Audi Servicing Now Charging Customers for lifts.

fred246

It always amazes me how some people are so dependent on a single item for transport. Have to drive everywhere. Never consider any other way. Just pop a folding bike in the boot. Take it for a service and ride home. Problem solved.

Grumpy_chap

Bachelorplace said:

I was stunned to learn that 4 Audi dealers in the South West are now charging customers to £20.00 for a collection or courtesy car and not offering a drop off and lift service. 
I rather felt that was unfair especially to regular customers. 
They should offer drop off and collect free or run customers home in a shuttle. If they do not - they are simply not offering enough of an experience.

If a service centre offer the drop off and lift service, that has a cost which is at least a person on living wage for 1 hour.  Yep, by the time the drive you home, then back to the Dealer then repeat the trip at the end of the day, that will be an hour gone.  There are other costs over-and-above the direct wage of the employee.  So, £20 is hardly excessive profiteering.

Should the garage charge those individuals that need this service, or should the garage add that £20 into the charge to everyone, so some pay but don't need the service?

RBN20

What a first world problem. 🙄 
buy from a different manufacturer if £20 for a lift is breaking the bank so much. 

Penelopa.Pitstop

photome said:

Penelopa.Pitstop said:

Not only Audi.  I wanted to book a service with Fiat. No courtesy cars at all, no waiting inside the dealership and if you want your car collected, it will cost £20-40 depending on distance. They did car collection for free before. So I chose different dealer that allows customer to wait on site. I'm not going to wait outside in winter, while my car is serviced.

Assuming it wasnt during either lockdown period as the waiting areas should have been closed, some will have had no choice but to go during that period and either wait outside/pay/ or travel

I did service in May, as soon as dealership 1 opened, and there was no issue with waiting inside. I actually spent some time outside, because it was nice and sunny and I went to check out parked cars. But dealership 2 didn't allow anyone waiting inside even in July, but if you had meeting with salesman, that was ok. That's the same dealership that said no waiting inside in January.

couriervanman said:

Bachelorplace said:

With the industry on its knees. More and more independent servicing options. I was stunned to learn that 4 Audi dealers in the South West are now charging customers to £20.00 for a collection or courtesy car and not offering a drop off and lift service. BMW offer a drop off and lift, and shelved charging customers for courtesy cars when they all got very angry. 
When the cost of a service at Audi is between £160 - £500 I rather felt that was unfair especially to regular customers. For £20 a marque is going to P a lot more customers off for the sake of £20.00.
Shocking 1980s service for very expensive cars. They should offer drop off and collect free or run customers home in a shuttle. If they do not - they are simply not offering enough of an experience.
I am stunned that someone who may have bought a £100,000 R8 would be subjected to this, or more so if a little old lady is charged because she only has an A1.

Well if you and other Audi owners say no thanks ill take my car elsewhere for a service they will have a rethink or build it into price

Assuming you have a choice of dealership, which may not be the thing in certain areas. Last time Audi wanted to charge me for courtesy car, I simply walked out. They stopped this practice later at this particular branch. Not sure if they charge again now, as I got rid off of Audi, I hated their customer service and incompetence.

fred246 said:

It always amazes me how some people are so dependent on a single item for transport. Have to drive everywhere. Never consider any other way. Just pop a folding bike in the boot. Take it for a service and ride home. Problem solved.

Sure, I will jump on a bike and do 20 miles on motorway (M25). And no, there's no public transport links between my home and 3 closest dealerships.

Herzlos

Sure, I will jump on a bike and do 20 miles on motorway (M25). And no, there's no public transport links between my home and 3 closest dealerships.

I don't believe there are no usable public transport links between your home and any car dealerships when you're around the London orbital. If you said you were in deepest Wales or something I might believe you.
There may not be anything direct, but this is MSE, go indirectly, walk a bit.
If it's so much inconvenience waiting or getting home on your own, then just pay the £20.

I'm kinda spoiled in that my local independent is maybe 5 mins walk away (no courtesy cars, no lifts), and the nearest franchised place is 5 minutes bus away. And I live comparatively in the middle of nowhere.

burlingtonfl6

Who here would let Fred near their new 50k Audi with his vast knowledge of servicing cars?

fred246

If you think about these cars they have main dealer servicing for say 3 years when nothing really needs doing. They are then serviced by independents for the next 10 years. They are then often looked after by enthusiasts for many years. Do you really think there is any difference in quality of service. I actually think the enthusiasts will do the best job, probably the independents next and the main dealers being the worst. Main dealers don't really compete for customers. People just blindly go there and pay the silly prices to get the 'main dealer service history'. Cars are getting much easier to service. It's not complicated.

ontheroad1970

fred246 said:

If you think about these cars they have main dealer servicing for say 3 years when nothing really needs doing. They are then serviced by independents for the next 10 years. They are then often looked after by enthusiasts for many years. Do you really think there is any difference in quality of service. I actually think the enthusiasts will do the best job, probably the independents next and the main dealers being the worst. Main dealers don't really compete for customers. People just blindly go there and pay the silly prices to get the 'main dealer service history'. Cars are getting much easier to service. It's not complicated.

According to you.  Why not indemnify anyone who messes up their cars by following your youtube links?  If it's really that simple, you'd never have to pay out.

fred246

There are lots of YouTube videos on all tasks. I have never watched them because I don't need to. Hopefully they warn you of things that can go wrong. It's up to the individual to decide if they want to do their own servicing. There must be loads of people that could get help if needed. When I was at work there was a young woman about 30 years younger than me who used to service her own cars. We used to have long chats on the subject. She had been taught by her dad. The important bit to realise is that it's not complicated and can be done on a drive with only a few tools. It's a bit silly to suggest I am going to send money to anyone that says they have damaged their car servicing it. Garages damage lots of cars. You only need to read this forum to realise that.

AdrianC

Herzlos said:

Sure, I will jump on a bike and do 20 miles on motorway (M25). And no, there's no public transport links between my home and 3 closest dealerships. 

I don't believe there are no usable public transport links between your home and any car dealerships when you're around the London orbital. If you said you were in deepest Wales or something I might believe you.

Public transport around the M25 area is very hub-and-spoke, and can be very limited indeed radially.
Sure, going into the middle of London along one spoke then back out along another is possible - but massively inconvenient.