This IS a long read but I have a feeling it will be worth your time and potentially save you headaches.
Dealership in question is known as: "Town Audi", part of the "Town Motors" network @ 400 South Dean Street Englewood, NJ 07631-4138
Here are some things to be carefully noted before I begin:
- Town Audi IS listed as a Stage 3 Forum Advertiser, solely due to work of: John Kwon who used to work there. As far as I know the only account(s) that exists for Town Audi are: "Town Audi John" & "Town Audi Vinnie" (the latter which has only 2 posts on the entire forum)
- I've visited the dealership 2-3 times before this "experience" while John Kwon was still there and the experiences from those times were fair mostly due to the huge help from John.
- My sales process began with John Kwon, but finished with Catherine Granados
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Initial Sales Associate: John Kwon
Sales Associate: Catherine Granados
CPO Manager: Anthony Riccardi
After Sales Manager (Service Manager): Franklin Scott
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Why the essay?
I've been holding off my steam about this dealer for a very long time. More than just a few months, I gave them a chance, but after learning some new things from others and the most recent experiences with the said dealership, I think it's about time I let this out to make everyone aware.
So here goes my experience.
Part 1 the Purchase:
It all started when my 2006 Audi A4 was totaled in a rear end accident in July of 2011. I used it as my daily driver, literally. So a car for me, is a must, which meant I had to find a replacement quick. At the very time this happened, there wasn't much available on Ebay, or classifieds. Either the car didn't catch my eye or the price wasn't right. After searching those for a few days I contacted two separate dealerships and then John Kwon @ Town Audi.
John informed me that Town Audi has a CPO 2006 Audi S4 in their inventory. Quick run-down of some details got me interested in the car (yes, even though it was a tiptronic), so I setup with John to come and see the car. The price was the lowest around for a CPO B7 S4 with that mileage (comparing to ebay, classifieds and others), and even after tax it was within the price-range I wanted to fit in.
I took the car for a test drive, fell in love with it. Needless to say I was excited, so I did a 'quick' look-over and put down a deposit. Car was suppose to have the goodies such as Bluetooth, Navi and carbon fiber trim, among other things which come as standard on the S4's.
I almost backed out of the deal because I wasn't 100% sure that my A4 would get totaled but it did. Check was sent out, so I filled out the necessary paperwork, got approved to finance via Audi and then the waiting game began to pickup the car.
Waterfest weekend came, I met John there, (Town Audi had a "tent" there) We discussed the car and the sale a little bit and ended up settling on a date, meanwhile guess-estimating when the check would clear.
Shortly after Waterfest (not sure if it was the next day or the day after that) I sent John a text with a question about the car and update on my check situation, to which he replied that someone else will be handling my sale. I immediately called Town Audi to verify, and it was indeed true (no details given) and I was forwarded to the new sales associate (Catherine) . I discussed details, gave update and we set a date and time. At that point I was focused on acquiring the car and not worrying about anything else.
The set date was still the same. It finally came so my brother and I went to get the car. We signed the necessary paperwork, got the "key" and went out to the car. It was "detailed" so it looked pretty clean. I was damn excited and shocked that I will be driving an S4, my dream car. So naturally, I didn't notice the little details except navigation disc not being the latest and incorrect manuals. I did notice that the hood seemed different but i simply thought it was a shitty dealer detail job. So I initially ignored it.
// I live on Long Island and picked the car up on a Thursday. By the time I left the dealership it was the middle of rush hour, so pure traffic so it took me a while to get home, and I had to make some stops. So through ALL that time, I was trying to figure out why i cannot connect to bluetooth, since I mean, I was reassured that it definitely had it, more precisely, direct copy-paste from email from the sales associate (Catherine) “Peter, It is supposed to have Bluetooth so we will look at it when you come in for the plates and the rest of things!” ..I tried multiple phones, no go. After arriving home, I emailed Catherine, verifying bluetooth availability, again & I was given a suggestion on what to try and then was told that it will be checked out when i come in for my registration.
Little did i know that it was the start of a whole bunch of other things...
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Part 2 The nightmare begins...
