i got a quote from my local mechanic which is The Mechanical Advantage (specialize in audi/vw) in Barkhamsted, CT for just over 1k for a turbo replacement. that includes the turbo, labor, and gaskets/seals. so i shoot an email to the service tech at the audi dealership where my car originates from. he tells me that the turbo alone is over 1200 dollars not including gaskets/seals and labor. i mean really? do they really expect people to pay that much just because its the dealership over an independent shop? i gotta say after this, i dont think my car will ever see the dealership lot again.

 

The dealership is probably using a brand new turbo, not a rebuilt one like the independent. Not that there is really anything wrong with a rebuilt one, but that is probably the difference. That plus the labor rate which will always be higher at a dealer.

 

Comparing apples to oranges. You need to ask them to break down the prices for parts and labor. This way you can see the difference in labor/hr charges and parts prices. Also need to find out if they are using new and OEM parts. Just because a shop says they are replacing your turbo with another one doesn't mean its going to be brand new or even of OEM spec. You sure wouldn't want to give them all that money to find out you over paid for a EBay turbo.

 

Fathers and sons is way over priced on everything, they wanted to charge me $1400.00 just for the turbo and told me it would be at least another $1000.00 in labor. They are hacks also, can't even tell the difference between water dripping from the bottom of the car to an oil drip. I went once for service and will never go back. They miss diag. My car and nearly cost me the drive train and the problem was sooooo obvious. My friends shop found the problems in under a minute, not to mention you could SEE the problem.