Stealership servicing - shoddy and a rip off!!

[ScottyBoy]

And it still hasnt cured it......Back into Audi it goes

[SimonS4MTM]

That is really bad news, I would take some time out to get to MRC.

Unfortunately, Audi dealers know absolutely nothing about tracing faults unless it tells them what to do in their procedures.

[Dippy]

As Tombs states, not all stealers are bad. However if there is something really wrong with my car or important, then I always take it to an independent specialist. The work that Brooner had done cost me about 800 plus VAT at AmD. AmD's rates are very competitive compared to Audi main dealers, and their competence is much higher in general. MRC are even more competitive, but they are suffering from the same problem that AmD had a few years back - too much business for their size!

For regular service and minor work I use an Audi dealer I can trust. Perhaps I am lucky but all three of my local dealers appear to be trustworthy. Whilst like JonnyX I'd love to be able to do my own work, I really can't spare the time.

I just had my MOT done by Ridgeway in Newbury, and asked them to do an oil change (using my Mobil 1 I provided), inspection service and look at a few other things including an intermittent fault with my APS at the same time. Based on the report which included advisory notes, it is clear that the tech did do the work. He even thought there might be a small coolant leak and did a pressure test. Total cost in VAT was about 350 which is a lot, but considering that it's only an annual cost for such an expensive car, I'm happy to pay it.

[Golfather]

I had an Audi service done for 40 quid.
I changed all the air filter, plugs, pollen filters myself, and also lubed all the hinges etc.
Then I provided them with a bottle of Mobil 1 and an oil filter.
They simply drained the old oil, refilled with the new one and changed the filter.
They charged 1/2 hours labour and stamped the book.

Job done. FASH for less than a tank of juice.

[harry]

Quality. Play them at their own game. I like your style.

[ScottyBoy]

Back out of Audi with a new air mass meter, whatever that might be. Just under 100 quid for the part didnt charge me for labour, which was fair as they had already charged 260 quid previously for that and not cured the problem so 360 all in all farkin pisst takers i hate em.

[SimonS4MTM]

A normal Robinsons Audi story then. Dont find the problem first time so make something up and charge you for it.

Then tell you it is something else when the problem is still there.

PS, it only takes 5 min to change the air mass meter.

[MarkB]

I had an Audi service done for 40 quid.
I changed all the air filter, plugs, pollen filters myself, and also lubed all the hinges etc.
Then I provided them with a bottle of Mobil 1 and an oil filter.
They simply drained the old oil, refilled with the new one and changed the filter.
They charged 1/2 hours labour and stamped the book.

Job done. FASH for less than a tank of juice.

Cool. Which dealer allowed you to do that! Sounds like a plan...

[ScottyBoy]

A normal Robinsons Audi story then. Dont find the problem first time so make something up and charge you for it.

Then tell you it is something else when the problem is still there.

PS, it only takes 5 min to change the air mass meter.

Now that has really peeved me off, they have invited me to there poxy official opening day, might have to go along with a few of the lads and wreck the party to the tune of 360 quid, i hate them i hate them i hate them

[James4287]

Ok, i'm gonna stand up for the dealers here [pleasee don't hate me!, lol] someone mentioned above that the dealer has commented for the last 2 years the front wishbone bushes are cracked but hasn't advised replacment. As i'm sure you know the bottom arms are about £90 each and if the dealer replaced them due it being cracked there would be alot pissed off customers getting a bill for over £500 when then hadn't even reported a noise on the front suspension. Infact i doubt the manufacturer could make them fast enough as nearly every A4/6 that comes through the door has cracked bushes but if there no play in them there not a mot failure and if the customer hasn't reported a fault there isn't alot you can do other than advise they'll get worse and will probably want replacing at next service if they're worse.

Again with the diff front oil seal leak, again a very common one but in most cases it isn't mentioned as the customer hasn't complained of oil on the drive, therefore they're not gonne be happy with another £300 bill for the seal to be replaced when as far as they were concerened there was nothing wrong with it. It's better to advise it and tell them to keep a eye on the situation for example.

[Nige_RS4]

Ok, i'm gonna stand up for the dealers here [pleasee don't hate me!, lol] someone mentioned above that the dealer has commented for the last 2 years the front wishbone bushes are cracked but hasn't advised replacment.

Yes, but if they knew there $hit, they would also advise the customer that there was a recall for the front suspension of the A4/S4 to check and replace the culprit parts FOC!

[Haydn]

Hello Everyone, I am hoping to be an RS4 owner this week, but I think I might be in a position to help everyone on this site.

I own my own automotive parts business based in Cambridge, we are a Vauxhall / Opel parts specialist, what’s that got to do with RS4 I hear you cry.

Most of the automotive parts are supplied by the same suppliers whether it be for Vauxhall or VAG Group.

