Need help, A3'ers...Did my Audi dealer screw us?.......

[Kareem of Elise]

Ok, background on the story. When we put down the deposit on our car, they found one that had everything that we wanted with the exception of xenon headlights. They said no problem, we'll install them for you when we get the car, the only thing is that they won't be self leveling. Okay by me. Well, we've had the car 3 weeks, and we made the appointment for this past Wed. to take it by the dealer and get them installed. I was out of town, and my wife took it by to get it done. I talked to her that night and asked her how the new xenons were. She said, they looked okay, but didn't seem as bright as the ones on our TT. I just chalked it up to maybe they were slightly different types or whatever. I get home tonight about midnight and decide to go see how the new xenons are. The first thing I notice when I turn the car on is that the lights are blue, but there is no visible "flicker" with an increase in brightness as most xenons do when starting (just like on our TT). Strange. I walk around to the front of the car and look at the lights themselves. Looking in at the lights, it just looks like wedge-base halogen bulbs with blue tint (like the replacement ones you buy at Autozone). I open the hood and see no visible signs of a ballast as I believe you should have with xenons. I think that these schmucks took us for suckers (and a couple hundred of our dollars) and just swapped out our white halogen bulbs for blue tinted halogen bulbs. I'm so mad right now, I can't even see straight. So, two things....Can someone help me make sure that, by posting some pics or something, to prove these are not xenons. If, in fact, these are not xenons, what would you do about it? I obviously have some things in mind, but I want to make sure I cover all my bases and have clear heads giving me some suggestions as well. Thank you all very much in advance. When it gets light out tomorrow, I will post pics of my headlight assemblies and you can see what I'm talking about.

[Blue TooTh Fan]

I used to sell both when I had a shop (Xenon and those cheap bulbs) Ask them to make right on their promises. good luck!

[CBerten]

It's pretty easy to see if you have xenons or not on the A3. The xenons have a round projector headlamp that can be easily identified from the outside. The halogens just look like your average headlight. Xenons also have a high voltage warning on the housing which is clearly visible when you pop the hood. From your description, it looks like they ****ed you over. I hope you have their promise in writing because otherwise you are in a pretty weak position. You can certainly try the usual suspects (general manager at the dealer, AOA, contact your regional AOA sales representative directly, better business bureau, local news media and your lawyer)

Good Luck

[raduga]

If you can see the bulb at all, they're not the HID option. The HIDs have spherical projector lenses, so you really can't see the bulb (capsule) inside the housing.

To "prove" your case, all you need to do is show your car side-by-side with any other Audi on the lot.

I'm somewhat shocked that an Audi dealer (this is a dealer, right?) would pull something like this. Of course, you probably didn't get it in writing that you actually wanted them to replace the halogen housings with xenon housing?

Clearly this isn't equivalent to the Xenon factory option, but moreover these fake blue xenon/halogen bulbs often put out less light than standard halogens. I wonder what brand they gave you? If they charged you a couple hundred bucks they had better be PIAAs!

Seriously, you should make a fuss with the manager.

[MuRaN0Daddy]

but , it looks as tho you've bought cars before, so, you should know what a WEO is; its yellow, IIRC, and if you have one, and it says what you say it should on it, you my friend are now part owner of an Audi dealership. if you don't have a WEO, I'd march the sales guy over to service, cause you know they talked, and, before you do that, look thru the Audi catalog, and pick out a few things; or simply demand Adaptive Bi-Xenons, or to the media "I go".

[BrentTTR]

That sux if the dealer is screwing with customers like that.

I thought there was a problem with the wireing harness and xenons couldn't be installed after market, even by a dealer.

[qfrog@work]

the OEM xenon systems are 35 watt... a normal low beam bulb is 55 watt. The wiring is of sufficient gauge to support lesser wattage at the same voltage.

What doesnt exist and introduces issues is the lack of wiring, sensors, motors and modules for headlamp range control.... which is standard in europe but here in the US is not required unless you've got xenon lamps.

I'm not going to post the part numbers and prices again... I've already provided that info once.

[ITALSKIER]

and tellthem ,unless they make it right,that you will contact AOA,and tell them.....make a BIG stink.........s t e a l e r s......

[qfrog@work]

Did you really expect them to do it right?

Its likely 4-6 times as expensive to retrofit the parts at list price... than the $500? option when ordering a car.

I've posted the part numbers and prices for the housings, ballasts and other pieces required to swap things over... its expensive a couple of gran epxensive and I know of no dealer that would toss in a couple of gran worth of parts for free and then the labor to install them too.... on any car.

Did you presume that your dealer was going to borrow the lamps from another A3? Then what, just tell the buyer of the other car Oh yeah um... bs bs bs bs bs... we'll give you a good deal. Maybe trade the scavenged A3 to some other dealer and let it be their problem.

Perhaps they had good intentions but realized that good intentions were not economically feasible and it was just more realistic to shaft you.

Perhaps the salesperson actually thinks that blue bulbs are xenon lamps. Seriously I think that its possible a salesperson could be that ignorant.

[crew219]

better to ask for $$$ off the cost of the car versus getting yourself stuck in a tricky contract