Audi A6 Avant $1,087/m what's the catch?

[Soya]

Huh? Cannot find the problem still charge $160? Thot ur car under warranty?

[Adrianli]

Huh? Cannot find the problem still charge $160? Thot ur car under warranty?

 

No more warranty. So they are charging me for diagnostic.

 

The manager say his worker spent 8 hrs on my car. Also my car occupy 8 hrs of his workshop floor space. Very fair to charge me.  Although I disagree with him. 

[StefanK]

No more warranty. So they are charging me for diagnostic.

 

The manager say his worker spent 8 hrs on my car. Also my car occupy 8 hrs of his workshop floor space. Very fair to charge me.  Although I disagree with him. 

 

you should have told him, 8 hours at outside workshop, diagnostic + repair done, change oil change filter done, if nearby got detailing shop, that one also done. maybe can change tyres also.

[Soya]

No more warranty. So they are charging me for diagnostic.

 

The manager say his worker spent 8 hrs on my car. Also my car occupy 8 hrs of his workshop floor space. Very fair to charge me. Although I disagree with him.

But thot u oredi diagnosed the problem outside n got a quote of $480 to fix? Edited September 11, 2017 by Soya

[xinz]

Sent my car to PA. And they are unable to identify the defective part. They made me pay a diagnostic fee of $160.50. Told me to leave my car with them for further troubleshooting. I would have to pay again for the troubleshooting. Not sure how much the labour fees per hour or per day gona cost. Even the manager also do not know the labour fee!!!

 

So I paid up the diagnostic fee and left that place.

 

Now back to square one. Problem still unresolved.

 

 

 

Anyone got contacts to Audi or PA upper management?

Oh, can feel your pain.

 

It is common practice that big companies charge on anything that incur costs on their end while small shops maintain competitiveness by earning a slimmer profit on actual repair. Otherwise small shops really has no added value. 看开一点。 

 

Take the PA assessment and quote, compare prices with 3rd party workshop before making a decision. Price could be as low as half of what AD quote.

 

Good luck.

[Adrianli]

But thot u oredi diagnosed the problem outside n got a quote of $480 to fix?

 

The actual problem was not diagnosed. The outside workshop gave me a list of suspected items. And the common problem is the fuel pump w/ float sensor that cost $480.

 

On checking with Mr Goggle, and various Audi forums, they said its the fuel sender unit.

Here is the complete email that I wrote to PA customer service and Aftersales Director.

 

 

To whom it might concern and Aftersales Director

 

 

Dear Sir,

 

I had an unpleasant encounter at your Ubi Service Centre. I will be fair and transparent and have copied the concerned persons involved in this email. As I would like to resolve this here before escalating it further to Mr Daniel Watts of Audi Singapore should the need arises.

 

"Even though we are unable to pinpoint the defective part, you still have to pay us for the diagnostic fee. You will need to pay us even more if you wish to pinpoint the defective part."

 

That was the kind of reply I got from your staff.

 

 

My Audi A6 Avant encountered a warning message on the driver's display screen reading "Tank System Malfunction! Contact workshop." on 2nd Sep 2017. I called into PA hotline and was told by the person on the phone to bring my car to either Ubi or Alexander service centre to have a look. As I was nearer to Ubi service centre at that time, I drove there. Being a Saturday, the SA who attended to me said they would require a full day to have a look at the problem and booked me for 8th Sep 2017.

 

Early on 8th Sep 2017, I dropped my car at Ubi service centre and went off to work. I was informed by SA Ridhwan that the diagnosis fee was $160.50 through SMS. We were communicated on SMS the three complaints I had of the car. I agreed to to the diagnosis price assuming the Premium Automobile being the Authorised Dealer for Audi is able to resolve these problems.

 

1. Warning message on driver display "Tank System Malfunction! Contact workshop.".

2. Sizzling noise from aircon at the forward center of the dashboard. This complaint was mentioned in my last servicing at Alexander.

3. "Wong wong" noise coming from the steering column when turning on smooth concrete flooring. This complaint was also mentioned before during my warranty period.

 

There was zero follow up communication from SA Ridhwan to update me the status of my car throughout the day. I was always the one who initiated the communication asking for update. The SA at Alexander will always update me of their findings, I had two previous complaints resolved there, engine mount replacement and battery drain on key fob. After numerous messages back and forth, SA Ridhwan called me to update me at around 3pm.

 

I was told that the technician at Premium Automobile was unable to pinpoint the offending part. He would require more time to pinpoint the offending part. I was told that I still have to pay the $160.50 fee despite Premium Automobile is unable to identify the defective item. I was appalled at hearing this. So I agreed to collect my car on the same day and would like to find out more from SA Ridhwan face to face.

