Is my '02 A4q an unusual piece of junk, or just a piece of junk?

[cobram at juno.com]

 "Jonathan Monetti" <jmone3036 at earthlink.net> writes:

> To keep this under ten scrolled pages, I'll try to bullet.  

Loooonnnggg list deleted.

> In general, I consider my '02 to be of significantly lower build 
> quality than my '99, and an order of magnitude below my '87 CGT (but
I'm 
> very biased).  

Printed out your list, going to pull it out the next time someone starts
with the "get a new car 'cause they don't have any problems"
conversation, or the wife comes in complaining about some Mickey Mouse
problem with the 200TQA.

> I don't just post to whine (though I do feel better), rather to see 
> how my experience stacks up.  I've seen many recent posts on radio woes
and 
> sludge, but I am looking for either general reactions or anecdotal
feedback 
> to the above list of gripes.  

You're not alone, there were a couple of listers on the V8Q list who gave
up on Audi's completely because of their experiences after buying brand
new ones.  They do seem to like V8Q owners though...there are 2 or 3 of
them who are Audi-less,  but active on the list.

>Also to see if other dealers been responsive 
> to tracking down things that are not abjectly 'wrong' but 
> significantly diminish your enjoyment of and trust in the car.

Audi dealers really treat their customers terribly, yeah, there are
exceptions, but good treatment and problem resolution should be the norm,
not the exception for a brand which wants to be perceived as high end. 

Mercyless Benz is light years ahead of Audi in customer service IMHO,
when it comes to warranty work and the way it treats all Mercyless Benz
owners, I can type out a list the size of yours about problems that
Mercedes has fixed on their dime for cars out of warranty but with known
problems.  As an example, about 4 years ago (before I bought it),
Mercedes put a brand new turbo, manifold, and many other parts in my 1987
300TD (with 150K on the clock at the time)  because the trap converter
came apart and took the turbo out, Mercedes has always admitted it was a
terrible design, and has done right by their customers who have problems
with this part, even when the car is waaaayyy out of the warranty period.
 Did the guy who sold me the MB buy another Mercyless Benz, you bet.

I think corporate is asleep at the wheel when it comes to after purchase
treatment of Audi buyers.  You can tell that they know about it, a friend
who works at an Audi/Porsche dealer says that they get something from
Audi just about every month telling the dealership to give preferential
treatment A8Q and it's other flagship customers when they come in for
warranty work, which IMHO translates to "don't treat our high end
customers like you do the rest of them."  
  
> My goal is to understand if I got a lime (not quite a lemon) or if 
> this is just life with an 21st century Audi.      

It's Audi life, the irony is that if you buy an Audi that's 5 or more
years old, the previous owner(s) have usually taken care of all the
teething problems.  You get a much cheaper car with fewer problems than
the guy that bought it new. 

> One thing is *almost* certain--this will probably be my last new 
> Audi. 

I wish I had a buck for every time I've heard that one, but the "new" in
your statement is usually omitted, most people just give up on the brand
all together when they have an experience such as yours.  "Normal"
drivers are not like most on this list, we're pretty much the "fanatical
fringe" of Audi owners around here.  ;-)

BCNU,
http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/