I just picked up my 2007 CPO A6 3.2Q three weeks ago and I'm about to offload the car to escape the problems, terrible dealer (Bell Audi in Edison NJ) and Audi Customer Care that seems to have no interest in helping a customer.

It is almost four weeks since I've picked the car up and I'm still waiting for my second master key from the thieves at Bell Audi. I've also had an issue with the drivers seat memory from day one. Also, I've had a vibration at speeds in excess of 75Mph since delivery and finally this past weekend took it to my local Audi dealer to have it wheel balanced. Was told that one of the four new tires is damaged (front left side) and needs to be replaced and that the two rear wheels have bends in them and need to be fixed or replaced. I was furious because I have not hit any big potholes (unless I'm driving backwards) and got Audi Customer Care on the phone. They said they'll speak to Bell Audi and I knew what their response would be.

The claimed all wheels were fine when sold to me and that they put 4 new tires on so I must have damaged the tire when I damaged the two wheels (even though the tire is not on any of the damaged wheels). Audi Customer Care calls me yesterday to tell me to call the tire manufacturer to get a new tire. I told them they have to be kidding. Bell Audi puts on a defective tire and I have to chase down a new one. Their attitude on the phone was that they didn't give a crap. Then she tells me that the two damaged wheels are from road conditions in Boston. I tried to reason as to how both damaged wheels are in the back but the front ones are fine. Woudln't I have hit the so called pot holes with the front wheels first? She kept repeating the BS about Boston roads. I disconnnected her as she was not going to listen to reason. When she called me back she said, I think we got disconnected. I told her no, I had disconnected her because she was wasting my time with her complete lack of interest in listening to reason and zero interest in customer care and I again disconnected her.

I've decided instead of fighting this pointless fight and simply getting angry beyond compare I'm going to ditch this POS before I find more things wrong and I want nothing to do with Audi ever again.

I've decided I want to stick with AWD and got a great deal on an 09 Subaru Legacy 3.0R LTD With NAv with their great year end incentives (paid $27K on a car with MSRP of $32.2K) and 2.9% for 60 months finance. I'm losing some cash from the Audi but with only $1500 down I'm into the new car with a lower interest rate and monthly payment.

I hope none of you need Audi Customer Care because they absolutely stink! I've enjoyed being here and this is a great community. Best of luck to you all.

Wow, you should have posted something up here to get some attention. There are many Audi rep up here that could help you out since the beginning. Next time, post up here first.

About Audi customer service, I find it like tossing a coin everytime I need something from them. Luckily, for me, 8 out of 10 calls, I got what I needed.

I know BMW monitors e90post.com and bimmerfest.com - glad to hear Audi is involved in the community as well.

OP - sorry to hear your issue. I am presently working with Audi care presently regarding my cold surge issue.

I just picked up my 2007 CPO A6 3.2Q three weeks ago and I'm about to offload the car to escape the problems, terrible dealer (Bell Audi in Edison NJ) and Audi Customer Care that seems to have no interest in helping a customer.

It is almost four weeks since I've picked the car up and I'm still waiting for my second master key from the thieves at Bell Audi. I've also had an issue with the drivers seat memory from day one. Also, I've had a vibration at speeds in excess of 75Mph since delivery and finally this past weekend took it to my local Audi dealer to have it wheel balanced. Was told that one of the four new tires is damaged (front left side) and needs to be replaced and that the two rear wheels have bends in them and need to be fixed or replaced. I was furious because I have not hit any big potholes (unless I'm driving backwards) and got Audi Customer Care on the phone. They said they'll speak to Bell Audi and I knew what their response would be.

The claimed all wheels were fine when sold to me and that they put 4 new tires on so I must have damaged the tire when I damaged the two wheels (even though the tire is not on any of the damaged wheels). Audi Customer Care calls me yesterday to tell me to call the tire manufacturer to get a new tire. I told them they have to be kidding. Bell Audi puts on a defective tire and I have to chase down a new one. Their attitude on the phone was that they didn't give a crap. Then she tells me that the two damaged wheels are from road conditions in Boston. I tried to reason as to how both damaged wheels are in the back but the front ones are fine. Woudln't I have hit the so called pot holes with the front wheels first? She kept repeating the BS about Boston roads. I disconnnected her as she was not going to listen to reason. When she called me back she said, I think we got disconnected. I told her no, I had disconnected her because she was wasting my time with her complete lack of interest in listening to reason and zero interest in customer care and I again disconnected her.

