want feedback on getting re inbursed on my R8

[eliouno]

In a previous post I mentioned that I bought a new spyder this march. I RECEIVED it with a defective shifter problem in 3rd gear. I noticed it within the first 3 miles of driving the car and brought it back to the dealer. The have checked out the car about 6 times with specialists coming in from out of town, all with no success. Another specialist is to fly in this Tuesday and this means more parts ordering and more garage days.

Have had the car in for repairs for about 15 days in the last 8 weeks on same probem
I want to enjoy the rest of the summer and not deal with R8 problems anymore and so
I have decided to ask for a reinbursement or a new car based on
- when I bought the car it was delivered with known hidden defects
-Either/ or the dealer and Audi knew about the problem since it was test driven (60 miles), yet delivered with known issues.

I live in Quebec Canada and do not have the Lemon Law as in the US

I have sent in a letter to Audi Canada this morning outlining that they knowingly sold me a $200,000 SUPER LEMON and want new car or money back.
Would like any help I can get as to how else to proceed or whether someone else has had similar issues.Thanks guys

[gazza1]

You don't say how it was defective?

Was it refusing to go in 3rd gear or just a bit notchy and a bit of a crunch?

Reason I ask is because I have had a V8 Coupe and currently a V10 spyder and they were both notchy on 3rd gear when new.

After 2000k and a bit of use the box was/is perfect.

[bbamrah]

This might not help eliouno, but I noticed in my new spyder (MT6) that 2nd gear was very difficult to get into. After thinking I was crazy not having driven with a clutch in 7 years, I brought it in. The dealer put a new shifter assembly and now it is good (so far). I am assuming they have done that for you, but if not see if that can make the difference.

[Bodhii]

Is there a disagreement about what you call a prob in 3rd, and what Audi calls a prob in 3rd?
If Audi agrees with you, I would expect the original problem to have been fixed efficiently.

A few times I have let other race drivers drive my car on the track at speed, and EVERYONE of them screws up shifting into 3rd the first few times. We all hate the 'pretty' gated shifter, and I agree completely with Gazza that it is notchy,.. but that is the nature of the very strong Audi manual tranny. Nevertheless, it is a great transmission.

[R8Spyderman]

Sorry to hear about the issue persisting, Elio. I thought surely by now that the problem would have been identified and fixed. If the expert on Tuesday agrees with you as to the actual issue but can't figure out how to fix it, they really owe you a new car, irrespective of Canada's lack of a national Lemon Law, but with your summers lasting so little time, they'd really need to act fast to locate and ship you a new car (or new transmission). I hope you get satisfaction this week because it's really a wonderful car and time is a precious commodity so I hope you won't be cheated out of the fun of top-down driving while the weather permits, or be forced to hire a lawyer. Best of luck and please keep us updated.
Jeff

[eliouno]

Well I was out for a while and see that I need to add info.
The problem is in 3rd gear and there is no dispute on this as the dealer flew in a specialist from Toronto to check it out.
He recemended changing the shifter with no luck.
He is coming back from Toronto again tomorrow and I will get more news then.
However I am convinced they will try something else and order a part or two which takes a week and then back to the garage and who knows if it will work.

I will definetely not accept a new transmission as it will greatly devaluate the car as the numbers will not match taking away the possibility that it can become a collectors item later.
In either case, I bought a new car, and they sold it to me knowing (as it was test driven) that it had a problem.
I was just curious if someone had suggestions as if they do not accomadate, I will hire a lawyer and enjoy the car as is in the meantime.
The problem is that when I put it in 3rd gear and either touch the gas or even let it go, there is an evident movement, over and above the normal feeling from the transmission reacting to the acceleration. It happens as soon as I touch the gas pedal regardless of how much I give or let go of the pedal..
that's it

[eliouno]

Is it that when you're in third gear, at some RPM, say 3000, your fingers gently holding the shifter, you press the gas and the shifter moves forward a bit? then if you let go of the gas, going back to say 3000 RPM, it moves back a bit?[/QUOTE]

This is the exact description of what happens and it should not if the car is not under any sort of torque

[R8Spyderman]

That sucks. It's probably not sufficient a defect as to warrant labeling the car a "lemon" (even if Lemon Laws applied, which they don't) and yet is bothersome enough to detract from your driving enjoyment. While they futz around with it you aren't out enjoying it, and summers in the colder climes don't last all that long in the first place so this couldn't have come at a worse time. Too bad they didn't have the car in the dead of winter to try this and that and waste time when you wouldn't be driving it, anyway.

As for numbers matching, I doubt that a factory replacement transmission would count as a defect that would lower your car's resale value or that such a warranty item would ever be noticed by anyone other than someone far into the future when we are all long dead and buried (if and when it becomes a collectible car), so unless you were planning on keeping it as part of your estate and handing it down for generations in come, I wouldn't be too concerned about getting a factory fresh transmission put it. Factory paperwork would indicate that it was done to correct a defect under warranty so it really wouldn't affect value, anyway. I had to have a new transmission put in under warranty on my 2006 Corvette and the fact that it was done was never known by anyone nor did anyone care. I got my trade-in allowance when I bought my Bentley and that was that.

I just hope you get it solved soon so you can drop the top and then drop the hammer!

[timborama]

Does ANYONE have an R8 that's NEVER had an issue?!? All I read about is one issue after another. Very detracting for potential customers. And like someone mentioned, the Audi techs don't seem to be very knowledgeable like other brand techs (i.e Porsche). Maybe a forum outside the General Discussions might be warranted, as there are so many threads about vehicle issues.

[R8Spyderman]

I have over 3200 miles since Dec. 2nd on my '11 Spyder V10 and have had NO issues.