Audi dealer servicing

[Pepper]

Hi. Just for all those that keep going on about dealers being stealers, and we must all use "indies" (independant)....

I continue to disagree and offer an alternative opinion.

Yet again, just had routine  work done at Audi main dealer.

Full service and timing belt/tensioner and water pump replaced. Very competitive price. Plus they did a brake fluid change as it was due, and did not charge for this !

Booked in with only 4 days notice, AND as I needed a courtesy car of a similar size to what I'm used to (A4 Avant), they lent me a 2021 registered A6 from demo stock.

All parts used are genuine Audi....and warranted for 12 months, and it looks way better in my service history for work to have been done by dealer.

Now, of course it's individual choice and opinion, but to me it's a 'no brainer to use my local Audi dealer.

David

[Steve Q]

I suppose it depends on the age of the Audi. In my case I would be worried about using main dealers now but my a6 is 19 years old. However my wife and I both use main dealers for our modern daily drivers (mine Ford kuga, hers a jag both under 5 years old). 

[Stevey Y]

If you factor in to the equation that all dealers are franchised and different, from experience I have found out that the two dealers nearest me are like chalk and cheese, one is very helpful with advice on parts etc, the other is very trite and will not offer a shred of advice, prime example being an exhaust bracket I had to order recently one wanted £23.00 next day and the other wanted £32.00 and a three day wait, I guess its luck of the draw, no one on here as far as I am aware has ever claimed that indie garages are perfect just the same as a lot of dealerships are not perfect.

In the final analysis if you have found a dealership you are happy with and your perception of price is reasonable good skills, with regard to the service history looking better, unless you are thinking of selling in the next two years the residual prices second hand are dropping dramatically as everyone will be pushed towards Hybrid or Full Electric so the service history will be thrown in with the pot of vehicles that no one really wants.

I wholeheartedly agree with Steve and his philosophy on his Audi as most of the new generation of technicians won't have heard of his model, let alone worked on one.

 

Steve.

 

 

[Pepper]

👍

[GengisSaj]

On 6/30/2021 at 9:05 PM, Pepper said:

Hi. Just for all those that keep going on about dealers being stealers, and we must all use "indies" (independant)....

I continue to disagree and offer an alternative opinion.

Yet again, just had routine  work done at Audi main dealer.

Full service and timing belt/tensioner and water pump replaced. Very competitive price. Plus they did a brake fluid change as it was due, and did not charge for this !

Booked in with only 4 days notice, AND as I needed a courtesy car of a similar size to what I'm used to (A4 Avant), they lent me a 2021 registered A6 from demo stock.

All parts used are genuine Audi....and warranted for 12 months, and it looks way better in my service history for work to have been done by dealer.

Now, of course it's individual choice and opinion, but to me it's a 'no brainer to use my local Audi dealer.

David

Hi David

I'm a newbie with this all and have booked in my used a4 1.6 (2016 bought in March this year) for its annual service and according to the last service it needs its cambelt + oil change. If you don't mind me asking could you give me a rough estimate of what the costs where? Would be great to have a benchmark, I've done some "googling" and it looks like (£495 for the cam and £395 for the service) so not sure how close to that it would be. Ideally I would like to spend a lot less! LOL

thanks in advance 

 

[GengisSaj]

17 minutes ago, GengisSaj said:

Hi David

I'm a newbie with this all and have booked in my used a4 1.6 (2016 bought in March this year) for its annual service and according to the last service it needs its cambelt + oil change. If you don't mind me asking could you give me a rough estimate of what the costs where? Would be great to have a benchmark, I've done some "googling" and it looks like (£495 for the cam and £395 for the service) so not sure how close to that it would be. Ideally I would like to spend a lot less! LOL

thanks in advance 

 

So actually called them up and they've quoted £745 (for cambelt with waterpump) and £205 for the oil service ...ouch! 

I'm thinking of just putting it in for an vehicle health check to see if i really need to get this done before i'll be ringing around independents!