I've decided instead of fighting this pointless fight and simply getting angry beyond compare I'm going to ditch this POS before I find more things wrong and I want nothing to do with Audi ever again.

I've decided I want to stick with AWD and got a great deal on an 09 Subaru Legacy 3.0R LTD With NAv with their great year end incentives (paid $27K on a car with MSRP of $32.2K) and 2.9% for 60 months finance. I'm losing some cash from the Audi but with only $1500 down I'm into the new car with a lower interest rate and monthly payment.

I hope none of you need Audi Customer Care because they absolutely stink! I've enjoyed being here and this is a great community. Best of luck to you all.

Vibration's at speed maybe covered under lemon law as it is a safety issue. I would also call a lawyer and see what they might do. Have you tried dealer with another dealer.

We had a problem with one of Lexus dealer's and took it to our preferred Lexus dealer who fixed the vehicle and charged the Lexus Dealer/Lexus for the bills and compensation. See if Audi will authorize such a thing.

Vibration's at speed maybe covered under lemon law as it is a safety issue. I would also call a lawyer and see what they might do. Have you tried dealer with another dealer.

We had a problem with one of Lexus dealer's and took it to our preferred Lexus dealer who fixed the vehicle and charged the Lexus Dealer/Lexus for the bills and compensation. See if Audi will authorize such a thing.

My local Audi dealer told me about the bent wheels and tire and told me Bell Audi had to have known about the bent wheels when they tried to balance the new tires they put on. Then probably moved the damaged wheels to the rear to minimize the vibration. When I told the Audi customer rep about all this they said they'd talk to Bell Audi. Then yesterday she calls me back to tell me she spoke to the dealer and they said the wheels were fine when they sold me the car. I said to her what else would they say? Then she proceeded to tell me about Boston road conditions and how that was the cause. Her attitude was essentially you're on your own.

I've considered suing the dealership but you know, for all the cost to me it would be a 50/50 of winning and I know I'd get super angry dealing with these A-holes and all for what in the end if I was able to win. I'd rather let it go, take the few grand hit and realise Audi for what they are move on. This is my first used car ever and it will surely be my last :-)

So, Subaru Legacy 3.0R LTD here I come. I cannot afford a new A6 (and would not buy one even if I could at this point) but I want an AWD car for New England region so the Suby will do me fine. It has almost all the features and a great AWD system (perhaps not an Audi or BMW) but I'll live lol!

Audi make great products but what's the point when their are dealers like Bell Audi and if Audi them selves don't support their customers?

Wow, you should have posted something up here to get some attention. There are many Audi rep up here that could help you out since the beginning. Next time, post up here first.

About Audi customer service, I find it like tossing a coin everytime I need something from them. Luckily, for me, 8 out of 10 calls, I got what I needed.

I'm not one to whine, I like to deal with a problem and move on. I realise after a month of banging my head against a wall I'm losing this one and for my health (and the health of Bell Audi Sales Manager) I'm better off taking the small hit and putting this in the "experience" column. I've been a VW & Audi customer since 1988 and I'll never touch either of those products again. From Audi/VW's perspective, is losing a 20 year customer over two bent wheels a smart move? I'd say certainly not but I guess that's why I am where I am, because they are too stupid to figure that out.

My local Audi dealer told me about the bent wheels and tire and told me Bell Audi had to have known about the bent wheels when they tried to balance the new tires they put on. Then probably moved the damaged wheels to the rear to minimize the vibration. When I told the Audi customer rep about all this they said they'd talk to Bell Audi. Then yesterday she calls me back to tell me she spoke to the dealer and they said the wheels were fine when they sold me the car. I said to her what else would they say? Then she proceeded to tell me about Boston road conditions and how that was the cause. Her attitude was essentially you're on your own.

