I was slapped with £23K bill when my car broke down on the day my cover ran out

A DRIVER is fuming after Audi asked him to foot a £23,000 bill for a breakdown he claims is due to shoddy workmanship.

Simon Elmore was lumped with the whopping claim on his insurance when his Audi G7 spluttered to a halt just days after a repair – and mere hours after his warranty ran out.

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The contract manager explained he took his motor into the Stafford Audi garage in Staffs, West Mids, on Bonfire Night last year for a routine service.

Simon, 58, explained he’d been having issues with an engine rattle, which he was told could be due to an issue with the timing chain tensioner.

Simon paid £150 towards the repair, with the rest covered by his Audi warranty.

He told The Sun: “I’ve been a customer for 20 years, with two cars, and it’s been fine.”

But he explained that after a quick three-mile round trip to the shops a week later, he didn’t use the car again until November 24.

On November 23 Simon said he received an email from Audi reminding him that his warranty was to run out that night, at midnight.

Simon said: “I tried to do it on the app two or three times, but when I hit the ‘start cover’ button, it did nothing.”

On November 24, Simon had to make a 63 mile trip to Stratford-upon-Avon for work, popping by the garage on his way home to pick up an invoice for the 3150 repair.

He said: “This is the first time I’ve used the car since a major repair.

“I got onto the M40 and, five minutes later, the car juddered to a halt. I had to get onto the hard shoulder and get my bearings.

“Two or three minutes later I press the start button and it says ‘system failed.’

“I just thought ‘oh my God,’ I’ve just had it repaired – I’ve driven less than 100 miles.”

Simon quickly phoned up Stafford Audi, who agreed to take a look at the vehicle, despite its warranty expiring that morning.

The 58-year-old said mechanics were “keen to see what had gone wrong with the vehicle” so soon after repairs.

After a gruelling four-hour wait on the side of the road, poor Simon had to rope in his son to come and wait with the car – while he drove his son’s own vehicle home as he was vulnerable and couldn’t stand out in the chilly November air much longer.

I just thought ‘oh my God,’ I’ve just had it repaired – I’ve driven less than 100 miles.

Simon Elmore

Two days later, Simon popped in to get some things from his car and said he spoke to a worker, who assured him the costs would be covered by Audi.

He was told again that it could be an issue with the timing, which Simon thinks could be linked to the previous repair.

I said to him: “Okay, well I presume the costs for that are going to be covered for that? And he said yes, the costs would be covered.”

Simon then followed up with an email to this effect, seen by The Sun.

In their reply, the garage does not acknowledge or dispute the fact that they will cover costs.

He also renewed his warranty over the phone, as he could not get thew app to work.

But to his horror, as he logged in, Simon saw that a whopping £23,000 claim had been plugged onto the fresh warranty following the breakdown.

He said: “It wasn’t even in force at the time, as far as I’m concerned it’s a repair that’s gone wrong – the warranty was for future use.”

AUD OF ORDER

And Simon claims he was then told by the garage that costs wouldn’t be covered – and the breakdown was coincidental, and nothing to do with the most recent repair.

He fumed: “I know why they’re not saying it, because if they turn round and agree it’s a problem with the timing, then it’s an admission of bad workmanship.

“I can’t prove it, obviously, but that’s what I believe.”

He added: “I had an email on the January saying ‘You need to authorise repairs of £23,000 or come and collect your broken vehicle.

“I can’t afford £23,000, so I told them I would have to come and get it.”

To his horror, Simon was then informed that the engine and the gearbox had both been removed from the Audi G7.

When he arrived at the garage Simon said his car was “totally stripped to bits”.

Simon is now faced with an impossible dilemma of forking out for the repairs, or being lumped with a car that doesn’t work – and half of which is in boxes.

As far as I’m concerned it’s a repair that’s gone wrong – the warranty was for future use.

Simon Elmore

He said that he has made several complaints, including to Audi garage’s head office in Crewe, but so far hasn’t had any luck.

Simon added: “They’ll just say it’s nothing to do with them.

“They even loaned me a car at the time because I think they thought it was their error – that’s my point of view.”

An Audi spokesperson told The Sun: “Audi UK is aware of the ongoing situation regarding Mr Elmore and his vehicle.

“The failure in question occurred outside of the vehicle’s warranty; we are reviewing all of the evidence of Mr Elmore’s concern and will attempt to bring the situation to a positive conclusion once reviewed.”

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