New Audi needs help, Los Angeles

T

Tarik

New member
The first two posts of this thread outline my problem (off an Audi forum):

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2289164



But here's the skinny:

I bought a new A3. The dealer went to town (before delivery) with an inexperienced individual using some sort of rotary (pics if you go to the link above).

Back and forth, but the dealer is willing to let me pick the detailer now that'll fix this damage.

I'm told it isn't hard to fix, but must be done properly/by the right individual.

That said, I've read up on this site and see many references to SuperiorShine.

I need an estimate on what it'll take to fix the car so that I have a value $ to give the dealer tomorrow (when I get my car back and he gets his loaner back - and my leverage is gone). I was given an estimate of $250-275 by one detailer, but I need THE BEST detailer in town to REMOVE this damage, not dress it with wax/etc. My car needs to look new.



I know very little about detailing, but I need this car fixed by a pro.



Any help/direction would be greatly appreciated.

Tarik
 
Call Superior Shine in Covina. The just did a Ford f350 superduty that the dealer destroyed and they fixed it..
 
I'm sorry about your new A3. It sure does look like it went through the ringer. :hairpull I hope that can be corrected in the skillful hands of a professional. :buffing: Wish you luck.



With Aloha,

Ranney :)



*Claim - I am a vendor*
 
Well I wouldn't classify it as damage. Whoever did the detailing work went with a very heavy abrasive polish/pad combination but never followed up with a lesser abrasive combination to finish it out.



Yes it does look like Sh*t but nothing that a polishing/finishing pad and a light cut polish with low rpm's on a rotary couldn't fix.



That really sux's though. When I brought my A4 Ultrasport last year and was closing the deal as I looked over the invoice they had this dealer prep item on it. I told the salesman to remove it and I'll polish it out myself and he said they couldn't, it was "required".



So told him I'd go home and think about it, he went and saw the sales manager, who knew I already had the check with me and came back and said "fine we'll remove it"
 
The damage WAS as bad as the photos show. I did not realize the damage the car had when I bought it because it was cloudy, they had done a magnificent job at hiding the damage, and then it rained for 1 week solid. Once the rain subsided, the photos on that link show exactly what I discovered the first sunny day I saw the car after buying it.

Regarding the ordeal I just went through - the dealer sent the car to Douglas Auto Body in Pasadena and they removed some of the damage. They did not do a great job. It was still not to my standards when it was "delivered" yesterday to my work, and I refused delivery/had them drive it back to the dealer.

After thinking it over, I concluded the only way to fix this right was to enlist my own detailer (at their expense) and have the individual put the car right.

That said, I was "awarded" $300 as a "payoff" from Rusnak and that's where we stand. Seeing they put a small dent in my hood that will need Dent Wizard, I see the final figure climbing. They've cut corners many times and this time I'm making sure the right detailer does the work -so I'm going up there tomorrow and getting my car back.

What boggles me and everyone else I've talked to, is the fact that this car had ever been touched by a buffer in the first place. This is a brand new Audi. Could they be hiding something? If they are, I wouldn't look for a replacement as I had been. I'd seek a substantial $ award through a serious lawsuit in court.

Something just doesn't smell right-but I've checked the panels and given the car a good eyeballing, and things line up fairly nice. I have no idea why this damage exists in the first pace, and no one at the dealership seems to kow either...

I digress...



BTW-I did contact Joe and he emailed me back already. Sounds like we might hook up and have him look at the Audi. I sure hope he's the best guy around (sounds like he is, so for that I thank you, and I'll sleep better). I don't think that thin clearcoat can handle another goof.
 
Every "new" car sold off the lot goes through what is called "Dealer Prep" look on your invoice and you'll see it.



Yes it is a new car fresh from the factory but to remove the "rail dust", residue from the protective film that the car is wrapped in during transit, and anything else that effect's the fit and finish of the vehicle before it is delivered/sold the dealership is going to wash, polish and wax the car. Unless you tell them not to.



You could get AoA involved but since the dealership is working with you there seems to be no need.



For the record, after doing both autobody and detailing I classify damage to the paint in the literally sense. That is something only repainting can fix.



I'm no pro however and maybe in person things look worse than thoose photos. But on the basis of those photos I don't think the car needs to be repainted. Just "polished" and "buffed" out by someone who know's what they are doing.



That ding or dent is another matter entirely. That is panel damage for sure.
 
All I see is holograms - which would come out even with a pc and some TLC.



Joe will do a great job.



I wish you were as anal at the time of delivery as you are now about finding the BEST pro.
 
tdekany said:
All I see is holograms - which would come out even with a pc and some TLC.



Joe will do a great job.



I wish you were as anal at the time of delivery as you are now about finding the BEST pro.
Click to expand...





I know.

Lesson learned: Never take anything for granted. The fact I missed this damage is entirely my fault. Not just that, I actually didn't even test drive the car I signed for. I test drove other cars, but mine was never driven (by me) before signing away.

Like my grandfather would say "what a dummy!".



To think I'm usually that guy that orders the car be left in the plastic wrap (which I did this time but they couldn't because it was a dealer trade).

I'm sure Joe will do an excellent job. I think I can sleep easier knowing this now.

Thank you all-this has been an excellent place to drop in on.
 
Holograms are a detailers nemisis. Unless you "know" they will show up and take steps to look for them during the finishing phase of the detail they can go missed.



Usually not showing up till after the oils in the product used have flashed off or after the car is washed.



If you do a search here on "holograms" the returened hits would be huge, as inexperienced users of a rotary always have them.