I can obtain most parts for your cars, from original equipment suppliers.

Example

Anti Roll Bar Link (Lemforder ) ZF Group
Wishbones Front (Lemforder ) ZF Group
Filters (Mahle & Also Mann + Hummel)
Clutch (LUK)
Air Mass Meter (Bosch)
Gaskets (Elring Klinger)
Mountings (Boge) ZF Group
Brake Pad Sensors (Pex)

These are just a few items I can obtain, did you all know about the block exemption changes.

Block Exemption is all about making the parts more competitive to the aftermarket, with the block exemption changes now in place you can purchase parts from alternative sources without affecting your warranty.

However these parts have to be of matching quality, this does not mean that they have to come from the same supplier that supplies VAG, but the parts must match the quality of the original part.

It is down to the Vehicle manufacturer to prove that the part is not of matching quality and thus caused a failer to subsequent parts.

You can supply parts purchased from other sources at the time of your service at you VAG dealer, then all you will charge for is Labour, however some dealers may frown on this, as remember you taking profit away from them.

Dealers – Please you must remember dealer are there to make a profit, there are set servicing times for our cars, if the dealer can service you car in a shorter period of time than it should its more profit for him, as you will still get charged the same.

Unfortunately this then causes some of the complaints that are mentioned above, as I have had cars serviced by a VW dealer where the wheels of the car never even came off for the service, the mechanic in this instance looked though the wheel to check for the condition of the brake pads, unfortunately for him what he failed to notice was the rear calipers had sized and there were not pads left on the inside of both rear calipers.

if there is enough response from you guys out there I will put a program of parts together which are available.

Please note Vehicle manufacturers make Vehicles, they buy components from component manufacturers & from this build your car, Vehicle manufacturers such as VAG make very little, mainly panel work & steel work.

The only reason for mentioning the above is because there is always some one who thinks VAG make everything, this is not the case at all, they pay tooling costs which then enable them to put on the part there brand marking, in this case Audi.

Certain companies will not put on any brand marking as this then restricts them selling their parts to the aftermarket.

i.e. Bosch.

If you guys take a good look over your cars, you will notice anything that is manufactured by Bosch only says Bosch on it and their (Bosch Own) part number, this then allows them to sell the parts in the aftermarket, but if they made something with a VW / Audi / Skoda logo they would have to obtain permission from VAG before they could sell it to the aftermarket, Not very likely.

Landrover got a very large fine from the European commission some time ago, as someone had taken their car to the dealer under warranty with the head gasket gone.

Landrover decided to not to honour the claim as the vehicle involved had an aftermarket oil filter on it, the owner took Landrover to the European court and won his claim against Landrover as the part fitted had not part to play in the failure of the cylinder head gasket.

Wow I am ranting on a bit here, but this is a subject I have to deal with on a daily basis.

Haydn

[Haydn]

Please also note gentlemen, that if you pay for a part and it does not fix the problem you are entitled to you money back, this is because the dealer has diagnosed the problem not you, so why should you pay for their mistakes.

Ask for your money back, they will of course fit the old part ( If they still have it ) back to your car, but then you know that was not faulty anyway.

Haydn

[James4287]

Ok, i'm gonna stand up for the dealers here [pleasee don't hate me!, lol] someone mentioned above that the dealer has commented for the last 2 years the front wishbone bushes are cracked but hasn't advised replacment.

Yes, but if they knew there $hit, they would also advise the customer that there was a recall for the front suspension of the A4/S4 to check and replace the culprit parts FOC!

What was the recall if you don't mind me asking?

[SimonS4MTM]

Ok, i'm gonna stand up for the dealers here [pleasee don't hate me!, lol] someone mentioned above that the dealer has commented for the last 2 years the front wishbone bushes are cracked but hasn't advised replacment. As i'm sure you know the bottom arms are about £90 each and if the dealer replaced them due it being cracked there would be alot pissed off customers getting a bill for over £500 when then hadn't even reported a noise on the front suspension. Infact i doubt the manufacturer could make them fast enough as nearly every A4/6 that comes through the door has cracked bushes but if there no play in them there not a mot failure and if the customer hasn't reported a fault there isn't alot you can do other than advise they'll get worse and will probably want replacing at next service if they're worse.

Again with the diff front oil seal leak, again a very common one but in most cases it isn't mentioned as the customer hasn't complained of oil on the drive, therefore they're not gonne be happy with another £300 bill for the seal to be replaced when as far as they were concerened there was nothing wrong with it. It's better to advise it and tell them to keep a eye on the situation for example.

What a load of b#ll#cks, if you put your car into a claimed expert then you trust them to tell you about any faults with your car.

Most people dont have a clue about the mechanics of cars so who should tell them about a cracked suspension part or a leaking oil seal if not the dealer?