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OneSizeFitsAll posted:I know sometimes official recommendations can play things on the safe side though, so I was wondering what was truly what. I imagine there are a few misconceptions about higher-octane fuel. Cars are tuned and tested with a specific fuel octane in mind. Yes, it will run on lower octane. The ECU is smart enough to deal with that. But, it's not what the engine likes and you're doing yourself and the car a disservice by running a fuel not recommended by the manufacturer. A fuel's octane rating is basically a measure of its ability to resist knocking in the engine and by using the appropriate fuel (in this case, maybe higher octane fuel), you are allowing the engine to run within the parameters that it was designed to (normally run in).
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Mar 9, 2013 03:16
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veedubfreak posted:Well obviously, but ya know how Muricans love them some auto shiftin. DSG is really cool actually.
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Mar 9, 2013 03:49
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totalnewbie posted:Cars are tuned and tested with a specific fuel octane in mind. Yes, it will run on lower octane. The ECU is smart enough to deal with that. But, it's not what the engine likes and you're doing yourself and the car a disservice by running a fuel not recommended by the manufacturer. Makes sense, thanks. I wasn't veering towards ignoring the recommended fuel or anything. Just don't know for sure what it is yet (though I'm guessing the higher octane stuff) and thought it might be interesting/fun - occupied as my mind is with my purchase - to get some comments from people more intimately familiar with Audi engines, particularly any mechanics.
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Mar 9, 2013 03:51
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DEUCE SLUICE posted:DSG is really cool actually. I picked my car over an MS3 or some other hot hatch specifically because of the DSG. At least most of the performance of a stick when you're hooning it, all the convenience of a slushbox for dull commutes and stop and go traffic. And so, so smooth. The only real downsides are inelegant behavior at uphill-facing stoplights, and the absurd maintenance / repair costs, which weren't quantified when i got mine. I guess you miss out on some clutch finesse tricks, but where those pay off on a daily driver FWD car I'm not really sure.
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Mar 9, 2013 04:22
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How miserable would a VR6 Corrado be? I've been perusing a buyer's guide but can't find that many details about problems to look for. I've heard about the leaking sunroof and cracked lights anecdotally; I assume everything that is electric will break/be already broken, but I'm not sure how often to anticipate failures. I'm not familiar with the VR6 at all, so any tips there would be appreciated. Is it basically a cheaper 944, headache wise?
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Mar 9, 2013 19:54
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OneSizeFitsAll posted:I know sometimes official recommendations can play things on the safe side... It's a $75,000 car and you want to save money by putting cheaper gas in it?
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Mar 10, 2013 06:15
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notfred posted:It's a $75,000 car and you want to save money by putting cheaper gas in it? How about read the thread. The only saving I would do would be if it turned out to be completely pointless putting high octane stuff in... because obviously doing otherwise would be stupid. As would giving the car worse petrol than what it blatantly needed. For gently caress's sake - the amount of people on here who'd rather rush into an attempt to demean you via poor/incomplete reading comprehension than engage you ingenuously is more than a tad annoying. OneSizeFitsAll fucked around with this message at 12:02 on Mar 10, 2013 |
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Mar 10, 2013 11:55
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If you are concerned about the long term health of your motor, read up on carbon build up from having direct injection. This seems to be an issue for Audi DI motors. Talk to your dealer about it when you pick it up.
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Mar 10, 2013 12:24
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kimbo305 posted:If you are concerned about the long term health of your motor, read up on carbon build up from having direct injection. This seems to be an issue for Audi DI motors. Talk to your dealer about it when you pick it up. Yeah, I have read about this - it did concern me a bit and make me consider a BiTD for a bit. From what I can tell there's no fully reliable solution, but having the engine cleaned every 40,000 miles or whatever doesn't strike me as the end of the world. I don't commute, so this will probably take longer than usual anyway (did about 22,500 in about 5 years in my RX8).
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Mar 10, 2013 12:38
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Dumb question: Do 2012+ Audi A3s (US/Canadian non-nav/MMI models) have a USB port in the glove compartment? I'm unable to find anything definitive through google, and Audi's website has to be the worst among all car manufacturers, so I don't really trust this (I'm also assuming the Audi site is referring to the newer A3 style).
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Mar 10, 2013 22:06
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FWIW, US 2011 A4 Prestige with full Nav/MMI/B&O and it doesn't have USB so I'd guess no. The MMI manual says there are various adapter cables but all I got was the iPod one with mine and dunno where to buy the others. Don't know if they changed for 2012 and/or A3. 
