Still under warranty, sort of, (yeah, right), and don't get me started about dealer service antics as I have had some rough times with my 2002 A4, 1.8T, but now it seems there is some noise underneath and the mesh/flex pipe befoer the cat is aparantly rusted, and there is a gasket there as well, I assume... Don't know the exhaust system of this car. Come to think of it i don't know the exhaust system of any car.

I love this car even with all its misgivings, but the dealer has said they wont cover teh repair and that I need a new cat because although its fine, it is attached to the flex pipe before it.

Here is the Hate part: $1500! The flex pipe is obviously rusted, and is aparantly part of an extended 8 year 100000 mile warranty, however the plastic plate under the engine shows some damage (like a rip in it when I went over a big chunk of very hard snow, or that time I hit a possum unavoidably).

They say since the plastic is broken a bit, there must have been impact, and you cant get the mesh part without the entire "catalytic converter pipe" thoughas I said, it is rusted clean through.That'sa rip-off and I know it.

I did a bit of research and it looks like the cat is separate from the rest of the system, and by the way can be had for around $225, and the brand new, shiny mesh flex pipe is available for $35 bucks.

Somebody tell me how they can justify the $1500, and if they are not lying, why it is that I can spend 10 minutes on the web and find the parts individually and they can only find them attached to one another.

Also, they want to charge half a day to do the job. Thats right, 4 hours.

In the virginia area, so if you have info, referrals, advice, please forward them to this shucm that bought an A4....

oh, and don't get me started about oil sludge... serious money to be parted with!

Thanks for any and all advice - and seriously, please do not reply with something rediculous like, "You should sell it", or worse, "You shouldn't have bought an A4", because this car is losing value faster than a hyundai. and it hurts to think about it already, without the salt in the wound thing....

 

I figured i would reply to my own post to get the ball rolling... Hopefully someone will give me some advice or tell me where I can get some parts cheap and installed...

seriously, i need a hand here, and i know exhaust is not sexy, but man, i got a situation!

 

ive found in when you want something done for cheap and good quality find a respected mexican shop. i went to one in aurora, IL yeah, right down the street from where they filmed waynes world, they charged me 180 for 2 new felx pipes plus labor and i had burned out cat so i paid 100 for 2 magnaflows, total 280 and its a great job, everytime im under the car im impressed by the quality of the welds. that is really your best bet, yeah you loose some money but hell ive also noticed unless AoNA is trying to sell you a car they dont give 2 *****, the only thing that makes an audi worth driving is the plethora of enthusists who help each other out.

 

crap i just realized you have a 1.8t, sorry really used to my 12v. anyways its probably better to get a performance cat and downpipe since they are one piece, then just get a good mexican/immigrant shop (not iranians their crooks, no offense to any of iranian members) and have then bolt the parts on or if its just the flex pipe have then cut and weld on a new one for 100-200 bucks.