Hope everything works out and please post some after shots.
 
Tarik- Sorry to hear about your problems, that's really a shame :(



Yeah, Joe will fix things right up. And yeah#2, next time take it in the plastic.



But FWIW, I'd find another Audi dealer right now. I go past at least three on the way to the only Audi dealer I'll trust and if they drop the ball I'll quit driving Audis the way I quit driving Benzes over lousy dealerships.



FWIW#2, the dealer can do whatever they want, that dealer just doesn't care about your business. My dealer bought back (as in, 100% of the purchase price applied towards my S8) an A6 4.2 that I'd put 12K miles on because of an unfixable drive-by-wire problem. The dealer can eat any cost he *chooses* to, it's all a matter of how badly they want to keep you happy.
 
a.k.a. Patrick said:
So you have an appt booked already ?
Click to expand...



Not exactly. I'm trying to get an estimate on the repair. So far, I've gotten one approximate phone-based estimate from a detailer I met about 2 weeks ago, who was recommended by the Zaino distributor here in LA, but I really have nothing concrete just yet.

The dealer had many attempts at making this situation go away or making it much better. Audi of America, after logging nearly 8 complaints, finally told me to go away and that they have sided with the dealership on the final decision (not replacing the vehicle). Their offer of $300 is insulting after the time I've spent dealing with the damage they caused.

That said, I'll be looking to get more out of them today when we meet (I'm not holding my breath, but I'm not spending a dime out of pocket to get this car right either).

Does removing damage like this run, ballpark, in the order of $250-300? That's what I gather from what I've read so far.
 
If you think the cars had an accident that's been covered up you need someone to go over it with a paint depth gauge (and a magnet for filler),any decent bodyshop will have one,if its had non factory paint it will be thicker that the factory paintwork and also they can look over the car at the same time,obviosly a Audi affiliated bodyshop won't want to get involved but it might be best to get an independent inspection that you have to pay for, like the from the Autombile Club.



Sorry you've had such a nightmare,I would be threatening with court.
 
That's a very good idea. I'll track down a body shop that's willing to help me run that test. I'll let you know what I find. The dealer said they did it and it checked out A-OK. Right, aspecially when I requested documentation of this test and he did not provide any.

It's all very suspicious. Maybe I'm just a fanatic that notices EVERY little tinny thing, but it's suspicious to me.



That said, I picked up the car. I will paste what I wrote on the Vortex site. Here you go:



I went up there armed with destruction in mind, but when I arrived, I saw an absolutely perfect/flawless A3.

So, what happened?

They detailed the crap out of it and made it "perfect". The gsm stuck to his $300 guns and having looked over the car in the light, in the shade, unde a fluorescet light, we didn't have much ground to stand on besides accept the $ and drive the car home.

Audi of America said the only way they would ever step in and assess a possible "return" would be to have an Audi rep come out and see the car. What hurts now is knowing that they can make a vehicle this flawless when they need to-I have no idea what product/wax they used (it was threatened and scheduled that an Audi rep would meet us there today, but he never showed). So, HAD HE SEEN the car in it's former state, sure he would have had a problem with Rusnak, but in the condition it was in today, there would be no way on earth that they'd even look at me seriously.

I'm through fighting for now. If a detailer can make my car as beautiful, and permanently beautiful, as some claim, that's all I ever wanted in the first place...
 
Mr.Concours said:
If you think the cars had an accident that's been covered up you need someone to go over it with a paint depth gauge (and a magnet for filler),any decent bodyshop will have one,if its had non factory paint it will be thicker that the factory paintwork and also they can look over the car at the same time,obviosly a Audi affiliated bodyshop won't want to get involved but it might be best to get an independent inspection that you have to pay for, like the from the Autombile Club.



Sorry you've had such a nightmare,I would be threatening with court.
Click to expand...





I'm getting confused here. I thought this car was new as in current model year new, as in fresh from the factory in Germany new and what was being discussed was a "Dealer's Prep" gone horribly wrong.



If that is the case then how could the car have been in an accident already?
 
MorBid said:
I'm getting confused here. I thought this car was new as in current model year new, as in fresh from the factory in Germany new and what was being discussed was a "Dealer's Prep" gone horribly wrong.



If that is the case then how could the car have been in an accident already?
Click to expand...



The car had 105 miles upon delivery (because it was a dealer trade). So yes, it was a brand new car, but no, there's no way of knowing it's full history/what happened during those weeks/months/miles before delivery to me. Obviously, the dealers could very well be hiding something. If it is ever discovered there was an accient, not only is it against the law, but could lead a to very serious lawsuit.
 
My 2005 A4 1.8T UltraSport was a dealer trade w/a couple hundred miles on it as well. But I had "shopped" their lot on Sundays for a month before buying it. Each time I would look at a car I might like and write down the VIN on cars which weren't still wrapped in the plastic but nevertheless were new. Also at that time do a inspection of the fit and finish



Go home and run a Carfax report on the cars to see if they were registered before. Now that's not really saying alot cause a dealer could slap "dealer tags" on any car he has and drive the vehicle around. Obviously cause that's how our cars got from lot to lot.



I would think the ramafications for any Authorized New Car Dealership that damaged a vehicle on their lot and failed to disclose that fact during a sale would be severe.



However in your case, if we are now moving into that area, there is an old saying in the Car Dealership business "You signed for it, you brought it, it's yours". Anything you did not point out prior to taking pocession of the vehicle and is not a defect covered under warranty is going to be an uphill battle.
 
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