Thomas G. Marshall

I'm trying to make a decision here, and having trouble.

My Audi (as in the subject):

2000 A4
1.8 turbo
Quat
60,000 mi

....has the engine light on for a short while now.

I'm seeing a lot of complaints about expensive timing belts and the like
needed at 70k because the 105k "suggested" interval is risky.

I've also asked about the 60k mile service at an Audi dealership (I'm in the
US), and get a load of this bullshit:

1. They said that the 60,000 mi service is roughly $525 to $600,
"depending".

2. They told me what it entailed:

Oil & filter
Air filter
Dust & pollen filter
Spark plugs
Check DTC memory (one of the computers)
Check transmission operation
Check brakes
Multipoint inspection.

Now most of those are just "checks" which is a bunch of freaking hoo hah.
Paying for checks with the repair extra?

3. Now get this: THEY REFUSED TO TELL ME WHAT INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS WOULD COST.
Basically he said "I have no idea---no one has ever asked for just one or
two of these things before".

I wanted to drive over there and smack him. No one EVER just asked for a
new set of plugs??????

Does anyone have any comments on any of this?

Thanks in Advance,

Thomas

daytripper

On Fri, 20 Feb 2004 19:57:44 GMT, "Thomas G. Marshall"
<tgm2tothe10thpower@replacetextwithnumber.hotmail. com> wrote:

>
>I'm trying to make a decision here, and having trouble.
>
>My Audi (as in the subject):
>
>2000 A4
>1.8 turbo
>Quat
>60,000 mi
>
>...has the engine light on for a short while now.
>
>I'm seeing a lot of complaints about expensive timing belts and the like
>needed at 70k because the 105k "suggested" interval is risky.
>
>I've also asked about the 60k mile service at an Audi dealership (I'm in the
>US), and get a load of this bullshit:
>
>1. They said that the 60,000 mi service is roughly $525 to $600,
>"depending".
>
>2. They told me what it entailed:
>
> Oil & filter
> Air filter
> Dust & pollen filter
> Spark plugs
> Check DTC memory (one of the computers)
> Check transmission operation
> Check brakes
> Multipoint inspection.
>
>Now most of those are just "checks" which is a bunch of freaking hoo hah.
>Paying for checks with the repair extra?
>
>3. Now get this: THEY REFUSED TO TELL ME WHAT INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS WOULD COST.
>Basically he said "I have no idea---no one has ever asked for just one or
>two of these things before".
>
>I wanted to drive over there and smack him. No one EVER just asked for a
>new set of plugs??????
>
>Does anyone have any comments on any of this?

Switch to decaf.

John Opezdol

> >Does anyone have any comments on any of this?
>
> Switch to decaf.

Clerks lately seem to have an interindustry competition on who'd
successfully
feed more BS to a customer.

Pete

"Thomas G. Marshall" wrote

> ...has the engine light on for a short while now.

Definitely need to read the codes off the ECU to find out what's causing
it, ASAP.


> I'm seeing a lot of complaints about expensive timing belts and the
like
> needed at 70k because the 105k "suggested" interval is risky.

The general concensus among those 'who know' is to do it at 60K miles,
seeing how early these things like to go.


> I've also asked about the 60k mile service at an Audi dealership (I'm
in the
> US), and get a load of this bullshit:
>
> 1. They said that the 60,000 mi service is roughly $525 to $600,
> "depending".

Depending where you are, this sounds about right, given dealer part
prices and labor rates. My dealer wanted $200+ once for just the
sparkplug replacement.


> 2. They told me what it entailed:
>
> Oil & filter
> Air filter
> Dust & pollen filter
> Spark plugs
> Check DTC memory (one of the computers)
> Check transmission operation
> Check brakes
> Multipoint inspection.

If cost is an issue, you can do almost all of it yourself. Buying parts
on-line may save you some additional $$. The only thing you'd need is
find a fellow Audi enthusiast around you that has a VAG-COM tool to read
the DTCs to find out the source of your check-engine light, as opposed
to having dealer read it and possibly feed you more crap making up
stories that the DTCs 'told' them to replace your entire engine or
tranny.