 

[Pepper]

Hi and welcome ...

My service was approx was oil and filter change  and inspection approx 220.

Cam belt all belts and tensioner PLUS water pump, plus full service including air and fuel filters etc.....was approx 1050 so Cam belt (all belts and tensioner PLUS water pump) approx 700 

They also did brake fluid change free of charge   normally 54.

If you have Auto S-Tronic I advise to change that too. Most people ignore it. I think Audi recommend at 40000.

Mine cost approx 170.

Hope this helps

David

[Magnet]

Hello Sajid,

I’m sure you realise that you are living in a high labour rate area for any main dealer.

To me, the costings seem about ball park, although I thought that with your age A4 the whole front might not have needed to come off as with earlier ones - but I could be wrong. 
I’m not sure why you would be putting the car in for a health check. Might that be because it’s free? 
If it were mine, I would be searching a recommended independent and asking for quotes there, but some on here have mentioned that their rates are sometimes not a lot cheaper than the main dealer, but it doesn’t cost anything to ask. 
In my opinion Sajid the critical application, Cambelt and water pump renewal should never be treated as a cost-is-King job - it’s too important for that. 
Not wishing to rub salt in, but it’s not uncommon for owners to sell cars just before the point where the expensive service items become necessary.

Perhaps you could let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[GengisSaj]

1 hour ago, Pepper said:

Hi and welcome ...

My service was approx was oil and filter change  and inspection approx 220.

Cam belt all belts and tensioner PLUS water pump, plus full service including air and fuel filters etc.....was approx 1050 so Cam belt (all belts and tensioner PLUS water pump) approx 700 

They also did brake fluid change free of charge   normally 54.

If you have Auto S-Tronic I advise to change that too. Most people ignore it. I think Audi recommend at 40000.

Mine cost approx 170.

Hope this helps

David

Thanks David, super helpful.

 

[GengisSaj]

45 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Hello Sajid,

I’m sure you realise that you are living in a high labour rate area for any main dealer.

To me, the costings seem about ball park, although I thought that with your age A4 the whole front might not have needed to come off as with earlier ones - but I could be wrong. 
I’m not sure why you would be putting the car in for a health check. Might that be because it’s free? 
If it were mine, I would be searching a recommended independent and asking for quotes there, but some on here have mentioned that their rates are sometimes not a lot cheaper than the main dealer, but it doesn’t cost anything to ask. 
In my opinion Sajid the critical application, Cambelt and water pump renewal should never be treated as a cost-is-King job - it’s too important for that. 
Not wishing to rub salt in, but it’s not uncommon for owners to sell cars just before the point where the expensive service items become necessary.

Perhaps you could let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 Hi Gareth

Think you might be right about people selling the car before the first service! 😂 Guess you live and you learn. Its been an expensive first 7  months of ownership (had the brake servo warning as well).

Like i've said I'm totally new to having a car worth bothering to service (last one was an 14 year old ford ) so its been a learning curve.

I did get a quote from a specialised Audi garage , https://www.rac-london.co.uk/, which was around the £790 mark all in.

Anyway I've gone with Audi due to connivence of location and it being the first one, the total cost is actually £1047 (with a few extra bits) and free MOT's.

Thank you for the help though, this forum has been invaluable.

Saj

Edited September 15, 2021 by GengisSaj

[Pepper]

😀

[Stevey Y]

Hi, personally I would not give a dead rat for dealer service, this weekend I went with my daughter to buy an Audi Q3 from a private seller, 160 mile round trip, this had almost full Audi dealer history with the last work being carried out by a Bosch service centre in Feb of this year which included a new clutch and gearbox both supplied by Audi, the people concerned had gone the whole hog and had it serviced as well, the bill was well over three grand.

