Car buying advise from Audi approved

Car buying advise from Audi approved

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Jimmy2810

Original Poster:

10 posts

78 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Need advice about buying approved used from Audi dealer

In the process of buying a q3 Quattro. Most recent mot shows 3 tyres as slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
The health check shows one tyre was changed by Audi for a new one before the sale/mot

But I assumed they would change the tyres at least in a pair or all four as per the guidance on the manual for Quattro versions ?

Trying to get hold of the full checklist but surely they can’t just keep one new tyre and 3 old tyres on a Quattro?

av185

19,436 posts

134 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Unsurprisingly most main dealers will cut corners to save a few quid and Audi dealers and often the worst of a bad lot tbh.

CloudStuff

3,848 posts

111 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Jimmy2810 said:
Need advice about buying approved used from Audi dealer

In the process of buying a q3 Quattro. Most recent mot shows 3 tyres as slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
The health check shows one tyre was changed by Audi for a new one before the sale/mot

But I assumed they would change the tyres at least in a pair or all four as per the guidance on the manual for Quattro versions ?

Trying to get hold of the full checklist but surely they can’t just keep one new tyre and 3 old tyres on a Quattro?
Proceed with caution. Act as if you are dealing with an organisation with a level of dishonest, shifty behaviour which would make Arthur Daley feel ashamed.

I went to see an RS6 as a main audi dealer. It had different tyres from to back. Ok the same across each axel, but front were summer, rear were winters. They insisted all was well, and seemed offended that anybody would challenge audi prep.

Utter, utter clowns - the lot of them.

Jimmy2810

Original Poster:

10 posts

78 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Yeah these guys will make their own rules just to hit the sales target
I’ve asked for a copy of 150 point health check and going to challenge it. I haven’t finalised the sale yet luckily

The Cardinal

1,316 posts

259 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
The MoT test lists those items as advisories. I.e. a defect requiring attention in the future, rather than something dangerous that will not pass.

Can you reference that the manual for this specific model require the tyres to be changed in fours as you suggest? The Q3 uses a Haldex unit rather than full-fat AWD system, so - speaking as a longstanding A/S/RS3 owner - I understand front-to-back matching is not required.

The question is probably more whether the tyres are adequate for sale. I would personally change all four to match, but these tyres may meet the "approved" standard as they are.

Whether you can persuade the dealer to replace the tyres may therefore depend on their view of likelihood of someone else buying it without having to spend extra on prep.

CloudStuff

3,848 posts

111 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Not personally clear on the specifics for this model, but a lot of Audi models - B8 RS4 for example - have very specific service intervals for gearbox and diff oil changes.

Audi service people are often totally unaware of this, but feign definitive knowledge. A curious mixture of ignorance and arrogance.

t's worth - before committing any money at all, i.e. before it's too late - getting details of the required scheduled service items to mitigate against any other cowboy madness.

Shysters.

EmilA

1,615 posts

164 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
I would highly recommend you inspect everything with a fine tooth comb.
I've brought 2 different RS6's as a AUC, one was remapped when I brought it (got rejected back to them), and the other must have gone through their multipoint check list by a blind person as it had over £5k worth of work that another dealership picked up on. This one was also rejected.

joropug

2,700 posts

196 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
I saw 2 S5's approved used.

1) Coupe, told it was 2 owners, FASH. Test drove it and liked it, but had some insane rattle on the interior that anyone would notice immediately they hadn't rectified (the whole door card was loose and not connected to the door. The tyres were mismatched premium, also Quattro... When it came to the paperwork as I was still interested as it was a good price, turned out it had 4 owners, not 2, and FASH was 1 late service at a random garage and 1 Audi stamp by them when it came in at 5 years old. Went mental at them wasted a whole day.

2) Sportback, test drove it without the intention of buying in all honesty as it was £3k above my price range. So didn't inspect as well as I should have, when it eventually dropped £3k I put a deposit on it over the phone.

A week after I got it home, I realised this, err, paint mismatch:





They initially resisted dealing with it, the manager did a whole charade rubbing his chin saying he just can't see any difference between them. I just looked at him and didn't respond and the awkwardness prevailed and he caved. Had the whole bonnet resprayed and blended so looked brand new. Credit to them for eventually sorting it, wouldn't have been cheap.



So don't assume it is perfect, inspect it properly, make sure the dealership are a good one.

av185

19,436 posts

134 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Yep don't assume main dealers peddle quality stock especially after the pandemic.

There are currently at least three official Porsche centre 911 GT3s with incomplete and dodgy service histories with obvious ramifications on any warranties.

T_S_M

912 posts

190 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Best piece of advice I could give you, is don't buy from an Audi main dealer.

