Audi A4

Owners' views on the quality of Audi dealerships were blunt: "Still in the top half of the chart, but should we be expecting more? After all, BMW is 10 places higher." So read the Auto Express Driver Power 2004 report, which ranked the quality of dealer networks run by the top 34 manufacturers.
Nearly 40,000 readers took part, so the results are indisputable. And Audi came in at 14th spot, just above budget manufacturer Hyundai. We have to admit that our experience with our long-term A4 2.5 TDI Cabriolet has been disappointing too.
When the car's service indicator flashed up at 13,000 miles, it was a surprise, since we'd been told not to expect it until around 18,000. However, we made a booking with Audi's flagship Whetstone Audi in north London. The booking was taken efficiently, and the offer for a courtesy car was accepted gratefully. But when we arrived, the dealer had no record of the booking. The service advisor said our call had been taken by a temp not qualified to make appointments! We could either rebook, or be squeezed in later that day, as long as we did without a courtesy car. With the service light blazing, we walked to the Tube station, aggrieved.
The car was finished on time, but the £270.51 bill came as a shock, as the first service is little more than an oil change. It would have been higher, until we complained about the charge for screenwash. The reservoir had been filled the previous night, but the garage still tried to charge us for a refill! Interestingly, the dealer called and E-mailed after the service to ask if we were satisfied. I mentioned the problems, but have yet to get a reply...
When the service light lit up at 26,000 miles, we pondered whether to risk Whetstone again, but decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. This time there was no confusion about a courtesy car - we could either have an appointment within a few days without one, or wait three weeks - so we were on the Tube again.
The car was finished on time, but when we collected it, the A4 hadn't been cleaned, so we waited half an hour while a sponge was wiped over it. Since we'd been billed £309.25 for the service, it seemed sensible to get our money's worth. The mechanics did sort out the squeaking roof though, although this has since returned. The service manager also took time to point out the worn front tyres. His quote for the pair was £500 - we eventually got them elsewhere for £391.60.
In the end, we may have been better off to have paid the £500, because the company which fitted the new tyres seriously scraped both alloys in the process. They will need refinishing by a specialist before the car goes back to Audi.
And the A4 continues to be in the wars. First it was hit from behind while stationary at traffic lights - leading to a £152.75 repair by London mobile paint scuffs and dent specialists Chips Away. Then the Audi was whacked while parked outside a chapel in Ware, Hertfordshire - by the church's minibus. I'll be reporting on my mission to get the dented front wheelarch repaired at a competitive price in our next report.
With all these trials and tribulations, it's great to report the good news. Summer is coming, the sun is shining - and we've already gone topless on several occasions. As one of the best-looking convertibles on the market, wind-in-the-hair motoring in the A4 is a refined and stylish experience.