Here's the list:

Plate light out (knew about it, didn't care, there's two)
Fog light out (knew about it, crappy Xenon bulbs from fleabay, meant to swap stock ones in before I left but didn't)
Fog lights don't turn off when going to and from high beam (thinking its a setting I did in VAG-COM, could be wrong, but I was playing with the fog lights)
wiper transmission broken (what spurred the appointment, getting it fixed, about $300 for that with labor)
lf/rf control arms have excessive play
rear sway bar links almost shot (will upgrading to the RS4 sway take care of it? or is it what holds the sway bar on?)
3 of 4 tires worn (duh, just didn't care. waiting to find somewhere that will sell me Nitto NT1 or Invo)
heavy wear on rear brakes
$2900 for that, just to get it inspected in VT. Windshield is subletted, costing me $100 deductible, but not by the dealer, but is being fixed as well.

I also have leaking cam adjuster seals, not required for inspection, which is another $1600. No idea what they are, but how long can they leak before they turn into a 10x cost situation like my clutch did?


I'm getting the wipers and windshield fixed today, along with the 65000 mile service. My timing belt is showing miniscule amounts of wear. I'll plan on doing that at 80000 miles. What are my options for aftermarket upgrades here? I'd like an RS4 sway, I'm looking at new brakes from APR, new Nitto tires, but what about the control arms? I'm guessing thats not part of what would be replaced with an aftermarket suspension (rhetorical question), so I'll probably have to end up replacing those with OEM (dammit).

Anyone have any thoughts? I only set aside about $850 for this service, and come to find out my insurance ran out today so I had to pay that to the tune of $320... Believe it or not, I still really love the car, and I want to do it right, but the unfortunate part is that in trying to pay it off faster I ate into my repair slush fund. I *HAD* about $2500 set aside. I still owe FAR more than the white collars think it's worth, so I have no equity on it to borrow against.

At this point I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are, what I should get repaired when and with what. I make about $425 a week (damn PPO healthcare and retirement funds...), and the only bills I put as need-to-pay-above-transportation are cell phone and insurance, so hopefully I'll have it fixed soon. This is just a bummer cause I was looking forward to getting my car back after a long winter of neglect :-/ I deserve it I suppose...

 

I would say get the parts that you want for the suspension and have a suspension shop do that stuff along with the brakes, unless you work on your own car. They checked your rear suspension for an inspection? Did you take it to the dealer to get this inspection? I know it's tougher to get an inspection in some places, but I'm used to being able to take my rx-7 that has 0 cats (and nothing that looks like a cat, just a straight pipe) and passing here in Texas.

The cam seals are in with the timing belt, so I would do those at the same time, but not at the dealer. The seals themselves cost about 6 dollars.

 

for control arms you can go aftermarket. not sure if they make them for a4, but for my car i went OCAP for control arms. italian manufacturer that makes oem parts for lamborghini and maseratti. $100 cheaper than the german parts, and same or better quality, and the updated design. go to blauparts.com . i got my kit for $470 with the improved tie rod ends as well. got free shipping too, ordered them sunday and got them yesterday. cheapest price found, free shipping, and here in 3 days, cant really ask for more.

 

Well I called my dealer back, who talked to my father (I listed him as a secondary contact because I knew that I wouldn't be able to take any calls, no signal at work and I'm never at my desk), and told my dealer what I wanted to do, and they said my dad already gave them his credit card number and they were doing the work. I can't complain, my old man is a little more flexible with payments than my bank is

I'm not getting the cam seals though, the dealer said those would need to be done by June. I have time to prep for it atleast, and I am going to be buying a new clutch kit and flywheel as money becomes available so I can go Stage 4 on that, since my clutch is starting to go again (well, it was great for 2 weeks, and then it went back to "almost dead" feeling after I got it fixed at kinney motors). I'll end up ordering the Southbend kit from DTH piece by piece, just to get it in and on hand. About $1k there, I got injectors on the way, so my upgrades for the summer will be satisfied after I pay off the old man and get the clutch in, and get the injectors/chip. It's looking to be a good year...

 

And thanks for all the replies, especially about the cam seals...

 

Give me your dads number so I can tell him how badly he just got ripped!

 

My pop is the type of guy that just does as he is told from the "smart people".

"Sir, your blinker fluid is leaking, I recommend this $4500 extended resiorvoir to hold more fluid so you don't run out as fast"

"Okay, I'll make you a deal, you pay for half the fluid to fill it, and I'll pay for the other half"

The work is already started, and I don't really want to drive it 90 miles back to buy an inspection sticker here, so I just let it go. I told them not to do the cam seals though. Its a meh at this point. Its not an immediate $3000 that *I* have to come up with, and I get my car back after 6 months, so at this point, that cost me $500 a months to neglect and ignore my car. Let that be a lesson to my fiance about why we should invest in getting my car fixed* and not hers next time.

*By fixed I mean pour heaps of money into making it even better, even if it starts with just a "blinker fluid leak"...

 

It has the added benefit of me saying I can order the parts and do it myself, and she will trust me when I say "Yeah dear, I *COULD* take it to the dealership and have them give you a quote, or I could just take it to APR and have *THEM* update the ECU to prevent the airbags from going off randomly for a lot less, probably only $400-$500..., and while I am there I'm going to have my exhaust looked at, I think its plugged, and my injectors seem dirty, and I should probably order new coil packs to have on hand... It'll probably be $10,000 at the dealer, can I just go to APR???"

This is the same woman who "saves" me money by going to the store with my card and buying 10 pairs of shoes at half off and says "they were free! I saved $250, and spent $250, so we broke even!" and expects me to believe it.

 

Ah... I see the logic... So if someone gives me $50 cause i lost $50, i effectively make $50?

 

I swear, if you put her and my car together, its a money sucking vortex that has the ability to turn someone from riches to rags faster than a speeding bullet. Though, I can't say which one is worth spending that kind of money on more (for fear of chemical castration), but I could spend my money a lot worse, like her Honda, or shoes... haha