Service loaners...no availability?
01-25-2023, 03:28 PM
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Service loaners...no availability?
I called my dealer today to schedule my 20,000 mile service, plus some of the recalls, as well as a new "active lane assist malfunction" error message that keeps popping up.
I was told that the next available date with service loaners is almost a month away. Are Audi dealers trying to limit the availability of service loaners? The alternatives are Ubers (35 miles...not interested) or waiting at the dealer but I was told one of the recall procedures takes a long time (camera issue, I believe) so they discouraged that.
Is this the norm out there?
I was told that the next available date with service loaners is almost a month away. Are Audi dealers trying to limit the availability of service loaners? The alternatives are Ubers (35 miles...not interested) or waiting at the dealer but I was told one of the recall procedures takes a long time (camera issue, I believe) so they discouraged that.
Is this the norm out there?
01-25-2023, 03:38 PM
#2
Audi of Henderson put me in a Q3 loaner for my 20,000mi service and software update (rear camera issue). They seemed to have several loaners around.
Steve
Steve
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Centerfield13 (01-25-2023)
01-25-2023, 03:44 PM
#3
I called my dealer today to schedule my 20,000 mile service, plus some of the recalls, as well as a new "active lane assist malfunction" error message that keeps popping up.
I was told that the next available date with service loaners is almost a month away. Are Audi dealers trying to limit the availability of service loaners? The alternatives are Ubers (35 miles...not interested) or waiting at the dealer but I was told one of the recall procedures takes a long time (camera issue, I believe) so they discouraged that.
Is this the norm out there?
I was told that the next available date with service loaners is almost a month away. Are Audi dealers trying to limit the availability of service loaners? The alternatives are Ubers (35 miles...not interested) or waiting at the dealer but I was told one of the recall procedures takes a long time (camera issue, I believe) so they discouraged that.
Is this the norm out there?
01-25-2023, 03:44 PM
#4
AudiWorld Super User
Depends on the dealer, the size of their loaner fleet and how busy they are. During the pandemic, a lot of dealers sold their loaners, because they didn't have anything else to sell and with the continued supply chain issues new loaners are slow to come in. Audi is actually having huge issues at the moment. BMW and Mercedes have recovered to a large degree and both have sold over two million cars last year and are paying record bonuses to their employees. Neither is fully out of the woods, but Audi is in terrible shape.
This hasn't made the international news for some reason, but I was in Germany over the holidays and one of the board of directors has publicly stated that there's a 50:50 chance of Audi going bankrupt in the next 10 years. It all started with the diesel scandal and Audi has been unable to recover and then the pandemic hit. BMW sold 2.4 Million cars last year and Mercedes sold 2.1 Million. Audi is a distant third trailing BMW by almost 1 Million cars only selling 1.6 Million cars. They are losing customers left and right.
The German magazine Der Spiegel ran an article about Audi in 2019 titled "Too expensive, too weak and too lame". Interesting read. Below is the Google Translate link to the article for the non German speakers. Audi is currently being heavily criticized in Germany for not having had any real ideas and their fleet is described as boring. Customers are jumping ship to BMW and Mercedes for their more exciting offerings. Personally, I've seen the writing on the wall, so this is no surprise. I still remember when the diesel scandal hit, my first thought was that this is the end of Audi as we know them. They might recover. They've been close to bankruptcy in the past, so we'll have to see. Just for comparison, I had my AMG in for its annual service last week and they gave me a brand new S500 loaner. Although I made the appointment last year, current lead time for a loaner is still a week.
https://www-spiegel-de.translate.goo..._x_tr_pto=wapp
This hasn't made the international news for some reason, but I was in Germany over the holidays and one of the board of directors has publicly stated that there's a 50:50 chance of Audi going bankrupt in the next 10 years. It all started with the diesel scandal and Audi has been unable to recover and then the pandemic hit. BMW sold 2.4 Million cars last year and Mercedes sold 2.1 Million. Audi is a distant third trailing BMW by almost 1 Million cars only selling 1.6 Million cars. They are losing customers left and right.
The German magazine Der Spiegel ran an article about Audi in 2019 titled "Too expensive, too weak and too lame". Interesting read. Below is the Google Translate link to the article for the non German speakers. Audi is currently being heavily criticized in Germany for not having had any real ideas and their fleet is described as boring. Customers are jumping ship to BMW and Mercedes for their more exciting offerings. Personally, I've seen the writing on the wall, so this is no surprise. I still remember when the diesel scandal hit, my first thought was that this is the end of Audi as we know them. They might recover. They've been close to bankruptcy in the past, so we'll have to see. Just for comparison, I had my AMG in for its annual service last week and they gave me a brand new S500 loaner. Although I made the appointment last year, current lead time for a loaner is still a week.
https://www-spiegel-de.translate.goo..._x_tr_pto=wapp
Last edited by superswiss; 01-25-2023 at 03:57 PM.
01-25-2023, 03:50 PM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
01-25-2023, 03:55 PM
#6
AudiWorld Member
Very happy with my dealer but I need to schedule services at least 1 month out if I want to get a loaner.
01-25-2023, 04:18 PM
#7
Last edited by TJK; 01-25-2023 at 04:40 PM.
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01-25-2023, 10:24 PM
#8
AudiWorld Junior Member
My local dealer uses local rental company for loaner. I would not be surprise if this becomes the norm. I was in for a recall last week and just ended up getting lyft after I dropped the car off. They sent me a link for lyft pickup when the vehicle was ready.
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ribeye (01-26-2023)
01-26-2023, 02:29 AM
#9
AudiWorld Super User
I am also on the island. I have used Huntington for the last 18 years and am very happy.
01-26-2023, 04:09 AM
#10
AudiWorld Member
I'm in Rochester, NY and we have one Audi dealer, to schedule service with a free loaner is 1 month or longer to schedule.
You can get an appointment within a week if you drop off and don't need a loaner.
The article shared is a disappointment but not surprised to hear of the problems facing VW and Audi. I have driven VW's since mid 80's and looked forward to driving an Audi someday which happened about 5 years ago. My last VW (2008 Passat) and current 18 SQ5 (vs, 2009 A4 Avant) are not the German engineered cars they were 20 years ago and it's pressure to lower costs and sell more cars to the masses that like the idea/look of having a German car/SUV but not concerned with the engineering that made these cars desirable 20 years ago.
You can get an appointment within a week if you drop off and don't need a loaner.
The article shared is a disappointment but not surprised to hear of the problems facing VW and Audi. I have driven VW's since mid 80's and looked forward to driving an Audi someday which happened about 5 years ago. My last VW (2008 Passat) and current 18 SQ5 (vs, 2009 A4 Avant) are not the German engineered cars they were 20 years ago and it's pressure to lower costs and sell more cars to the masses that like the idea/look of having a German car/SUV but not concerned with the engineering that made these cars desirable 20 years ago.
