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Dudes please help!

Just had my '99 S4 serviced by Audi in Docklands. Regular service charges I can handle, but here's where it gets rude...

Turns out that I need a new track rod end on one side. Now it's a £65 part, but they are quoting me £530 to change it!!!!

I rememeber changing these on my Peugeot 205 GTI by myself in about 15mins... is it really that different for one of these things? Am I being quoted a stupid price?

Does anyone know a decent, cheap Audi specialist in the London/South East Area?

Help much appreciated !!

Harley

That is rediculus, should take less that 1/2 hour.

Take it to QST in Haywards Heath, or do it yourself.

Well they might be including an alignment in that price, which I belive they quote around £250 for. I recently got one done for £139 "special" price.

A bit OTT though!

That's what I thought... I had to ask the girl to repeat it three time when she told me!! lol!

Thanks for the sanity check... I'm happy to do it myself, I'll obviously have to go and get the tracking done afterwards.

Can't kwik fit do it for about £35? or will they screw it up?

Cheers for the feedback guys!

I would keep away from kwik fit. I am sure someone else can advise someone local to you.

harley, you have a PM

Harley,

There is a garage in Erith that I trust completely for anything mechanical I wouldn't do myself (however that's pretty much everything having broken a car) unless it was engine or turbo specific, in which case I'd travel to a specialist.

Let me know if you need their details and a contact.

For the alignment I'd probably go to Elite in Dagenham for their 4 wheel laser kit.

John

Any garage will be able to change it for you in under 1/2 hour ! Then the tracking check would only take a couple of mins as the will have only altered one side , i do know of one forum member who went to a main agant to have both changed & had to go back as they had not checked the tracking after fitting

Then they refused to do full 4 wheel alignment.
They are a very good dealer and when the error was pointed out they attended to it.
G
no one is perfect I guess!

Thanks for the info guys.

Quantum John, I'd appreciate those contact details for the garage if poss.

Cheers, H.

Whilst i agree that everyone has to make a living i changed my N/S track rod end about four weeks ago myself and the end itself only cost me £38.22 inc VAT( from audi i hasten to add) so already they are ripping you off!!!
The job itself if you have a reasonable amount of mechanical knowledge should take only about 45 mins. What i did was to measure the length of the rod from the centre of the ball joint to the back of the locknut and tie a cable tie around the nut so it couldnt move.Then just swap over keeping to the same measurement. I then went down to my local tyre fitter and they carried out a free tracking check and would only charge if any adjustments are needed (which luckily mine didnt.)

Hope this helps,

Phil

Harley, You could also try Sanspeed in Bexleyheath, I know Brett Collins has used them in the past, I'd also suggest CM repairs in Dartford, they've done several jobs on mine for me and i've used them for about 8 years now