not satisfied.

2. Buy the car back now.

3. Buy the car back and order another for us.

If they bought it back and ordered another they have categorically said they will not lend us a car during that period. So basically whatever option I choose is far from ideal. So much for customer satisfaction!

I've sent Audi UK an email with all the information, but I'm not really holding out any hope.

Tim
 
Discussion starter · #35 ·
Thanks for the support, I will try harder tomorrow and hopefully get some feedback from Audi UK.

I'm really hoping the will do something more as I've been extremely brand loyal with them over the last 6 years having owned between me and my wife a Audi RS6, 3 x RS4's, a S3, a Q5 3.0 tdi and a A3. Although the SQ5 was the first 'new' car.

Perhaps I need to have a look at other manufacturers, but can't think what we'd get instead as we wanted something that sat between the previous cars we'd had and the SQ5 seemed to plug that gap perfectly.
 
The dealer I got it from was Brighton Audi. They assured me this was the first complaint like this of it's kind in the 9 years the sales person and worked there, and they genuinely seemed nice people so wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt.

However it's starting to get a bit frustrating now as even though I've emailed twice and tried calling (and promised a call back) nothing else has changed.

I emailed Audi Uk yesterday and phoned today also and was told it could be 48 hrs before anyone gets back to me and it might be that there is nothing they can do if the dealer has already made a offer.

The issue now is the dealer has given me until Friday to make a decision then after that they will not buy back the car.

I've been massively busy at work and can't be doing with the extra stress so really I'm thinking i'm going to just tell them where to stick it now and just give them it back.
 
Discussion starter · #43 ·
I forgot to say Audi UK on the phone confirmed it was fine for them to repair damaged cars prior to sale and not say anything. Surely by doing that they must get loads of these types of complaint you'd have thought.
 
Discussion starter · #51 ·
Thats outrageous! To let a new car go to a customer like that is scandalous! Not only have they tried to blow in the colour locally without blending into the adjacent panel - it looks like they have used the wrong colour mix completely! And missed a whacking great dent! Any dealer with any professionalism and concern regarding reputation would move heaven and earth to sort this out quickly - have you sent the pics to Audi direct?
To be fair it doesn't look quite that bad from all angles, if get it straight on in the light it's harder to see a difference. If it's overcast they look the same also.

The worst dent is the one around the top right of the handle, but it's difficult to photograph, it's really noticeable in the flesh.

I have sent the pictures to Audi, but as I was told on the phone it could be another 48hrs before they get back to me and the dealer wants a reply by Friday.
 
We have decided to hand it back, it's just not worth the aggro any more. If we want another then we have no option but to join the queue at the back again.

Audi UK were absolutely useless. When I lodged a complaint with them, before they bothered to get back in touch with me after a 48hr wait they had already had the discussion with the the dealer. So the first time I knew they had even received the complaint was from the dealer themselves basically ringing to tell me Audi UK had already been in contact with them and agreed with everything they were doing. In addition to that they pretty much told me that it was pointless going back to Audi UK as they were in full agreement in how it had been handled. And to be fair the dealer was correct, when Audi UK finally did get back to me today they said there was absolutely nothing they would or could do as Snow Man pointed out the contract is with me and not Audi.

The dealer has refused to budge and will not offer anything in terms of compensation for the time wasted or a loan car for the period of ordering another.

Totally pee'd off with it all and to add injury to insult, as they cannot collect the car until Tuesday and the Audi Insurance runs out tonight I've had to pay over ÂŁ100 for 4 days insurance when the quote I was about to take prior to finding out about the damage was only ÂŁ360 for the year!

Tim
 
Discussion starter · #69 ·
Yeah i'm gutted to be honest as we love the car but I couldn't keep it knowing it had had that repair work and more to correct it again.

Whats really annoying though is no one genuinely cares, I feel with Audi UK, I could have been talking to a automated robot about how they are very sorry to hear about it etc. etc. but you know there will be zero repercussions and now I've said I'm handing it back. That is case closed and job done. After all it is Audi UK's policy not to disclose bodywork damage prior to sale. The dealer was only playing to their tune.

I asked about lead times etc and whether they could do anything and the robot didn't know so had to go away and check and the computer came back with they need a new order number before they could even look into times and whether they could assist in shortening them.

But to be honest we will order another as I don't know what else we would get, but will probably always resent it and Audi after this.
 
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