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Customer Service

cwwaltoncwwalton Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Audi
I have had bad experiences with Audi's customer service department. I have been treated rudely and ignored. I have a 2003 Allroad which was misaligned from the factory. They fixed the alignment ok, but refused to take any responsibility for the premature tire wear that cause me to have to purchase 4 new tires at 13,000 miles. I spent 4 months writing letters, taking the car into the dealer, etc and still got the axe. I love the car, but it is a little worrisome to know they don't stand foursquare behind their product and its production problems. I don't think I can faace living with another Audi at this point. Anyone had similar customer service problems with Mercedes or BMW?

Comments

  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    to the dealers. unfortunately, not catching it meant you got hosed. it's a point that should have been caught in the first few weeks or months if it caused any handling issues.

    nobody really warrantees OEM tires, alas... you're sorta stuck with what the dealer's chassis department can do for you. on the other hand, those are unlikely to be more than $50 tires wholesale to the dealer, so you have a golden opportunity to put some real rubber on the car yourself.

    at least, that's what I told myself when I bought my 2000 explorer and the => KILLER TIRES! <= tm turned out to also hop on turns and wouldn't grip on snow worth a darn. then Ford stepped up to a moral obligation and offered me a good set of tires gratis. they made a sucky situation good. you'll have to do it yourself on your audi.
  • dshepherd3dshepherd3 Member Posts: 194
    You could let them explain to a judge in small claims court how they justify not helping you out with some allowance on the tires, no lawyer necessary here just file in the jurisdiction where the dealer is and explain your case to the judge with all the documentation you have. You can bet the dealer will for idemnification from Audi.
  • cwwaltoncwwalton Member Posts: 2
    I've never really been a Ford Fan, but if they have been willing to help with tire problems, more power to them. Of course the big lawsuits probably helped them be "more sensitive", but, nonetheless, they still stood behind their product, unlike Audi. And thanks for the small claims court suggestion. Might do that now that I have proof of 14,000 miles on the new set without discernible wear.
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    there is no warranty from the vehicle manufacturer on tires, because the vehicle manufacturer is not the tire manufacturer. This causes many people pain, including those behind the service desk, but the law is the law...

    The car manufacturer has NO requirement to assist with tire-related issues.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    to get rid of all the => KILLER TIRES! <= tm on Ford trucks and SUVs that customers wanted off, to protect the reputation and business of their light truck section. which kinda wire-brushed them for a year and a half in business, as I am sure I would be feeling it if I lost that much. assuming I could count that high.

    but generally, you take your tire issues to the tire dealer, and they blame it on the car, and you take it in to the dealer, and they blame it on the tires... and round and round you go. in my book, any time somebody cuts the crap and steps up for you, they get at least one Brownie point, and sometimes more.
  • capriracercapriracer Member Posts: 907
    Ah... Not exactly.

    Several vehicle manufacturers include tires in their warranty. What exactly is warranted and for how long varies as does the interaction with the tire manufacturer.

    I'm going to guess that Audi was trying to reach a compromise settlement, since they couldn't prove one way or the other that the vehicle was actually misaligned from the factory or perhaps "helped" by a pothole or two. They opted for what they could do "in house".
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    but not for the run of the mill Chevy, Ford or Toyota.

    The majority of basic warranties include tires as wear items from day one and any help given to the consumer is usually through dealer goodwill.
  • capriracercapriracer Member Posts: 907
    Ah... Not exactly.

    GM has a bumper to bumper program that covers tires for all their vehicles - including Chevy's. I believe it is a 3 year - 36,000 mile warranty. It doesn't cover road hazards and wear, but it does cover alignment induced wear.

    Ford also has a bumper to bumper program that covers tires for all their vehicles - including Ford's. I think Ford's the same as GM's, but administered differently.

    Hope this helps.

    .
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    wear is the only thing covered, and that isn't a tire warranty issue, it's a steering and suspension issue. Doesn't have anything to do with the tires, except considering the tires victims of another vehicle component's defect or malfunction.

    Sorry to respectfully disagree, but after having been a service manager, and having been screamed at by various consumers over tire issues, I've been "baptized by fire" in the world of tire warranties on new cars, especially for GM and DCC products.
  • capriracercapriracer Member Posts: 907
    If you mean mileage warranty - true. To my knowledge there is no mileage warranty on any OE tire.

    But, everyday I see tires returned from GM dealers. Some of those tires are accepted as part of the tire manufacturer's warranty and the rest are charged to GM. Total cost to GM for this program must be in the millions of $$.
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    but they are warranted through the tire manufacturer, not the vehicle manufacturer - if the dealer helps you, it's a gift.

    It's a shame that the warranty thing has turned into a finger-pointing blame exercise.

    On the other hand, I can't count the number of people I've had wanting mileage guarantees and road hazard warranties on OEM tires....
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    sooner or later, you have to come to the end of promises and warranties, and somebody has to say, "dude, the sucker's dead. pay or walk."

    but it always runs out five miles too soon for me :(
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    Do you mind if I use "dude, the sucker's dead. pay or walk"?? That's a real classic!
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    run with it ;)
  • vidtechvidtech Member Posts: 212
    i do not think the dealer should have to buy you new tires.i would think anyone who is half interested in maintaining their vehicle would have noticed some uneven tire wear way before the tires became useless.maybe the frontend should have been checked at 5000 miles if you feel it came from the factory that way.bet you forgot that curb you smacked at 9000 miles.
  • tonestertonester Member Posts: 6
    Gents,
    I just bought an Allroad also - it was the showroom/loaner vehicle. After 2500miles, I complained that the tires are feathering which created heavy road noise. I agree the OEM tires are just junk that looks good. The dealer completely realigned the car to be safe and on my request rotated all the tires to even the wear...we shall see where this all goes.
    Interestingly, the windshield wipers were completely misaligned from factory which left a huge streak of water across the screen..that took some convincing to the dealer, but they fixed it and were just as surprised as I was that it hadn't been done before.

    I can't believe spending $40k and having silly things wrong with the car - attention to detail is the name of the game at this car price.

    In support of my Md dealership, the team has done an excellent job with me and my Allroad. I'm very happy so far....better be at that price!
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    write to Gerd Klauss. i wrote a letter to him, FEDEXED it, got a refund check from VW after having been told time and time again that they wouldn't cover me getting my car fixed at a gas station in an emergency.

    hope Gerd can help out with tires. though i tend to think that they might say no since the tires have so many miles on them, and they don't know about potholes, accidents, under/over inflation, etc.
This discussion has been closed.