[BiturboS4] Important for those of you pissed at AUDI of America

[Erik J. Engstrom]

Bruce & Scott,

Thank you very much for your mature and patient input.

As some of you may recall, I've had a series of issues with my car that
exceed the usual or even strangely unusual repair history of the Biturbo.
I'm not talking about washer pumps or windshield wipers. I've had non-stop
repair attempts by my dealer since October of 2002. I've driven the car only
a tiny amount since January. It hasn't been home for more than a week since.
It's been averaging 125 miles between major malfunctions. I think its partly
a dealer problem and some bad calls by Audi Tech Line.

I first contacted Audi of America Customer Care 76 days ago. I'm still
waiting for someone to ask me what I want for someone, anyone in the
organization to actually meet a commitment. Every time frame, every promise,
every parameter has been broken. They can't seem to do anything in the
promised time frame. Unfortunately the goodwill offer doesn't consider the
tax plan I'm operating under. I can finish my lease and walk away with only
$900 less than Audi is offering, due to the ridiculous arbitration offer
factoring for mileage. I leased the car for 3 years and intended to buy and
own the car for two additional years. This would allow me to actually pay
about $13,000 post-tax dollars for the five years of ownership on the car.
If I accepted a buyback, I would lose all of that tax advantage AND still
have to come up with money for a down payment on another car.

I do not want to enter a lawsuit. I do not want to get into a protracted
legal fistfight. But after 76 days I finally sent a faxed ultimatum to the
person handling my case. I feel I have been reasonable enough, and overly
patient for too long. I indicated that I wanted one of three options
selected in writing by 1:00PM on May 2, 2003. At 1:30 I'm signing the
paperwork to begin a suit between me and Audi of America. The car is a lemon
3 times over by my state laws. I didn't even being speaking to them until
the 3rd time through the lemon loophole. Over the past 76 days Audi has done
nothing but drag its feet and I've had to do all of the follow up with both
my dealer and Audi since October. I'm passing the baton to specialists in
this kind of law. I'm not worried about losing, or winning, I'm just tired
of dealing with it every day without any change or result.

I hope that Audi is more capable than they appear to me, but I certainly
know that I'm in a STATISTICALLY small class of people who have had problems
like this. People who throw lawsuits around frivilously deserve to enter
into one and lose badly. I've been declared the winner in a lawsuit in which
I actually lost far more than I ever gained.

Go take a community college course or adult education class on the law, or
at least read a book on the subject by Nolo Press... I hope it would change
your opinion to toss "litigation" around lightly. Don't talk about it, I get
sick of hearing all the hot air. Just meet with a lawyer, discuss your
options and think hard.


Erik