Another reason why I'll never buy another Audi

My car was due for its first service, so I phoned my local Audi garage (they call themselves a 'service centre'). £350 they quoted, brazen as anything.

I asked my friendly local mechanic for an alternative quote. "£85," he said, "and we'll use genuine Audi parts."

I thought I'd better check my leasing arrangement, only to find it invalidates the warranty if I don't use Audi themselves to do the work.

So I took the car in yesterday. They phoned me halfway through the morning to say it needed a few extra bits and pieces done. I confirmed that would be OK. Then they asked if I wanted the brakes serviced at the same time. For an extra one-hundred-and-something pounds, plus parts.

What, isn't it all done as part of the overall service?

Apparently not.

And it wasn't suggested at the time I booked the main service, even though they knew it would be necessary?

Oh no.

So now I'm more than £500 worse off, and feeling very grumpy.

You might be wondering what this experience has to do with this blog. Well, my experience of Audi customer care is a pretty Bad Ad for them.

P.S. And here's the first reason.

COMPETITION!

I was researching today's post when I discovered another blog about Bad Ads.

"Whaaaat!" I hear you cry.

Why yes. And it's a whole lot better than mine is. Longer. Funnier. With more comments. AND with the opportunity to submit ads and vote.

It's even won prizes!!!

Why not get yourself a cuppa, click the link above and have a read? (Warning, do allow plenty of time for this, you'll be sorry to miss any.)

Then come back here for an alternative view. More female, succinct and upbeat. Maybe.

*Note to self: Have a good rant in future. It obviously works.

Words that should be used more often (part 6)

"Doink"

As used in the Ikea mattress-testing ad.

Watch it at Visit for Info.

Twist in the tale

Woman comes home from work. Sees man running romantic candle-lit* bubble bath. Assumes it's for her.

Sigh, how sweet.

Changes into her dressing gown. Returns to bathroom. Man is in bath himself.

Sigh, how typical.

*TV ad for Glade flameless candles

That Nick Parks is a genius!

Leonard Cheshire Disability have used his claymation characters in their campaign to change attitudes to disability and remove the barriers faced by disabled people across the UK.

Change the way YOU see disability. Watch the ads. Please.

A family affair

I like the script in the new Digestives TV ad, where the wheat son is talking to his wheat parents. Wheat Dad says: "I'm all ears" at the beginning. Wheat Mum says "You'll have a field day" at the end.

Last time I had lunch with my parents, my mum served up a lemon meringue pie with a surprise layer of mango in it. I renamed it lemon merango pie and laughed 'til I cried!

We love puns in my family (although some people can't digest them).

Imagination

I saw a TV ad tonight for Président Emmental cheese, where a young girl looks inside the fridge and sees the cheese-maker in his cellar, choosing only the most select pieces for sale. She looks again, and sees a normal wedge of cheese in its wrapping on the shelf.

Fantastic, I thought. It's like the magical world of Narnia that we all hope is really beyond the back of the wardrobe. Or the everlasting question of whether the light stays on when the fridge door is closed. Or the idea that there are real little people inside our television sets and radios...

Hardly cheesy at all.

Yet another Loose Women sponsor

Regular readers will know that I occasionally treat myself to watching this girly chat show as I eat my lunch.

I've written before about Café Switch coffee and Brantano shoes who used to sponsor the programme. Now the show is topped and tailed by Maltesers.

I think the actress in these ads is brilliant!

But I'm slightly worried that the sponsorship won't help the brand...it obviously hasn't worked for the brands that preceded it, or they would still be the sponsors.

Fame...Remember My Name!

I guess that's what the HSA are trying to do with their annoying talking sleeve puppet. Hey, Just Say.

I liked it better when they used acronyms instead.

Note to all businesses: Give yourself a proper name, not meaningless initials, then you won't experience this problem.

Ads I wish I'd written (part 5)

Warning: this ad may offend!