Audi uk warranty situation

Brewster · 01-10-2014 11:23am #1

I was about to sign on the dotted line for a feb 13 Audi. As I understood things, it was a three years manufacturers warranty but Audi Uk informed me that it would only be a two year warranty if vehicle is exported. In the past, and I have this in writing, if anything happened in third year you could pay for repairs yourself in audi approved centre and send bill to audi uk dealer. Apparently, this is no longer situation? Does anybody know when it changed or if other car brands have similar rules??? Apologies if covered on here before!

Neilw · 01-10-2014 11:39am

I had a Ford Focus a few years ago that had a 3 year warranty, I confirmed with ford Ireland that they had to honour the warranty. Maybe give audi Ireland a call and someone else in audi UK just in case you were told the wrong info.

Would you be able to bring it to NI for warranty work as an alternative?

bazz26 · 01-10-2014 12:37pm

The problem is that the 3rd year of the 3 year Audi warranty is an Audi UK specific warranty. Audi Ireland are a separate entity to Audi UK so Audi Ireland will not recognize the Audi UK 3rd year warranty.

I had a similar problem with VW and had to bring my Passat CC to a dealer in Belfast to get a warranty issue sorted. In my case it was worth the journey for me as VW UK had to replace the clutch/dmf and gearbox on my car whereas VW Ireland would only cover 75% of the cost through goodwill.

So it totally depends on the terms of the warranty which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Old diesel · 01-10-2014 12:53pm

bazz26 wrote: »

The problem is that the 3rd year of the 3 year Audi warranty is an Audi UK specific warranty. Audi Ireland are a separate entity to Audi UK so Audi Ireland will not recognize the Audi UK 3rd year warranty.

I had a similar problem with VW and had to bring my Passat CC to a dealer in Belfast to get a warranty issue sorted. In my case it was worth the journey for me as VW UK had to replace the clutch/dmf and gearbox on my car whereas VW Ireland would only cover 75% of the cost through goodwill.

So it totally depends on the terms of the warranty which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Audi UK seem to be giving the OP the impression that exporting the car means no warranty for the 3rd year

Sounds to me like that's suggesting he won't even be covered for the 3rd year if he brings the car to a Northern Ireland Audi dealer.

As you say - different manufacturers will have different rules - but its odd in this case as both VW and Audi are part of the same wider group

Brewster · 01-10-2014 1:05pm

Old diesel wrote: »

Audi UK seem to be giving the OP the impression that exporting the car means no warranty for the 3rd year

Sounds to me like that's suggesting he won't even be covered for the 3rd year if he brings the car to a Northern Ireland Audi dealer.

As you say - different manufacturers will have different rules - but its odd in this case as both VW and Audi are part of the same wider group

Yes, this is exactly the conclusion I am coming too. They are suggesting to me that it is two years only, and even if there was a problem that there would be no point bringing car up north. This was not the situation in the past, as previously the third year was covered effectively. Ok, you had to pay up front but at least you knew you would get refunded. You can buy a years warranty here I guess? Anyone ever do this?

Old diesel · 01-10-2014 1:45pm

Brewster wrote: »

Yes, this is exactly the conclusion I am coming too. They are suggesting to me that it is two years only, and even if there was a problem that there would be no point bringing car up north. This was not the situation in the past, as previously the third year was covered effectively. Ok, you had to pay up front but at least you knew you would get refunded. You can buy a years warranty here I guess? Anyone ever do this?

If the car is coming through an Audi dealer - would it be worth checking if the "whole approved used car"* business means you will get a warranty???

They may well insist that the "approved used" warranty only applies to Uk purchasers though

*hard to imagine a 2013 Audi being sold through an Audi dealer NOT being an approved used car.

bazz26 · 01-10-2014 2:36pm

I got that same thing from the guy that answered the phone at VW UK when I contacted them about getting my car sorted. Told me the car was exported so wasn't covered. Got a phone call back a few hours later from some VW warranty relations manager stating that if I can get the car to a NI dealer and it's a warranty issue they would cover the cost. He also rang me while the car was being repaired to check on it's progress.

Might be worth ringing a few main dealers in NI and as the service manager if they have experience of fixing ex UK cars from the ROI under warranty.

