So in August of 2008 I trade in my 2006 A4 Cab for a new 2009 A4 cab quattro. It was missing some features that my '06 had like homelink and auto headlamps but I figured I'd deal with it. I loved the quicker acceleration, the more responsive steering and the quattro handling of the '09 but really missed the auto headlamps and the homelink. Come to find out that soon after the 2009 introduction, Audi changed the model and billed it as a "special edition". It now includes AT NO EXTRA COST, homelink, bi-xenon auto headlamps, auto dimming mirrors inside and out, rain sensitive wipers, wind deflector, Bose premium sound, 18" wheels and heated front seats. Over $3000 worth of options at no extra cost on the same 2009 model I purchased only a few months earlier. There's also a $2000 customer incentive on it now but I understand the nature of incentives so I can't be really upset about that.

So I write a letter to Audi expressing my dissatisfaction. I explain that I know I screwed up by buying a model without features that I ultimately missed, but I express that I'm also upset that Audi didn't enter the model year with the vehicle equipped as it now is. Let's face it, these weren't minor changes to the price and equipment, it was significant and only a few months after my purchase. So basically I say that I am an unhappy customer and I will consider this experience when I purchase a new car in 2012. I never asked for anything in my letter!

I get a call from a woman named Heather at a few weeks ago. She understands how I feel and SHE ASKS ME "what can Audi do to make you happy". OK.....so I say, offer me some trade assistance so I can get into a vehicle that I'll be more happy with and you'll get a customer for life. After two weeks of keeping in touch with me I get a call from her today telling me that, "Audi, like any other manufacturer reserves the right to make any changes in price or equipment during the model year". "Sorry, there's nothing we can do to help you." Somehow she thinks that I was asking for Audi to deliver me a new car for free. When I tell her that I know that that is totally unreasonable and all I was asking for (since she asked) was assistance toward the trade of a new one, she says, "that's not what I understood". So she calls me back an hour later and says, "we won't help you at all".

I guess I feel like I'm in a Seinfeld episode. Why did they call me and ask what would make me happy if they weren't going to make even the slightest peace offering? They made it worse by asking. I actually was thinking today that I would have felt better if they hadn't called at all and raised my hopes that they were really interested in helping me out in some way. I wrote the letter to just get this off my chest. I wasn't looking for anything until they asked me!

Well, I just wrote this to get this off my chest again. I'm not looking for anything, so if you're reading this, don't get the wrong idea. It is a great car, though a little decontented. I'll continue to relay this experience to anyone who will listen and hope that in 2012 I find a company with more sensitive customer relations to replace my Audi!

 

well **** - nothing worse than a kick in the face when you are trying to be reasonable.

 

Don't worry at all. From my experience, customer relations is all **** up
at Audi. It's just not Audi's strong point.

I've had a terrible experience with my dealer, got into a shouting match with them
last year. Now don't feel like going there even for an oil change.

The Audis/BMWs will sell themselves because of some exceptionally smart engineers,
and the dealers, car sales people think they are gods...

 

I don't know man... it sucks that they changed it shortly after, but it's like computers, if you wait it'll always get better. So you have to make a tradeoff between getting something now and waiting for something better later.

Although it certainly would have been nice if they'd at least extended the incentive offer to you.

 

I agree. It's the risk you take anytime you buy anything. A bar of soap....the next day it's two for one. But I wasn't looking for anything when I wrote to them initially. Just expressing my dissatisfaction. It's still a great car.

Then they called me and asked me what would make me happy. I say, give me some assistance toward a new one. Say they threw me a $2000 loyalty certificate as a gesture of good faith. It costs them nothing. They make at least that when they sell a new car to the dealer. They get to roll another vehicle, and cool off a loyal customer. It's a win/win for them. Then it's up to me to make the next move. I either put up or shut up!

 

Got a survey today from Audi. They were wondering how my Customer Service experience was. Are they serious???

 

LOL, yeah... they always do that.