I also won't say then that Audi USA was one of the main reasons I will never consider another Audi after driving them for twenty years....not that they care I am sure...

 

I don't think you need to worry, Audi's build quality is superb these days - indeed my 08 TT has been in the shop less than than my 2016 F type. I have had no mechanical problems and the car still feels "as new". My issue was that I paid for an iPhone compatible car so that I could play my music through the system. Turns out that Audi considered the TT one of their low end models (a bit surprising to me, especially as I bought the top of the line 3.2V Quattro). This meant that it was equipped with a system that transferred the mp4 music into 6 file blocks numbered 1-99. There was no way to label them and if you had more than 594 pieces of music, no way to play the pieces not transformed. I did not consider this iPod/iphone compatible but was told to buy an A8 or Q7 if I wanted "full compatibility". Audi of America was simply not interested. I assume carplay renders this an out of date problem but it's 9 years later and I remain a customer that feels cheated by Audi. Saying that, the dealership I work with (Audi of Westwood, MA) is super and so I continue to be a loyal customer to them despite being long out of warranty. I Will probably not replace it with another Audi though as I see no reason to support a company that does not support me.

 

That I can believe...I contacted 6 Bay Area dealers when my local dealer became nonresponsive and everyone of them was having a screaming month-end and quarter-end.
Some dealers are so busy they won't discount...or even talk to you for that matter.

I found one who A) Had allocation, B) Ordered the car without a deposit (on a color combo that scared some) C) Honored the ACNA 6% off MSRP discount, D) Will honor current MF on the day of delivery.

They had an incoming ordered unit that they were able to change to my specs.

All this done over the phone in less than 2 days...I am happy and they're happy to have another sale, win/win.

 

So, if I understand correctly, in a nutshell, the entertainment system didn't have the compatibility you thought it had. I presume, but perhaps not correctly, that the dealer wasn't clear on this issue or misrepresented the capability. Yes?

In this case what were you expecting Audi to do to demonstrate that they "support" you? What did you ask for, and how did they respond?

Cheers
DD

 

Didn't this have something to do with VW group signing a contract to not use USB drives for 8 years or something, and that had a hugely negative impact on the way they were forced to develop connectivity with the radio?

 

I am not sure why it was set up like this - you may well be right.
I agree, that just complaining without a remedy makes no sense. I expected them either to provide the compatible system that had been implied by the option to purchase when I ordered my car (and that was reportedly available) or, failing that to refund the difference as the dealer convinced me that they were unaware of this before I brought it to their attention (it was a brand new model and they tried to help me with AofA after they spent a lot of time trying to fix what they thought was a software problem). No doubt it was a "buyer beware" situation, but It never entered my head that a high end car company would resort to such shabby practises.
I have learned and was very careful to define exactly what each option really means. Jaguar was honest.

 

The refund idea sounds most reasonable. It's really disappointing that Audi didn't take that path. I'm guessing it was just a few hundred dollars.



It's plausible that they didn't know, as lack of product knowledge is often a problem at dealerships. And that's how these problems develop.

Cheers
DD