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Mar 11, 2013 20:35
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mik posted:Dumb question: Sort of. The cable is proprietary, and has different connectors available including USB. The dealer will give you one for low/no cost.
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Mar 12, 2013 01:05
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Open the hood, find the coolant bottle. Pull the sensor off the side. Look in the receptacle. Is there any moisture?BJA posted:So I just picked up my car from the normal small time mom and pop place I take my cars too.
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Mar 12, 2013 08:01
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OneSizeFitsAll posted:Yeah, I have read about this - it did concern me a bit and make me consider a BiTD for a bit. From what I can tell there's no fully reliable solution, but having the engine cleaned every 40,000 miles or whatever doesn't strike me as the end of the world. I don't commute, so this will probably take longer than usual anyway (did about 22,500 in about 5 years in my RX8). I am nearly positive that your S6 is going to recommend high octane. I'm trying to think of an FI Audi that doesn't and none comes to mind. As someone else said, the ECU is smart enough and designed with an adaptive range broad enough to compensate should you be forced to put in a lower octane. I do not believe that octane rating of the fuel will play any part in the build up of carbon on the intake valves. From what I have read, this is predominantly an issue of not having fuel flowing over the intake valves to keep them clean. There have been lots of posts from RS4 owners regarding the carbon build up on their motors and they have tons of theories about different brands of fuel being better for their injectors, and different brands of oil being less apt to form deposits. It appears though that the deposits are a side effect of poor separators in the crankcase breather system. Some people have just installed catch cans to negate the effects. Others have gone the performance route and installed water/meth kits. What kind of warranty do you have on the car? The carbon build up is not known to throw codes so I'm not sure how easy it is to have the dealer agree to blast it with walnut shells to clean it under warranty. It is a pretty labor intensive job I believe. I have a 2.0t and suspect I have some pretty dirty valves, but I'm not sure how I will get the dealer to clean mine either. At least I don't have as many as you 
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Mar 12, 2013 14:42
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Aflicted posted:I am nearly positive that your S6 is going to recommend high octane. I'm trying to think of an FI Audi that doesn't and none comes to mind. As someone else said, the ECU is smart enough and designed with an adaptive range broad enough to compensate should you be forced to put in a lower octane. I do not believe that octane rating of the fuel will play any part in the build up of carbon on the intake valves. From what I have read, this is predominantly an issue of not having fuel flowing over the intake valves to keep them clean. There have been lots of posts from RS4 owners regarding the carbon build up on their motors and they have tons of theories about different brands of fuel being better for their injectors, and different brands of oil being less apt to form deposits. It appears though that the deposits are a side effect of poor separators in the crankcase breather system. Some people have just installed catch cans to negate the effects. Others have gone the performance route and installed water/meth kits. What kind of warranty do you have on the car? The carbon build up is not known to throw codes so I'm not sure how easy it is to have the dealer agree to blast it with walnut shells to clean it under warranty. It is a pretty labor intensive job I believe. I have a 2.0t and suspect I have some pretty dirty valves, but I'm not sure how I will get the dealer to clean mine either. At least I don't have as many as you Thanks for the reply. I realise the carbon build-up is caused by the direct injection and is unrelated to fuel type (given that the fuel doesn't get to touch the valves) - I think it's just a consequence of this relatively new engine technology, though presumably new designs in the future will improve things. Catch cans will help from what I've read, though I also understand they will slow rather than prevent the build-up. The car has most of its 3-year manufacturer's warranty left on it (it was registered September 2012), but I'm sure when/if I encounter this problem that will have long since expired and I will have to fork out for a clean myself, which I have accepted. Problem is any loss in performance is incremental and thus hard to detect, especially given that, like you say, it doesn't tend to throw up any warnings. Still, I'll deal with that down the line. Picking up the car Thursday, it looks like. Was pretty worried when my RX8 (which I'm part-exchanging) started flashing its check engine light at me a couple of days ago. Luckily there is a garage specialising in Japanese cars in my village who reset the engine for free and now it seems to be all fine. Getting very excited!
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Mar 12, 2013 15:48
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Any recommendations for a reasonable all-season tire for a 2010 Golf TDI? I'm currently leaning towards Continental ExtremeContact DWS as they seem pretty reasonable. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...romCompare1=yes
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Mar 13, 2013 20:06
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willkill4food posted:Any recommendations for a reasonable all-season tire for a 2010 Golf TDI? I use these on my GTI and they've been great. Highly recommended.
