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55,000 mile service = $1200.00 WTF

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Took my Audi A6 TDI in for its 55,000 mile service.

Oil change, check a laundry list of various parts and bits, swap out all the filters from the cabin filter to the air filter to the oil and tranny filters, etc.

Oh, and they will check the air pressure in the tires too.

Still, $1200 :hammer:
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Sounds like dealer service when I had my Mercedes. :(

Unless you're under some warranty that compels you to use dealer service, I'd find a good indy shop to do the work for you. We took our Audi (A6's) to our local guy and he had no problem doing maintenance and repairs.
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Crap. Now I don't feel so bad about the bill for my truck last week.

They changed....
Left side upper control arm.
Wheel bearing and 4x4 actuator
1 rear caliper.
Wheel alignment

All for the low price of $1900. Then because of the blown ball joint my front tires were shot. So I found a good set of 4 Bridgestone duellers used which cost me $100 for 4 then I had to pay to get them installed. And I'm not done yet. They also discovered that my new brakes and rotors were all rusted from the amount of salt they put on the roads up here. So I ordered a set of 4 new rotors and pads off ebay for $75. They wanted $130 per rotor at the dealership. I figure if they are barely going to last 2 years anyway I'll just go cheap and save me another $700 at the dealership.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Dealerships are way over the average in labor costs. Around here pushing $150/hr. Specialized European shops are generally less $$$
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I learned that in a hurry last week. They charge $140 an hour here. Heck. You guys would be better off driving up here for servicing. With the exchange your $150 an hour would be like me paying around $200 an hour.
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Buddy has an Audi RS4. He just had a brake job done at the dealer. $2,000.
And a new starter. $1,200.
I figured the two of us could gitrdun for about $1,000, and then partied like we ere 18 again for a few days for that kind of change.

I could have helped him out, but he doesn't want to get a little dirty. I won't help somebody that won't help their self.

Find an indy.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Buddy has an Audi RS4. He just had a brake job done at the dealer. $2,000.
And a new starter. $1,200.
I figured the two of us could gitrdun for about $1,000, and then partied like we ere 18 again for a few days for that kind of change.

I could have helped him out, but he doesn't want to get a little dirty. I won't help somebody that won't help their self.

Find an indy.

And that $2000 brake job is a joke. Those carbon fiber ceramic rotors have been proven to be of no value on the grocery getter. They were developed for F1 and high end lambos and Ferraris.

My Crossfire stops from 60-0 in 100 feet with 350 mm non slotted non drilled vented rotors, standard 2 piston calipers and Duralast Gold Ceramic pads.

I could spend a fortune on all that fancy shit like CLK 55 calipers and cross drilled and slotted rotors and in the end old Rosie will still be stopping the same.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
I learned that in a hurry last week. They charge $140 an hour here. Heck. You guys would be better off driving up here for servicing. With the exchange your $150 an hour would be like me paying around $200 an hour.

I ain't driving anywhere to get service. Unless it is a dire emergency where I need it done like yesterday, old TR does the work right in the garage. I got the tools now and NO sissy nitrile gloves. I don't even own any. Get your hands dirty and nice and black under the fingernails. When you're done a clean rag and some waterless hand cleaner and you're good to go. The old timers I broke into the trade with would crucify you if they saw you wearing gloves. :yum:

Generally I change my front brakes every spring but I just inspected and calipered my rotors and they are way over spec so I slapped on a new set of Ceramics and after break in they stop on a dime.

Later this summer I plan on converting the rear drums on my pickup with discs. I will make my own caliper mounting plates as the junkyards around here think they are made of solid gold instead of cast.
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Took my Audi A6 TDI in for its 55,000 mile service.

Oil change, check a laundry list of various parts and bits, swap out all the filters from the cabin filter to the air filter to the oil and tranny filters, etc.

Oh, and they will check the air pressure in the tires too.

Still, $1200 :hammer:

my wife's vw has the tire pressure on the dash I bet your audi has the same.
 

