[200q20v] Stallin, cryin, cursin

[Tomsaudi200 at aol.com]

"When we last left Tom on his adventure, he was scheduled to return to the 
dealer, after talking to the head Audi service manager to fix this problem to 
my satisfaction, after spending hundreds of dollars with no results. Let's 
see what happened."

Enough poetic license, and let me add this is my last post to the list on 
this matter. I promise. Last Tuesday I dropped my car off at the dealer, as 
scheduled. As requested, I asked to see the general service manager, and he 
came out and talked to me. Since I was told how to replicate the problem, I 
relayed it to him, saying to take your guy out in my car, take it to 1.5 bar, 
drop the clutch, and it will stall. 

Several minutes go by, he comes back to me, and insists I take someone along 
with me, and replicate the problem with me driving the car. I explain my 
mother has taken time off from work to take me to the dealer, and needs to 
get back ASAP. I am told that since this is my third visit to the dealer, he 
insists I take his guy out for a drive. So I hop on the highway, replicate 
the problem, return to dealer. Nuff' said. 

I wait an eternity until the manager notices no one is waiting on me, and has 
our fellow lister take care of the service order. Meanwhile, my mother has 
lost almost two hours of work between the commute and waiting for me to 
helped. 

Now, I know that the turbo bypass valve takes all of 45 minutes to install, 
so I expected a call that day, since I had an appointment that I made well in 
advance. No call. Another day goes by. No call. I finally call the dealer, 
and ask about my car. I am told that no one has worked on it yet (so in other 
words, it's just been sitting on their lot). I am assured that the car will 
be worked on that day, even if it means overtime. No call. Friday rolls 
around, and I get a call at 4:30 in the afternoon saying the car is ready, 
and I will be charged (?). With no loaner, and no means for anyone to get me 
to the dealer, I am basically stuck.

It was not until today, a full week without my car, that I was able to 
retrieve it. Some guy I'd never seen before helps me, and I ask why I am 
being charged for the job. Since he doesn't know my situation, he goes for 
help. And I wait. Again. I explain I had talked to the general service 
manager, and that he wanted to make this right for me. 

I get nowhere fast. I argue I never would have agreed to spend the $500 to do 
the circuit board if it would only cure the bouncing speedo. I am reminded of 
the TSB, and that I agreed to have the service done. That I do not contest, 
but it failed to correct the problem. I called the manager because I felt 
that they would continue to charge me until they got the problem fixed with 
absolutely no regard to any mistakes they had made in curing the stalling. He 
agreed this was wrong, and said he wanted me to be happy.

But not today. Instead, I was charged for the work. The guy couldn't even be 
bothered to see me face to face, after saying I should deal with him only. I 
tried to be firm, stating that this was their chance to do right by me, and 
to come clean. They wouldn't hear it. Let me remind you, this was the guy who 
said he was new in town, and his first priority was improving consumer 
relations. I should have bought the Brooklyn Bridge too....

So, like the fool I am, I turned over my credit card. For $64, I could have 
gone home thinking that they did do right by me, but no. After false promises 
from the manager, FOUR days of keeping my car for a 45 minute job, I think I 
finally get the message about what Audi of Fairfield thinks of me. I gave 
them their chance to do good, and took their word that they would. Now I'm 
the sucker. And my car was absolutely filthy.

And I'm saving the best for last. I am to pay for the parts if they work. 

Soo, I'm contemplating a call to my lawyer, Audi of North America, CT Better 
Business Bureau, but there is one thing I just do not get. Posted on the wall 
in the service waiting area is a poster of the dealer's service performance. 
It is rated as perfect in every area, but, like they say, don't believe 
everything you read.

Tom