 

On arrival at Ubi service centre at around 5.30pm, after waiting a while(SA Ridhwan was attending to another customer), SA Ridhwan attended to me. He was explaining to me that there was high resistance in the "wires". I was totally confused with his technical terminology. 

 

I further probed him to ask if the technician followed Audi workshop manual to troubleshoot the problem and I could not understand why from 8am till 5pm the technician was unable to identify the offending part. He said the technician had followed with the workshop manual to troubleshoot the problem straightaway without even checking with the technician. So I assume that SA Ridhwan must have worked closely with the technician on my car to know it. But he told me he was busy with 10 other customers so I am surprised that he was able to answer on behalf of the technician. SA Ridhwan told me that if I would like to pinpoint the offending part, I would need to leave my car with PA for 3 to 5 days and without any courtesy or replacement car. I would need to rent one from PA. Also I would need to pay for further charges for troubleshooting. I was thinking, what the hell, you guys charged me for diagnostic and unable to resolve it and now I would need to pay more for however long it needs to resolve it. I could never convince myself how PA could have screwed me over for this little problem.

 

Next I checked with SA Ridhwan if they had consulted your principle at Audi or Germany side. He said this is a small problem and they would not need to go to Germany. I was totally shocked of the answer provided. If you are able to resolve wouldn't it have been resolved already? Obviously you guys are encountering this problem for the first time and do not actually know where to check. I insisted on SA Ridhwan providing me with your contacts with your Germany Principle since Premium Automobile is not going to contact them for my problem. He told me to wait and he approached his manager Vincent to speak to me.

 

Frankly speaking, before coming to this appointment at Ubi service centre, I already had a workshop looked at the car. They were unable to pinpoint the offending part, they provided me with a list of parts that maybe the one that caused the warning message. They did not charge me a single cent as they were unable to correctly identify the offending part. They would need more time and trial and error. It took them slightly less than an hour to inform me the list of suspected parts. I have their communication as evidence of no payment required for diagnosis. I have also went online and googled the problem and various forums from US to UK to Europe had resolved it with replacement of the sender unit. It seems to be a common problem for Audi cars dating way back to 2006/2007 until 2017.

 

I met your Customer Service Manager, Mr Vincent. I let him know of the problem and I am not willing to pay for the diagnosis fee as there was no solution or defective part identified. I asked him if the technician has done the following :

1. Follow the workshop manual to troubleshoot the problem

2. Was there any effort from the technician to replicate the error message

3. Will Premium Automobile willing to contact Germany Principle to resolve this

 

He told me with confidence that his men would follow the workshop manual to troubleshoot the problem. I asked for a copy of the section of the workshop manual on the fuel system troubleshoot and he refused to provide me. I also asked for a procedure that PA is following. He rejected me and says it is confidential information which I retort to him that this information is available for purchase online and there is nothing confidential. I remarked to him that for a technician to spend 8 hrs and unable to identify the offending part, is in my opinion, incompetent which he rejected my opinion.

 

I asked if the error was replicated with a spare sender. He said they will need time to do it. I think this is his first time hearing of such suggestion. I believe this was not done. I even told him I went to a workshop before coming to PA and I am able to know which might be the offending part through goggle. He simply laughed and waved me off on this. He thinks that the information I gotten from the various forums were rubbish.

 

I then asked him if he was able to compare the cost of troubleshooting vs the cost of a sender unit. He has no idea of the costs at all and said he will check. There was no thought of putting the customer interest as priority. It was purely a cold hearted approach of pay us for your problem. Whether we can resolve or not is none of Premium Automobile problem. We open a business to make money from you. He further said his staffs needs to be paid and there was better use of his workshop floor space than having me there. So at the end of the day, you still have to pay us even though we are unable to resolve your problem.

 

I felt threatened by his words. If I do not pay, I will not receive my car on that day. If I leave my car with Premium Automobile, Vincent might screw me over and charge me exorbitant troubleshooting fees and part repair/replacement fees. Therefore I was eventually unwilling felt compelled to pay for the diagnostic fee, $160.50. That has really opened my eyes how an authorised dealer work, just like those ruthless workshops.

 

Vincent promised to provide me the following during the meeting but none of it happened!!!

1. Full service report of what was checked on my car.

2. Troubleshooting fees.

3. Price of sender unit.

 

It needed my insistence then Vincent promised to provide me the cost for the two items. He said he forgot his workshop has closed for the day and not able to provide me the cost. Also Premium Automobile does not provide full service report to customer. Only a summary in the invoice. All promises made during the meeting were broken and forgotten.

