First 5K service/maybe tranny problem

[ldye]

Made the 3.5 hour drive to dealer yesterday for the first oil change. Took the tech for a short drive for him to hear the noise I considered clutch chatter. Noticed this from day one. He and Audi think it's transmission related. Trans oil didn't show any signs of damage. Tech said they probably would have him pull the transmission out to check the clutch and pressure plate regardless. Dealer gave me a loaner and I made the trip back home. Informed late today the Audi rep will not be available until middle of next week. I really think Audi goes a little to the extreme of holding the service tech hands. They need to let them diagnose and repair or Audi needs to have more field people available to shorten the down time. I'm not at all happy with my car sitting waiting to find out the problem and who knows how long after before I get it back.

[rmicroys]

When it comes to warranty issues and the R8, they tell me that the techs can't lift a finger until Audi says so. I had a leaking damper and they had to take photos of it all and send it all to the motherland prior to them replacing it.

[harrison]

Look at the bright side...It's an R8, a true leader of this (end of) decade. Your problems WILL be sorted, and then you will be even happier. I feel exhileration when I bring my car back from Audis' services !!!

[gunsmd]

I had a sqeak from my manual transmission shifter. It took a senior Audi tech to diagnose it and then a part had to be ordered from Germany.... This took a week. When I got the car back, the squeak was still there. When I brought it back the Audi Service rep told me it was performing to factory specs and nothing further could be done. I never had so many issues with service as with the R8... Audi needs to learn from Porsche and BMW on how to treat its customers....and how to properly diagnose and fix problems...

[OEMplus.com]

When it comes to warranty issues and the R8, they tell me that the techs can't lift a finger until Audi says so.

Unfortunately that is correct, per a meeting I had with the Audi Western Region Service Manager earlier this year.

On the positive side: As harrison said, you can be confident that the car will receive the best possible care.

[ldye]

I had a sqeak from my manual transmission shifter. It took a senior Audi tech to diagnose it and then a part had to be ordered from Germany.... This took a week. When I got the car back, the squeak was still there. When I brought it back the Audi Service rep told me it was performing to factory specs and nothing further could be done. I never had so many issues with service as with the R8... Audi needs to learn from Porsche and BMW on how to treat its customers....and how to properly diagnose and fix problems...

You are dead on regards to Porsche. Audi must think the R8 is a space shuttle! It's just a car.As much as I like the R8, I will not go through with several service issues where my car is sitting at a dealership for days/weeks at a time. Considering depreciation ,insurance,taxes, etc., I figure the R8 is costing about $60 per day to own the first year. I would like to be able to drive it as often as I like. I just do not like my car out of my garage for a extended period of time.

[ldye]

Made the 3.5 hour drive to dealer yesterday for the first oil change. Took the tech for a short drive for him to hear the noise I considered clutch chatter. Noticed this from day one. He and Audi think it's transmission related. Trans oil didn't show any signs of damage. Tech said they probably would have him pull the transmission out to check the clutch and pressure plate regardless. Dealer gave me a loaner and I made the trip back home. Informed late today the Audi rep will not be available until middle of next week. I really think Audi goes a little to the extreme of holding the service tech hands. They need to let them diagnose and repair or Audi needs to have more field people available to shorten the down time. I'm not at all happy with my car sitting waiting to find out the problem and who knows how long after before I get it back.

Nine days later, Audi TFM says nothing wrong, normal sounds. Backlash in gear shafts. I'm very happy nothing has to be done to the car, but 8-9 days to diagnose! IMHO, the dealer tech could have done the video/sound bite and sent it to corporate for them to review just as well as the TFM. Would have saved me some grief. My understanding is that after 12months/12miles, Audi quits holding the dealer techs hands so tight.

[NVRL8R8]

Well..... unfortunate you had to play the waiting game with them, but glad to hear everything seems to be alright.