JEV

Mr. Congeniality
GOLD Site Supporter
If you have issues about how much you have to pay for having your automobile serviced, then maybe you should buy and drive something that doesn't raise your blood pressure when you pick it up after the service. :w00t2:

You pay the cost to be the boss. :brows:
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
I don't know where he had it done we have a shop around here charged some one $17000.00 dollars for rebuilding a front end on a 92 f150
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I don't know where he had it done we have a shop around here charged some one $17000.00 dollars for rebuilding a front end on a 92 f150

I have the same year of truck with 300K+ miles. It cost me $1,600 with new coil springs and shocks included in the rebuild. Drives very nice now. It is just a spare we keep around, used as needed.

So yea that was a bit out of line, for here anyway. But in Nome who knows.. :w00t2:

Regards, Kirk
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
If you have issues about how much you have to pay for having your automobile serviced, then maybe you should buy and drive something that doesn't raise your blood pressure when you pick it up after the service. :w00t2:

You pay the cost to be the boss. :brows:

I have no problem with fair prices.

I used to have a local guy who did stuff for me and was roughly 1/2 the price of the dealerships. He retired. Need to find another 'guy' like that.

There is fair and then there is bullshit :hammer:

I've never been a fan of this dealership, but its the closest one to me. I've been treated better by a dealer that is 90 minutes from home on the north west side of Chicago, and they charge less too. Just couldn't invest the time to go there.

Like I said, got to get a new 'guy' to do my service.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
I have no problem with fair prices.

I used to have a local guy who did stuff for me and was roughly 1/2 the price of the dealerships. He retired. Need to find another 'guy' like that.

There is fair and then there is bullshit :hammer:

I've never been a fan of this dealership, but its the closest one to me. I've been treated better by a dealer that is 90 minutes from home on the north west side of Chicago, and they charge less too. Just couldn't invest the time to go there.

Like I said, got to get a new 'guy' to do my service.

One thing to remember, dealerships use OEM parts along with their huge markups. Two years ago my ABS light came on my pickup. After reading the code it was determined the left front ABS sensor was bad. I went to the dealership to pick up a new sensor. I was told the sensor was $275 and that I would be better off buying a new bearing hub assembly that comes with the sensor for $375. I said no thank you.

AutoZone had a new hub assembly for $102.00. Not OEM though. I installed that one and so far so good. Replaced the other one a month ago. Depends on what one wants for parts and how much to spend I guess.
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
With all the computer components, and special equipment needed to diagnose issues properly it is harder than ever to find 'the guy'. I've used the dealer for awhile now. General maint has seemed reasonable and luckily I have not had any major breakdowns.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
One thing to remember, dealerships use OEM parts along with their huge markups. Two years ago my ABS light came on my pickup. After reading the code it was determined the left front ABS sensor was bad. I went to the dealership to pick up a new sensor. I was told the sensor was $275 and that I would be better off buying a new bearing hub assembly that comes with the sensor for $375. I said no thank you.

AutoZone had a new hub assembly for $102.00. Not OEM though. I installed that one and so far so good. Replaced the other one a month ago. Depends on what one wants for parts and how much to spend I guess.

My prior 'guy' used mostly OEM parts and still undercut the dealer by 50%
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
I have the same year of truck with 300K+ miles. It cost me $1,600 with new coil springs and shocks included in the rebuild. Drives very nice now. It is just a spare we keep around, used as needed.

So yea that was a bit out of line, for here anyway. But in Nome who knows.. :w00t2:

Regards, Kirk
that's more like it I couldn't believe the extra 0
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
And I thought $110/hr at my local Toyota dealer was high !!!
I can get OEM parts ( mostly Denso and Aisin) off ebay/amazon for half the price of the dealer.

I was a little intimidated but managed to change the timing belt and water pump ( also radiator) on my '05 4.7L Tundra. Wasn't all that hard.
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
SUPER Site Supporter
The "last" (and I mean "last" like never again) time I used my VW dealer they told me the brakes were worn on my car. I took their word for it and ordered new pads without checking. There was easily 50% of the pads remaining.

They also told me how they filled up my "low" ww fluid - which was funny 'cause I filled it with Rain-X before taking it in so they wouldn't put their cheap crap in there.

Too much scamming going on.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
my rate for working in the field is 130 per hour looking at those rates maybe I should think about a raise as every thing is about 3 times higher cost out here.
 
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