NHTSA Complaint #10958884 — 2011 AUDI A3

I RECEIVED A LETTER AND EMAIL FROM MY DEALERSHIP AROUND THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY INFORMING ME THAT MY CAR HAD A DEFECTIVE TAKATA DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG AND TO COME IN AND TALK TO SOMEONE REGARDING MY OPTIONS. I SCHEDULED AN APPT WITH MY DEALERSHIP FOR FEBRUARY 25, 2017 AND MET WITH SARSI KAZIMI, SALES MANAGER, AT KEYES AUDI AT 5239 VAN NUYS BLVD, VAN NUYS, CA 91401. SARSI CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS NOT A REMEDY AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME, AND TRIED TO OFFER ME A TRADE-IN DEAL FOR MY CAR AGAINST ANOTHER AUDI. I CURRENTLY HAVE 1 1/2 YEARS MORE UNTIL FULL PAYOFF OF MY VEHICLE (CAR LOAN THROUGH MY CREDIT UNION, NOT THE DEALERSHIP). I INFORMED SARSI THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO LOCK MYSELF INTO A NEW LOAN FOR ANOTHER 5-7 YRS WHEN MY MINE IS ALMOST PAID OFF. THE FOLLOWING WEEK HE OFFERED ME A NEW LEASE OPTION FOR THE A3 SPORTBACK ETRON, BUT THE PAYMENT WOULD BE HIGHER THAN MY CURRENT MONTHLY PAYMENT AT $399/MO, NOT TO MENTION, I WOULDN'T EVEN OWN THE CAR AT THE END OF THE LEASE. I TRIED TO MEET HIM WITH A REASONABLE OFFER FOR THE LEASE OPTION BUT HE WOULD NOT CONCEDE. I FELT MY OFFER WAS FAIR IN REGARDS TO THE AIRBAG NOT HAVING A REMEDY AT THIS TIME. I DID NOT WANT TO GO LOWER THAN MY CURRENT MONTHLY PAYMENT, SO I TOLD HIM I WAS WILLING TO LEASE A NEW A3 SPORTBACK FOR 3 YEARS, NO MONEY DUE AT SIGNING, 12,000 MILES/YEAR, FULLY LOADED, W/ NOTHING HIGHER THAN $350/MO. AUDI ALREADY HAD A CURRENT OFFER FOR SOMETHING SIMILARLY ADVERTISED. LEASE THE SAME CAR WITH MONTHLY AMOUNT $359 AND APPROXIMATELY $2600 DUE AT SIGNING (SEE ATTACHED). I FIGURED THIS WAS FAIR AND REASONABLE BASED ON COMPARISON TO THEIR CURRENT ADVERTISEMENT. HE CAME BACK WITH THE LOWEST HE COULD POSSIBLE GO WAS NO MONEY DOWN FOR THE STIPPED DOWN VERSION (NO ADDITIONAL "ADD-ONS"), AT $399/MO. HE WAS NOT WILLING TO BUDGE. I TOLD HIM I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL AND WALKED OUT. PLEASE ADVISE ON HOW I SHOULD PROCEED.