As I have a very busy schedule, first day or so were spent just being plain excited and transferring whatever I can from the A4 (valentine one hardwire, vag-com mods, LED bulbs, etc) It wasn't until my first wash of the car that I noticed things that simply weren't right, and just made you literally say "WTF is this!?!?" So that's when I started to note things down to bring it to the dealers attention when I come get my registration. I came up with the following list:
CLICK HERE for problems list
(The list is not 100% complete as it was the initial one I sent out. There were other little bits and pieces I've emailed to Catherine addition to this)
If you read through it, you'll probably be surprised at the amount of things listed. Some things that were not listed initially: The fact that i received only 1 main key compared to (2 main & 1 valet) as CPO REQUIRES, scratches on window, small paint peeling on drivers side fender, headlights not aligned... Those things were checked off as meeting Audi requirements on the CPO check list.
When I kept finding new things, I've kept the dealer up-to-date. Precisely, Catherine, to which she has informed that the emails are being relayed to "management" and that they will be in contact with me. After a while, I finally get a call from one of the managers (Anthony). After speaking with him I was told the issues will be taken care of. When I requested a loaner, my age (wasn't 21 at the time) became an issue, so we agreed for me to come in after my birthday in September.
Meanwhile, I was driving on temporary tags waiting for my registration to come which took a whole (20 days) since my registration magically came in the day my tags were to expire, and since I was already at work, I had to drive back home and then to the dealership on expired temporary tags. After arriving at the dealership for my registration, I was re-assured that all the issues will be taken care off at once when I come in September (including bluetooth, as i raised that specific issue MANY times) and that they would want me to come before-hand to meet with the body-shop person to discuss them. We agreed I'll email to confirm and to remind.
So I did. I've sent the reminder email/(s) recapping issues and adding additional items that I've found. No replies were received. So to get their attention, I've sent emails ASKING if previous emails were received (meanwhile I damn well knew they were). I was initially given an excuse about some sort of training going on at the dealership and that i will be getting a reply back. Days later I finally get a reply (Everything now pushed back about a week due to lack of replies) i was asked if its ok for me to come in first week of September. I got in contact with dealer, closer to the week and a date was set.
I visited the dealership, met with body shop person and the others and to my surprise, Anthony didn't seem too SHOCKED at how the car was screwed up but rather it seemed like he was trying to back out of certain repair costs blaming the fact that the car is USED. There was definitely disagreement between me and him. It sort of seemed like he was trying to convince the body shop that not everything has to be done perfectly. I didn't have much to say, either way, Anthony didn't really seem to care what I had to say as I couldn't really get my word across. Probably because I owned a B7 beforehand and I knew my way around how a damn bumper should sit. After some further disagreeing it was eventually said the body shop guy would be busy for the next two weeks, so the next available time I can come would be the third week of September, which was also the week H20 will be happening, which didn't work for me.
I've clearly stated this to Anthony, he definitely understood and we agreed that I will bring the car in for repair the first week AFTER H20.
Between the initial "meeting" and the time I was suppose to drop off the car for repair, I've sent emails to Catherine requesting details about the body shop that will be working on my car. No reply was given. So i played the cat and mouse game a few days later and asked if the email was received. I was given excuse that it wasn't, so i resent it the SAME EXACT WAY that i sent this said email, and then i sent YET another stating it was sent again. No reply given to either. The next day i sent another email asking about it, no reply received.
After H20 I initiated contacted to setup a day to drop off the car. I reached Anthony and was promised to get a phone call back in a few minutes. Hours passed, I never got any phone calls in return. When i called the dealership i was informed he left for the day, then i somehow got transferred over to him, he informed me that he will call back in a few minutes. Day ended, and he never did.
The next day i called again, to which he picked up and accused me of failing to show up the last week (H20 week) and that i failed to notify him, screwing up the plans for the body-shop and him. All blame went on me. and I couldn't even get my word across. Later it was agreed the car will be dropped off the next week and that i will have a loaner for the time the repairs take.
Fast forward to 3 days before the drop off date I called to confirm mulitple times, no answer, so I left voicemails. No phone calls were returned.
The next day, same actions. no phone calls returned.
Somewhere around this time I have contacted Audi of America to open up a case against the dealer. For those who ever called Audi of America, you should know how it goes. I was given the general statement that it will be looked into and investigated.
The day of agreed drop off came. I called AOA for an update, there wasn't anything new.
