I Basically Just Lost My Car

**FACT** · 06-26-2008 05:25 PM

Before I begin my little story I just want to thank the great people at the Interstate Star Auto corporation. None of this would be possible without you!

To begin, I bought my 2001 a4 1.8TQM just over a year ago from a (seemingly) good audi dealership. I didn't get it for cheap either. All in all it cost me ~10,000 for the car which to the naked eye was in very good condition and relatively low mileage (69,000).

I've had a plethora of problems with the car that I don't have the stomach to list honestly. Many of these issues I paid for out of pocket, and lived with it because I really liked this car. I have had all maintenance done including replacing the turbo, getting a timing belt job, doing regular synthetic oil changes, etc. One thing I have yet to mention is that when I bought the car, I also opted to purchase optional "warrantee" coverage by the above mentioned Interstate company. This warrantee cost me an additional ~$1800 over the initial $10000 I paid for the car. I knew the 1.8 was a tricky engine and I wanted to cover my ass in cases like I will now explain.

So I'm driving down a local highway on my way to get lunch and some gas when I feel a jolt and see black smoke in my rearview mirror. The car then proceeds to shut off and so I coast it over into the emergency lane. This isn't the first time this is happened to me either. (After replacing my timing belt the first time, the tensioner broke causing the belt to fail and all my valves to get bent and such. The company that made the tensioner took responsibility and covered the cost of the rebuilt head.) Knowing what had happened from first hand experience, I knew the car was not drivable and called a tow service to take it to a local place that does a lot of audi work. I find out that the tensioner had broken AGAIN and that I would need a new head for my engine. They say that this time it wasn't the fault of the tensioner but that the actual metal bolt that holds the tensioner to the engine had snapped off.

No big deal right? My warrantee company covers this sort of thing! Well here I am, I've had a rental car for over 2 weeks waiting to hear from the company to make sure a new head will be covered. I call the shop today to get an update and I am told that "The warrantee company understands what happened and will cover a new tensioner". Wow. Thanks for realizing that the failed tensioner bolt is what caused the head to be destroyed and covering the entire extent of the damage I paid you to cover. So I'm sitting here looking a needing a brand new (or used) engine head. I am still making payments on the fucking car and cannot pay for a new head. I'm going to keep fighting this with the company but its not looking good. I just hope the value of the car as it is now is enough to get me out of this mess. Only problem is that I will be out $10,000 and a CAR.

TL:DR - Fuck you Interstate Star Auto and fuck all the greedy shits that work there.

**njm23** · 06-26-2008 05:48 PM

Wow, that really sucks. sorry to hear that. Shitty dealership IMO if you had that many problems with the car and they are of no help to you.

I can think of plenty of people on here who would buy that with the head messed up, as long as the price was good, me being one of them.

**UN-PIMP-Z-A4** · 06-26-2008 05:52 PM

this sounds like you need a lawyer...
Good luck with your fight.
Start getting your paper work and evidence ready for your case.

**Squarrl** · 06-26-2008 06:01 PM

you had two tensioners fail in what time span?

**mike-2ptzero** · 06-26-2008 06:31 PM

Well first off I would tell them they are going to cover everything or end up asking for my $1800 seeing that they are not holding up there end which was paid for in advance. This is exactly why I dont buy into the "extended warranty" BS since I had a dealer do exactly the same thing to my wife when they didn't replace a thermastat during a water pump change and 500 miles later the engine blew because the thermastat blew, they then told us that the extended warranty doesn't cover that part if it fails. LOL, talk about a shitty dealer. Good thing is that they went out of business because they SUCKed.

**Burntaudi** · 06-26-2008 08:34 PM

I've been in a similar situation. First you need to make sure they know you mean business. Have you spoke to the warranty company directly? You need to call them and talk to a manager. Don't take no for a answer.

If then you still haven't gotten anywhere with them. File a complaint with the state attorney general that the warranty is based out of. Talking to the attorney general is what worked for me.

If all else fails. It's not that expensive to have a independent shop replace the head...if you have the dealer do it your gonna get raped.