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Mar 14, 2013 14:05
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willkill4food posted:Any recommendations for a reasonable all-season tire for a 2010 Golf TDI? I have always seen favorable consumer opinions on those tires. I live in Georgia, we never see any real snow here, so I opted for the DW version and really like them for the price/performance. I had Hankook V12s on my S2000 and really liked them, but opted for the DW on my A4 and was not disappointed in them at all.
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Mar 14, 2013 22:49
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OneSizeFitsAll posted:Thanks for the reply. I realise the carbon build-up is caused by the direct injection and is unrelated to fuel type (given that the fuel doesn't get to touch the valves) - I think it's just a consequence of this relatively new engine technology, though presumably new designs in the future will improve things. Catch cans will help from what I've read, though I also understand they will slow rather than prevent the build-up. The car has most of its 3-year manufacturer's warranty left on it (it was registered September 2012), but I'm sure when/if I encounter this problem that will have long since expired and I will have to fork out for a clean myself, which I have accepted. Problem is any loss in performance is incremental and thus hard to detect, especially given that, like you say, it doesn't tend to throw up any warnings. Still, I'll deal with that down the line. Does your Audi dealer offer CPO warranties on used vehicles? I'm guessing you are not in the US so I'm not sure what is offered outside of here. That provides 6yr/100k from the in service date. At any rate, if you love the car and are willing to accept its potential issues, then you are all out of excuses and you will not regret the purchase. You own an RX8, so you should not be a stranger to a car with quirks.
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Mar 14, 2013 22:55
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Aflicted posted:Does your Audi dealer offer CPO warranties on used vehicles? I'm guessing you are not in the US so I'm not sure what is offered outside of here. That provides 6yr/100k from the in service date. At any rate, if you love the car and are willing to accept its potential issues, then you are all out of excuses and you will not regret the purchase. You own an RX8, so you should not be a stranger to a car with quirks. You're not wrong about the RX8. It isn't an Audi dealer though - it's a prestige car showroom in the south of England. I've got the balance of the manufacturer's warranty; I don't know whether you can extend the warranty from Audi after the fact. If you can I may look into it, but it's not really weighing on my mind. Got the car yesterday, and it's amazing; I absolutely love it, and regret seems very unlikely to factor in in any way. Really, it's an astonishing piece of machinery, and I intend to keep it for a good long while as our family car. There are two annoyances, though. The automated parking assist feature (where it scans for spaces, turns the wheel etc) is supposed to be on the car. It is part of the standard technology pack, and my car has the advanced pack (which includes everything in the standard pack). Yet the button is simply not there. All the other features of the advanced pack appear to be present. Before I bought the car the dealer gave me a print-out of the original order with all the options listed; it states it has the advanced technology pack and then goes on to list the things that come with said pack, and the park assist is not on that list either. I don't know whether Audi cocked up, or the park assist was not part of the technology pack at the time (though we're only talking September last year). It's really not the end of the world, as it's not a feature I would have used much at all, but it would have been fun to try out, and if it's supposed to be there it's annoying that it isn't. The other thing is an imperfection on one of the seals. I mentioned this to the sales guy (only noticed it as we were about to depart with the car). He suggested trying to get Audi to replace it under the car's warranty, and to let him know how I got on. Here's a pic: http://i.imgur.com/XqnEOqz.jpg Again, not a huge deal, but with a car like this you wouldn't expect it. Wonder how responsive Audi will prove to be.
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Mar 15, 2013 13:15
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OneSizeFitsAll posted:You're not wrong about the RX8. It isn't an Audi dealer though - it's a prestige car showroom in the south of England. I've got the balance of the manufacturer's warranty; I don't know whether you can extend the warranty from Audi after the fact. If you can I may look into it, but it's not really weighing on my mind. Please post pics of your new S6. I'm still a little angry that Audi chose not to offer an S4 Avant or I would have one in my garage instead of the sedan 
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Mar 15, 2013 14:45
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SwashedBuckles posted:Please post pics of your new S6. I'm still a little angry that Audi chose not to offer an S4 Avant or I would have one in my garage instead of the sedan Sure. Rained this afternoon, so will try and do it over the weekend. Will stick 'em in the post your ride thread, I guess. Don't know why Audi don't offer Avants in the US - presumably because the market's not very big given the huge popularity of SUVs? It's a pity for those Americans who want one though, and I don't blame them for that desire. Practicality aside, Audis look really good as estates - much more so than BMWs or Mercs in my opinion.
