Dead alternator

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bam_bam
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Dead alternator

Post by bam_bam » Mon Feb 24, 2014 8:28 pm

So, Darth died a death on Saturday, leaving me, lady_bam and baby_bam on the soft shoulder of the A3/Ripley bypass. Lucky it wasn't raining but we still had to wait 2hrs before the car was recovered to Guildford Audi. I left it there with the key and a note at the front desk to call me on Monday. We decamped into Lady_bam's father's new car where I was dropped at the station for a 2.5hr journey back to Luuuundun, where I collected "The Emperor", while Lady_bam and baby_bam were buzzed back onward to Horndean.

I then started round 2 and drove very briskly around the M25 then joined the A3 at Junction 10, where apparently, I picked up a tail. The tail didn't catch up for 9miles where I was passing through Guildford at about 20h15ish. I'd slowed to 50 and dialed in cruise control to rumble through Guildford, as I always do. This is when I saw a small dark Ford rush up behind me, I'd not seen a car in the rear vision mirror since junction 10 as I was "making progress", so I thought it a bit odd but ignored it. After about 2mins of ignoring it while it sat a vagina hair from the rear bumper it finally got angry and lit up like a disco.
I pulled off and found a quiet place to sit until Monsieur Plod bent down to say "please switch off the vehicle and step out, sir".
I was then asked what the speed limit was on the A3 (he followed me for 9miles just to ask that, you'd think these coppers would know any given speed limit?!), to which I replied "it's the national speed limit, sir", Monsieur Plod then proceeded to tell me they had tired to catch me up from junction 10 after I took off very quickly from the roundabout. Monsieur Plod then said that their speed did not drop below 90MPH in trying to catching me. I said nothing in anticipation of soon requesting a copy of PACE be made available to me.
They then checked my licence, insurance, address and how many points I had on my licence, everything was clean and up-to-date and as I carry all of my paperword with me so this didn't take long at all, they also asked where I was born and what I do for a living, which I found odd. After all the paperwork was checked, they then told me that there had been a number of burglaries in the area with a vehicle matching my car's description and then politely asked if they could search said car, there were three of them in total, two dudes and a 'ho. I opened the tailgate and away they went, there is literally NOTHING in the car as I don't drive it. One of them lifted the boot floor to reveal the battery and the massive methanol tank, this then became a focus of questions to which I remained calm about while still trying to check out female plod's derrière, it was an 7.5 if y'all were wondering.
After the search was complete, Monsieur Plod then gave me a bollocking and commented that their car speedo was outside of its calibration period and as such they could not issue me a ticket or add 3 points to my licence. I literally turned on my heels and said "thanks, I hope you catch the burglars", to which he said "we've not been able to yet, it's a very fast and capable car". Oh if he only knew...

IMO I don't think they had anything on me and the search was just further reaching, if I dropped them at the roundabout they'd not had clear sight to speed check me, nor catch the plate properly on camera. From there I'd just have been a dot in their windscreen as I'd ripped through the first 5 gears to redline leaving the roundabout and joining the A3. I didn't see anything in the rear vision mirror until I'd slowed for the 50MPH section.
I finally bowled into Chez lady_bam's parents at 21h15, it'd been a very long day, considering we left at 11h30 and it should've only been a 2hr trip, tops.

Now, to the stealer bit:

Guildford Audi called me this afternoon and said; alternator is defective and the earth strap to chassis needs replacing asap (didn't tell me why it was so urgent, just that it needs urgent replacin', like). How much I hear you say?
  • Exclusive of VAT
    - Initial inspection £70.83
    - Booktime to replace alternator 3.5 @ £104 = £364 (apparently cars over 10yrs old get a 20% discount!)
    - Alternator £336
    - Earth strap £345.91!!!!!
Now, either I wrote this down wrong or I have no idea what's involved in replacing the earth strap. In looking for parts (I already have a 077903015RX but Audi won't touch it, has to be an Audi supplied part), the only earth straps I can find are S4P8619 - 250mm @ £4.26 and S4P8624 - 400mm @ £6.16, these don't strike me as official part numbers but really, how much is an earthstrap? Am I missing something?!?!? How is it the service guy thinks it costs £345+VAT to replace the earth straps, what are they made out of, human baby skin?
Everything else on the car is tiptop but I'm very reluctant to give Audi £1400+VAT to get this done, I think I'll be flatbedding the car back home where I'll hire a lift or do it on the driveway.

Any thoughts or feedback welcomed, innit.

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Dead alternator

Post by HYFR » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:24 pm

Unlucky dude.

Darth killed his last alternator at c.80k and left me and my mate and his missus on the M1 on the way to a wedding!! All the power was gone so much so we couldn't even open the doors that had deadlocked!

It was replaced under warranty by Tamworth Audi....think this was Summer 2009 and was £800 odd quid

In terms of police, I've had a few experiences where undercover police give you a bollocking but nothing else....if it was a traffic cop in his trusty Volvo, I doubt the outcome would have been the same.

As for what to do, perhaps give Grizzly a call and get his thoughts?