I've considered suing the dealership but you know, for all the cost to me it would be a 50/50 of winning and I know I'd get super angry dealing with these A-holes and all for what in the end if I was able to win. I'd rather let it go, take the few grand hit and realise Audi for what they are move on. This is my first used car ever and it will surely be my last :-)

So, Subaru Legacy 3.0R LTD here I come. I cannot afford a new A6 (and would not buy one even if I could at this point) but I want an AWD car for New England region so the Suby will do me fine. It has almost all the features and a great AWD system (perhaps not an Audi or BMW) but I'll live lol!

Audi make great products but what's the point when their are dealers like Bell Audi and if Audi them selves don't support their customers?

This might help or not, but all A6 comes with a full size spare with identical rims have you tried using those? I wish the best of luck whatever you may end up choosing to do.

I wish the best of luck whatever you may end up choosing to do.

Thanks, appreciate the kind words.

Lemon law doesn't apply to used cars. But there are implied warranties.

Sorry to see you go. Its bad luck man. really it is. A new tire could be defective, no ones fault and yea usually its the customer that has to do the running around. In terms of the bent rims, you could probably have done something with a lawyer. Again headache. Spend $200 and have them straightened. Or do what triple said and use the spare and just get one fixed. And if it makes you feel any better, the rims were most likely bent before, and the dealer shifted them to the rear in an attempt save money and eliminate the shimmy. Good luck

So lesson learned on all used car purchases: on the test drive take that baby on the highway, buckle in and tell the salesman to shut up b/c you're about to gas it and make sure there aren't any shimmies.

Lemon law doesn't apply to used cars. But there are implied warranties.

Sorry to see you go. Its bad luck man. really it is. A new tire could be defective, no ones fault and yea usually its the customer that has to do the running around. In terms of the bent rims, you could probably have done something with a lawyer. Again headache. Spend $200 and have them straightened. Or do what triple said and use the spare and just get one fixed. And if it makes you feel any better, the rims were most likely bent before, and the dealer shifted them to the rear in an attempt save money and eliminate the shimmy. Good luck

So lesson learned on all used car purchases: on the test drive take that baby on the highway, buckle in and tell the salesman to shut up b/c you're about to gas it and make sure there aren't any shimmies.

He's right. You really should be kicking yourself for not testing the car better before you bought it. You should have gone beyond Audi Customer care and requested a Regional service manager get involved. But like you said live and learn.

He's right. You really should be kicking yourself for not testing the car better before you bought it. You should have gone beyond Audi Customer care and requested a Regional service manager get involved. But like you said live and learn.

Hind site is 20/20. When I tested the car in NJ I wanted to take it on the highway and the slimey sales (Sanjay Doshi) guy told me the traffic would be too bad and prevent me from getting upto speed. Instead he took me on a back road where I could only do 50 Mph. The vibration only kicks in at 75Mph. Now I realise this wasn't by chance but to prevent me from discovering the vibration. Karma is a great thing and what goes around comes around ;-)

Absolutely right. I'm a strong believer in Karma and "Carma" same concept but with cars. Sorry you had a bad experience. Don't let it spoil you on the brand. Maybe the dealership. It's a shame they wouldn't make right over what is basically $750. One new tire and a pair of rims. A few used, but straight rims at less than retail and a new tire, no problems. Or try straightening them as suggested.
For others and yourself, try and get a extended test drive or say you're not comfortable making a decision yet, could you take the car to lunch. Then you get a little time to drive the car. I use a ten mile route that includes every kind of road just for that reason.
Enjoy the Subby, hope to see you back again upon shopping elsewhere.

So lesson learned on all used car purchases: on the test drive take that baby on the highway, buckle in and tell the salesman to shut up b/c you're about to gas it and make sure there aren't any shimmies.

x2. I will never buy a car again without driving on the highway at least 75 - 80 mph. It also lets you know if the car has a lot of road noise at those speeds, something that may not be apparent at lower mph's. When I test drove my A6, everything was great until I hit 65, then the vibration kicked in. I had the used car dealer perform an alignment and balancing as part of the deal, and negotiated for new tires as well. Now she is, as we say here in Maine, "smooth as buttah".