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Mar 15, 2013 20:56
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SwashedBuckles posted:Please post pics of your new S6. I'm still a little angry that Audi chose not to offer an S4 Avant or I would have one in my garage instead of the sedan gvibes fucked around with this message at 05:59 on Mar 16, 2013 |
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Mar 16, 2013 05:55
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OneSizeFitsAll posted:Sure. Rained this afternoon, so will try and do it over the weekend. Will stick 'em in the post your ride thread, I guess. Wagons came and went here it seems. My dad had a early 90's Chevy Caprice wagon and it was huge. Most manufacturers had one, including domestic makes, but they fell to the wayside for the SUV and Minivan. I see at least two dozen Honda Odysseys on the way to work. I do see a few A3's around, and every now and then I'll see an A4 Avant. If I see a wagon it is usually an older model it seems, but on the rare occasion I will see someone with a newer 3 series wagon. As for the damage on the seal there, I don't know that Audi will replace it. It doesn't look like a defect, it looks like something chopped into it or melted it? Who knows though, I have had them fix a number of things on my A4 that were tiny cosmetic issues I had. I had them replace the center console armrest after a hinge broke because it got crushed by something in the armrest. It is a known garbage design which is why I think they repaired it without question for me. I have never been turned away from a repair under warranty though. Same for my wifes A3. Which leads this wall of text to a question I have: The flasher on the A3 is blinking at 2x speed when you signal to the right. There are no bulbs out. I checked, rechecked, and rechecked again. When signaling left it is normal, and when using the emergency flashers it is normal. The car is under warranty so I intend to have them take care of it, but I'm curious if anyone else has a suggestion. If it is a 20 minute fix and saves me from dropping it off at the dealer and going through that hassle, I'm in.
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Mar 16, 2013 17:02
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What's the general consensus on an '11 TDI Sportwagon? How are maintenance costs for it? Any glaring issues I should know about? I'm thinking of picking one up, CPO.
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Mar 16, 2013 20:28
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Opinions on: 2012 A3 Quattro 10,000km Dealer owned car vs. 2013 Jetta GLI 0km sport trim: 18" + moonroof For the same price? I know they share the same engine and DSG. The Jetta is a newer model whereas the A3 in its current form has been around for like 5-6 years, so the Jetta has a lot more little tech features (including a proper place to plug in my phone), but loses out on the quattro, HID, nicer quality interior, 'brand name' and the practicality of a hatch in the city. But I have to consider that in 3-5 years I might be moving to a place with no Audi dealership within 2 hours and I'll probably want the car to last at least that long. I'm more or less set on the GLI, but I want to make sure that there's no super compelling reason I should go for the A3 instead. I drove both and they're both very similar, as I said the quattro would be nice  but I'm not sure it's worth giving up for some of the more liveability benefits the Jetta has.
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Mar 16, 2013 21:36
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mik posted:A3 vs GLI I personally would go with the A3 since quattro, HIDs, and upgraded interior are high on my list of desired features and at the same price with a lower depreciation hit, it just makes more sense if all else is equal. Worrying about no local dealers if you possibly move in 3+ years doesn't make much sense as a concern.
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Mar 16, 2013 22:35
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mik posted:A3 vs. GLI Honestly I wouldn't even take the idea that you MIGHT be hours away from an Audi dealership in years into consideration. How often do you actually expect to NEED an Audi dealership, especially when a VW dealer can get you the same parts and are probably competant at messing with the car. Hopefully you'll never need the dealership anyway, except for, like, consumables. And maybe a timing belt or something.
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Mar 16, 2013 22:40
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GLI. Audi dealer loaner car? Pass. That thing has been beat on.
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Mar 16, 2013 23:07
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Counterpoint, the A3 is healthier when beat on. Just make sure they give you a big warranty and keep a close eye on oil consumption.