I also called Anthony. Needless to say, it was a huge shocker to him that it was THE DAY that my car was suppose to be dropped off for repair. So after reminding him it was, he direspectfully asked why I'm not there yet? (I think he missed the many phone calls over the past few days) So I have informed him I can come now, to which he said ok fine. BUT before I left, I figured I'll call again to make sure I'm going to have a loaner waiting for me instead of wasting my time traveling there and then back. I'm glad I did because again he acted surprised telling me I wasn't suppose to get one so there won't be one waiting for me because I can't.
(Now if you read anything above then you would remember my age was an issue for a loaner which is why everything got pushed back to september. Supposedly he was going to hook me up with a loaner once I turned 21)
He then had the guts to accuse me again of not showing up the week of H20 (which was first suggested but we then both agreed that I will show up after that week because i will not be here) He acted like that part of the conversation on that day did NOT exist, and in other words, called me a lier. After some whining back and forth and me again not being able to get my entire word across, I was told i will get a call back within the hour. (I called AOA somewhere in-between)
More than an hour passed and I finally ended up getting a phone call from him. At first I thought it was someone else because the way he spoke to me was completely different. He told me I'm set for next week if that works for me (sure it does), and he re-assured me that I will have a loaner and everything will be taken care of. When I asked him if he is sure and that it wont be a repeat of the last few times, he literally called me a wise guy, accused me of failing to show up again and then tried to make it look like its all my fault and he is just trying to help...
The day eventually came to drop off my car. When I first arrived Anthony gladly took my keys, and said he will be back in like 5 mins with the loaner but then, I waited around for at least a good 30 minutes like an idiot because he ended up being too busy with his business partners or customers at his desk. Eventually, I did get a loaner, but I regret not making a slightly different decision when I was getting inside that loaner. The loaner was probably the biggest disaster of a car I ever sat in, or better yet, drove. The car was beyond filthy. It literally had pieces of ash around the steering wheel (pics to come), stained headliner and visors, just disgustingly dirty overall. How you can give something of such disgust to a customer that just purchased a car from you, is just beyond me. I regret just simply not refusing the car right then and there but I was just too damn pissed already.
When I returned home, I called Anthony to ask about a different loaner, he said this is the only one they have and the only one they can give me due to my "age". When i told him about how bad the car was on the inside he simply told me to take it to a car wash and that i will get reimbursed (I never was btw) Then he said he will see if there is anything else and call me back, he never did and when i called again the next day i was pretty much told the same thing, its either that or nothing. I had no choice but to stick with it, because i need to get to work and school somehow. So i had to invest my own personal money into getting the car into a level where I can somewhat breathe I suffered for about a week or so.
To keep this short (mostly because the timeline document gives more info) I ended up picking up my car after about a week or so, and there was still issues that existed including bluetooth at which point both Catherine and Anthony tried to back-out saying they never mentioned the car had bluetooth. I asked if they are sure they never told me and they both were, UNTIL I showed them BOTH the saved webpage I had and the emails assuring me that it did. So I was told its not possible to add bluetooth and sorry. So i mentioned that an OEM system CAN be retrofitted. Off-course again, he disagreed with me. After some arguing back and forth he said he will look into it and took a list of other issues I had with the car.
On they way home I got a call from Anthony saying he found out that bluetooth can be retoriffted and that we'll setup for me to come in again to do it.
Fast forward and shortened version. I had to make quite a few come-back visits for various issues. I never received the OEM integration of bluetooth but rather aftermarket, which didn't even work the first time around, and just looks tacky the way it is now. Some issues were not fixed and still exist to this day(some of which they said they won't cover since its just considered normal or it was "fixed")
After arguing about bluetooth and it not being OEM I was pretty much told with pure ignorance its either that or nothing. Needless to say I took my keys and left the dealership.
A funny thing to note is that with the other drop-offs I still had to do (at least 3 more), the only cars I got as loaners were all B8's, at least one of which was a fresh 2012 B8 A4, and to all of which I signed the regular loaner paper-work everone else fills out. So if Anthony was supposedly "hooking me up" and being so nice, how come I got B8's as loaners on the next visits but I got a junkyard car the first time around? Is this how a dealership is suppose to treat their customers?
