In an apparent effort to avoid any unpleasant surprises on the road, a California woman got her Audi A3 inspected by a dealership before driving to Arizona. She was therefore shocked when it broke down soon after her arrival.
TikTok user Jenna (@jennaruperto) posted a video about the situation last week.
She explains, “Before I left California, I had Audi check out my car to make sure it was safe to drive here to Arizona. When I got here, my battery completely died.”
“Did Audi in California tell me that my battery was fully corroded with a crack in it?” Jenna says. “No. Did Audi in California tell me I had no brakes in the back? No, not at all.”
“So since I’ve been here, I’ve had to have brakes replaced, my oil changed, my tires rotated, the splash guard under my car put back up there twice now, and my brake fluid changed. Now I’m having transmission problems.”
At least the dealership in Scottsdale put her in a fancy new loaner, she says.
“I’m half tempted to say, ‘Keep my car, I’m going to buy this one from you,’” Jenna admits. “They have not given me a quote yet on what my car’s going to cost. Before I left, Audi quoted me $9,200. I don’t think my 10-year-old little Audi A3 is even worth $9,200 anymore.”
It’s not clear what the $9,200 quote from the California dealership would cover. Whatever it was, according to Jenna, those repairs were just the beginning of her car troubles.
What to Do Before a Road Trip
The arguably frustrating thing about Jenna’s tale is that she tried to do the right thing.
Car experts highly recommend getting your car inspected before taking off on a long road trip. There’s no such thing as a guarantee your car won’t break down, but by getting it inspected beforehand, you’re (at least hopefully) making it much less likely that what happened to Jenna will happen to you.
Kelley Blue Book recommends checking:
- Tire pressure,
- Wiper blades,
- Fluid levels,
- Headlights, and
- Heating and AC.
It’s also a good time to take care of any overdue maintenance, such as oil changes, battery checks, and tire rotations.
Kelly Blue Book also urges drivers to take the opportunity to stock up on safety kit essentials, such as portable batteries, a first aid kit, jumper cables, and a tire jack.
‘More Like the Owdi’
Jenna finished her post with a plea for advice from people who know more about Audis.
In the comments, viewers offered their own Audi repair stories and opinions on which dealership told her the truth.
“I just got rid of my 2011 Audi with 150k miles and it was my favorite car,” one person wrote. “Yeah, it had some issues. Had to do brakes, fuel pump, PCV, and turbo—but that comes with a 14-year-old car. And, yes, I got a brand new Audi, because I love the brand.”
“Arizona is where batteries and transmissions go to die,” said a second person. “Oh, and tires.”
“Those Audi [salesmen] in Arizona are geniuses,” said a third person. “Taking people’s money and then selling you a new car afterwards.”
Jenna replied, “Definitely not happening.”
Multiple commenters suggested it’s the brand, not the dealership.
“It’s an Audi…what do you expect?” wrote one.
Wrote another, “It’s more like the Owdi. Sorry.”
In an update, Jenna says the Arizona dealership told her it would cost $6,000 to fix her transmission. Between that and the $9,200 estimate she got in California, she’s ready to retire the 10-year-old Audi A3.
“We’re going to put her to rest,” she says. “My brother is going to go pick her up and tinker on her and see if there’s anything he can do.”
Motor1 reached out to Jenna via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll be sure to update this if she responds.
