Audi A5 - Faulty car not being repaired

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Tue 1 Apr 2014 14:12
Audi A5 - Faulty car not being repaired - A5G

Hi,

I purchased a car Audi A5 coupe 2009 for around £14k with 62k on the clock from an Independent Dealer. However the car seems to be using a lot more oil than the tolerated amount. It is using up to 2.55 litres per 1000kms. I reported the issue to the dealer and brought the car back and forth but everytime for some reason the repair has been delayed. At this stage i still have the car unfixed and the dealer keeps changing his mind about the repair. He is now refusing to get the car repaired. I had enough going through the dealer and started a claim under section 75 through my bank.

However the bank offered £1000 towards the repair whether i take it the same dealer or another garage as they say there is no clear breach of contract. I am not sure why there is no clear breach as I have a report from Audi that says i quote

"Carried out stage 1 and 2 of the oil consumption test ref TPI 2026749/8 AND TPI 2024604, no leaks evident from the vehicle consumption calculated at 2.55 litres per 1000km requires piston replacement as per TPI"

I am not sure what the reference TPI number means and if someone can please explain that part. From what i understand there is clearly a fault in the vehicle and had i known about this fault i would not have purchased it. Getting a report from another independent garage like the RAC or Dekra is not really something they will be able to identify.

If i am not getting anywhere with the dealer can i get this repair done elsewhere and will the bank cover for those charges.

How can I proceed please?

Thanks

A5G

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Tue 1 Apr 2014 14:17
Audi A5 - Faulty car not being repaired - Armitage Shanks {p}

I suggest that you have clear grounds for rejecting the vehicle as unfit for purpose and getting your money back, plus www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/

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Tue 1 Apr 2014 16:41
Audi A5 - Faulty car not being repaired - A5G

It has now been 10months since I purchased the car and covered additional mileage of around 6000 miles on the clock including testing.

The bank and the trader refused the full refund when I initiated the claim under section 75 back in November.

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Tue 1 Apr 2014 18:12
Audi A5 - Faulty car not being repaired - pd

It is a know manufacturing fault which, frankly, it is appalling Audi are not covering as a goodwill gesture. The TPI are Technical Service Bulletins or whatever Audi choose to call them.

That's by the by - I can't see you getting a full refund as you've done 6000 miles so clearly had use of the car. Refund wise it will be the price of the car less depreciation, wear and tear and the mileage.

If you can get the £1000 I'd be tempted to shop around and see what the job can be done for. Avoid Audi main dealers - maybe try a specialist. If you can get it done for £1500 I'd be tempted to stump up the £500 and just put it down to experience.

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Wed 2 Apr 2014 13:48
Audi A5 - Faulty car not being repaired - A5G

Thanks, I agree that the full refund will be harder. I honestly like the car and would like to get it repaired but I dont see why i need to pay any money towards the repair, I already spent a lot of money on the car and wouldnt have expected to have such a major issue with it.

Specialist garages charges from £3000 - 3500 to get the piston and piston rings changed. Question does both need to be changed or can I get away with just changing the rings?

The bank is equally liable and they should cover the entire cost of the repair right?

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Wed 2 Apr 2014 14:13
Audi A5 - Faulty car not being repaired - skidpan

I have built and rebuilt several engines for the road and track over the years, always from salvaged engines. I have yet to find one where a simple re-ring would have worked successfully when the engine was worn. The top of the cylinder usually suffers from wear on the thrust side of the bore and in this area a new ring would never seal, the original would undoubably have sealed better. Because of this a rebore is required which obviously requires new oversized pistons. Since I have always done the disassembly/assembly myself the only costs have been the rebore and honing but good quality parts are not cheap.

Many manufacturers provide service/exchange short engines for these eventualities at a cost far lower than a garage rebuild. Several years ago I was rebuilding a Zetec 2 litre for the track, needed new pistons/rebore and while it was in bits it was sensible to replace the bearings and all the seals/gaskets. The cost of parts and machining was over £600 plus my time. Instead I simply gave our local Ford dealer the old short engine and £400 for a brand new (not reconditioned) replacement (with a garantee).

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