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Just to update, I bought Michelin Primacy 4 and I'm very happy with them, they suit the car very well. They seem pretty quiet and help provide a soft and comfortable ride. Omar

Thanks Gareth - I called the garage and am told it was but they are doing a more thorough check later this week so let's see if anything else pops up. Thanks for the advice!

Hello Chris, No problems at all about asking additional questions. The asking bit is simple - it’s the answers are more complex! 3/7/18 servicing work? Brake fluid and toothed belt (the all important cambelt) change, ticked but not stamped. Can we take it you just have a tick in the box but not an invoice? Have you got any information to point to who ticked the boxes/did the work? If not, realistically it should be treated as dubious. OK, the brake fluid not the end of the world for the moment, but an overdue belt renewal might be. Sorry to pass potentially bad news, but.... Just let the form know if you need more info. on this. It would be worth checking the service book for an earlier (stamped) toothed belt change. ‘How do I know which parts I need?). Do you have an invoice for the last (Halfords) service? If not, but the book is stamped, what have they ticked as being renewed? Possibly just engine oil and filter? If this were mine, and I intended to keep it long term, I would be renewing oil filter, air filter, pollen(cabin) filter, and fuel filter. You will then have a good base point to move forward from - sorry, I think I have already said that. If you are from the school of ‘a service is a service’ and you are happy about that, then you could just accept what is done/not done and be happy with a stamp in the book. If you want to ensure the car is best looked after mechanically, then you ask exactly what is going to be done for your money - in relation to the filters etc. already mentioned. Quality of parts used? In terms of filters, I would only use main dealer ones (at discount) or Mann or Bosch as alternatives (nothing else). There are some pretty poor quality ones about! You are now left with being able to ask sufficient questions of whoever is going to do the work - and personally a trusted local garage who you can have a conversation with sounds a good bet. You can now decide whether you are going to have the brake fluid changed, and more importantly do the background homework on the ‘toothed belt’ done or not done saga. Hope some of this helps Chris. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Haldex and oil? Is yours a Quattro? If not nothing to worry about. Engine oil brands? I use Quantum (by Castrol?) This is/was the VAG group recommended brand. Available on EBay.

Hello Chris, Many thanks for the additional information - it really does help. Since as you say the last service was an interim service, I think you are wise to consider having a comprehensive service now, so at least you will have a base point from which to plan ongoing services. I think I would be wise to then consider the on-going servicing schedule from that point on, since this will dictate whether you opt for a Longlife type schedule (which uses a specific oil) or whether you will be getting it serviced annually. To cut to the chase, I would not rate ATS’s service charge is being expensive, but I would question the ‘quality’ of parts which they would use - possibly ‘best deals’ from their local motor factors. Personally, I wouldn’t use such outlets for servicing, but would either investigate the costings at local independents, or local garages -where you can dictate what parts are to be used. Having a service is essential, but using any old Brand x oils and filters etc. may result in the whole thing perhaps being really not worth bothering with. Probably questioning any of the above with ATS will be met with ‘We only use OEM parts’. You don’t mention if the service history includes a cambelt change within the last 5 years, or when the brake fluid was last changed. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Does the car have any service history, when was it last serviced, and what level of service did it last have? Dependent on when it was last serviced and to what level, will dictate what will need doing now. You mention you need a price for a ‘full’ service, but you will need to decide if that is to include/must have a change of pollen filter, fuel filter (Audi don’t seem to schedule that), brake fluid, and the all important cam belt (if the engine is belted which I think it is ) and water pump. Until the forum knows what has and hasn’t already been done, then it won’t be possible to answer your question with any degree of accuracy. It will also be important to know whether you intend getting this done at a main dealer, independent, or a local garage. If the latter, it will be important to know whether genuine VAG parts are going to be used or not. Apologies for the questions. Kind regards, Gareth.

Wheels off, Wire brush, Smooth Hammerite, Job done!