Three weeks ago I took my '12 A5 to Biener Audi in Little Neck, Long Island (just east of NYC) for the second service (only 11K miles, but it had been a year since the first service).

In general, the service was very good: quick, professional, courteous.

But there are three things I'm questioning...are these typical of Audi dealers?

1) Just after the service we drove from NYC to Minnesota, through a mix of weather. Wiper fluid ran out almost immediately. Should it have been topped up during the service? Or do they just "check" the fluid level and, if it's not completely empty, let it go?

2) Without asking me, the dealer changed the license plate frames from the original plate frames (from the dealer where I bought the car - Smithtown Audi in Long Island) to their own frames with the Biener name. I don't really care that much, but, as a principle, why would they do that without asking me? The car's leased, so formally I don't own it...does that mean Audi can change stuff like that unilaterally?

3) They made a point to tell me that I would receive a quality survey from them, and made it clear that, if I wasn't going to give them the maximum top scores, then don't respond at all. I got the same message at the dealership where I got the car: max score or don't reply. This seems to undermine the whole survey methodology that Audi USA uses to monitor dealership quality. Is asking for this normal for dealers? Does Audi USA know their dealers are doing this? (I assume they must.)

Thanks for any feedback :-)

 

Fill out the survey , let them know what your concerns are and forward a copy to Audi of America.

 

Next time you go back, I'd ask them what they would have done with your Audi logo stainless plate frames that you paid 45.00 bucks each for, would they have put those in your trunk after changing them out? You would have paid for those imaginary Audi logo frames just like you DID pay for the plastic ones that were on the car. I remember reading on a forum about this happening, might have even been this customer had his college or personalized frames removed and later saw the replacements on his car. He went back after them and chewed out probably the service advisor to start with. Advisor might not have even known about it, those poor people get the blame for anything that goes wrong with a customer car. Even if somebody like me in parts forgets to order that alternator or wheel bearing they need the next day. Anyway, I don't believe that is a normal dealership practice.

 

I like this answer, you should definitely do that.

1. I cant answer this for sure because im mostly on the sales side. I know that when ever I service at Lexus or BMW (both free i might add) they always top off fluids without even asking.

2. A few dealers are known to have been using this practice. Theres some debate about whether this is acceptable or not, since you did visit them and they did a service on your car, some say the only frames should be the ones of original selling dealer. This is considering the customer wants any frames at all and is even open to the idea. If you dont like it, you should make a stink and get your old frames or a set of replacements to your liking. Most dealership will also sent you a set of frames free of charge since you actually want to advertise them, so if you like the Smithtown ones, just call them, tell them what happened and i would think the $5 postage is worth someone driving around with your business name.

Under any circumstance, even though your car is leased you are not obligated to market any dealership and they cannot do as they please with your frames unless you allow it. Youre still paying for the car

3. They dont want to hurt their average. Its the same on the sales side. I ask the customer always for the best possible max score. However if they feel for any reason that they dont feel that would be an honest reflection to let me know first before filling out the survey so that I can address the issue. 1 bad score, ruins it for the 50 great customers, its kind of unfair but thats the way it is. If youre unhappy, tell the dealer, if they dont care then burn them.

 

Former Audi dealer tech here.
1) Yes, all fluids should be checked AND filled during service. Ideally, the washer fluid should be the only thing that needs filled. My guess is it just plain got overlooked in the hustle and bustle of the day. Biener is always consistently at the top of the Audi dealership rankings for service as I recall.

2)Changing the plate frames without asking is kind of shady, IMO. The dealer I was at NEVER did anything like that.

3)The advisors were told they may never, ever prompt a customer about a survey. If you don't know about the unsatisfied customer, how will you ever know anything is wrong? Usually a bad score is more caused by miscommunication, misunderstanding of the survey question or an honest mistake or oversight by a technician or advisor. We're all human. I remember we got a bad score once in a while from a totally happy customer that simply on how the survey was filled out. One in particular was "ease of access to the dealership". We got 4's and 5's a lot because, to be honest, it is hard to find being on a narrow dead end side street, a block from one of THE WORST intersections in this whole metro area, and hard to get into and out of. In winter it's horrible due to the steep entrance/exit drive. This is Wisconsin, add some snow and ice and..............no Quattro, no exit. The lot and building are 15 feet lower than the street and the drive is only about 25 feet long and right in front of the Audi showroom. Anyways, that "5" with all the other ratings filled in as "10" dropped the total score to below the "green" level.

 

Jack Daniels changed my frames without asking. Their plates use short screws.
They left my frames in the trunk. I had to go back to get the long screws that I bought
at a VW dealer.

 

I will not go back to an Audi dealer for service they made a mess of my wifes car oil everywhere. Lucky for me I check oil every weekend and they didn't even fill it all the way. And then when I purchased another from the same outfit Audi dealer I have to pay for a valet key 123.00. Audi of South Burlington sale are great service sucks.