gcmschemist@gmail.com

Wolfgang Pawlinetz wrote:
>
> Ok, enough babbling but the pluses almost never get mentioned.

That's true. With my recent fuel pump follies, my independent was
quite embarrassed about not finding the problem, even with all the
billing he did. It was all legit - he spent time trying to track down
an intermittent problem. It just so happened that it finally failed
away from his shop. I have always been happy with my mechanic - he
does a great job at low prices, and if he goofs, he covers out of his
own pocket. All of our high-mileage Audis have been solid, and even
though the parts are somewhat expensive, they are no worse that the
same parts for Japanese cars. While I'm not a big fan of dealerships
in general (high rates, 100% book-time charges), a few of the
relatively local ones have been very helpful in sorting minor DIY
stuff. Like how to replace bulbs when the mounting hardware is not as
simple as it first appears.

JPR's dealer sounds like a place to avoid, but they are not *all* like
that...

E.P.

gcmschemist@gmail.com

Wolfgang Pawlinetz wrote:
>
> Ok, enough babbling but the pluses almost never get mentioned.

That's true. With my recent fuel pump follies, my independent was
quite embarrassed about not finding the problem, even with all the
billing he did. It was all legit - he spent time trying to track down
an intermittent problem. It just so happened that it finally failed
away from his shop. I have always been happy with my mechanic - he
does a great job at low prices, and if he goofs, he covers out of his
own pocket. All of our high-mileage Audis have been solid, and even
though the parts are somewhat expensive, they are no worse that the
same parts for Japanese cars. While I'm not a big fan of dealerships
in general (high rates, 100% book-time charges), a few of the
relatively local ones have been very helpful in sorting minor DIY
stuff. Like how to replace bulbs when the mounting hardware is not as
simple as it first appears.

JPR's dealer sounds like a place to avoid, but they are not *all* like
that...

E.P.

Steve Sears

JP,
I'd love a warranty like that on the rear transverse links on my 5ktq - I've
had to replace them a couple of times in the past few years. It may be true
that the front links were underdesigned.....some revisions to the design and
a silent warranty may have been applied to the underdesign......but a
lifetime warranty?
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45q8d$6j0$1@news.ya.com...
> I'm glad to believe you were pampered like that, because I think you must
be
> just about one of the rare exceptions, and judging from what I've read on
> the forums, the general opinion on the treatment they get from the make is
> clearly bad, and that's even in the US, where customers get better
treatment
> than in Europe. It is now perfectly clear to me, that the arms were
clearly
> underengineered and that they should be covered for the life of the car.
> Further to this, if you drop into just any garage where the mechs have
some
> experience they'll tell you that the front suspension of these cars is
> basically ***t in terms of long term reliability.

Steve Sears

JP,
I'd love a warranty like that on the rear transverse links on my 5ktq - I've
had to replace them a couple of times in the past few years. It may be true
that the front links were underdesigned.....some revisions to the design and
a silent warranty may have been applied to the underdesign......but a
lifetime warranty?
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45q8d$6j0$1@news.ya.com...
> I'm glad to believe you were pampered like that, because I think you must
be
> just about one of the rare exceptions, and judging from what I've read on
> the forums, the general opinion on the treatment they get from the make is
> clearly bad, and that's even in the US, where customers get better
treatment
> than in Europe. It is now perfectly clear to me, that the arms were
clearly
> underengineered and that they should be covered for the life of the car.
> Further to this, if you drop into just any garage where the mechs have
some
> experience they'll tell you that the front suspension of these cars is
> basically ***t in terms of long term reliability.

Steve Sears

JP,
I'd love a warranty like that on the rear transverse links on my 5ktq - I've
had to replace them a couple of times in the past few years. It may be true
that the front links were underdesigned.....some revisions to the design and
a silent warranty may have been applied to the underdesign......but a
lifetime warranty?
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45q8d$6j0$1@news.ya.com...
> I'm glad to believe you were pampered like that, because I think you must
be
> just about one of the rare exceptions, and judging from what I've read on
> the forums, the general opinion on the treatment they get from the make is
> clearly bad, and that's even in the US, where customers get better
treatment
> than in Europe. It is now perfectly clear to me, that the arms were
clearly
> underengineered and that they should be covered for the life of the car.
> Further to this, if you drop into just any garage where the mechs have
some
> experience they'll tell you that the front suspension of these cars is
> basically ***t in terms of long term reliability.

Steve Sears

JP,
Didn't you say that the dealer found that they _were_ replaced a while back
under the silent warranty programme - once their IT guys got their ducks in
a line? - As with my other post, considering that ball joints are indeed a
wear item, and do wear out on most cars, it is possible you could take your
complaint to AoA if the lifespan of the replacements were less than most -
at best, they'd cover some of the replacement cost (although it may be
unlikely if the replacements were done at the independent garage with parts
purchased through channels other than Audi (dunno if that's possible or
not).
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45p62$s4$1@news.ya.com...
> I've long been having oil changes done at the independent. I think you're
> getting confused here, since what we were discussing is the fact that this
> should have been covered under a faulty design silent guarantee by the
> make - read dealer.
>

Steve Sears

JP,
Didn't you say that the dealer found that they _were_ replaced a while back
under the silent warranty programme - once their IT guys got their ducks in
a line? - As with my other post, considering that ball joints are indeed a
wear item, and do wear out on most cars, it is possible you could take your
complaint to AoA if the lifespan of the replacements were less than most -
at best, they'd cover some of the replacement cost (although it may be
unlikely if the replacements were done at the independent garage with parts
purchased through channels other than Audi (dunno if that's possible or
not).
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45p62$s4$1@news.ya.com...
> I've long been having oil changes done at the independent. I think you're
> getting confused here, since what we were discussing is the fact that this
> should have been covered under a faulty design silent guarantee by the
> make - read dealer.
>

Steve Sears

JP,
Didn't you say that the dealer found that they _were_ replaced a while back
under the silent warranty programme - once their IT guys got their ducks in
a line? - As with my other post, considering that ball joints are indeed a
wear item, and do wear out on most cars, it is possible you could take your
complaint to AoA if the lifespan of the replacements were less than most -
at best, they'd cover some of the replacement cost (although it may be
unlikely if the replacements were done at the independent garage with parts
purchased through channels other than Audi (dunno if that's possible or
not).
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d45p62$s4$1@news.ya.com...
> I've long been having oil changes done at the independent. I think you're
> getting confused here, since what we were discussing is the fact that this
> should have been covered under a faulty design silent guarantee by the
> make - read dealer.
>

Graham

X-no-archive: yes
JP Roberts wrote:
> the general opinion on the treatment they get from the make is
> clearly bad, and that's even in the US, where customers get better treatment
> than in Europe.

I'd be interested to know how you arrived at that conclusion.

Graham

X-no-archive: yes
JP Roberts wrote:
> the general opinion on the treatment they get from the make is
> clearly bad, and that's even in the US, where customers get better treatment
> than in Europe.

I'd be interested to know how you arrived at that conclusion.