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Re: Dead alternator

Post by bam_bam » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:40 pm

Grizz is a bit far away and I've got a recon'd alternator, it's not a tough job to do, I'm just perplexed over this earth strap thing. That and it's late. I can get it flabedded back home for about 130 notes, even if I replace the volt reg and pay an indy to do it I'd still save £1100 - £1200.

I just need to make the time. The adventure continues...
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by grizz » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:48 pm

Ask them for the part number of the earth cable ..
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Shoppinit
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by Shoppinit » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:51 pm

How can you have a problem with an earth strap and not have any symptoms? If it's starting ok then it's working, nay?

Maybe there's a bit of corrosion on it and it offended Audi's sense of aesthetics.

Nice police story. If you'd aggravated them then they could have potentially tried to stick a careless / dangerous driving charge to you. Don't need calibrated anything for that. Just some cop buddies to back up your story.
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by R1RS4 » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:14 pm

So Guildford did not do the good news bad news sir routine on you like they did to me back in December

After booking in with them to have my plugs and brake fluid changed, upon collecting the car and settling the bill they said oh we have some good news and bad news, after checking your car over one of the hand brake cable brackets need changing, the good news is that its only £7.20 but the bad news is the total job will be £400, does it work I asked yes was the reply.....I will let you know

The good news was it took about 30 mins to put the cable back into the bracket and roll the bracket back around the cable, job done the bad news for them, they have lost another customer................this was after the brake fluid leaked out of the nearside rear nipple after 3 - 5 days and the red warning light lit up on the dash (soaked the wheel and tyre in brake fluid) lovely!

Changed both rear nipples myself
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Shoppinit
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by Shoppinit » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:36 pm

Mmm nipples.
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by John Johnson » Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:15 pm

Shoppinit wrote:Mmm nipples.
I'd have a wander on to the wanted rs thread there's a tit on there
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by Weiß-sechs » Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:21 pm

bam_bam wrote: After about 2mins of ignoring it while it sat a vagina hair from the rear bumper it finally got angry and lit up like a disco.
VERY good call not giving it the beans when some indistinguishable chav mofu is climbing all over your anus; this is classic underhand plod tactics, bordering on entrapment (just try proving it though...); they obviously hadn't got you on camera when they first clocked you so went for the lazy, cheap-ass method of "goading" the driver into pulling away from the un-noticed chase car by gluing themselves to your rear end; it's almost instinctive to put your foot down and pull away....whilst the cameras are fully operational and focused on your rear 'plate.

Feeling your pain re: the repair bill but could have been much worse if you'd seen red and floored the beast....respect :thumbs:

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Re: Dead alternator

Post by Weiß-sechs » Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:25 pm

Shoppinit wrote:Mmm.. rear nipples.
:shock:

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Re: Dead alternator

Post by Ross_T_Boss » Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:01 am

I was quoted 5.5hrs to do the alternator at an indy and Stealer, £650 plus VAT for the part. I got a recon and did it on the driveway in under 1.5hrs with some help, think i used a guide on here or rs6.com

No idea why the strap is involved but if they will give you a new alternator at 365 that's a steal.
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by bam_bam » Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:20 am

It's not the first time Darth has been to Guildford Audi and I vowed then that I wouldn't go back. I had to use them due to Camberley being overbooked, I found them rude and they didn't fix the issue. This was reinforced on the weekend after we'd walked through their show (casually looking over the lovely black C7 RS6) and then mooching around the forecourt, not once were we approached for help, even when causing a fuss around their RS3.
I'll call tomorrow and get the part number and an explanation as to why the earth strap is in such need of replacement. I'm going to recover the car back home and then wack this recon'd alternator in.
The car was starting and running just fine but it had been hooked up to a C-Tek battery conditioner for the last two weeks. Obviously it went into limp mode and lost all power when the battery had finally drained but I was able to start it again after 10 mins. The battery is only 18months old but since it wasn't being driven on any long trips lately I hooked it up for recharge and regen cycle.

In regards to the plod sat on my arse, they'd only have had waited until the other side of Guildford to catch me accelerate away, I never go a mile over the limit in built up areas. I only really open it up on national speed limit roads.
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by bam_bam » Tue Feb 25, 2014 4:19 pm

grizz wrote:Ask them for the part number of the earth cable ..
The earth strap harness was 'very corrorded' apparently - part number - 4B8971225F - £233+VAT. Said it'd be 2hrs fitting.

I'll get it flatbedded home and slip in an RX alternator, I bet it's just the volt reg, although, it is a 5yr old alternator. Feckin' cars.

Grizz, what's the deal with the C6 alternators? Are they above 150A? How long do they last?

/EDIT - I just found it, looks like a ballache to replace. Parts 2, 3, 4, 13 & 14
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by daytonamart » Tue Feb 25, 2014 5:11 pm

Get Footers on it, looks right up his street?
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Re: Dead alternator

Post by bilko1 » Tue Feb 25, 2014 5:49 pm

Am I missing something? That's not the earth that's the main live feed to the starter.
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