They can't get the car details right when they advertise it, it takes them 5 weeks to "prep the car for sale", after which it looks like they've taken it down to the Safari Park and got the inhabitants to do it, they aren't interested in rectifying any issues, they can't get services booked in correctly, it takes 3 months to book a car in for a service with a courtesy car anyway, they can't input warranty/service information correctly on the Audi system and then make all that seem like it's your fault. Audi UK aren't any better, giving it the "they're a franchise, not our problem"...nice one. Breath.

Does it say in the service book about tyres being the same across all 4 corners?

FMOB

1,994 posts

19 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
OP, check that the vehicle definitely is an Audi Approved Used Car and is covered by the 30 day exchange guarantee and what the warranty terms are.

Do not accept verbal statements or re-assurance, get it in writing. If they won't put it in writing then it isn't true.

You have all the power until you hand over your money, do your research and make sure you know exactly what you are getting and what is agreed.

They just want your money!

Robertb

2,092 posts

245 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Just don’t buy it until they fit new tyres.

Tyre rules in MOTs are weird… a car will fail an MOT with a number plate light out, but will only have an advisory on a tyre with a nail in, or tyres that are cracking and are therefore certainly past their best and will impair your and others’ safety.

You are paying a big old premium for the ‘reassurance’ of the official Audi used scheme. Dont settle for anything less than your total satisfaction before paying.

Auto810graphy

1,525 posts

99 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Does always surprise me that people think main dealer approved used cars are so much better than independent garage offerings. I know quite a few independents who will prep a car better than a main dealer and be there to support you if something goes wrong.

In regards Audi Approved used cars they will generally get access to better stock, especially in group PX’s etc but sadly they will sometimes take anything. Over the years we have traded cars to Audi dealers that most people would not sell on. One was unrecorded flood damaged, another had had a £27k repair and should never of been repaired but a highlight was the one that we told the dealer we believed it was clocked and even the vices it to them as unwarranted / incorrect mileage and they still sold it.

MitchT

16,230 posts

216 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
On a similar note...

Approved Used BMW I saw says "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" on both its MOTs. So, there's a risk it could get worse at some point and need replacing. When that happens will the windscreen cover component of my insurance cough up or will they tell me to do one as it's already on record that the damage was preexisting? And, if I do manage to claim, will I then be stuck with a cheap aftermarket screen as per the limitations imposed by insurance companies?

av185

19,436 posts

134 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Before taking out insurance simply get your insurer to confirm in writing they will allow OEM repairs including glass replacement at no extra cost to you as insurer.


stevemcs

8,989 posts

100 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Robertb said:
Just don’t buy it until they fit new tyres.

Tyre rules in MOTs are weird… a car will fail an MOT with a number plate light out, but will only have an advisory on a tyre with a nail in, or tyres that are cracking and are therefore certainly past their best and will impair your and others’ safety.

You are paying a big old premium for the ‘reassurance’ of the official Audi used scheme. Dont settle for anything less than your total satisfaction before paying.
It’s pass and advise if it has 2 lights and one is out ……

No doubt the tyre issue will become a problem at its first service but for sale purposes it’s fine.

Have a look on Quattro tech car sales, the cars are prepared mechanically very well and paint work is left, personally I prefer that.

Jimmy2810

Original Poster:

10 posts

78 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Thanks for replies

The sales team have replied
Everything we do is done following Audi standards so the workshop are guided by these standards so if only one needed changing, that is what they have done.
The standard is tyres cannot be more than 2mm
different on the same axle.

Not sure where they are getting this information from
The owner manual states it should be at least changed in pairs- see pictures



Jimmy2810

Original Poster:

10 posts

78 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Definitely thanks for this. I will keep fighting till I’m happy to pay for it!


FMOB said:
OP, check that the vehicle definitely is an Audi Approved Used Car and is covered by the 30 day exchange guarantee and what the warranty terms are.

Do not accept verbal statements or re-assurance, get it in writing. If they won't put it in writing then it isn't true.

You have all the power until you hand over your money, do your research and make sure you know exactly what you are getting and what is agreed.

They just want your money!

skullandbiscuits

157 posts

114 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
When I picked my AUC from Poole Audi at 13k, I was surprised to see 3 newly fitted budget runway tyres by the dealer. One week into ownership we had punctures, which turned out to be tyres either damaged by the dealer or part worns, as the DOT stamps were old.

In the end I went through the ombudsman and won.

Jamescrs

4,871 posts

72 months

Tuesday 1st October
quotequote all
Why not just look for a different car at another dealer? If the dealership are arguing at this point over tyres imagine what they will be like with any future warranty work