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Mar 16, 2013 23:34
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mik posted:
Both cars have the TFSI motor so they have a timing chain. That motor is considerably less prone to burning oil like the older FSI engine. I have both and my wife's A3 never loses a drop between oil changes it seems, whereas my A4 has a regular appetite for $10 entrees. A3 quattro is not the 'Quattro' in their other offerings. It is the same Haldex unit that you find in the VW cars on the same platform. I don't say this as a knock against the car, but you should probably know going in. I can't say how the car was treated as a service car, but I tend to pound on the sportier ones when I get them and leave the others well enough alone. The Quattro A3 I did have was fun to drive, but you really couldn't do anything in it that seemed abusive. My A3 is FWD with the DSG and I drive that thing very hard and it never skips a beat. I have not had one issue with that car related to how it has been driven. The things that do break are all cosmetic or finicky bits that the dealer always covers for me. Incidentally I bought this one used from the dealer with ~15k miles on it and it was owned by Audi Corporate as a program vehicle. The CPO warranty is 6yrs/100k from the in service date, so it was actually a better warranty than a new Audi or VW. I just saw the GLI up close at the auto show here and I was a bit underwhelmed with it. The Jettas have gone off the cliff in my opinion, BUT the GLI still clings to IRS, 4 wheel disc, soft touch dash, and keeps a fun motor/trans combo. That said, its no different (other than the body style if it is a must have) to me than the last generation Jetta Wolfsburg with a 2.0t that you can get for a good bit less now. The 2010 Wolfsburg has the newer TFSI motor as well. A friend of mine owns a TDI Jetta from the last year of the previous model and we still prefer that to the new one. (TDI generally gets the uprated interior, suspension, etc stock.) While not directly comparable, the previous model is a known quantity, and someone already took a hit on the value for you. The depreciation on a new GLI is an unknown quantity since it is new, and selling in low volume based on how cheap you can by a base or SE Jetta. This could help or hurt, time will tell. I don't see either car giving you a whole lot of trouble. The real question is, are the upgraded features of the A3, worth knowing you weren't the first person to redline your car? Do you prefer the hatchback to a sedan? Are you planning to drive the wheels off this car so resale value is irrelevant? Which emblem do you like more.
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Mar 17, 2013 14:50
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I think my GTI is attracting others... (Mine's up front, the one with the curbed-to-poo poo wheels, with its doppleganger behind it and a 2dr behind that.) DEUCE SLUICE fucked around with this message at 03:32 on Mar 18, 2013 |
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Mar 18, 2013 02:14
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SwashedBuckles posted:Please post pics of your new S6. I'm still a little angry that Audi chose not to offer an S4 Avant or I would have one in my garage instead of the sedan Pics are up in the other thread now.
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Mar 18, 2013 17:27
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mik posted:Opinions on: Why not look into the TDI Golf. These are really 2 completely different cars. 1 is a sedan and the other is a hatchback. The A3 is going to come with leather, while the GLI comes with cloth. The A3 is going to have higher repair costs than the GLI. I traded up from an 04.5 GLI to my current 11 TDI Golf and I can't see ever going back to a sedan. As far as tires go, I live in Denver and have been running DWS Contis for 20k now and haven't had any issues with the 5-6 snows we've actually had in the 2 years I've had the car.
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Mar 20, 2013 21:34
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I ran the DWS for 50k miles and liked em so much I just got another set about 10k miles ago. The first set were solid but I ended about getting a flat a few weeks ago on the new set. I hit a really large pothole though so it was probably to be expected. The day after it happened driving to work I saw them filling the pothole I had hit the day before too. I have real good luck :/
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Mar 20, 2013 22:03
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75K mile routine maintenance is coming up on my 2005 A4 (B6). I've done all the maintenance to date, but this one looks like the expensive one. I'm trying to decide if I can safely forgo any of the items on the list to avoid paying the full $2.3K that I've been quoted. At this point, it's just really hard for me to swallow spending that kind of money on a car worth $10K with no current problems. How bad of an idea is it to just have them replace my timing belt, ribbed v belt (not sure what this is, but it sounds important) and spark plugs? Looks like I'd be skipping the following: -Check brake system for damage, leaks, pad thickness, fluid level (flushed my brake fluid less than a year ago) -Check and replace battery if needed (got a new battery two years ago) -Check cooling system level -Check drive shaft boots -Check engine compartment for leaks -Check onboard diagnostics fault memory -Check exhaust system for damage, leaks -Check power steering fluid, add if necessary -Clean snow screen for air filter -Front and rear axle - check for excessive play, check dust seals on ball joints and tie rod ends -Replace dust and pollen filter I guess I'm also not really accounting for the possbility that the timing belt alone would be like 90% of the total cost. If that's the case, it seems like I might as well have everything done. What do you guys think?
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Mar 23, 2013 19:16
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No Porsche thread so here goes: I have the opportunity to buy a 996 at significantly under book. 66k miles - what issues should I look for and questions should I ask?
