Frequently
Asked Questions

Business questions

Yes, we are a registered VW Group Independent Repairer in the United Kingdom.
We are based on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.
We started back in 2004/2005 and grew this into a full business in 2017.
We are. We have a full customised insurance policy covering specifically what we do. We have custom liability insurance of £1,000,000 per vehicle.
No, although our company name may say that, we work on the entire VW Group range of makes/models.
Our company registration number is: 12507435 and we are a company registered in England and Wales.

Communication questions

We are a small business so if we havent got back to you yet then we are most likely working on a vehicle or dealing with another client. We will always endeavour to get back to you as fast as possible. Please bear with us.
We dont actively check Social Media for messages so please email us at info@audiupgrades.co.uk and we will reply as soon as we can.
Our automatic reply on our WhatsApp Business account is there to make you aware we are not there for long winded back and forth conversations about retrofits via WhatsApp. We are happy to have an initial (text) chat via WhatsApp but if you want to delve into greater detail and have serious interest in a retrofit being done by us, we will ask to move to email so there is a proper paper trail for both parties.
We wont answer Whatsapp phone (or video) calls. Please email us.
Sometimes - but it would only be a ball-park cost. We need your 17-Digit VIN number and we need to cross-check that on the VW database to confirm eligibility and costs for a retrofit. This is why email is always the best form of communication to us.
Not really. Its really hard for us to track and manage messages via SMS/Text/WhatsApp/Social Media so email is preferred so we can provide you a comprehensive reply that you can read and digest at your own pace and of course ask us any further questions. Email is our primary communication medium.
Sometimes we get emails that are one line that only have some very basic information like "I own an A4 - what can I do?" Unfortunately we dont have time to send you a 'menu' of all the retrofits for your vehicle and pricing, it takes far too long. Use our "Retrofits" page and filter to your vehicle to see what may be possible for your car. Then either complete the enquiry form on the website, or take just a few minutes to construct an email for us. It will help us give you an accurate and meaningful reply.
The best emails are where we get a client who puts together the make/model and year of the vehicle they own (or considering to buy). They supply the 17-Digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) as well if they have it, where they are located, and what particular retrofits they are interested in. This helps nail down all the obvious questions we need answered before we can give a meaningful response. Taking a few minutes to send a well constructed email makes a huge difference. Thankyou.

Vehicle questions

We always ask for your VIN as it allows us to determine the specification of your car when it left the factory. In doing this it allows us to confirm what may/may not be required for a specific retrofit you are interested in. No personal information about yourself (Name/Address/DOB etc) can be collected from your VIN. Its purely for the information about your vehicle only. Your VIN number is on your front windscreen in the bottom right hand corner which you can see from standing outside the car.
Its printed at the top of your V5 document (if in the UK), its on the windscreen under the passenger side windscreen wiper, its generally also on the MMI/Infotainment system under "Car Information" (or words similar to that). Its also on a sticker on the drivers door jam. Its in lots of places and typically starts WAUZZZ and is 17 digits long.
No, we can't get the details we need from just your car registration. We need your VIN number specifically.
Not necessarily. This is why we ask for your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). This allows us to see the current specification of your car and from that we can tell you what is/is not possible to retrofit.
Thats ok - we know sometimes you are looking to buy a car or just a general "what if" type enquiry. In that situation we will do our best to give you a ball-park cost of what a retrofit would be assuming its possible on the vehicle in question.

Booking questions

Totally understood. Please click on the "BOOKING FROM DD/MM/YYYY" link at the top of this website in the red banner and it will take you to a page explaining the process and steps in more detail.
Absolutely, and this is our primary method for executing retrofits. We will discuss with you (typically over email) on this to decide on the best approach and any associated costs.
It varies. We dont hold all parts in stock for every single retrofit, and so we have to order parts from VW Group and we are then at the mercy of them as to how long they take to arrive. Rare items particually will also come from Germany, but on average you should allow 4-5 weeks between point of booking with us and the date of the actual installation.
That is very unlikely to happen. We get booked up in advance (generally around 4-5 weeks is the time for next booking slots) plus we have to work around your own availability and timings. Its very much a collaborative engagement with every client.
No, all appointments are STRICTLY by advanced booking only. You can't just turn up un-announced. You will just be turned away.
Some retrofits are very specialised and VW Group UK dont hold them in stock in the United Kingdom. This means they will come from the VW Group factory in Germany and this adds delay. Sometimes the parts are on Back Order (B/O) which means they are not even at the VW Group factory in Germany and we may be told there is no ETA. In that scenario we just have to order them, sit tight and wait. We are all in the same boat.
Yes of course, and if we dont answer, please leave us a voicemail (and please really do), so we can call you back. We dont want to book any client in that isnt comfortable proceeding and hasn't had all their questions answered first.