The last Mot stated as an advisory that the brakes were low and the price of the vehicle was adjusted to compensate for this, I got it home and ripped into the brakes the next day the EML came on, when read it said the throttle position sensor was faulty, trolling through the service history Audi had looked at it the year before 2020 and diagnosed that a new battery was needed because the stop start was unavailable, the car with new battery was not driven that much during the lockdown, when normality was resumed and the light came on again the Bosch service centre tried to tell the owner it needed another new battery they declined on the grounds it had already had one so they put the light out and peace was restored until I bought the car, having tested the throttle potentiometer, AKA the accelerator pedal which had all the correct voltages we then move to the throttle valve on the intake which is definitely not working properly I enquired with Audi how much for a new one, after an argument with the parts guy who reckons the Diesel engines don't have a throttle valve, finally had a conversation with an older technician who explained they call it an anti shudder valve and gave me the eye watering price for a new unit.

What I want to know is how these dealership/Bosch technicians can't work out whats wrong and a Cab driver in Essex with far less equipment at his disposal CAN, most of the information is on any VAG forum [thank the lord] and apparently the throttle body units have nylon drive gears which loose teeth with age, not only is there a repair kit available for thirteen quid but an new FEBI O.E unit is available for £120.00 which is about half the dealer price and with a two year guarantee its a no brainer, even if you bought the part and got the local indie to fit it.

Steve.

[Magnet]

Hello Saj,

It’s alway wise to seek advice, but generally the advice the person who is asking (alway?) wants to hear is that they are doing the right thing, even when they might not be. 
If convenience warrants the increased premium payable to a main dealer then that’s great, but it’s likely to prove be a long way from the earlier requirement of ‘ideally wishing to spend a lot less’.
Peace of mind and minimal hassle may well be worth that premium. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[RichPow]

On 6/30/2021 at 9:05 PM, Pepper said:

Hi. Just for all those that keep going on about dealers being stealers, and we must all use "indies" (independant)....

I continue to disagree and offer an alternative opinion.

Yet again, just had routine  work done at Audi main dealer.

Full service and timing belt/tensioner and water pump replaced. Very competitive price. Plus they did a brake fluid change as it was due, and did not charge for this !

Booked in with only 4 days notice, AND as I needed a courtesy car of a similar size to what I'm used to (A4 Avant), they lent me a 2021 registered A6 from demo stock.

All parts used are genuine Audi....and warranted for 12 months, and it looks way better in my service history for work to have been done by dealer.

Now, of course it's individual choice and opinion, but to me it's a 'no brainer to use my local Audi dealer.

David

I intend yo pay that little extra and maintain the Audi service history when I get my a4 avant in a week or so.

[Pepper]

Good luck 

[Magnet]

Hello Rich,

If your intended purchase is indeed belt driven, have you checked the service history to ensure it was change in 2021 (at 5 years old) as is taken to be the normal convention for belt changes. 
No doubt you have already obtained copy of the computer recorded service history for the car. 
Your car is probably slightly too old to be retailed by a main dealer-? Unless things have changed as prices escalate. 
It sounds as if David’s main dealer may be worth a look at if yay intend to have yours serviced at a main dealer. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[RichPow]

16 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Hello Rich,

If your intended purchase is indeed belt driven, have you checked the service history to ensure it was change in 2021 (at 5 years old) as is taken to be the normal convention for belt changes. 
No doubt you have already obtained copy of the computer recorded service history for the car. 
Your car is probably slightly too old to be retailed by a main dealer-? Unless things have changed as prices escalate. 
It sounds as if David’s main dealer may be worth a look at if yay intend to have yours serviced at a main dealer. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Hi Gareth

It's chain driven. 2.0 Tfsi quattro 252

Yep seen Audi service records. Dsg and Haldex serviced. Been part of Audi service plan. Still got 2 x Audi services left.

I was looking for a younger car initially  but I'm only doing about 4k miles per year now so decided an older car with low mileage and full service record should be fine.

[Pepper]

Nice to see youre still around Gareth 😉......best wishes...

[Magnet]

Thanks David, and returned best wishes. 
Still making best attempts to keep ticking over! 
Kind regards,

Gareth.