****MED BY AUDI SOUTH AFRICA

My name is Brent owner of an AUDI A3 cabriolet 2017(H) that I purchased at AUDI Durban central in 2018 March. In December 2020 when my car km reading was 58000km traveling to Pietermaritzburg from Richards bay where I reside for work, it gave me a “gearbox malfunction” fault in Pietermaritzburg central. The car communicated that I could continue driving of which I did and drove it to nearest dealer. It was on the 15th December 2020 when all this happen, my car was received at the AUDI dealer PMB and I made contact to Audi assistance enquiring for mobility seeing that I was stranded in a unfami**** city. They responded that they do not offer mobility and I should speak to the dealer, the dealer responded that they don’t have any available vehicles to assist. Right there and then, I had to find myself back home during a festive season and during the pandemic AUDI did not assist me but my car is still under plan and it is a mechanical fault to their machine. Audi Pietermaritzburg review: I dealt with the service manager by the name of Sandesh Ramghulam. My car was kept for a week and 2days at the dealer, I would call each day asking on the progress of the vehicle and no feedback was provided, they would only tell me that the Technicians are busy with the diagnosis. I kept pushing for mobility because I needed to be able to get to work. Sandesh promised to arrange transport that would take me from Durban( my parents’ house) to Richards bay( where I reside for work) because he didn’t have mobility for me at the time. He also advised me that my vehicle has been driven for 130km as part of a test drive to try and recreate the initial fault. They also requested to perform a major service on the vehicle as part of the diagnosis for 60 000km before time. I made numerous calls every day because there was no communication from the dealer asking for Sandesh and the switch board lady together with the service consultant made a mockery of the situation by saying I should leave a message and Sandesh will call me back. Sandesh would later deny ever getting a message to call me back of which he said he will take up in his branch. I was called to pick up the vehicle of the 24th Dec 2020 and after the diagnosis, they couldn’t pick up any faults on the machine. Once again, I had to find my way from Richards bay to Pietermaritzburg and miss work for a faulty vehicle. On the 29th December travelling from Durban to Richards bay, the exact fault came up again, “gearbox malfunction”. I parked on the N2 and called Audi assist asking for advice, they advised that I should drive to the nearest city of which was Richards bay at the time. I got home and slept. The following morning at 8am, I was at the dealer in Richards bay to have the vehicle checked out. Later in the day, Natasha called me and told me the fault is no longer there and I may collect my vehicle. I pressed for further explanation because it made no sense to me. She gave me a diagnosis report and explained to me that this fault or gearbox can only be serviced once the fault is static meaning that I would have to bring the vehicle to dealer without switching the ignition off when it pops up again and if it is after hours, Audi assist should arrange a Technician to come out. The report clearly states that the “mechatronics will need to be replaced” So, I asked the dealer why is it not changed because once the vehicles plan runs out, it will be my cost and I was told to contact the customer care. I raised all these issues with Robin who is a customer care specialist. Her response was that I should speak to the dealer as she’s not technically knowledgeable to answer me. Audi Durban review: 12 January 2021, I decided to take this up with Audi Durban because I purchased my vehicle at their dealer. I explained to the switch board lady that I have an intermediate fault on my vehicle and I have been advised that the mechatronics needs to be changed and the dealers I have taken my vehicle have not done so. They told me I need to book my vehicle in for diagnosis and it was scheduled for the 14th January 2021 of which I did bring it in on the set day. Portia was supposed to receive my vehicle that morning of which she was not available to do so, so another lady received it on her behalf and even asked to make a copy of the report that Richards bay have supp**** to me about the mechatronics fault. Later that day, I received a call from Portia explaining to me that they have driven the vehicle for 50km and the fault does not pop up. I was left frustrated and asking Portia why did they drive the car for further 50km’s because I had explained that the fault is intermediate. She responded that she and the Technician were not briefed about the vehicle nor did she see the copy from Richards bay that I left in the morning and so. I still don’t understand the negligent from the dealer and the level of ownership for the mistake they made as they told me to pick up the car as no fault is found. Portia has a rude tone and attitude towards a customer and she just reply’s by saying “I don’t know” to whatever you ask. I left Durban that day frustrated and shocked for the poor service that I received at the dealership. How can Audi Durban treat me in this manner where as I bought the vehicle in their dealership and why is the no answers for a vehicle that clearly proves to be faulty?? Is it lack of skills in the dealerships? Is this how Audi treats its customers? I left Durban on the same day after 5pm to Richards bay. Once again as prove that the vehicle is not properly attended to at the Dealerships and clearly the “no fault found” report is a lie, the gearbox malfunction warning popped up. I did exactly what was instructed by Richards bay and Durban dealership to not switch off the ignition when the fault pops up. I called Audi assist and Babalwa arranged a tow truck to collect my vehicle to Audi Umhlanga for Devin ( Technician ) to attend to it. I waited for 50minutes on the N2 for the tow truck to arrive with the ignition on as instructed. On arrival, I let the tow truck driver aware that the vehicle must not be switched off and he told me he was informed of it. Babalwa also arranged me mobility to get to Richardsbay from Avis that was only valid until Sunday, 17th January. Around 10:30pm, the tow truck driver texted me and told me that there is no one at Audi Umhlanga to receive my vehicle and when he calls the Technician, his response is that he cannot come out because of the curfew. The tow truck driver was then given authority by Audi to take my vehicle to their own yard and switch the ignition off without my consent. The tow truck driver communicated this with me and I told him I don’t have answers to that as the vehicle is in Audi’s control and that they instructed me to not switch off the ignition as it is the only way the fault can be attended to. I have left messages for Robin who is the case manager for my vehicle to call me back and till today, 21st January, she has never called to explain why my vehicle was not accepted at Audi on the 18th Jan as promised?, why it was taken to the tow truck yard?, why it was switched off before it could be attended to?, why have I not been arranged mobility as the vehicle is still in Umhlanga for repairs? Today, it is the 21st Jan, I still don’t know the status of my vehicle. I have left message with Earl at customer care to have Robin call me back and she has failed to do. I called and spoke to Cicila and Nicole also from customer care asking to be put through to the MD’s office so I can escalate my complain. They refuse to put me through, instead they put me through to Robin who doesn’t have time to call me back and answer my questions.