Warranty questions

There is no black or white answer to this as each warranty provider will have their own position and response on this. We therefore recommend before having any retrofit work booked in to first check with your warranty provider on their position. If your warranty provider is ok with the works being carried out, we suggest to get that in writing from them just in case you ever need it.
To date, in over 8 years, we have yet to have a client (to the best of our knowledge) have their warranty affected post-retrofit. We are not saying its impossible, but we are not aware of any instance of warranty being affected from our existing clients to-date.
All our retrofits which include both parts and labour come with 2-Year warranty. This is where we are supplying the parts for a retrofit ourselves.
If you want to supply your own parts for a retrofit for us to carry out, we will discuss that with you first on a case-by-case basis. Please note, that the warranty will not cover any issues with the parts before, during and after installation if this is the route you choose to take.
It depends on where you bought the kit from and if the kit contains any non-OEM parts in its bundle. We will review this on a case-by-case basis and let you know our position to allow you to decide if you wish to proceed or not.

Retrofit questions

Possibly. We will need to see the kit first (photos etc via email) and decide if we are willing to take the retrofit on. You may find we will tell you that you will need additional parts or parts may be wrong you have been supplied and need to be replaced (something we have experienced a few times already), so please dont be offended if we tell you this. We want all our jobs to complete without any problems, so we will take the time to ensure everything is 110% correct before booking you in.
No. We dont fit aftermarket/3rd Party solutions that are not truly OEM. We can't guarantee their functionality and fitment or how they operate.
Sometimes. Things like Apple Car Play/Android Auto kits for vehicles where its not possible to enable this natively we sometimes provide.
No sorry. All our services are supply and fit only.
We may help you with part numbers but this will be a chargeable effort. We dont provide coding information or installation "guides" to DIY yourself.
No, we don't.
Yes, if you like, but we do kindly ask you let us get on with the job otherwise it can take a lot longer to finish than previously planned. However overall, yes - we have no issue you watching or asking us the odd question etc. We know how it is :)
Ideally, we private driveway or area to work on the vehicle / somewhere to plug in an extension lead for power and if possible access to Wi-Fi for our laptops. We wont perform work on the side of a road or on a public pavement due to safety and insurance reasons. Also, somewhere to park our own vehicle next to the one we are working on would be perfect if at all possible.
Yes, that can be a possibility but only in specific circumstances. For example, if new headlights are retrofitted or upgraded, then you must then visit a VW Group dealership to have them calibrated for example as this is not something we can do ourselves. We can help co-ordinate this with you to be as seamless as possible as we work with a number of dealerships all over the country but this would all be discussed with you upfront so you are aware before commiting to move ahead with any work(s).
Of course! This is a top priority - there is no benefit to not walking you through everything so you know how it works, where the options are and answer any questions you have. We will always do this, every - single - time.
Sure, we will do our best to help you either remotely or in-person but this will be at the chargeable per-hour rate.
Chances are - yes we can. We are constantly working to update the website with all the retrofits we can do, but just because you can't see it listed, doesnt mean we don't do it. Just drop us an email to info@audiupgrades.co.uk with your 17-Digit VIN and what you are interested in and we can quickly tell you the situation.

Maintenance questions

No we don't. We specialise in OEM retrofits to the VW Group. We dont service vehicles, MOTs etc. That is not our area of expertise. Think of us more on the 'electrical' side of vehicles.
Yes, sometimes we get clients with problems with their vehicle and they have hit a brick wall in getting it resolved. We can come to you (or you come here under booked appointment) and we will do our best to help but if it requires new/replacement parts they would have to be ordered after the fact and if they are mechanical (e.g. Engine/Gearbox/Exhaust/Wheels etc) then they would need to be fitted by someone else.
This would be charged under our per-hourly rate.

