Dealership HORROR story...
#81
You must be pretty ignorant to come up with such a dumb a** logic
Are you trying to tell us any aftermarket product we put in our car, if broken by the dealership/service is NOT going to be replaced by them???
Here's another scenario. Say you buy a TV and it comes with the el-cheapo composite cables. You go and spent $150 to get real highend highly customized cables. Now, the tv develops some problem and you call service (assuming it is under warranty). Service comes in or you bring it in w/ the cables attached (so that they can test it out). Now when you get the tv back, the cables are ruined. Either the tech. accidently yanked them out, cut them, ran over them etc. Are you telling me they are not responsible AND will tell me since I've aftermarket cables rather than the crappy OEM ones on the tv, they are not responsible??
Big Nipper (whom by the way I don't even know who he is) has aftermarket stuff on the car. Now, I can give him or the service the benefit of doubt, but obviously I choose to believe him. My own dealings with my Audi services has a lot to do with this (mine you my car is bone stock - except for an RS4 like grill). I'm assuming his suspension was fine to begin with and the dealership messed it up.
Here's another example. I've a non standard grill on my car which I purchased. Now, since it is attached to the hood and will be touched by the dealership/service. Say I bring my car in for oil change and the **** poor service guy accidently cracked my grill. Are you telling me they are not going to replace my grill coz' it didn't come standard w/ the car???
Here's another scenario. Say you buy a TV and it comes with the el-cheapo composite cables. You go and spent $150 to get real highend highly customized cables. Now, the tv develops some problem and you call service (assuming it is under warranty). Service comes in or you bring it in w/ the cables attached (so that they can test it out). Now when you get the tv back, the cables are ruined. Either the tech. accidently yanked them out, cut them, ran over them etc. Are you telling me they are not responsible AND will tell me since I've aftermarket cables rather than the crappy OEM ones on the tv, they are not responsible??
Big Nipper (whom by the way I don't even know who he is) has aftermarket stuff on the car. Now, I can give him or the service the benefit of doubt, but obviously I choose to believe him. My own dealings with my Audi services has a lot to do with this (mine you my car is bone stock - except for an RS4 like grill). I'm assuming his suspension was fine to begin with and the dealership messed it up.
Here's another example. I've a non standard grill on my car which I purchased. Now, since it is attached to the hood and will be touched by the dealership/service. Say I bring my car in for oil change and the **** poor service guy accidently cracked my grill. Are you telling me they are not going to replace my grill coz' it didn't come standard w/ the car???
#83
Your examples are poor
In neither of your examples could the case be made that the modifications contributed to the damage they suffered. In Big Nippers case, it is not possible to make such a claim.
A better analogy using a TV would be if the customer replaced the power supply with a larger one, and that was broken when the TV was opened.
A better analogy using a TV would be if the customer replaced the power supply with a larger one, and that was broken when the TV was opened.
#84
You need to get a clue my friend. This has nothing to do with a warranty.
The shop worked on the car and damaged it, it doesn't matter whether it was a warrantied part or not. AoA would not have been paying for it even if it was so AoA's warranty does NOT apply.
It's the same as if a tech had spilled coffee on an XM radio in the car or something. By your rational, the shop would not be obligated to fix it because it is not a factory part.
-st
It's the same as if a tech had spilled coffee on an XM radio in the car or something. By your rational, the shop would not be obligated to fix it because it is not a factory part.
-st
#85
The analogy might be poor, but his point is correct.
The car was damaged by the dealer's shop. period. They are responsible, all he needs to do is prove that they damaged it. He just needs to prove that they put that wood block in there and he is set.
-st
-st
#86
That makes no sense whatsoever. I don't know how you can group all dealers into this
mystical category of people that will damage your car and then not fix it.
It is not as though he was driving around town, and all of the sudden the suspension goes. He takes it there and asks them to fix it. Of course they will say no, they don't warranty those parts.
All he has to do is prove that their negligence lead to the failure. i.e. they left the block in, it caused the failure. That's it, it has nothing to do with AoA's warranty.
-st
It is not as though he was driving around town, and all of the sudden the suspension goes. He takes it there and asks them to fix it. Of course they will say no, they don't warranty those parts.
All he has to do is prove that their negligence lead to the failure. i.e. they left the block in, it caused the failure. That's it, it has nothing to do with AoA's warranty.
-st
#87
Ok.. I see your point. Here's another example. A more direct correlation.
We all know the Exploder fiasco. Firestone blame Ford, Ford blames Firestone all over tires causing rollovers. So, we know tires play a very important role.
Say my OEM tires go bald and I buy some el-cheapo tires and mount them on my car. My control arm goes bad, causing my shocks/struct to wear out prematurely leading to steering problems.
Now, by your logic, the dealership could blame the tires, right??
