RS3: Have you ordered one? Have you received a build date?

[CarMad]

I'm not sure I could see my brand new car sitting there and not being onto them every 2 minutes to ask has everything been resolved or not.

Why can't you tell them you will take the car whilst they sort everything out and if they don't you will reject it, or surely you can still take the car with the understand that the issue will be resolved worse case with a complete re-ordered car?!?!?

A few members have done the latter without problem, one twice before they got the car right. Collect it and tell them to order another and get a few pennies for your troubles, done.

[Milo]

Having been down the incorrect spec and rejection path with Audi twice now, I unfortunately think you're flogging a dead horse if you're trying to get something for nothing i.e. financial compensation or the red carpet treatment.

You're probably within your rights to reject it, and they are within their rights to accept that and show you the door, asking you to close in on your way out, regardless of how long you've been waiting for it.

To reject it, you have to give them a fair chance of rectifying it first. I would want factory tints too and if they offer to replace the glass and any other bits of kit to correct the fault, you're going to have to decide whether that's acceptable. It could be it's so expensive, they won't even offer to do it - they'd rather let you reject it, get the windows tinted and flog it to someone who's cock-a-hoop he doesnt have to wait.

I rejected my first one because although it was a relatively cheap fix, it involved stripping the interior and dash of a brand new car and I wouldn't have it. The second one came without heated seats; to rectify it would have involved replacing the front seats and it wasn't cost effective so they rejected it on my behalf and ordered me a third one.

As I see it, your options are:

1. Take it 'as is' with the cost of the option refunded and push for a small gesture of goodwill (either a couple of hundred £ or a service etc).

2. Decide if you'll accept it with new glass/parts etc. If so and *if* they'll do it, I think you'll struggle to get anything over and above the new bits.

3. Reject it and walk away (or re-order?). But don't expect to get any compen etc 'for your troubles'. Why would they?

While the dealer won't be jumping for joy at the prospect of taking a £45k (?) car into stock, they know they stand a fair chance of turning it around quite quickly for a bloody good price, so it's not in their interests to stump up thousands to placate you, hence the above.

I would be gutted after all this time and tempted to simply walk away if the alternative is another 9+ month wait.

Just my opinion after having to deal with this sort of crap with Audi before

edit - I had p/exed my old car and driven off in the new one before I realised the spec was wrong a few days later . I was quite happy to take my old one back but they had already moved it on so I kept the new one until I eventualy got the right car 6 months later, at the 3rd attempt.

If there is a possibility of you rejecting the car, I cannot see them allowing you to drive it off the forecourt while you/they ponder the next move.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Milo

[Milo]

Collect it and tell them to order another and get a few pennies for your troubles, done.

I cannot see that happening. If there is a dispute and he doesn't want it, why would they let him drive it away and keep it f.o.c. for 9(?) months? And why give him money?

Reject it, by all means, but don't expect to get a free car and cash for a holiday out of it, they're a business ultimately. I (and Scotty) were lucky as we had driven off the forecourt before we found faults that were grounds for rejection. Ashley's car is still in a compound from what I can gather.

[NewNiceMrMe]

Reject it. Forget compensation - the wrong car is the wrong car and you're clearly upset about it so no amount of probably compensation is going to put that right.

Don't you fancy a Z4 35i sDrive? 12k on the clock, full spec, probably the best riding car on the planet and goes like stink too. Yours for £25k (and I'll tint the glass for you too). Thats a big saving over £44k new and they're holding money really well now. You'll probably not lose 50p on it in 20 years.

[Tipex]

I'm fairly sure they'd rather resolve the issue, as you say, it's a 45k car in stock, in a totally marmite colour, and RS3's aren't selling amazingly well as it is, there are a few still languishing in showrooms.

For what it's worth, if the windows are tinted professionally then you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between that and factory tinted glass, although I appreciate that it still not quite the same, I would have thought that changing all the rear glass would be prohibitively expensive for the dealer.

One things for sure, the longer it sits in the compound, the more likely it is to get scratched/scuffed or dented by the chimps that shift the cars about all day.

[Luke]

There's no way I'd let anyone start taking glass out of a brand new car. As I see it, it's either walk away or get them to get it done professionally and try for some compensation. It's not the same but pro window film is Excellent if done correctly.

[Milo]

There's no way I'd let anyone start taking glass out of a brand new car. As I see it, it's either walk away or get them to get it done professionally and try for some compensation. It's not the same but pro window film is Excellent if done correctly.

Me neither, it's like them wanting to strip the interior of mine. I am not convinced Audi would offer to do it anyway.

In which case, you either accept aftermarket tints and a refund on the original option cost, or reject it. But either way, I stand by what I said, you'll not get much, if anything, in the way of additional compensation.

