Just an inconsequential accessory?

[otherclive]

Audi website says they are no longer building the A5 for sale in U.K., so I suspect the OPs car may well have been the run out version, and due to some error the order for towbar was accepted but not fulfilled.

 

[Van Fisher]

Audi website says they are no longer building the A5 for sale in U.K., so I suspect the OPs car may well have been the run out version, and due to some error the order for towbar was accepted but not fulfilled.

As far as I am aware, that is just the 2 door coupe and the cabrio.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Audi are correct to direct you to the dealer, becasue the CRA follows the contract, and your contract is with the dealer not Audi. It's the dealer that has failed to meet the contract with you. The arrangements between the dealer and AUDI are none of your concern. Even though it appears the manufacturer has not completed the car to your specification, you can only bring an action against the seller who is the dealer and or the finance house if one was involved.

 

[RogerL]

Audi are correct to direct you to the dealer, becasue the CRA follows the contract, and your contract is with the dealer not Audi. It's the dealer that has failed to meet the contract with you. The arrangements between the dealer and AUDI are none of your concern. Even though it appears the manufacturer has not completed the car to your specification, you can only bring an action against the seller who is the dealer and or the finance house if one was involved.

It's not all about legal action under CRA - car makers' customer services have a great deal of power and can support both the customer and the dealer if the problem is at the factory - so don't be so ready to dismiss their value.

 

[Dustydog]

Audi / VAG and Main Audi Dealers have an aversion to negative publicity.
Journalists like Kate Morley of the Daily Telegraph specialise fighting these type of cases. One for a consider if all the other good suggestions fail.
I still believe CRA is your most powerful weapon. Sad as it is to be in this position😢

 

[ProfJohnL]

It's not all about legal action under CRA - car makers' customer services have a great deal of power and can support both the customer and the dealer if the problem is at the factory - so don't be so ready to dismiss their value.

I was not dismissing their value, simply pointing out the way the UK contacts law applies and the fact that Audi as a manufacturer are not cotracurally obliged to the OP.

 

[Buckman]

It's not all about legal action under CRA - car makers' customer services have a great deal of power and can support both the customer and the dealer if the problem is at the factory - so don't be so ready to dismiss their value.

Cannot agree with that entire statement as at times they can also be very obstructive. If they think they are in the right, even if in the eyes of consumers they are wrong, you are up against a brick wall. All they care about is whether the car was manufactured correctly and works within their parameters. In this case, a towbar is not their concern.

They will generally try and push you towards the dealer to resolve the issue. Been through that in the past year on two different occasions.

 

[RogerL]

Cannot agree with that entire statement as at times they can also be very obstructive. If they think they are in the right, even if in the eyes of consumers they are wrong, you are up against a brick wall. All they care about is whether the car was manufactured correctly and works within their parameters. In this case, a towbar is not their concern.

They will generally try and push you towards the dealer to resolve the issue. Been through that in the past year on two different occasions.

I can't speak of Audi UK as I haven't had an Audi - but in the case of Vauxhall UK, Hyundai UK, Volkswagen UK and Lunar UK they've all been very helpful for me and my dealer in resolving issues that my dealer couldn't/wouldn't resolve - all done without resorting to legal action which would have been a last resort, not a first action.

I wonder whether contributors threat of CRA simply puts their dealer into confrontation mode and reduces the chance of a negotiated settlement.

 

[Buckman]

I can't speak of Audi UK as I haven't had an Audi - but in the case of Vauxhall UK, Hyundai UK, Volkswagen UK and Lunar UK they've all been very helpful for me and my dealer in resolving issues that my dealer couldn't/wouldn't resolve - all done without resorting to legal action which would have been a last resort, not a first action.

I wonder whether contributors threat of CRA simply puts their dealer into confrontation mode and reduces the chance of a negotiated settlement.

In our case, Hyundai and Lunar were most unhelpful. However with Lunar CRA did not exist at the time and my knowledge of SOGA was very limited. I gave up on Hyundai UK and resolved the issue with help from the Hyundai FB group! Hyundai UK and the dealer were unable to help as they did not reply and it was a simple inquiry. Best we had was Lexus who went over and beyond to resolve an issue.

Using CRA as an attack weapon is not very wise and one should exhaust all other avenues i.e. polite phone calls, emails etc before resorting to CRA 2015. Unfortunately the problem with polite calls, emails etc sadly some dealers will simply either ignore you or fob you off as they assume you will go away eventually.