I will tell you my experience with buying second hand cars here in switzerland.
Based on my kilometers per year, I`m used to change the cars each 2 up to 3 years. I germany, I never had any big issues to buy a second hand car.
So... in 2009, I decided to buy my first car here in switzerland. I bought a Skoda Superb 2.5TDI V6 from a garage. They were nice, offered me a warranty over an insurance for 1 year. It was second hand, no accident ... Nice.
I made a deal with them. I could reduce the price a little bit and they should give the car to AMAG to make the big service.
End of the story... they made the service by themselve with the result, that they nearly "killed" the V6 TDI and I needed to bring the car to AMAG because of the dead engine...
After AMAG fixed it I left to my winter holidays to germany. With the car, it was possible to drive 240km/h... What I did from time to time. I realized that I had some issues to stop the car. OK. 2 tons of car.. but the brakes should be ok.
Than in germany, I drove to a garage to have look and later they called me. "Someone" cutted the cable from the brake pads to the computer to avoid an error message in the cockpit of the car
That means, I already bought the car with already finish breaks - knowing that I will use the car in german highways. Of course, I saw that I have to change in a couple of month the breaks but knowing that the car will tell me when...
So I made photos, changed the pads and after the holidays, I went to the garage and they never said something. They paied me the price for the pads..that`s all.
Later, I had a look in the documents for the warranty insurance and I saw that this insurance will end after 20.000km or one year.. Great.. I already drove 21.000km.. sh...t OK.. than I could identifiy that this car had an heavy accident.
Hm...the garage told me accident free. OK.. look into the contract.. Arg.. he didn`t fixed it the contract. I tried to get in contact with the garage but I never got a feedback.
Over the 1 year I drove the car, I paied 10.000CHF for repairs on the top of the sales price and I could only sold for 50% under the price I paied...
OK.. one expensive point more on the list..."What not do to again"
So I was looking for another car.. I spent days to check the swiss and german market for an Audi TT.
Finally I made the decision to buy in switzerland from a Audi Garage to get sure to get the best service etc. In total I had a look for 13 TT`s and I can tell you, it`s a mess what kind of cars the people offer to you. In the internet, they looked good, but in reality... No comments.
As mentioned before, I bought than my TT from an Audi garage close to the german border. Built 2004, 3.2 liter with the famous DGS ...
Reduce the price... no way .... not 5 franks...nothing.. OK, the offered my a "full" warranty by Quality 1 and I was suprised about this.. 100% ? Several time I asked the sales person and finaly he gave me some additional information AND... yes. 100% of the work but 70% of the parts.
I see, this guy is very good informed about the products he wants to sell..
Than he told me, that the DSG is new..changed 15tkm before but the service book is missing. No problem, he told me, you will get a new one. OK.. all services done by Audi... I couldn`t see here an issue..
Of course, I made a testdrive (only 20min) and I already could see that the break are dead. (We speak here about min. 1.800CHF for this car..).
The engine was nice, no strange noise, some scratches, leather ok, gearbox not 100% smooth during transmission shift, but ok. If the gearbox is new..
I spoke with him after the testdrive about the breaks and he told me that they will make the MFK new and if they have to make the brakes new, they will do. Otherwise not..OK
End of the story, I got the car 1 week later with fresh brakes and new 2 years MFK. I started the engine the first time... PIEEEEEEEP. Light error. Oh know.. This car has xenon.
Back to the garage and they had a look and 15min later they told me that the electronic control box is the reason. I have to come back to change. I told them that they can send me the pieces and I will do. They accepted.
Than I left.... Was nice.. 250km back home with average consumptiopn of 7.6 liter with 250 PS ;-)
Than I got the new part for the lights and I bought before new xenon bulbs for 150CHF in germany to get sure, everything is fresh. I changed...but same issue.. Not each time I switched on the light.. but several times. OK I need a complete new light unit.. sh..t
But this issue.. I forgot over the time. But what I recognized very strong vibrations with each transmission shift..
OK, I have an insurance which covers all these things. I had a look what I would need.. hm.. ah. copy of the service book. Ok I went down to the car to have a look. WOW. empty service book ? But the guy told me...
The day after I called the garage and I got as an answer, that he told me that they have no service book. I answered that he promised me to give me copy.. etc..
A couple of weeks later I got the service book with 1 entry.. done by ATU..that means.. no clear "Audi" history... I saw again my money flying away for the time I will sell my car... Ahh. not again such a bad story...like I had for the Skoda. Ande he sent me invoices from Audi about the new DSG. But what the hell ? They only changed the mechatronic and not the gearbox. Again one point more what is not in line, what the person told me..
The vibrations became more an more stronger and it was difficult to drive relaxt.
Than I decided to give the car back to the Audi garage where I bought it to have a look for the issue. Of course, they told me that I can give the car also to Audi Lausanne but I told them that I prefer that they should have a look.
Until this time, I drove only 2.000km and it was 2 months ago I bought the car. I already spend 1.500CHF for smaller urgent repairs... because of damages not covered by the insurance and the missing service book..
With nice vibrations and strange noise from the engine.. I drove 250km to the Audi garage. I can tell you that the testdrive with one person from the garage was sucessfull. He got scared to drive with the car..
1 week later, they called me to tell me that the xenon is 100% ok.. no issue (of course.. a new light unit costs 1.500CHF ) but they found the issue for the vibrations. It was a damage in the oilcooler from the DSG. So some cooling liquid from the engine went into the oil of the DSG and destroyed the 2 clutches and the mechatronic.
The DSG alone costs 7.000CHF and they found an issue with a bearing on the well. The first calculation was 2.500CHF for me.. But I told them that I`m not willing to pay after 2.000km with the car this amount.. 1 day after, they called me again and told me a different number and I agreed.
So.. currently I`m waiting for my car... After two months driving now 3 weeks without..Great..
Bought at Audi.. but this made no difference... Customer service 0, quality not better than from a privat person..Communication with dealy or no feedback...
I can tell you, this will be my last second hand car I will buy in switzerland. With two cars here the same bad experience... Not with my..
Sorry for the long text... and thanks for reading..
Andreas