[Scotty]

Reject it and get it reordered. A word with Audi CS before hand should ensure it jumps the queue and it should be here in approx two months....or an I missing something?

Of course any px price should still be honoured despite it being older/having more miles and I'd still expect some gesture as their cock up has spoilt the new car experience for you.

[scillyisles]

This is somewhat more complicated than some posters would have you believe.

1. The car cannot be re-ordered again as they have closed the orders for RS3 - last car was ordered about a month and a half ago. This car was a special circumstance too.

2. The RS3 meets Ashley's requirements and given his parameters there are'nt any direct replacements.

3. Despite what some posters might say the RS3 has sold well - yes there might be some cars still available but I guess these might not have the spec that ashley might want or might be unusual colours. Surprisingly enough rear tints seems to be very common - my car has them. I can see why ashley wants them for his rear seats whith children in the back.

4. The problem is the dealers problem not Audi's problem as the dealer made the mistake. The delay from Audi building the car is something the dealer has no control over. Ashley has probably signed a standard tems and conditions contract - time is not normally of the essence and consequential loss/delay compensation will be excluded.

5. He should be able to get some discount - my car was a cancelled order which just happened to be my ideal spec. I got quite a biggish discount.

[Milo]

A good summary, and it sort of reinforces what I was saying. It's a dealer problem, not Audi's, so people shouldn't expect Audi UK to roll out the red carpet and their chequebook.

From the dealer's point of view, they know it's their fault and they *should* try and resolve it however I cannot see them chucking 000s at the problem when they can let Ash reject the car and probably pass it on to another customer at a similar price in next to no time with any luck, especially if the colour has been sought after. Hence I can't see them offering to replace all the windows (not that I would accept that solution anyway). They'll offer to have them tinted professionally and refund the privacy glass option cost as their way of seeking an amicable solution. That's going to cost them £600-700ish (?) and I can't see them putting much more into solving this. You might get a service voucher but I cannot see them handing over hard cash.

It's up to Ash to decide what he wants to do. Accept the offer of tints and a few hundred in his pocket or reject the car. I'm sure someone said it's not just the tints though, the privacy glass option had other features.

If he chooses to reject it, then that brings a new problem - try and find a compromised car in the dealer network or walk away and start again. I know what I would do but it's not me that's waited months (years?) for the car to arrive.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Milo

[Calm Chris]

Punt for zero margin and refund for the option, at list isn't the margin about 11%

The saved money can then be used to tint via film. Everyone used to rave about the big firm that offered security tinting film, which strengthens the glass as well as the required tint. Can't remember which firm it was.

[Dave]

I wouldn't be happy with film... however well it is put on it deteriorates with age.

You want coloured glass.. but that means breaking all the seals on a brand new car and replacing with new glass.. not something I would be happy with.

Reading the story, I would walk away from this car and order something else (like the new RS4). I wouldn't expect compensation as such.. its not like you have lost anything, just the disappointment of not owning the car you wanted.

[Tipex]

I've never heard of any issues with the film degrading, true it can get scratched though, my old Legacy had film on the glass, and was nearly 20 years old, still looked great where it hadn't been scratched.

The only glass that would be a problem to remove would be the rear screen, as it's bonded, but I've seen them remove glass before intact, they use a kind of cheese wire to cut through the sealant.

Remember it's not all the glass, only the rear screen and rear side windows which are easy enough to remove, the front screen and front side windows aren't tinted on factory tints (other than the very slight tint most glass has these days).

Ultimately though, only Ashley can decide what is acceptable to him, and I'm just very sorry that he's been put in this position after all this time.

[garcon magnifique]

Very happy with the film tints on mine - although I don't plan on keepin git long enough for any degradation to be noticeable.

[scillyisles]

It's a Sportback don't forget - so the amount of glass to replace is more than you might expect as the Sportback has the extra rear side windows aft of the rear door which also has two panes in it. In total I make it 7 panes of glass to replace plus a new rear parcel shelf. The only bonded screen is the rear screen.

If I was in ashley's shoes I would ask them to change the glass - contractually he should be able to force/pressurise them to do this as it is their problem. With the glass changed for proper OEM glass what is the issue with the car?

If ashley is looking for a replacement car - what are his options with the same sort of characteristics. RS4 likely to be £65-70K and much bigger.

Audi most probably by accident have produced a cracking car in the RS3.

[Milo]

If I was in ashley's shoes I would ask them to change the glass - contractually he should be able to force/pressurise them to do this as it is their problem.

You can't force them to do anything. They are within their rights to cancel the contract, just as much as him. Even is Ashley decided it was an acceptable solution, if the cost of changing the glass and all the other parts was say £2k, then they might decide it's not financially viable and cancel the sale. There is nothing he could do.