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Mar 23, 2013 20:10
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blk posted:No Porsche thread so here goes: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3442639 That has pretty much because the default Porsche thread.
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Mar 23, 2013 20:22
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Blakkout posted:75K mile routine maintenance is coming up on my 2005 A4 (B6). I've done all the maintenance to date, but this one looks like the expensive one. I'm trying to decide if I can safely forgo any of the items on the list to avoid paying the full $2.3K that I've been quoted. At this point, it's just really hard for me to swallow spending that kind of money on a car worth $10K with no current problems. How bad of an idea is it to just have them replace my timing belt, ribbed v belt (not sure what this is, but it sounds important) and spark plugs? Looks like I'd be skipping the following: Checking MOST of that is not all that difficult really. When was the last time you had a mechanic look at the car/change the oil? You could check your power steering fluid, visually inspect for oil or coolant floating around under the hood (a mechanic would probably notice this and notify you as well), and check the coolant level on your own without tools or jack stands really. The dust/pollen filter is easily replaced without any real tools/know how. A google search will certainly provide a how to with pictures. Same goes for the snow screen on the air filter, if you haven't replaced the air filter in a long time you can do that too while you are at it. I believe yours will have wear indicators on the front brake pads, but only on one pad and probably not the rear at all. You could visually check this too, but you would need to get the car on jack stands and pull the wheels to see them probably. Exhaust can be visually inspected while on a lift and if really bad you can probably hear it. The rest will also really need to be done on a lift or on jack stands and you can probably find pictures to help you identify issues. The labor on the timing belt is really the big ticket item as they will have to put the front end in the 'service position' to have room to access it. There is a how to with pictures on this as well, but really I would let a mechanic do it unless you are really comfortable working on cars and have the tools. The how to might be interesting to look at to understand what all is involved. Spark plugs you can do yourself as well, but you need a torque wrench and the plugs themselves range in price. OEM is ~$10 each. Did you take it to Audi or an independent Audi/VW shop. You will probably get better labor rates at the indie shop. The parts are not overly expensive.
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Mar 24, 2013 18:30
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Aflicted posted:Checking MOST of that is not all that difficult really. When was the last time you had a mechanic look at the car/change the oil? You could check your power steering fluid, visually inspect for oil or coolant floating around under the hood (a mechanic would probably notice this and notify you as well), and check the coolant level on your own without tools or jack stands really. The dust/pollen filter is easily replaced without any real tools/know how. A google search will certainly provide a how to with pictures. Same goes for the snow screen on the air filter, if you haven't replaced the air filter in a long time you can do that too while you are at it. I believe yours will have wear indicators on the front brake pads, but only on one pad and probably not the rear at all. You could visually check this too, but you would need to get the car on jack stands and pull the wheels to see them probably. Exhaust can be visually inspected while on a lift and if really bad you can probably hear it. The rest will also really need to be done on a lift or on jack stands and you can probably find pictures to help you identify issues. The labor on the timing belt is really the big ticket item as they will have to put the front end in the 'service position' to have room to access it. There is a how to with pictures on this as well, but really I would let a mechanic do it unless you are really comfortable working on cars and have the tools. The how to might be interesting to look at to understand what all is involved. Spark plugs you can do yourself as well, but you need a torque wrench and the plugs themselves range in price. OEM is ~$10 each. Did you take it to Audi or an independent Audi/VW shop. You will probably get better labor rates at the indie shop. The parts are not overly expensive. Christ. It didn't even occur to me that the "dust and pollen filter" was the air filter. I should be able to take care of that. Thanks for pointing it out. I get the oil changed every 6 months (drive about 2K miles during that time), so I assume they would notice any glaring problems or serioues leaks while doing that. I could do some recon on flushing collant to gauge my comfort with doing it myself, but I think serpentine belt replacement, timing belt replacement, spark plug replacement, and power steering fluid flush are all well out of my comfort zone and probably in order here. Googling also leads me to believe some people replace the water pump at the same time they do the timing belt. Good idea or needless expense at this point? As for the price, my $2.3K quote came from the two certified Audi dealers in my area (Twin Cities). I've never had work done at an independant shop for fear of someone ripping me off. Any pointers on how to find a trustworhty mechanic? I mean, I honestly wouldn't even know how to tell if someone actually replaced the timing belt, and didn't just take my money and run. Thanks for the insight. Blakkout fucked around with this message at 18:54 on Mar 25, 2013 |
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Mar 25, 2013 18:52
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