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| - This review is specifically for the Service Department only. I'm giving Audi of Charlotte's Service Department 4 stars for amazing, quality cosmetic workmanship. They refaced all four of the rims on our car to make them look brand-new!
This review is for all the wives and girlfriends out there who have driven their husband/boyfriend's sports car and somehow, the curb got too close to the car. I can't begin to describe to you the doe eyes I feigned when my boyfriend asked me if I knew anything about the scratch on his rims with the most pained look in his eyes...
TIP: The person who refaced the rims and does minor cosmetic repairs is only available on Mondays, and only if it isn't raining because he works outdoors.
Amazing workmanship. For less than 10% of the cost of completely replacing our scratched and scuffed rims, Audi of Charlotte refaced them and literally made them look like they are brand-new. There is no trace of any remnant scuff or scrape on any of the rims. The fact that they offer this service is a godsend!!! They did mention that they would perform this service for non-Audi vehicles but without the benefit of the complementary loaner (see below). Further, they state that they can perform other minor cosmetic repairs, including fixing our scuffed bumper (my bad...again) and matching our multidimensional, upgraded paint to boot!
Loaner vehicle offered almost immediately. Because the process takes a few hours, Audi offered me a complimentary loaner vehicle (new A3 that still had the new car smell but no navigation) that was available almost instantaneously.
Customer service; this is where they fall short of 5 stars.
The good.
+ They have a waiting area that is stocked with complimentary drinks and snacks (that's not uncommon for most dealerships).
+ The work was done in a few hours; expedient, quality workmanship is always greatly appreciated.
+ The service managers are polite and courteous.
Room for improvement.
_ Underquote; overcharge. They quoted me "at least $90 per tire." Ok. So 4 tires = $360 plus tax; however, my total invoice was $400 plus tax. I didn't quibble over the $10 because in the whole scheme of things, it's still a great deal and we didn't have to replace the rims since it was just a cosmetic repair. BUT... It's the principle. If you tell me that it's $90, then charge me $90. Otherwise, tell me that it is $100 per tire so that I expect $100. Just manage my expectations and we'll be great. Don't pull the bait and switch, regardless of how minuscule the price deviation.
_ Soppy wet loaner vehicle. The loaner that they gave me was still dripping, sopping wet, with soap suds on it. Coming from many years of BMW and recently Mercedes, and Audi of LA complementary service, this is a first. Every loaner that I've received was clean AND dried. In their defense, perhaps because they told me that the car would be available in 3 minutes, they wanted to honor that timeframe but I wouldn't have died if they were still wiping off the car.
_ Lack of information. After the rims are refaced, there is a lacquer placed on the surface that apparently makes the brakes feel a little delayed; they keep rotating even when the brake pedal is fully depressed and they make a horrible groaning sound. This would have been good to know BEFORE I left the lot. I noticed this while I was driving away and within 10 minutes, I decided to turn back and have Audi inspect them. The service manager THEN informed me that the lacquer and corresponding braking delay was normal and would wear off in a few days. Properly functioning brakes are REALLY critical; this would have been good to know before I left the dealership, especially if this is typically something that I should anticipate.
_ Friendliness. When I walked in to the department, there were 4 men, standing around, none of whom made eye contact with me and greeted me. It took a good 3-4 minutes of me standing there expectantly before they addressed me. This is just a gesture of common courtesy, guys. You're not THAT busy; you're not performing brain surgery, after all. Take a minute to greet people when they enter, it doesn't cost you anything to look up for one second to say, "Hello, we'll be right with you."
Overall, the Audi of Charlotte Service Department is getting 4 stars for giving me what I paid for, refacing my rims to brand-new condition. They didn't get 5 stars because I expect luxury customer service at a luxury dealership.
Update: we had our bumper repaired for about $350. You can tell that the paint doesn't match, especially in sunlight. I would recommend sticking to rim repair only.
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