They are within their rights to offer professional tinting as a solution and Ashley is within his rights to accept or reject this. If he accepts it, then I'd expect them to refund the cost of the option as a minimum. If he rejects it, then he's entitled to a full refund, not a penny more. Tis the law, unfortunately.

[TP27]

My Golf R was delivered, missing something off my chosen Specification. The long and short of it was that the Dealer and VW UK each compensated me for the car not having the Option that should have been on the car and the Dealer topped this up, as a gesture of Goodwill. I checked, and this was effectively best that I could have expected, under the Law.

[Milo]

I had a similar situation, TP27 (with the same bloody car!). The literature said full, black leather. It then turned out it was 2-tone and the only way to get black was an upgrade to fine Nappa which was a few hundred £. Audi coughed up half and the dealer coughed the other half, as it was decided both were to blame.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Milo

[Dave]

If ashley is looking for a replacement car - what are his options with the same sort of characteristics. RS4 likely to be £65-70K and much bigger.

.

To be honest I'd walk away and look at a BMW M1 or 135M whatever its called now!

[scillyisles]

You can't force them to do anything. They are within their rights to cancel the contract, just as much as him. Even is Ashley decided it was an acceptable solution, if the cost of changing the glass and all the other parts was say £2k, then they might decide it's not financially viable and cancel the sale. There is nothing he could do.

They are within their rights to offer professional tinting as a solution and Ashley is within his rights to accept or reject this. If he accepts it, then I'd expect them to refund the cost of the option as a minimum. If he rejects it, then he's entitled to a full refund, not a penny more. Tis the law, unfortunately.

Without reading the actual sale agreement and associated terms and conditions it is difficult to be precise which is why I used the expression "force/pressurise". Under the standard terms and conditions I have seen, the dealer does not have all that much option for cancelling the sale. There is typically bumpf about the manufacturer changing the standard spec and price increase clauses etc but these clauses are not relevant.

[Milo]

Without reading the actual sale agreement and associated terms and conditions it is difficult to be precise which is why I used the expression "force/pressurise". Under the standard terms and conditions I have seen, the dealer does not have all that much option for cancelling the sale. There is typically bumpf about the manufacturer changing the standard spec and price increase clauses etc but these clauses are not relevant.

Think about it though. Car arrives without privacy glass which was perhaps a £400 option. Ashley tells them that's no good to him and he wants OEM glass fitted and a new parcel shelf (or whatever else is missing) or he is going to reject it. At that point the dealer doesn't have to do anything, they could just give him money back. However they offer to refund his £400 and in addition, pay to have the windows tinted professionally. In the eyes of the law, they've tried to find an amicable solution. If he chooses not to accept that, the dealer can cancel the sale and offer a full refund. They are not obliged to do anything else.

I've been there. When my second car turned up without heated seats, they offered me my £275 back, plus another £200 as a goodwill gesture. I rejected this as I wanted heated seats so I asked if they could retrofit it. It would've needed 2 brand new friont seats which was going to cost 000s so they refused and offered me a full refund or the option to re-order. I chose re-order although I can appreciate Ashley does't have that luxury.

Don;t get me wrong, I think what's happened is crap but it could be that his options are limited.

[Tipex]

Actually, aren't the extras like privacy glass normally part of a pack?

What else could be missing? (Apart from the pointless rear blind that would be more use on a car with standard glass)

I'm guessing things like auto dimming rear view/wing mirrors, interior lighting packs, and feck knows what else.

Oh, and it's five pieces of glass, and the rear sides will be bonded too, but still easy to remove.

[Tipex]

I've just looked on the configurator as I've nothing better to be doing, and the Privacy glass is a single option at £330, and not part of any package, the rear blind is an £85 option.

I just specced one up to the minimum I'd have to have if buying such a car, and I know the Audi configurator isn't really to be trusted, but it came to an eye watering 50k!

Assuming it is simply the glass and nothing else, personally I'd accept the tints, and a refund of £330 but with written confirmation that they will pay to have any damage to the tints repaired for the entire period I owned the car.

[Luke]

Punt for zero margin and refund for the option, at list isn't the margin about 11%

The saved money can then be used to tint via film. Everyone used to rave about the big firm that offered security tinting film, which strengthens the glass as well as the required tint. Can't remember which firm it was.

Pentagon, Chris. They went t1ts up.

[Mr Man]

I was looking forward to it, however after waiting 17 months and then getting an incorrect spec, is what you call taking the p1ss, by anyones standards

Fecking hell...it just gets worse.....Audi certainly know how to piss customers off...especially customers prepared to forkout 40+k for a car.