Re: Audi Corrosion Warranty

[johnc@together.net]

Don't get me started... uhoh too late... Some Corrosion Warranty BTDT:

When my '87 4kcsq was _brand_new_ (ok, like 2 months old) I started to show
pinhole rust on the trunk lid.  Local dealer turned me down right away with an
assortment of the usual dealer idiocy:  ' they all do that'  'that's not rust,
it's road spray'  'that's not *real* rust, it polishes off' or (sound familiar?)
'that's not rusting from the inside so its not covered'.  After pressing the point
repeatedly, I got 'well, we'll have to take it to Audi', which after 3 months
resulted in approval to fix.  Never went through with it because my impression was
that they would either just slap more paint on top of it and I'd have the same
battle in another year or two, OR that they would send it off to a local hack body
shop that would likely sand through the galvanized layer, prime it and repaint it
- also not ideal.  Sold the car before it became a problem, hopefully a later
owner was able to get it fixed.

Here's their loophole: (from '97 A4 warranty manual) 'Surface Corrosion without
perforation' is not covered.  So if the panel doesn't rust through they don't have
to cover it. But wait, there's more: 'does not cover perforation resulting from
the failure to promptly repair.... surface corrosion'.  Big loophole.  If there's
a little rust, it's your problem, if that becomes big rust, it's your fault.

In reality, the good faith implication of the warranty is that if the highly
touted galvanized panels rust within 10 years, excepting damage or neglect of
course, they should be covered.  I would suggest trying to go to AoA and find one
of the PR guys who is more interested in the Audi image as a top tier mfgr rather
than the regional guy who may be pressured to keep his expenses/claims down.  Good
luck.

JC


BrubakerR@aol.com wrote:

> I have a 91 200 tq with little rust spots appearing around the bolt holes on
> the rear bumper.  I first noticed them about a year ago and figured no
> problem.  The Audi corrosion warranty will cover this one.  Well, I got turned
> down at the first dealer.  Took it a second and got turned down there too.
> Finally insisted that the regional Audi representative look at it and he
> turned me down too.
>
> They all argue that the rust started from the outside and and the warranty
> only applies to rust starting on the inside and coming out.  I maintain that
> this rust is starting at the edge of the holes and was caused by careless
> assembly.  I've seen several other Audi's with this body style that have the
> identically same rust pattern.
>
> Has anyone had any luck with getting Audi to cover this corrosion claim?  I'm
> considering having the repairs made and then suing them in small claims court.

--

__________________________________________________________________

John J Cunningham III           Project Leader / Technical Analyst
                                             Country Home Products
johnc@together.net                            (802) 877-1201 X1242
__________________________________________________________________