

Audi 'lied' about safety testing of vehicles - efficientarch
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27392157

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duarose
To those saying "it was the dealers, not Audi" I would say that becoming a
dealer (in the UK at least) for a brand like Audi is not a simple matter of
just applying to stick the Audi/VW badge up over the door. Audi have a
responsibility to vet their official dealers. It's the expectation here. So it
was the dealers directly, but since they are acting as Audi's representatives,
I'd consider Audi to be culpable also.

~~~
mzs
I don't know about UK, but in US I have a blast every time I go to a
dealership cause of all the fibbing and BS I hear. Of course it's not every
salesman, but it happens a lot. One time I was buying a Dodge minivan and I
was using the safety rating which I had compared earlier as a reason it should
pay even less. The salesman told me I was wrong, that it had the best safety
rating cause the steel was thicker! He even said I should check on his
computer! I mean this is like poker level stuff. I have heard the best stories
when buying cars - like about hidden underground ICBM launch sites where I
work, alien abduction, crazy stuff about Denver airport, how one guy had been
a sniper or spy or something - I love it, it cracks me up inside. I expect UK
dealerships to be similar.

~~~
DanBC
Well, we have strict advertising and trading standards laws.

I imagine that some simple hidden camera work would be enough to make UK
agencies take action - perhaps fake customers of their own - and then take
legal enforcement.

I am kind of surprised that "regulatory enforcemen as a service" does not
exist. Many complaints to the UK ad regulator come from competitors in the
same industry.

The UK government department with responsibility for business got into some
trouble when they issued a leaflet about "dirty tricks" \- which included (if
I remember correctly) 'dumpster diving' to get information. (This would have
been before 2003 and probably before 2000, bt my web searching is too weak to
find references.)

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casca
The BBC title is misleading. The article is clear that it was British Audi
_dealers_ that lied about the cars having done the Euro NCAP safety tests.

~~~
SixSigma
The BBC has click baity headlines throughout. Notice the quote marks around
"lied", which means that the BBC is reporting that someone told them that Audi
lied. Which is, no doubt, a true statement regardless of whether Audi did or
not.

~~~
Eye_of_Mordor
A "lie" requires intent as per the response that "Audi UK said there had not
been any deliberate intent to mislead". Audi dealers did make false claims
which were misleading. You would need something in writing, like an email for
example, to provide the intent and then uncover the "lies".

~~~
SixSigma
It has nothing to do with what Audio did or didn't do. The BBC is quoting what
a third party said to them, a constant theme with modern reporting.

"Audi lied to me," said man.

~~~
DanBC
The BBC is accurately using quotes because they are quoting something. That's
good, especially since the quote is from a BBC programme (BBC Watchdog - a
populist consumer affairs programme). That programme will operate under strict
BBC guidelines and so if they claim that some part of Audo is lying it is more
credible than some random man claiming it.

The problem is not with the quote marks, but with the BBC using its own
programs as a source of news.

This is a reasonable example but they do it all the time. This cross-promotion
is annoying and I'm surprised the BBC news seems happy to allow it to
continue.

~~~
UVB-76
> The problem is not with the quote marks, but with the BBC using its own
> programs as a source of news.

I don't see anything wrong with that.

Although separate from BBC News, much of the work done by the BBC Watchdog
team constitutes investigative journalism. Standard procedure is for
revelations to be publicised in advance of the show to drive interest in the
show.

The number of other major news outlets reporting these revelations suggest
they are certainly newsworthy.

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digitalengineer
>witnessed nine out of 10 dealers from around the country falsely claim

Wait? Car dealers lying? The biggest official BMW dealear in my state got a
lot of bad press when he sold BMW's that had been in an accident and were
repaired as 'PREMIUM Houde Selection' cars...

~~~
rurounijones
Not that much further

> "Forty-eight of the 50 dealers I spoke to told me directly that it had been
> put through the Euro NCAP programme and it had a five-star rating."

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buyx
I know of two cases where Audi dealers acted unethically with people I know in
South Africa. Is there a worldwide pattern?

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chrisBob
Why does the A7 in the picture have an A5 badge on it? Car names in other
countries are so confusing.

~~~
wildebaard
Because it actually is an A5 and not an A7. At least, that holds for the
Benelux. I do understand the confusion, as they are very similar at first
glance.

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miamidesign
Title is misleading, it was the dealers.

~~~
tonylemesmer
The Audi trademark is used on Audi dealers and therefore Audi as sensible
organisation should check and influence how their cars are represented. To the
average consumer there is little or no difference between "Audi" and, for
example, "Blade Audi"

~~~
arethuza
My experience in the UK (with BMW and various VW brands) are that if you
interact with a dealer then the car company phones you a few days later to ask
you to rate the dealer - so it is pretty clear that they are separate
organisations.

Most dealership staff pretty much plead with you to say nice things to the car
company when they call - or at least if there are any problems you tell them
first.

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EliRivers
Audis in the UK have a persistent safety flaw; it's suspected to be something
to do with the glass used in the windscreen (windshield for our US readers).
When you sit in the driving seat of an Audi, all other road users become
invisible.

