I recently brought my 2024 Audi A4 in for what should - JDM
I recently brought my 2024 Audi A4 in for what should have been a straightforward repair: replacement of the idler tension pulley at just 42,000 miles. I was told there was a Technical Service Bulletin related to the issue, which was surprising considering I had just completed the 40,000-mile service with your dealership.
My biggest concern is how a tire issue was handled during the visit. Oscar did a great job helping to rectify a situation that was ultimately caused by the technician, but I'm still not thrilled about having to spend money on replacement tires and ending up with mismatched tires as a result. A nail was found in one of my rear tires, and despite me explicitly declining the dealership's tire repair service due to the high cost and the better coverage available through the place where I purchased the tires, the technician installed an emergency rope plug. While I understand the intent was likely to make the vehicle safe, I would have appreciated being informed before any repair was performed, especially after I had already declined the service. Because of this, I ultimately had to replace two rear tires.
Another ongoing frustration is the difficulty of scheduling service at this dealership. I live about an hour away, and whenever I ask about later appointment times, I'm consistently told they prefer customers arrive as early as possible, so the technicians aren't delayed. It often feels like the service schedule is built around the technicians' schedules rather than customer convenience.
For this visit, I made a point to arrive 30 minutes early for my 9:00 AM appointment and still ended up spending nearly the entire day there, not leaving until around 3:00 PM. I work in a customer-facing role myself, so I understand that delays happen and try to be empathetic. Unfortunately, that courtesy never seems to feel reciprocal.
For a pulley replacement, I expected the visit to take an hour or two, maybe a little longer. Instead, I didn't receive the initial inspection call until around 11:00 AM, and much of that discussion focused on additional recommended services that I wasn't there for. It wasn't until about 1:00 PM that I received a call saying the idler pulley had been replaced and the car was ready for pickup.
In fairness, I could have been more explicit that I only wanted the pulley replacement completed and that I had already received a quote earlier in the week regarding the front brakes and rotors. I was already aware of my brake situation and had previously discussed it and obtained pricing. However, being quoted nearly $2,000 for front brakes is difficult to justify when OEM parts can be sourced for significantly less through reputable suppliers. While I understand dealer labor rates and overhead contribute to the cost, the pricing still felt excessive.
What concerned me even more was that my engine coolant was below the minimum line shortly after a scheduled mileage service. Three days after having my vehicle serviced, I found myself stopping at the VW dealership down the street to purchase the correct coolant. Something as basic as checking and topping off fluids during a scheduled maintenance visit should not be overlooked, especially when those services are included as part of Audi Care's scheduled 10k, 20k, 30k, and 40k maintenance intervals.
Overall, the staff was professional and courteous, and Oscar in particular did a good job addressing issues as they arose. However, the lack of communication regarding the tire repair, the extended service time for a relatively simple repair, and the ongoing inconvenience of scheduling make it difficult to have confidence in the Audi dealership experience. Additionally, some of the oversights during service leave me questioning the overall attention to detail in the shop.
After dealing with three different Audi dealership ownership groups over the years, I find myself questioning whether the local sentiment is correct in that customers may be better
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