Tell me if this isn't the cliched "Worse Case Scenario" that we all hear about happening to "My buddies uncle" or someone: So I took my '06 A4 into one of the local dealerships to have the 45,000 mile done and replace my front pads because the wear indicator code has come up.

They tell me $199 for the pads, 45k service is covered, I'm thinking fantastic!

They call in the afternoon for the upsale- "We reccomend having the engine and injection system flushed, this will remove all the engine oil sludge and buildup, basically renews the engine" "As well, the injector flush will remove all the oxidized buildup and gunk out of the fuel system"

So I'm a new Audi owner, and who doesn't want to make sure their investment is being maintained to the upmost level possible right? ...So I say Ok.

Then they drop this one on me- "The front pads were worn down beyond the reccommended point, so we need to replace your rotors as well..."

Again, n00b Audi owner here, and I don't want to risk bad brakes.....

They call around 6 to tell me the car is ready, I live in Parker, this dealer is on Broadway, I arrive around 6:45, at approx 7:30 my car finds its way out of the back lot and to the front. I thank everybody, tell them 'No worries' about the wait and I'm off.

As I get onto C-470 things get a bit wierd......can you guess what I see when I look in my rearview?


A thick swirling cloud of blue-white smoke is streaming from the back of my car like an F-16 contrail.

I think, "This isn't good" and exit on University to return to the dealer, I think about how many time I have changed my own oil and how I always seem to spill oil on the manifold somwhere and I think, maybe that's where all this oil is coming from, then I notice that the smell of oil in the cabin is actually getting stronger and I slow down to about 20mph and 'limp' back to the dealer.

I pull into the service driveway area, pop the hood and hesitatingly take a peek. There is fresh, carmel-colored oil all over the bottom half of the engine and all over the suspension, I look under the car and oil is basically pouring out of the bottom and creating a nice little pool on the pavement. I also notice that there are several pools right there on the drive from when I left the shop 15 minutes earlier!

Me and the car runner pushed the car out of the drive to the side of the building. They brought up a loaner '07 A4 and I was off...again....and yes, I did look in my rearview for oil puddles this time as I left.


So thats my story so far, it's 9:30 and I haven't heard from them yet- We'll see how this plays out.......



I thought this only happened to other people.......:-/

 

Ouch, sorry Guinness! What "local dealer" was this? Care to name names?

 

ahhhh, sounds like you've just been to good 'ol McDonald!! As I may sound like a hypocrite, I sometimes take my car to them too. They are close to my house, open on Saturdays, and will usually give me a loaner. I get the idea that half of those techs that work there have NO idea what the hell they are doing-

 

i live right by mcdonald auto too and i won't let them touch my car i just get some parts that i can only find at the dealer from time to time i spent a lot of money on my audi and if i chat with the guy who is doing the work or i feel as if he don't know what he is doing he is not touching it the only person that i trully trust with my car is Randy or Todd at Autobahn Premier which is also by my house. so next time skip the dealer and take it to some one you feel comtable with because they get to work on it but if it is not done right your the one that has to deal with it.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: kraylon

i live right by mcdonald auto too and i won't let them touch my car i just get some parts that i can only find at the dealer from time to time i spent a lot of money on my audi and if i chat with the guy who is doing the work or i feel as if he don't know what he is doing he is not touching it the only person that i trully trust with my car is Randy or Todd at Autobahn Premier which is also by my house. so next time skip the dealer and take it to some one you feel comtable with because they get to work on it but if it is not done right your the one that has to deal with it.

That's funny you mention Autobahn...I found out about them after I had a new clutch put in by McDonald [:@]! Randy and Todd are great, and have helped me out numerous times since then. The only reason I go to McDonald is when I feel as though Autobahn doesn't have the time to deal with a small problem such as a boost leak I recenty had, or an oil change. They seem like more of a tuning/mod shop than a service shop? (maybe I'm mistaken though) I hope I don't have any problems in the future, but if I do, I know that my car will leave in better shape than it arrived in from Autobahn, as opposed to McDonald or any other dealership, where you could get your car back with something else wrong!

 

After being laid up earlier this year and not being able to do any work on my own cars Autobahn has been my full service shop. Yes theya re very busy, but if you know you are coming due for an oil change just schedule an appt. That's what i do and I have had no problem.

Even one day I was held up in a meeting and they still got me in 2 hours after my scheduled appt.

My point being, they can do pretty much anything for you, if for some reason they can't they will tell you.

 

Yup, that's the general impression that I have received from Autobahnas well.Randy and Toddare always willing to lend a hand for the car's benefit, if anything, it seems. I suppose I just don't want to be a nuisance when they could be working on larger, better paying projects- Plus, I'm not looking to mod the car, I just want it to take good care of it, maintain it, and keep it running in tip-top shape.

 

they are busy guys but they always take the time to go that extra mile to talk to customers, give non BS opitions, and if they don't have the part or service that you need at the time that you need it then there more then happy to point you in the right direction. like for an example on labor day weekend (friday) i noticed that i had a exhaust leak coming from my test pipe install so i needed a new gasket for the turbo to test pipe and for my neuspeed down pipe well Randy had the gasket for the turbo to test pipe but not for my neuspeed down pipe. They where busy butTodd took a couple mins out of his busy day to chat with me to give me a little better idea of why i got a exhaust leak there and what to do to take care of it.mean whileRandytold me to take the down pipe with me over to napa and they would be able to help which they where able to do some measurement and get me the gasket i need, but if randy would of never told me that i would of been with out the Audi on a hoilday weekend.