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!

 

after experiancing Audi/VW customer service I wont ever be buying a new/cpo audi/vw ever. they try and screw you ever chance they can get...

 

Well, they are allowed to change options/pricing... think of how many issues they'd have if they had to offer new deals retroactively to past customers. It'd be crazay!

 

ok let me try to sum up your story. you bought a car and then they came out with a better model and now you want the upgrades they made to the newer version?

 

Well, yeah, but he's not saying he expects Audi to give those things to him.

To the OP, that situation is definitely hard to swallow. As far as the purchase goes...well, bummer. That's about all there is to say about it. It happens in every evolving industry.

As for their response to you...what jerks! Why did they bother?

 

Well I used to sell at Larson Porsche And Audi. I gave top notch CS but I found out that Audi as a whole company had the worst CS that I have ever seen. Its just seems once your *** left the lot you were forgotten about...sorry to say but AOA sucks of taking care of its drivers. I will never give Audi my money.

 

That sounds like what Pontiac did with the GTO a few years back. When the dealers learned that the car was going to bump from 350hp to 400ish, they immediately did their best to push people to buy their existing stock of 350hp cars without telling them of the power boost coming.

Now, economically that makes perfect sense - good luck selling the 350hp car when the one next to it has a lot more, but at the same time, it really does suck for those late buyers of the lower-power cars because they had no clue the power increase was all but there. It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

 

Basically they force you to buy whats in inventory then think about that clientel that will be a long term customer then the short term.

 

I agree. Of course they are allowed to do it and they do all the time. It's the nature of the business. That's what rebates are for. My initial beef was that when you buy the newly introduced model, you do it because you want the latest and greatest. You don't expect "significant" changes to the model within two months of the new models introduction. Why didn't Audi introduce the new model with those standard features.

Again, I wasn't "looking for anything" when I wrote to Audi initially because I understand these things. It doesn't make it any easier to swallow, but that's the business. I was just expressing dissatisfaction that they did it so soon after the introduction of the new model.

Then THEY CALLED ME on my cell phone!!!!! In my letter I didn't even put any contact information, just the VIN of my car. She says to me, "Thank you for your loyalty. What would make you a happy customer". That's what started me thinking that they might be concerned. So all I asked for was assistance in trading for the model with the standard equipment. If the threw me a certificate worth a couple of thousand bucks toward the new car, at least they would be showing some concern. Then the ball would be in my court to either trade and spend more or let it go. It would have cost Audi nothing. They make at least that on a new car and they roll another vehicle.

 

send the letter to BMW or some other company and see if they'll give you a free car, they'll make a commercial about it. Just get the bimmer with the options you want