Absolutely right. I'm a strong believer in Karma and "Carma" same concept but with cars. Sorry you had a bad experience. Don't let it spoil you on the brand. Maybe the dealership. It's a shame they wouldn't make right over what is basically $750. One new tire and a pair of rims. A few used, but straight rims at less than retail and a new tire, no problems. Or try straightening them as suggested.
For others and yourself, try and get a extended test drive or say you're not comfortable making a decision yet, could you take the car to lunch. Then you get a little time to drive the car. I use a ten mile route that includes every kind of road just for that reason.
Enjoy the Subby, hope to see you back again upon shopping elsewhere.

I couldn't agree with you more. This could have been an easy opportunity to turn me into a satisfied customer for a mere $750 and they chose instead to lose a 20 year customer.

Thanks for the good wished with the Subby. :-)

Your dreadful experience with Audi is only typical of the following Audi models, AV8TORSADF: 1997 to 2005 A8/A8L, 1998 to 2004 A6, 2002 and 2003 S6, 2003 and 2004 RS 6, 1996 to 2003 A4, 2001 to 2005 S4, 2000 to 2006 TT, A3, Q7 4.2 and 2007 and 2008 RS 4 (DRC III being the main problem with the 2007 and 2008 RS 4).

With all other Audi models, especially the following models: R8, 2006+ A8/A8L, 2005+ A6, 2007+ S6, 2005.5+ A4, 2005.5+ S4, 2007+ TT and Q7 3.6, your dreadful Audi experience is very rare (and it is mostly with people on the Audi Forums such as AudiWorld).
I know all of the above because it has been confirmed by the Automotive Gods, Consumer Reports (who, individually, typically surveys 800,000+ vehicle owners per year; in 2006, CR, individually, surveyed 1,300,000+ vehicle owners). Unless JD Power and Associated (or JD P&A for short; JD P&A surveys 200,000 to 300,000 vehicle owners per year) or Strategic Vision (or SV for short; SV typically surveys 100,000 to 200,000 vehicle owners per year). Combined, JD P&A and SV survey 300,000 to 500,000 vehicle owners per year (300,000+ less than CR individually; 800,000+ to 1,000,000+ less than CR individually in 2006).

Therefore, unless JD P&A and SV agree with CR, JD P&A and SV are complete trash and cannot be trusted for squat. However, JD P&A and SV have shown (and confirmed) tremendous improvement from Audi over the past two years. Consumer Reports has shown (and confirmed) tremendous improvement from Audi over the past four years. CR has shown tremendous improvement from Volkswagen (or VW for short) over the past two years (JD P&A and SV have yet to show and confirm anything more than minimal improvement from VW).

Audi and Volvo are tied for the best European brands in dependability, durability, quality, reliability, satisfaction and service (second only to all of the Asian-Japanese and Korean equally) and very good or excellent overall. Audi and Volvo are the safest non exotic vehicles (even surpassing the Japanese and Koreans), which has been confirmed by all crash test and safety organizations worldwide (also making this official).

As a result, everything above about Audi and VW that has been confirmed by CR and everybody else is official.

All of the above is for the North American market only. Overseas, especially Europe and most of all, Germany, Audi always has been (and still is) the best or one of the best that is not exotic (which far too many members of AudiWorld and other Audi forums worldwide to count have stated far too many times to count).

Your dreadful experience with Audi is only typical of the following Audi models, AV8TORSADF: 1997 to 2005 A8/A8L, 1998 to 2004 A6, 2002 and 2003 S6, 2003 and 2004 RS 6, 1996 to 2003 A4, 2001 to 2005 S4, 2000 to 2006 TT, A3, Q7 4.2 and 2007 and 2008 RS 4 (DRC III being the main problem with the 2007 and 2008 RS 4).

With all other Audi models, especially the following models: R8, 2006+ A8/A8L, 2005+ A6, 2007+ S6, 2005.5+ A4, 2005.5+ S4, 2007+ TT and Q7 3.6, your dreadful Audi experience is very rare (and it is mostly with people on the Audi Forums such as AudiWorld).
I know all of the above because it has been confirmed by the Automotive Gods, Consumer Reports (who, individually, typically surveys 800,000+ vehicle owners per year; in 2006, CR, individually, surveyed 1,300,000+ vehicle owners). Unless JD Power and Associated (or JD P&A for short; JD P&A surveys 200,000 to 300,000 vehicle owners per year) or Strategic Vision (or SV for short; SV typically surveys 100,000 to 200,000 vehicle owners per year). Combined, JD P&A and SV survey 300,000 to 500,000 vehicle owners per year (300,000+ less than CR individually; 800,000+ to 1,000,000+ less than CR individually in 2006).