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To view a timeline with dates: Click Here
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Recent Service Warranty Work Refusal
Fast forward to about a week or two ago. I recently found out my outer CV boot was ripped so I went to the dealership specifically stating I have a ripped CV boot. After being questioned to my knowledge of the CV boot being ripped they refused to fix it.
Why? Well according to them my Porsche BBK SENSOR WIRE was the cause of the tear, you know that skinny wire for the sensor, since its supposedly wrapped around the boot and caused it to rip.
For those who don't know, the Porsche brake sensors aren't direct plug and play. So you either have to cut off your stock connector off the stock brakes, or figure out another way. Since I sold my OEM Front Brakes as a whole set, I didn't have the connector, so I was trying different methods of doing the wiring to find one that sticks. So they tried to be smart and showed me pics of one of my FIRST revisions of the wiring, which was re-done by me. For that time I used quick-connects but since they were too big for the small teeny wires, they werent getting a good contact, so i ended up re-doing them shortly after. I soldered the wires BUT when I finished doing so, i ziptied everything TOO tight so when I hit the first bigger bump, the solder just gave way and the wires separated, so I haven't had time to fix it so I've just driven like that.
The dealership service manager (Franklin Scott) and one of his techs, tried to tell me that certain parts are missing because they got ripped off (those certain parts being those quick connects they took pictures off) except they were in for a shock when I told them that I personally removed them. At which point they didn't have a good comeback and just went back to the bs of blaming the loose wire.
1. The wire didn't even reach the part where the boot ripped, and there was no way in hell for it wrap around, as it wasn't even long enough to even do 1 loop!
2. When I demanded an explanation and actual proof of how the "wire" ripped the boot, or better yet, how it wrapped around with such short length, they couldn't provide me with any and pretty much told me they don't have to prove anything. (If I'm not mistaken Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act says otherwise)
3. For those of you who ever replaced the CV boot or saw one in person, they are pretty thick. So take a teeny delicate wire + thick boot, and imagine it being cut when the wire doesnt even reach the area enough to be wrapped around.
I found it very hard to believe what Franklin told me and I left the dealership.
-> Needless to say I went to another dealership.
(I specifically did not tell the dealership anything about previous dealer. I followed the same procedure, I just went in stating CV boot was ripped) I gave them the details, showed them a picture (in which the wire was visible), they ordered the part, 2 days later I came in, got it replaced, and on the work-order it clearly states: NOT CAUSED BY OUTSIDE INFLUENCE
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Short Summary:
(for those that do not want to read it all)
- Customer purchased CPO B7 S4 lowest price around (at the time) from Town Audi in Englewood, NJ
- After a few days of ownership MANY issues noticed and brought to dealers attention, including promised features missing
- Dealership has been giving customer the run-around
- Audi of America had to get involved for anything to even start moving
- Dealership has failed to meet deadlines and fulfill promises
- Dealership has brought false accusations against customer (Accusing customer of lying and not keeping their word)
- Dealership failed to communicate with customer, failing to keep customer updated
- Dealership associates were rude, and disrespectful towards customer
- Dealership fixed only some issues, others still existent. Mostly the major damage and certain things weren't done like they should have been from the start
- Dealership refuses warranty work blaming outside influence. A visit to another dealer clearly states otherwise
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& because pictures speak for themselves:
First loaner:
More pictures can be seen here:
http://photobucket.com/S4Problems
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Closing
What the dealership doesn't seem to realize is that some people have knowledge on certain things. I'm one of those people and I have a decent idea of how things should be. Not completely clueless like others. They see a young male in his 20's, like myself, and they automatically feel like they could push him around. I'm just as much a customer as everyone else, and I deserve the proper customer treatment. This dealership seems to fail in that department.
John Kwon was actually someone who showed initiative to help you out and didn't make you feel like he wants to kick you out the door. Everyone else I dealt with there, is the complete opposite.
I've spoken to certain individuals and it seems like I'm not the only one that has had issues with this dealership.
My opinion is that the dealership manages to get their high ratings due to the representatives literally asking for a good & high rating (all 10s) when it arrives, but there's a lot of false promise going on.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS DEALERSHIP TO ANYBODY
If you or anybody you know had bad experience with this dealership, feel free to chime in.
With that said: I'm now again on the search for a good trustworthy dealership
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Originally Posted by Seerlah
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