Problem with DRC and Steering - help!

[Awd4]

Thanks Edge, very useful infos indeed!

My car was also fully checked last year by the visiting Master Technician from Audi Germany and she got the all clear at the time, that was in June I think .

anyway, it looks like there will be no further news from Audi Ireland at this stage, I will try to ring them myself and see if I can activate anything there...

[JackS4]

Any update ? I have had very mixed experience with these guys and its always a 4 figure sum every time the RS goes there. Its a shame the Master Tech from Germany (Christian) doesn't get over there more often as he know RS4's backwards.

J

[Awd4]

Just received a call from Audi Ireland, they propose to take 50% off the cost of changing the 2 shocks,
told them I will not be the only RS owner to pay for fixing a DRC problem,
they're to come back to me...

In the meantime I have booked a time to have the car checked by another garage to see if I really need to change my 2 front disks and pads,
I will do this as son as I get the car back,

[JackS4]

How much are they quoting for the DRC cost ? You might be as well to go KW or Bilstein as I did.

On the discs/pads I had mine changed under goodwill by Audi UK (when I lived in London) as there was a design fault in the early pads which scored the discs long before the the pads had even got to the wear sensor.

The guys round the corner in Foster have experience of RS4's btw ask for Graham. No great surprise Audi are using their new found monopoly to good effect.

J

[Gumball0r]

The first time I experienced a broken DRC damper I contacted Audi Germany (I live in Denmark though). I was contacted by a technician and one from their customer service department. They both told me that they do "goodwill" on the DRC til 100.000 km./5 years and that should include every Audi Shop in Europe.
I now have no trouble with Audi Denmark everytime the DRC f'cks up.

[Awd4]

@jackS4: not really clear on the estimate, I had asked them to do an estimate without the DRC/shocks and it came to 2,340 euros, but after inspection I noticed that they had 4 items on the estimate that related to the shocks...
have asked for the 2 seperate estimates by email and awaiting...
I agree, I am very tempted to install 4 bilstein and get rid of the DRC, did you do the job in Ireland? Are you happy with the result? Is the car lower? stiffer?

For the pads/disks, this is my second set of front pads, so maybe the disks are genuinely worn.. but 1 is apparently 'cracked' so I would like a second opinion...

@gumball0r: thanks, hopefully they will do the same over here..

[edge]

Im confused why they refused and then offer a 50% goodwill, either its covered or its not. Are they saying its not a DRC issue? or half a DRC issue?

JacksS4, you dont have the Silver RS4 by any chance? Awd4, what colour and spec is your car?

Just curious who else is out there in Ireland! Mines 2007 Black Saloon 66k on the clock (see sig )

[Scatman]

I'm in Ireland with 2006 saloon, 62k on clock. So far I've manually lubed and freed up my powerflap, given it four treatments of wynns dip3 (good stuff btw) and I've a VCDS on the way for more fun!

[sonny]

I'm in Ireland with 2006 saloon, 62k on clock. So far I've manually lubed and freed up my powerflap, given it four treatments of wynns dip3 (good stuff btw) and I've a VCDS on the way for more fun!

Sorry to go off topic but your username cracks me up.

Are you a "Two girl one cup" fan by anychance?

[Awd4]

Got the costing: 899 for the shocks including labour, 1649 for the other jobs. That's more than the 2340 originally quoted btw...

Still waiting for Audi Ireland to come back to me, the car is there over a week now... Ridiculous

Mine is a black 2007, bought as a demo in Grange audi with 4k kms, I have now 81k kms, it has pretty much everything bar the sport suspension +
Love that car! Despite Audi attitude ruining the experience a bit...

[JackS4]

@ Awd4 - I would still go aftermarket on the suspension as the other shocks will go at some point and one less thing to worry about.

@edge - yes, mine is the Silver RS4.

J

[adsgreen]

Got the costing: 899 for the shocks including labour, 1649 for the other jobs. That's more than the 2340 originally quoted btw...

Not unusual.
The original price may have taken advantage of the fact that doing one job makes the others easier as there is overlap.
So for example changing a brake disc and caliper together should be cheaper than if you did both separately.

Ads

[Awd4]

@adsgreen. Yes that makes sense, I agree

@jacks4. Any good addresses in Ireland for good new shocks? Bilsteins maybe?
Someone that will know RS preferably

Thanks for your help guys much appreciated. Great to know that there are few RS4 fans in Ireland!

[JackS4]

Awd4 - Not heard of any Bilstein/KW specialists in Ireland - might be worth checking over on Octane.ie. I had mine fitted at MRC who have done loads of both Bilstein/KW on the B7 RS - if going one of these routes get the ARB's uprated at the same time, I got H&R on mine. Obviously MRC do more interesting things to the B7 also....

J

[Awd4]

Thanks JackS4, took a look at MRC website, quite impressive, should be fun, driving to Banbury from Co.Carlow with those clonging shocks...

no news from the Audi After Sale Manager today, I guess I should be happy with his 50% goodwill offer... I left a message on his answering at lunch time and he didn't get back to me. My last hope on that front is to ring Ingolstadt tomorrow and see what I can get from there, if anything, anyone has a contact there?
I was reading on a US forum, Audi America actually organised an official DRC recall there in July 2010... just wish Audi Europe were as proactive...