barryl

I'm just ranting.

My car (99 4.2Q w/86K miles) has been in the shop for the last three weeks. I dropped it off at the local dealer because it had a bad oil leak that I could not identify, and the transmission is doing the 'coastdown thump.'

I have an extended warranty (not from Audi) so I figured 'how bad could it be?'

The first thing the dealer tells me is the leaks are real bad (duhh) and are from the valve cover gasket and cam seals. And my extended warranty does not cover leaks. That does not sound right to be, but the dealer is the expert, right? I give the OK to fix that, and ask "what is going on the with transmission?" The service manager tells me he does not think there is anything wrong with the trans, and that the MAF might be bad instead. Again, that doesn't sound right, but I'm just the stupid car owner, not a factory trained technician.

Two days later I'm told the car is fixed. "What about the transmission?" I ask. The person I spoke to (not the service writer I dropped the car off with) tells me he doesn't know anything about the transmission, so it must be fine. I tell him the trans is not fine, he doesn't know anything about it. I tell him I will take the technician for a ride and demonstrate the problem.

The next day I meet the tech who repaired the car. He tells me the trans shifts fine. I tell him I know that, the problem is with the lock up torque converter, it unlocks on coast down, then relocks with a thump. I have him drive the car, and sure enough, the problem happens. "oh, that isn't right" he tells me. "I'll run some diagnostics on it." OK, we are getting somewhere. By the way, on the way back to the shop I smelled oil. The tech assured me that it was just oil burning off the engine block.

That was on a Monday. I call Wednesday, no news. I call Thursday, no news, no return calls. I call Friday and demand to speak to the shop manager. He tells me the tech has not been able to find the problem, and that it is difficult to diagnose transmissions problems. I ask him how long he thinks it will take to find the problem. He doesn't know.

The next Monday I get another call. They now determine that something is wrong with the transmission (it took two weeks to learn that?). Now the fun begins. The dealers don't work on transmissions, they only replace them with reman units from Audi. So why did they spend so much time trying to find the problem if they can't even try to fix it? OK, whatever. They call the warranty place, the warranty place makes me jump through some hoops, but eventually agrees to the repair. Here is the problem, the warranty place will pay up to $6K for the trans, that is to install a used unit. Audi can't do that, they will install a reman from Audi, and the price is 10K!!! So if I want the trans done, it will cost me 4K!! Forget it.

Oh yeah, the oil leak is now determined to be from the head gasket. So I guess I didn't need the valve cover and cam seals done, but hey, that was ONLY $800! Since they feel bad, they will discount the head gasket job a little (they are good guys).

I tell them to forget the trans, just do the head gasket, and I have them do the other HG too, because I don't want to go back there EVER.

That was last Friday. Today, no car, no call, no contact from the dealer. They did give me a nice Ford Focus to drive. I have now had the car (which stinks like cigs) for 3 weeks.

At this point I am ready to dump the A8 (and Audi). After driving the Focus for three weeks I realize that I can live without leather seats that adjust 8 ways (not counting the headrest that doesn't work), I can live without seat heaters (that don't work on my car). That manual HVAC is not that bad, and that maybe all the extra stuff is just not worth it. So I decide to check out the Subaru WRX. Cheap (a brand new 2004 is $25K with everything), light (3050 lbs compared to my 3900 aluminum tank), manual trans, so I don't have to worry about 10K repair bills). I drove a nice Subi, then the dealer tells my Audi is worth 10K. JUST GREAT, I CAN'T EVEN GET RID OF THE POS.

Just before I left work for the day the Audi dealer calle me. My car is done and it doesn't leak oil anymore (but the trans will stil thump). And the bill is not quite $3K.

I will pick up the car tomorrow AM. I'll buy 7 quarts of magical Audi trans fliud (at only $12 / bottle) and change the fluid in hopes that the thump will go away.

And, if I don't drive it into a wall, maybe I will start to like my car again.

There, now I feel better.

Barry

Mr. Ricco

Just read in Consumer Reports that for the first time ever, American cars rank higher then European cars regarding mechanical problems. I am beginning to believe that Audi owners all have a bad electrical system. Anyone ever plug themselves into a VAG COM to see what is wrong with us?

RICHELIEU

Wake up Audi! It only took me two years to talk Audi into making me happy and as everyone knows, I was not asking for much. Even though I solved my Audi trouble, I am still pissed at them because they do not care.. Take a lesson from Saturn.. They treat me like a king. The more I think about how Audi treated me, the more I think I will not order that A12L 6.0 when it comes out.. Maybe I better not think about how jerky they are because I want that car.

Wahaudi

It continues to amaze me how bad many dealers are. And the worst part is that AOA doesn't care. Simply making a great product doesn't cut it. The world is too big and we, as consumers, have too many choices. I don't care how much I love my car, it's just a car and I will find other things to do with my time and money than waste it on people that apparently couldn't care less. Audi's arrogance (during the "unintended acceleration" issue) almost killed them in the U.S. once before.

I was taught the golden rule as a child. As a business owner, I've learned that practicing it is good business. It's that simple. Any company that treats me as an equal will win my business for years to come. I've had my own issues with Audi service over the years and continously debate as to whether, after 3 Audis, there will be a fourth. In the end, the siren song of a S8 will probably win out. However, my wife has informed me, that if I choose that path, I will forfeit any right to complain. I guess it's true...fool me once, shame on you -- fool me twice, shame on me.

skiracer

$800 is way too much for that job to begin with!! On a more positive note, will your warranty company pay the $6K for a tranny to an independent shop, or just an authorized Audi stealer? I'd check into it before the warranty expires. You could get the best ZF rebuilt tranny installed for leass than $6K at a good independent shop, and I would jump on it if given the opportunity. I understand your disgust with the Stealer- they obviously don't consider you a valuable customer. What a shame.

KaMaKaZieP -ALUMIN8-

DO YOU WONDER WHY VW's PROFITABILITY DROPEED 53% SINCE LAST YEAR??

barryl

Hello,

My warranty is with Continental. They will pay any approved shop to do the work. The warranty is good until the car has 100K miles, or 3 years since I bought it, which will be August 2005. You can bet that I will have the trans changed by a good independant before then.

Thanks to all for letting me vent. I am picking the car up in a few hours. I hope that a nice long drive will make me feel better. I really do love the looks, handling, ride, performance and size of the car.

Barry

my97A8

What's the name of the technician there that worked on your car?

docmusolf

they hae replaced a bunch of stuff and I still smell burnt oil everytime I drive the car. Its not the car it the stupid people that work on it.

1Fun S8

That treatment is their MO.