> Now most of those are just "checks" which is a bunch of freaking hoo
hah.
> Paying for checks with the repair extra?

Their labor rates are high. They figure if you can afford an Audi, you
probably have some more spare cash laying around for servicing it. They
don't call them stealerships for nothing.


> Does anyone have any comments on any of this?

Ask around for a reputable independent repair shop near you where
they'll do this for less, although if a shop is good and knows what
their doing, their rates aren't going to be all that low either. As for
the tool to read engine codes, many independent shops have them. I
think you can also have a place like AutoZone read your codes for like
$20, IIRC.

Final note: All cars need to be maintained. If you're not willing to
pay for it, get a new Audi, which will cover your maintenance for the
first 4years/50K miles.

Cheers,

Pete

Thomas G. Marshall

"John Opezdol" <chungachanga@howdoesitsoundtoyou.au> wrote in message
news:103csuqf4g7heee@news.supernews.com...
>
> > >Does anyone have any comments on any of this?
> >
> > Switch to decaf.
>
> Clerks lately seem to have an interindustry competition on who'd
> successfully
> feed more BS to a customer.

I really hate to be so clinically paranoid about this, but it really seems
that way sometimes....

Ron

"Pete" <escape2music@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c15tb3$jua$1@news.onet.pl...
>
> "Thomas G. Marshall" wrote
>
> > ...has the engine light on for a short while now.
>
> Definitely need to read the codes off the ECU to find out what's causing
> it, ASAP.
>
>
> > I'm seeing a lot of complaints about expensive timing belts and the
> like
> > needed at 70k because the 105k "suggested" interval is risky.
>
> The general concensus among those 'who know' is to do it at 60K miles,
> seeing how early these things like to go.
>
>
> > I've also asked about the 60k mile service at an Audi dealership (I'm
> in the
> > US), and get a load of this bullshit:
> >
> > 1. They said that the 60,000 mi service is roughly $525 to $600,
> > "depending".
>
> Depending where you are, this sounds about right, given dealer part
> prices and labor rates. My dealer wanted $200+ once for just the
> sparkplug replacement.
>
>
> > 2. They told me what it entailed:
> >
> > Oil & filter
> > Air filter
> > Dust & pollen filter
> > Spark plugs
> > Check DTC memory (one of the computers)
> > Check transmission operation
> > Check brakes
> > Multipoint inspection.
>
> If cost is an issue, you can do almost all of it yourself. Buying parts
> on-line may save you some additional $$. The only thing you'd need is
> find a fellow Audi enthusiast around you that has a VAG-COM tool to read
> the DTCs to find out the source of your check-engine light, as opposed
> to having dealer read it and possibly feed you more crap making up
> stories that the DTCs 'told' them to replace your entire engine or
> tranny.
>
>
> > Now most of those are just "checks" which is a bunch of freaking hoo
> hah.
> > Paying for checks with the repair extra?
>
> Their labor rates are high. They figure if you can afford an Audi, you
> probably have some more spare cash laying around for servicing it. They
> don't call them stealerships for nothing.
>
>
> > Does anyone have any comments on any of this?
>
> Ask around for a reputable independent repair shop near you where
> they'll do this for less, although if a shop is good and knows what
> their doing, their rates aren't going to be all that low either. As for
> the tool to read engine codes, many independent shops have them. I
> think you can also have a place like AutoZone read your codes for like
> $20, IIRC.
>
> Final note: All cars need to be maintained. If you're not willing to
> pay for it, get a new Audi, which will cover your maintenance for the
> first 4years/50K miles.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Pete
>
>

I was just thinking, the labour rate here is £75.00 an hour at an Audi
dealership, with the current rate of exchange thats like $140.00 ph in the
states

imagine paying that guys, also fuel now, is 78p a litre, thats now $1.42 a
LITRE not gallon lol

Ron