Brewster · 01-10-2014 3:07pm

I spoke to audi Ireland and they confirmed same, the third year is local. So if I bought here and moved to England third year would not be valid if I re registered car. Seems it was part of the change that came in maybe when Irish dealers started offering three year warranties last year. I'm cheekily asking audi dealer in uk would they do me a third year dealers warranty?!!

bazz26 · 01-10-2014 3:28pm

Just for comparison, BMW Ireland and BMW UK are the same company so local BMW dealer honored the original 3 year warranty on my old UK imported BMW until it expired.

Brewster · 01-10-2014 3:35pm

bazz26 wrote: »

Just for comparison, BMW Ireland and BMW UK are the same company so local BMW dealer honored the original 3 year warranty on my old UK imported BMW until it expired.

I was a BMW driver, maybe I should go back to them!!

Bepolite · 01-10-2014 8:19pm

Jesus that's a very short warranty. I'd be surprised if you didn't have recourse through the Sales of Goods Act at that stage. That said it's pure conjecture and huge hassle if anything more expensive than €2000 went wrong, even then it's a pain in the arse.

Just really surprised that a make like Audi would only ship with a 24 month warranty.

mickdw · 01-10-2014 8:57pm

I find it hard to believe that the car would not be covered if taken to the north for warranty work.
Sure, they will spout out the company line that once exported, its not covered etc but to be honest, the warranty would be based on the chassis number and I dont really see why it is of concern to audi whether the car lives one side of the border or the other.

Brewster · 01-10-2014 9:08pm

mickdw wrote: »

I find it hard to believe that the car would not be covered if taken to the north for warranty work.
Sure, they will spout out the company line that once exported, its not covered etc but to be honest, the warranty would be based on the chassis number and I dont really see why it is of concern to audi whether the car lives one side of the border or the other.

I rang audi UK again and they said they would log my query in system, my focus is exactly on Northern dealers. To be fair, I rang a Republic Audi dealer today my brother deals with and I told them what I'm doing, they said they'd look after me if anything happened in third year. So fair play to them I thought!! So like you say, hard to believe Belfast audi wouldn't sort you out if something went wrong.

mickdw · 01-10-2014 9:16pm

Under their rules, would the car be back under warranty again if you were to export it to uk again within the 3rd year?
Its pretty idiotic really. If the driving conditions in the country of export was vastly different to the country of original sale, you could see their argument but acting silly over one side of a border versus the other is really taking the piss out of the customer.

Old diesel · 01-10-2014 9:22pm

Brewster wrote: »

I rang audi UK again and they said they would log my query in system, my focus is exactly on Northern dealers. To be fair, I rang a Republic Audi dealer today my brother deals with and I told them what I'm doing, they said they'd look after me if anything happened in third year. So fair play to them I thought!! So like you say, hard to believe Belfast audi wouldn't sort you out if something went wrong.

"looking after you" means - imo - that they will try and press Audi for goodwill.

Its not something id be relying on tbh.

If Audi say no - you will be the one paying - realistically - no dealer will be able to absorb the costs modern cars can hit you with if something big goes wrong.

Speaking of goodwill - Audis willingness to offer it will almost certainly be influenced by the cars service history - in other words a FULL Audi dealer service history.

Not having a full Audi service history just makes it easier for them to say no.

People will say you don't need to get the car serviced at Audi to keep the warranty intact - just use approved parts.

But that's just the warranty - goodwill gestures OUTSIDE the warranty are a different ballgame

Brewster · 01-10-2014 9:40pm

Ah yeah, everything is in order, car has been serviced twice in audi dealer I'm buying off. They have had it from new, would be more nervous if buying from non main dealer, but that's just me...

bazz26 · 01-10-2014 10:13pm

Brewster wrote: »

I rang audi UK again and they said they would log my query in system, my focus is exactly on Northern dealers. To be fair, I rang a Republic Audi dealer today my brother deals with and I told them what I'm doing, they said they'd look after me if anything happened in third year. So fair play to them I thought!! So like you say, hard to believe Belfast audi wouldn't sort you out if something went wrong.

I'd get that in writing if were you as verbal agreements are seldom worth the paper they were written on. Also I'd ring Audi in Belfast and ask them do they deal with this sort of thing regularly.

Audi uk warranty situation

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