Rusty S2!!!!!

[Glen Chamberlain]

A while back i took my air box out to remove the lambda or sommat and noticed the inner wing was rusting right next to the turbo just in front of where the heat sheild finishes! So, like you do i prodded it with my finger which put a 2" fooking hole in my inner wing! Waht the F**K!! Anyhow to my reconing it was still under the 10 year anticorrosion warranty Audi set out. So i took it down to the dealers who sais they didn't have a body shop and to go to VW who are Audi approved! Not entirly convince i took it too them and they made an assment and sent it to Audi for a desision! Well it came back, "no warranty given" I asked why and he just said "i dunno ask Audi?" So i did but no reply yet!

It seems to me that it is obvious why the thing has rusted, cos the heat from the turbo has peeled the paint away and the elments have taken ther toll, even galvanisation isn't perfect! But he seemd to think that somthing had been spilt on it to remove the paint which has lead to the corrosion? He was a proper jobsworth though! you know the type, "the world will stop revolving the moment they die!"

Anyone else coment on this? I'll be chasing Audi up very soon cos at least they could do is to give me a damm answer!:mad:

[s2avant]

They were right to send you to the VW bodyshop as it would need to be inspected by an approved warranty clerk and I'm not sure if there are any Audi only bodyshops anywhere. I am lucky enough to be good friends with a VW bodywork warranty clerk and it's easy to see how they can make your life hard.

VAG have a lovely get out clause for their anti corrosion warranty. They will only pay up if the part has rusted from the inside out!!! You can get them to pay out on other stuff too but as your finding it's not an easy task.

Providing your car is definately within the ten years warranty period then I would fight it them to the hind teeth. Eventually they will cave in. Whether they pay up for all the work or make a goodwill contribution will be up to them, but either way it will be worth the effort.

Is it Audi UK who made the decision or the dealer? If it was the dealer then then ask Audi UK to send someone to look at it. If it was Audi UK who rejected it then you'll need a good independant report as to why the rust occurred.

Unfortunately the burden of proof is always on the customer. If you can gather evidence that proves your point then Audi will struggle to argue against you.

Good luck,

Ben

[Glen Chamberlain]

Thanks Ben,

Who would you suggest me to ask for a second inspection? Ideally a recgnised name with some cloute! He was also takling a bout no warranty if it diden't have a a full ASH! Just exactly how do you service paint?

He was also showing me a book with lots of photos in and showed me a picture of a rusty door seal on a 2 year old car and said that it was not warranty!!!!!!!!!! If that aint warranty then i don't look to have much chance! but i'll take it all the way untill i get a satisfactory answer at the very least!

Thanks for your info m8!

[Alistair E]

Glen

A few years ago I had a 1988 Audi 90. That developed some rust on one of the windscreen pillars. When I took it to the dealer I was given the same getout clause as Ben suggested. They said it had to rust from the inside out. I didn't bother pressing the point.
If the rust starts from a central point and spreads outwards and the centre point actually rusts to non-existence, how can they tell what the source of the rust was? The rust on my 90 wasn't that major so I guess they might be able to tell. Maybe you could use this as part of the argument.

Alistair

[s2avant]

I was going to ask the warranty guy I know for his thoughts on it but he's gone to florida for three weeks. I'll ask him when he gets back though.

In the meantime, I don't know of any independant inspectors of bodywork. They must exist though. Maybe an insurance approved non franchise bodyshop could help.

Ben

[Glen Chamberlain]

Originally posted by Alistair E
Glen

A few years ago I had a 1988 Audi 90. That developed some rust on one of the windscreen pillars. When I took it to the dealer I was given the same getout clause as Ben suggested. They said it had to rust from the inside out. I didn't bother pressing the point.
If the rust starts from a central point and spreads outwards and the centre point actually rusts to non-existence, how can they tell what the source of the rust was? The rust on my 90 wasn't that major so I guess they might be able to tell. Maybe you could use this as part of the argument.

Alistair

Good bloody point Alistair!! I'll play that card!

[Greg_S]

only thing i can think of being spilt there that would have made worse is brake fluid. Good luck with fighting your case though :-)

[Mikes2]

they also have another get out clause.

Full Audi service history includes an annual inspection. Part of the inspection is to confirm paintwork condition for any prospective warranty claim.

Basically, unless you have a stamp for every year indicating it has had an annual paint work inspection, the claim will be thrown out

[s2avant]

Good point, but I know for a fact nowhere bothers to actually do the annual paintwork inspection. There's no time to be inspecting the paint when your banging out services all day.

Could throw a spanner in the works though. It's worth fighting them still as I'm sure they will weaken eventually.

You also got BBC Watchdog on your side, to even the odds slighty. You'll be surprised what a letter to them (with a copy sent to the head of the manufacturer will can achieve)

Ben

[dan_b]

Keep at it, you've got a case.
It's not exactly the same topic, but the previous owner of my red 91 S2 managed to get a complete factory respray done under warranty even though it was 10 years old. The red paint was oxidising badly and was going orange - apparently there was a fault in the paint shop when the car was made and eventually Audi owned up to the fact that it could be done on warranty.
You just have to get a 2nd opinion and really stake your flag to the mast. If they want to keep face and retain any sense of decent customer service and satisfaction, they should give up in the end.
It's clearly not meant to rust like that, it should be covered.

[Glen Chamberlain]

Well It's took a while but i got a call from Audi UK on thursday!! In a nut shell asking me to take my car back to VW and they will photograph the corrosion and then forward it to Audi warranty? It's a start!!!!!!!

[A6 AVANT]

VW/AUDI are not very good when it comes to corrosion warranties, I had a bubble on my A6 ('99 T) Took it to Reg Vardy as it was until a month ago and the manager came out, scratched it with his thumb and took the top off it and said it was a stone chip! F@@kin' b@stard!! Ended up with a touch in brush and did it myself!
Just watch 'em, they may not all be the same but be careful!