 

A full service report should include the following:

- what fault code was logged

- which items associated with the fault code was checked

- what was the reading of the various item checked

- probable causes

- suggested solutions(further checking or simple parts replacement)

 

 

The following day, I received an email from SA Ridhwan on the cost of the fuel pump and sender unit. However, there was no cost for the troubleshooting fees. There was absolutely no plan of how to resolve the problem at all. Just a cold hearted email stating the cost of the parts and a disclaimer.

 

There was zero proper customer service received. Customer interest was never the priority. Talking to Germany or Audi is a big no-no. PA is more interested in regular servicings. Any complex issues, PA not interested in troubleshooting problems. Instead of proper customer service recovery, I think I received a slap on the face.

 

I am totally and utterly disappointed with Ridhwan and Vincent. They gave Premium Automobile a bad name. 

 

Regards,

 

Disappointed Customer

Edited September 11, 2017 by Adrianli

[Adrianli]

After sending the email, Ubi Service Manager called me. He said he went through the report of my car and was very sure it was the sender unit at fault. He was more knowledgeable than that two clowns. He listed down the steps to resolve the problem. So I was happy to make an appointment to have the sender unit replaced at PA.

 

He said that he will personally meet me and receive my car. I wont be dealing with that two clowns. 

[Soya]

Good luck bro. Hope it gets resolved

[Machunk28]

After sending the email, Ubi Service Manager called me. He said he went through the report of my car and was very sure it was the sender unit at fault. He was more knowledgeable than that two clowns. He listed down the steps to resolve the problem. So I was happy to make an appointment to have the sender unit replaced at PA.

 

He said that he will personally meet me and receive my car. I wont be dealing with that two clowns. 

Glad to know at least your issue is handled properly by the correct person this time. Lots of clowns at PA sadly...

[Thaiyotakamli]

No more warranty. So they are charging me for diagnostic.

 

The manager say his worker spent 8 hrs on my car. Also my car occupy 8 hrs of his workshop floor space. Very fair to charge me. Although I disagree with him.

8hrs bluff who

 

At most spent an hr check ur car

[Adrianli]

8hrs bluff who

 

At most spent an hr check ur car

 

I got no proof so have to assume that their technician did work 8 hours on my car. They turned off all 6 of my in-car cameras, even those that run off independent battery. They are so good at finding and switch off all the in-car camera before they start working on my car.

 

I think they pay their technician well. I do not make $160.50 for a day's work.

[Volvobrick]

I got no proof so have to assume that their technician did work 8 hours on my car. They turned off all 6 of my in-car cameras, even those that run off independent battery. They are so good at finding and switch off all the in-car camera before they start working on my car.

 

I think they pay their technician well. I do not make $160.50 for a day's work.

 

They probably spend first 6 hrs to find and turn off your cameras.

 

Next time put a tissue box spy camera!

 

[Thaiyotakamli]

I got no proof so have to assume that their technician did work 8 hours on my car. They turned off all 6 of my in-car cameras, even those that run off independent battery. They are so good at finding and switch off all the in-car camera before they start working on my car.

 

I think they pay their technician well. I do not make $160.50 for a day's work.

99% of AD that i serviced with including PA, PML and C&C wont immediately do ur car. So if u send 8am the earliest they will start ard 12pm. But for ur case i think they start ard 2pm earliest.

 

Unless those quick lane servicing within 3hrs

[Adrianli]

99% of AD that i serviced with including PA, PML and C&C wont immediately do ur car. So if u send 8am the earliest they will start ard 12pm. But for ur case i think they start ard 2pm earliest.

 

Unless those quick lane servicing within 3hrs

 

SA inspected the car at 8.30am and was sent to workshop upstairs. Sit there waiting and all cameras were switched off one by one at 10am. At 5pm, suddenly all cameras back online.

[Freeder]

The infamous PA after-sales svc experience as described explicitly by Adrianli..

Really must think thrice abt getting an Audi car..

[Freeder]

To add.. buyers of Audi cars , their England must be powerful(a pre-exquisite) like Adrianli, so that things can get moving if not, LLST..think must be added on the check list..

[Mkl22]

I got no proof so have to assume that their technician did work 8 hours on my car. They turned off all 6 of my in-car cameras, even those that run off independent battery. They are so good at finding and switch off all the in-car camera before they start working on my car.

 

I think they pay their technician well. I do not make $160.50 for a day's work.

Welcome to the incompetence of Singapore workshops. More so at ADs. I rather take my chances at outside workshops. At least your car won't sit around and not get solved. Edited September 11, 2017 by Mkl22

[Volvobrick]

If you have an Audi, VW, SEAT, it is worthwhile to invest in VAGCOM OBD tool. At least can check the fault code first before sending to workshop so they can BS you.