Audi warranty rut roh.

[AudiBiTurbo at aol.com]

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In a message dated 6/12/2003 9:31:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
brett at cloud9.net writes:

> Now for the flipside.
>
> Audi brings this upon themselves.  All the time I hear horror
> stories- horror stories you shouldn't hear about a luxury
> brand...where either the region rep, or Audi Client Relations(or the
> dealer, as many people don't know about Client Relations) completely
> drops the ball, and instead of taking one for the team to keep a
> customer, they screw themselves over with the customer, just to keep
> the monthly P&L numbers right.  Audi seems cursed with management
> that just doesn't understand you have to kiss customer ass and loose
> a little money NOW, to keep said customer...and hence keep the money
> coming in later.  A car company can't constantly live year to year on
> the hope of bringing out one new exciting model after another.  Apple
> has the same problem- Steve Jobs even flat-out admits that coming up
> with something really grand for each Macworld show was getting to be
> very, very tough.
>

Brett and the list have heard my AoA horror stories, but Audi does clearly
bring this upon themselves.  In my case, my S4 was denied warranty service, I
can only presume out of reprisal, for documenting in a letter to Len Hunt about
the regional service representative's lies to my family and myself about the
repair of my father's 2000 A8.  The AoA regional service manager's name is Jack
Jones, and his ethics and tactics speak negatively for himself and Audi of
America.  Instead of trading in my 2000 S4 and buying an RS6, I'm keeping my S4
and buying a new tow vehicle... a 2003 Escalade EXT.   Oh, and I'm only 29
years old and an instructor for Audi Car Club of America.  You'd *think* they'd
at least feign a desire for customer loyalty.  In fact, corporate has had a
policy of rewarding those who minimize warranty claims, despite the law.
I've told the Audi dealers that I'm friends with that I'll not only NOT
recommend Audis to friends and clients, but I won't consider a new Audi until Jack
Jones is fired from his very powerful position.  With his ethics and apparent
lack of oversight, in good faith I would never buy from a car company who does
NOT honor their warranties in good faith.

In just my case, over the past year and a half, Audi has lost the sale of an
A6 4.2 (for my mother, she purchased a BMW 330xi) and RS6.  That doesn't
include the fact that I tell whomever will listen the facts about how Audi of
America has treated me.

I still love the cars, hate the company.

Mark Rosenkrantz
AudiBiTurbo at aol.com