Don't insult Aldi buy putting them in the same class as a German piece of tin.

Whats to worry about they would have lent you a car while the new one came its not the Garages fault that Audi provide the Chines market before the British any way you should get the new model.

I didn't find Audi dealers much different to BMW ones - far too ready to pre-judge a "punter" and assume they're doing you a favour by putting their cars on sale not that Volvo dealers were far behind - I bought a Subaru in the end.

Some years ago I ordered a new Golf GTI late in September for 1st January delivery. Just after Christmas they rang to say the order had been cancelled by VW and if I wished I could re-order for April delivery but a price rise was due which would apply, I was not happy. Contacted Trading Standards who were useless (as normal) and the RAC said if the manufacturer had cancelled there was nothing to be done.

That night I bought a copy of the local evening newspaper to look what "bargains" were available (no internet back then) and guess what, my VW dealer had 2 Golf GTI's for immediate delivery that were cancelled orders, I was now even more angry.

Next day I went to the garage and before I said who I was asked about the 2 cars for immediate delivery and was taken and shown them. Neither was the colour I had ordered thus could not say one was mine but at that point I declared in a crowded showroom who I was and what my issues were. I was quickly ushered into the dealer principals office and we spent th next 3 hours negotiating.

The following Saturday I took delivery of a new Gold GTI at the price agreed in September with a very low rate of HP.

Just check what they have in stock, they may be trying to pull the same trick on you.

In fairness Skoda is pretty much just as contemptuous as Audi, they even share the same centralised customer services teams. They get away with better customer feedback because (for the moment at least) they have customers who expect less. You only have to look at their fanboy forum to observe that there are folks out there who regard problems with cars as the norm and seem to like visiting their dealers!

The whole A5 thing is strange though. This is a nice looking car that drives like a barge. It's far too expensive and has a ghastly over-ornate interior (to my eyes). I know a dealer principla socially (poor soul) and he tells me that Audi has been leaning on dealers for most of the last quarter to register A5s, especially 2.0 diesels, as "management cars". Basically, unless you want a very specific spec or colour / trim combination there are dozens of cars out there in the Audi network.

In my experience Subaru and Honda still know the meaning of customer service, ironic really as they are brands where you are unlikley to need much in the way of customer service. Too many others are riding a wave of complacency.

Having quickly read the thread title I assumed this was a new Audi model, much like the Merc Elegance thingies. Very fitting I thought.

Leaving now.......

"Just after Christmas they rang to say the order had been cancelled by VW."

Out of interest, Thunderbird, given that the delaer's job, and VW's, is to sell cars, what reason did they give for cancelling your order? It doesn't seem to make sense.

They gave no reason or apology. Don't know if I put it my first posting but they did comment that they were about ring to offer me a car before I called at the showroom, think that was just another lie on their part.

After this incident we got excellent service from that dealer and I and my father both bought further cars from them. They must have realised we stood for no s***e.

With regards to Skoda being better that certainly does not apply to our local dealer, three times we have visited the showroom when we have been buying and on each occation we have been treated like dirt. Honda, Ford and Kia have done nicely out of their appathy towards customers with real money to spend.

Do they have a Facebook page?

I was put onto this method of venting my spleen when I had a problem with a company.

I got an immediate reply!