R8 - Terrible Service Experience

[rkrenek]

Audi has left a lot to be desired when it comes to servicing an R8. If you are thinking about buying an R8, there are issues that are likely not well spoken, but i've experienced them first hand. Other R8 and potential R8 owners should be aware of these problems.

Here is my take on Audi USA and the R8 advocate team. I'm not going into details, but here is a brief summary of my experience.

Audi did not send correct repair parts for a job & dealer made the repair making do without the missing parts.

Audi has obvious discrepancies among repair manuals and parts lists for this car causing dealer confusion.

The R8 advocate team is great at apologizing, but has provided little to no help in my case. A total waste of time.

Neither the dealer, nor Audi can locate ordered parts after three days when they showed parts on hand in warehouse upon order. Parts were promised over night. It is a big black hole.

When the parts do finally arrive, although ordered correctly, and labeled correctly, they are incorrect. Audi is having difficulty identifying the correct part at present.

When dealing with Audi USA, unnecessary delays on job progress are common place for this car.

You cannot reach anyone in the corporate offices without being routed back to the worthless "customer care".

What terrible support for such a great car.

[gazza1]

Sounds a very disappointing and frustrating experience.

I can only report that I always go to the same Audi local dealer for servicing or any warranty work and never been
disappointed.

The dealer has been exemplary in their customer service and resolved anything I have raised from a whine in the gearbox(they put in a new one)to the nappa leather that was lifting on the driver seat... which they replaced with a new base from Germany.

I always have the same mechanic work on my car who always displays a passion and full understanding of the R8.

Do you have a opportunity to change dealers?

[Conker]

Sorry to hear about your difficulties but perhaps it is just your local Dealer and not a reflection upon the whole of the US ?

Here in the UK my Dealer has provided an excellent sevice

[mngolfer]

My dealer is unbelievably good. I had the front differential and front axles break on a Saturday. On Monday they ordered new parts flown in from Germany. On Thursday my car was repaired and they called me to pick it up on Friday. R8 customer care called me three times to make sure I was happy with the entire service team.

I have a big Thank you for Maplewood Audi.

[ianerrid]

The differential and both axles !!!

[kthacher]

Can you give more details on breaking the differential and axles? How did that happen?

Sorry to hear about OP's service issue. My dealer has been outstanding. I had a "trivial" problem - the Bluetooth mic on the driver's side was faulty. They had the part couriered overnight from Germany and fixed it as fast as possible. I recently took the car in for what turned out to be a false alarm and they were great again. I guess the experience depends on the dealer to some degree.

[peterh]

This is not a refelction of all US service. I have been going to the same dealer for 12 years for all my different Audi's and have always been completely happy with the service. Yeah, sometimes there is a delay on parts or something, but dont think that is unique to just Audi.

Still, probably frustrating when things go sideways.

[mngolfer]

Accelerating in third gear...get to 7,000 rpm...boom. No more front diff or axles. The diff case had one piece of metal that I found. It was very porous. They flew the parts back to Germany to see why it failed. I will post an update when it is available.

[rkrenek]

Irrespective of the dealer, Audi USA has made multiple blunders and they won't take responsibility and say "yes we screwed up". That should be the first step towards to resolving mistakes. Admit them to yourself and to your customer when it happens. At least my dealer did that.

Since my car is still sitting at the dealer, waiting for parts, i'm sure these blunders are not over yet.

As far as changing dealers, it's too late now as there is too much momentum where it's at now.

[jet]

My dealer has always been as close to perfect as possible in both service and the way they treat me. That's why I stick with them and it even makes it difficult to consider another brand--although I have others and will still get other brands.

Now, it's a diffferent story for the R8 advocate team. I'll give them credit for trying and usually being over polite---BUT they don't know the difference beween an R8 or an A8 !!!! at all--or anything about anything about Audi that they can't read off the script--really Bad. And they have seldom even come close to either answering my questions or satifying any inquiries. It is where I completely given up on calling them for anything. Here is the script they always give: Hello Mr xxxx Oh you have an R8, that's a beautiful car..... Answer to any question: Ill look that up for you and get back to you on date--exactly one week later each time.

Thanks for trying, but why bother. I appreciate the effort, but it doesn't work. Again, my dealer is and has been great !!