Financial questions

We charge £100.00 inc VAT per hour for support and assistance.
Yes, typically for most retrofits we need to take a deposit from you (typically 50%) upfront to secure the booking and allow us to order any parts we need to get hold of. Please note, depending on the retrofit we may ask for more than a 50% deposit but we will discuss this with you first.
Absolutely. We wil raise you an invoice (or if required a pro-forma) for the deposit for your review.
We accept a BACS transfer to our business bank details that are supplied on the invoice or we can send you a secure payment link to pay with a card. Please note, that card payments via the payment link incur a 1.75% surcharge.
When a retrofit (or retrofits) have been completed, the final payment can be made which is either via BACS again to our business bank account, via a Chip+Pin machine we have, or via a secure card payment link (but this will incur a 1.75% surcharge).
Of course. We will raise a second and final invoice for your review once the works are completed.
Yes, if you wish. We have had clients do this before and if that is something you want to do and feel happy doing so, then we can organise this with you.
We get asked this a lot and its totally understandable and respected. As a way of protecting you and providing you confidence in us and our services, you can send us £1 first and we will provide proof of receipt for your review. If you are happy with that, you can then send the remaining deposit balance over. Its totally upto you.
Our business bank account is with Revolut Business UK.
In some situations, yes absolutely. If we can see that carrying out more than one retrofit can be executed at the same time then we will genuinely look at reducing the overall cost of the multiple jobs as a single visit.
Look, we know people want the best price, but we have worked extremely hard to provide a service that aims to be over and above your expectations. We feel our pricing is fair, consistent with the market and priced to reflect the service(s) you will get from us. We are not in the game of negotiating pricing back and forth. We hope you understand.
Yes we are and our VAT registration number is: GB349333388.

Parts questions

Some parts are classed as "Special Order" by VW Group. This is particularly the case with new car keys or rare parts for a particular retrofit or replacement ECUs. You will be told in advance of booking with us if the retrofit contains any 'special order' items as once ordered they cannot be returned or refunded if you change your mind. Please be aware of this.
Absolutely, and we get asked this a lot. We only perform OEM level retrofits, so everything is genuine OEM VW Group parts. Its either that way, or not at all.
Yes absolutely, and in most cases we can deliver it straight to your front door. We can quote and supply pretty much any part for any vehicle in the VW Group portfolio, so reach out to us for a quote.

Coding questions

Yes we do. You can use our "Remote Coding" tab on our website to book a slot. However before doing so, we suggest reaching out to us to ensure we fully understand your requirements and issues. In addition, you have all the right equipment for us to connect remotely successfully to perform the works.
No. We dont provide coding information on its own. You can utilise our remote coding services if you wish us to (attempt to) code a retrofit you have performed yourself for you. Please bear in mind, if there is a fault in the retrofit you have carried out (or parts are wrong for example) then that is not our responsibility to remediate.
Yes we do, but only in certain situations. If the vehicle is not in the UK then we will only perform certain coding functions remotely. Things like coding new car keys or removing Component Protection we will not do for vehicles outside of the United Kingdom as this is a breach of the VW Group approved workshop (which we are) terms and conditions.
We can send you a diagnostic tool for remote coding but you will need to pay us a fully refundable deposit before we ship it to you. This can vary from £100 all the way to £2000 depending on the tool we need to send you. Once it is returned to us, checked and functioning all ok, we will refund your deposit in full to you straight away. Please bear this in mind.
No, we can't use them. Sorry.
No sorry. We only code brand new keys from VW Group that we have ordered on your behalf.
To order a new key for your car we need the following information from you. 1) A Photo of the plastic part of your driving license 2) A Photo of the front page of your V5 document showing your address and the car's Chassis/VIN number 3) A photo or digital download of a utility bill matching your name and address on the V5. The reason why we ask for this is actually VW Group. They need these to verify you are the owner of the vehicle before allowing us to order a new key for you.

Acroynms

Original Equipment Manufacturer.
Component Protection.
Back Order.
Estimated Time of Arrival.
Electronic Control Unit

Questions we will ask you!

We need to know this before we work on your car as it may affect a retrofit being successful or not.
We will always perform a full diganostic scan of your car before we even get a tool out the toolbox to check for pre-existing errors or issues but its also beneficial to let us know if there is something wrong with the car as it may affect how we perform the retrofit.
We ask for this as Component Protection removal is a security check against VW Group and so we need to see proof of the purchase before attempting to remove Compont Protection.

Registered VW group
independent repairer

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