Therefore, unless JD P&A and SV agree with CR, JD P&A and SV are complete trash and cannot be trusted for squat. However, JD P&A and SV have shown (and confirmed) tremendous improvement from Audi over the past two years. Consumer Reports has shown (and confirmed) tremendous improvement from Audi over the past four years. CR has shown tremendous improvement from Volkswagen (or VW for short) over the past two years (JD P&A and SV have yet to show and confirm anything more than minimal improvement from VW).

Audi and Volvo are tied for the best European brands in dependability, durability, quality, reliability, satisfaction and service (second only to all of the Asian-Japanese and Korean equally) and very good or excellent overall. Audi and Volvo are the safest non exotic vehicles (even surpassing the Japanese and Koreans), which has been confirmed by all crash test and safety organizations worldwide (also making this official).

As a result, everything above about Audi and VW that has been confirmed by CR and everybody else is official.

All of the above is for the North American market only. Overseas, especially Europe and most of all, Germany, Audi always has been (and still is) the best or one of the best that is not exotic (which far too many members of AudiWorld and other Audi forums worldwide to count have stated far too many times to count).


My main beef is not with the vehicle but with (another) a lousy dealer and an even worse Audi Customer Care department. Dealers are like rolling the dice, some will be excellent, some average and then some terrible. Who if not the dealer should look after their customers is the manufacturer, especially if there is a underhanded dealer at work. Instead, they choose to bury their head in the sand and ignore their customer's plight. My only way of fighting back is to never purchase that product again. Done!

See but what can Customer care do about bent wheels? That's an uncertainty, it's your word against the dealer. They have documents they've submitted for the certification saying everything is up to snuff. You have a car with bent wheels. They can do nothing and why should they? It's a very simple he said she said kind of thing. Sure if you'd had a mechanical issue they could step in. But something that could be damaged by you like wheels for all customer care knows you went and drove over a curb at 20mph, why should they get involved and what could they do? Say OH Bell Audi you should fix those wheels because the customer said they were like that when you sold them this used car. Ok then what? Everybody and their mother with a bent wheel would call and complain and try and get a free wheel. Or exactly what happened, Bell Audi denies it. Customer care says there's nothing they can do because of what the situation is.
It's very simple. You blame the brand, blame yourself and Bell Audi. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING corporate can do. Punish the dealer? For what? Plausible deniability?
Say you bought the car privately and were in the same situation. What then? Again you can prove nothing and he has deniability. You could take him to court for it and you would lose. Hence NO ACTION from corporate.

Agreed this is a matter that should have been pushed further, a regional Audi representative should have been brought in (at your insistence) and the issue discussed between you, the dealer general manager, and the Audi rep. At that point if your issues were not resolved to your satisfaction you could either hire a lawyer, or take the path you took. Believe me, I can relate to being so angered about how a dealer treated me I retrieved my car from service, drove it to another dealer and traded it in. The car was an '01 Jetta VR6, about 9 months old. I bought a Buick Park Avenue which treated me great, but in my heart I know (and knew) it was not the car that was at fault. I enjoyed the Jetta but the dealer really sucked, and I let my anger at the dealer overpower my rational thinking and dumped what was really an excellent car. Fortunately I dumped it for another excellent car, but I know I never gave the Jetta a fair chance. Live and learn. If you truly enjoy the A6 and have not committed to the Subaru, find a better dealer, there are several in New Jersey (just maybe not in Edison or Flemington) use the money you would lose on the A6 and buy a set of Hartmann rims and some new tires, get that baby aligned and enjoy your Audi as it is meant to be enjoyed.

Relying on Audi Customer Care to help you is pointless. Should have checked the car out before you wrote the check.

An Audi can be a great car, but the customer service behind it is close to zero, especially if you did not buy the car new. Expect nothing from Audi or your local Audi dealer. They don't care.

