[LordHefner]

Originally Posted by tonupkid

I don't get the problem here. Audi collect and return the car, or provide a loaner for free. Or is this just the dealers in the W Midlands?
I can't understand why you would pay for someone failing to fix what they were supposed to fix. I mean, where's the incentive for them to actually do that job if they can just **** about and then suggest, what is in effect wrecking your car to get bonnet open, once they are bored with messing around, or have another, more profitable, call to make.
The hit to fix it will almost certainly be less than the hit you'll take on your cars resale value with it unfixed.
I can understand your disillusionment, you've been taken advantage of. But have faith, not all dealers/mechanics are crooks. Ask around and take your car to whoever is trusted by the people you know.
Perhaps a little online research will point you to the solution.
Good luck with it and, far more important, good luck with the health issues.

Hi Mate,

I hear every word that you are saying... I've had three separate experiences with the main dealer, and if you check through my previous posts then you will see my sheer frustrations of dealing with them. I had a ballast go out on the car meaning I lost one if the D2s bulbs and I took it to them then. I had a fault code diagnostics done on the car before hand, and handed this to them with all the replacement parts provided, for all the bits that could be wrong, I took them replacement bulbs, replacement ignitghters, and they had a ballast pack for my car on the shelf for £350 which I was prepared to pay so that I can have correct lighting to get to the airport 300 miles away... I was sat their for a little over five hours, with my partners 9 year old. Only to be told that they, have charged me £60 and gave me a full diagnostics (remembering I gave that to them when I left it there and sat in their waiting area) After the four hour point I was told that they couldn't fix the headlamps as they were not the ones supposed to be in the car, to which I replied Neither is the drivers one, but that's lit up perfectly, just make the passenger side light exactly the same as that one and as it had been before it went out. They took it for another hour and returned It to me with my rather impatient 9 year old asking are we going yet... at this point I was told still couldn't get it working. I asked was it is a bulb gone, the ignighter, maybe a fuse? You have checked the fuse?? Yet the Service Manager couldn't even say what bots the technician had ruled out... all I was offered was £2,300 bill for supplying and fitting the correct headlamps and that their was nothing else that they could do!

The second visit was worse as they did a second look and still came to the same conclusion after taking my £60 half hour check which told me my tyres were fine... and this time was just two hours, and despair saying it can't be that difficult to get the headlights illuminated... I left in temper, only to notice my handbrake light flashing and wouldn't engage. So I go back in and speak to them saying why is my handbrake no longer working? to which they replied we don't know... This was also at the end of the day so have me the usual, we have nobody to look at it now... but the receptionist going seen my frustrations and she spoke to the service manager who kindly tried to sort something out as I didn't want to drive when my handbrake possibly brakes were no longer talking to the car... but no service loan car was available for two weeks and there was no option but to leave with it and have it collected the following morning.

They did collect and the car was with them three days and I said to them please fix everything, lights, handbrake fault knowing that they caused the problems hoping for them to reactivate or what ever. a sensor needed switching, a side light bulb... and at half past four on the third day hoping to get a modest to large bill of a complete list of ticked of items of repairs, all I got was a bill for £270 @ 70% of retail for the hand brake module which wasn't broken when I took it to them but now was, and at the end of the third day, not a single other thing was done, no headlamps fixed, not even the side light bulb was done, no sensor swap... nothing more than the handbrake that they broke the time before. I had a long discussion with the Service manager to no avail, and paid the near £300 bill for a handbrake module and went else where for the work to be done.

a non Audi specialist checked the bulbs and the ignighters, wiring and fuse... and found it to be a Ballast pack and they fitted the one that I supplied for less that sixty quid and changed all of the bulbs to uprated ones at the same time. at last a result"! However these guys are the last people to have the bonnet open and they have since tried to open it and said no go. and since then I've taken it to another reputable Audi known guy who also said he couldn't get it sorted.

as I said with health the way it is Cancer three times survived, arthritis and about to have major operations to repair damage to my throat and jaw for radiation damage, and the three days I was without my car from Audi became a problem for me personally, hence why going back to Motability and a cars in warranty I feel is the way for me, I'm no mechanic so only have the option of the professionals and after reading my experience with them, I'd rather offer it here to you guys, clearly knowledgeable and capable who no doubt could do the job with little problems, but I still need the use of a full time car and despite being just over five years old she has already had a few days off the road being at various garages and this I can not manage with.

Regards,

Mark.