FW: rant about V8 service at dealer

["Thomas, Nathan" <nthomas@imps0014.us.dg.com>]

> When I looked into getting a V8 my local Audi dealer had
> no idea what a V8 was.  When I finally got one from an 
> independent dealer I decided to get it serviced somewhere
> other than the Audi dealer, because they seemed to have no
> clue about the car.  However, I just violated that decision
> to get the KF airbag recall performed on the car...and boy 
> was that a mistake.
> 
> First off, I made an appointment over a week in advance.
> Then about two hours after I dropped the car off they called
> to inform me that the V8 takes a different replacement
> airbag module than any other Audi automobile and they 
> will have to order it.  So, two days later, I drop the car off
> again.  They tell me it will be ready in about 2-3 hours.  So,
> 4.5 hours later I call back and they tell me that the 
> replacement is much more complicated than they thought
> on this car, and they have torn apart my center console and
> a lot of the componentry under the back seat of the car. 
> "It'll be ready by the end of the day". Which it was.
> 
> Upon inspection, the car looked pretty good, other than a 
> minor scratch on the finish of the wood trim beneath the 
> radio.  So, I drove off and began to listen to the radio...which
> suddenly lost its reception.  I thought it was the station and
> flipped to another one, only to find that the problem persisted.
> Basically, every couple of seconds the station will just go away,
> and I get silence.  Weaker stations are totally gone.  Stronger 
> stations just come and go intermitently.
> 
> So, I called them back this morning and told them the symptoms,
> and they said that when they were doing the airbag work they 
> found a lose ground connection behind the radio and had 
> connected it for me, and that must be causing the problem.  
> They told me it would take several hours to take the
> console back apart and fix the problem, because the antenna
> lead goes up inside the dash.  However, I have an aftermarket
> external power antenna installed on the rear fender of my car...
> upon hearing this, he is quick to blame that antenna for the problem.
> 
> In any case, I am having my fiance take the car back today and
> I told them to "undo whatever you did that made my reception suck."
> Hopefully, this will be the end of it...although my impression from
> talking to other listers is that Audi dealers have about one fix for
> radio problems- replace it.  Whatever they do, it had better not cost
> me any money, and it had better be done today when I get the car
> back.
> 
> nate
> 
> 1990 V8Q Indigo/Platinum 82k
> 1985 4ksq Gray/Gray 107k