See but what can Customer care do about bent wheels? That's an uncertainty, it's your word against the dealer. They have documents they've submitted for the certification saying everything is up to snuff. You have a car with bent wheels. They can do nothing and why should they? It's a very simple he said she said kind of thing. Sure if you'd had a mechanical issue they could step in. But something that could be damaged by you like wheels for all customer care knows you went and drove over a curb at 20mph, why should they get involved and what could they do? Say OH Bell Audi you should fix those wheels because the customer said they were like that when you sold them this used car. Ok then what? Everybody and their mother with a bent wheel would call and complain and try and get a free wheel. Or exactly what happened, Bell Audi denies it. Customer care says there's nothing they can do because of what the situation is.
It's very simple. You blame the brand, blame yourself and Bell Audi. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING corporate can do. Punish the dealer? For what? Plausible deniability?
Say you bought the car privately and were in the same situation. What then? Again you can prove nothing and he has deniability. You could take him to court for it and you would lose. Hence NO ACTION from corporate.

This incident is not the only issue I've been dealing with with this dealer. I wouldn't be so pissed if this was it. The car was not properly detailed upon deliver, it took almost 4 weeks to get a second master key (required for CPO certification) from the dealer, the dealer has not submitted paper work for the GAP protection I paid for and several other minor issue. In addition to the bent wheels there is also a damaged tire (not located on any of the two damaged wheels) which this dealer replaced for the certification. If they put a damaged tire on my car then they should replace it.

How do you explain two damaged wheels on the rear of the car and a damaged tire not on either of those damaged wheels? I'm driving backwards at high speed? I used to have a Volvo S80 and I did hit a deep pothole at about 45 mph. I knew when I hit it that something was going to be damaged. In this instance it wasn't the wheels but both tires on the right side had bubbles in the side walls. I never blamed anyone and went and had the two Michelin Pilot Sport A/S replaced. In this instance, I've hit nothing and I'm blaming who should be blamed. From the time I left the dealer in NJ and drove home to MA I felt the vibration.

I don't want to flog a dead horse here but I do hold the dealer and Audi responsible for not even keeping an open mind about the issue. There was no idea of compromise or customer satisfaction. You may not agree and that's your right but frankly, its not your money, time and frustration so you can agree with Audi all you like it is irrelevent to me.

... the dealer has not submitted paper work for the GAP protection I paid for and several other minor issue.

You leased a used car from Audi? Why don't you simply return the car to the dealer, leave it on the lot and stop making the payments?

I am sorry to hear about your problems but they reinforce my opinion that you should only buy new cars.

New or used, it does not matter. What does make the difference is the dealer, a bad dealer is a bad dealer. My wife's Lexus was purchased new, and if you want to hear about a bad, bad dealer we have the stories. It is nice to have the ability to buy new, but whether this particular Audi was purchased new or used is not the issue here. The issue is a dealer that seems unwilling to stand behind their product. KevinGary, I have read your posts in the past and found them very well written and helpful (and your A6 sounds absolutely beautiful) but I am disappointed in the opinion you state in the above post, if not only because it has no bearing on the issue at hand.

New or used, it does not matter. What does make the difference is the dealer, a bad dealer is a bad dealer. My wife's Lexus was purchased new, and if you want to hear about a bad, bad dealer we have the stories. It is nice to have the ability to buy new, but whether this particular Audi was purchased new or used is not the issue here. The issue is a dealer that seems unwilling to stand behind their product. KevinGary, I have read your posts in the past and found them very well written and helpful (and your A6 sounds absolutely beautiful) but I am disappointed in the opinion you state in the above post, if not only because it has no bearing on the issue at hand.

I was simply trying to confirm that the car was leased from Audi. I may have written it poorly in that I was suprised that I did not know that Audi leased used cars. It seems to me that if a lessor is willing to play hard ball and "return the car", and stop making payments, that Audi would be forced to address the problems.

On the new car vs. old car discussion, I continue to believe that purchasing a new car is best from a reliability sense. From a reliability sense if someone has $20,000 to spend on a car they should buy themselves a new $20,000 car, not a used car with an unknown history that comes with limited warranties, and not new car warranties that have a broader scope.
Just my opinion though.