I'm assuming when Big Nipper had the aftermarket suspension installed, they were installed correctly and he DID NOT purposely put the block of wood in there to make AoA pay for damages he knew existed.
It all comes down to the tech. put in a block of wood and forgot to take it out. And if you think all Audi dealerships or any dealership for that matter test drive the car after changing major components, you are seriously mis-informed.
A service writer in the Audi dealership I frequent told me right in my face "They just got done with the repairs and are doing the test drive right now". I walked out and look around and I see my car sitting right in the lot! When I got my car back I checked my odometer. It is not even registering a mile more on the odometer when I dropped it off. This is coming from the same dealership who told me my car is being worked on right this minute and when I drove there to see for myself, it is still sitting in the lot!
Service these days sucks! It is time we emphasis the phrase "The Customer IS always RIGHT"
Say my OEM tires go bald and I buy some el-cheapo tires and mount them on my car. My control arm goes bad, causing my shocks/struct to wear out prematurely leading to steering problems.
Now, by your logic, the dealership could blame the tires, right??
I'm assuming when Big Nipper had the aftermarket suspension installed, they were installed correctly and he DID NOT purposely put the block of wood in there to make AoA pay for damages he knew existed.
It all comes down to the tech. put in a block of wood and forgot to take it out. And if you think all Audi dealerships or any dealership for that matter test drive the car after changing major components, you are seriously mis-informed.
A service writer in the Audi dealership I frequent told me right in my face "They just got done with the repairs and are doing the test drive right now". I walked out and look around and I see my car sitting right in the lot! When I got my car back I checked my odometer. It is not even registering a mile more on the odometer when I dropped it off. This is coming from the same dealership who told me my car is being worked on right this minute and when I drove there to see for myself, it is still sitting in the lot!
Service these days sucks! It is time we emphasis the phrase "The Customer IS always RIGHT"
#88
Here's the parts I don't get -
The dealership agreed to install the clutch that you brought them - under warranty. Already this sounds strange. The implication is that the dealer will install the clutch that you apparently have paid for on your own, and then will bill Audi for the work (and the parts?) as warranty work? Was this the agreement you had with the dealer? I don't see how that is a legit deal by the dealer. Then, to complicate matters, a pice of wood is inserted in your car for some support during this install. Is this standard Audi practice? Is this something that was necessitated by the particular clutch you brought them? I find it amazing that the dealership would expose themselves like this:
1) Fraudulently reporting warranty work to Audi. (I'm not saying they are, just that that is a logical conclusion based on the scenario).
2) Further expose themselves to litigation and the wrath of AoA for doing a sloppy job that compromised the integrity of your vehicle.
I'm not convinced the fact that there are lots of modifications matters that much, but I am blown away by the implications of what you are saying.
1) Fraudulently reporting warranty work to Audi. (I'm not saying they are, just that that is a logical conclusion based on the scenario).
2) Further expose themselves to litigation and the wrath of AoA for doing a sloppy job that compromised the integrity of your vehicle.
I'm not convinced the fact that there are lots of modifications matters that much, but I am blown away by the implications of what you are saying.
#89
Here's a true account
I routinely bring my own oil in for oil changes. When I looked at the service printout, it shows the dealership billed AoA for material and labor. I asked them why (about the material - oil). He says this is so that Audi will not question them/me/my car in the event something happens (whatever that might be) to the car.
So, they bill AoA for 3.8qt of oil. Do I get that oil? No! Do I get credit for the oil? No! One might argue that they are doing me a favor by using my own oil. They could have said no. True, but let me tell you. This dealership did not do it out of goodwill. I am confident the *free* oil that they got from billing AoA will be going into someone else's car and getting billed for it.
Granted oil is cheap compared to a clutch. Whether the dealership actually billed AoA for a new clutch or not, only they know for sure. Lately these service guys (esp. at the dealership I go to) are worse than the used car salesman. They'll lie to you on the phone and they'll lie straight in your face. Never trust them. And yes, this is from my own personal experience. Not all dealership is the same. I agree. But so far it is all bad!
So, they bill AoA for 3.8qt of oil. Do I get that oil? No! Do I get credit for the oil? No! One might argue that they are doing me a favor by using my own oil. They could have said no. True, but let me tell you. This dealership did not do it out of goodwill. I am confident the *free* oil that they got from billing AoA will be going into someone else's car and getting billed for it.
Granted oil is cheap compared to a clutch. Whether the dealership actually billed AoA for a new clutch or not, only they know for sure. Lately these service guys (esp. at the dealership I go to) are worse than the used car salesman. They'll lie to you on the phone and they'll lie straight in your face. Never trust them. And yes, this is from my own personal experience. Not all dealership is the same. I agree. But so far it is all bad!