Sunset Audi East PDX/Why it's EpicWin
#1
11-11-2008, 01:19 AM
Sunset Audi East PDX/Why it's EpicWin
So, here's a fun story.
I'm driving a WRX sportwagon and the wife hates it. We share a car (live in the city) and so we decide to part ways with the Subie. I tell her to consider the Passat Wagon and get a test drive set up. She likes the ride, but that car has been ridden hard and put away wet. So I comb craigslist for weeks. One day I find a posting: 1999 Audi A4 wagon, needs work. I call the owner, he says that the Audi is at Sunset East (they have 2 shops due to "heavy demand"). I go on down there, have a look-see and find that it's a really clean car (fully optioned out: cold weather package, quattro, CD changer, Onyx, all options) with a huge estimate to get it rolling again. They say the timing belt let go and it needs a head. I take a risk and offer the guy 15% more than the highest offer. $1700. The car is mine. I have it towed to my place, get the parts from Sunset and tear the front off the thing. Timing belt appears after an hour. Covers come off, belt... is fine. Engine is in time. I replace it anyway (90k) and do a waterpump. Charge the battery. Crank it, and it starts, then dies, battery won't keep a charge. Make a call and drag the alternator over to autozone. It's dead. I get a new one for $160, drop it in, finish the 90k service, put the front end on, clean the throttle, fix a few vacuum leaks and tighten some clamps. The car is awesome, for $1700. Epic win for me, epic fail for Sunset!
Once your warranty runs out, take it to a different shop, Sunset cannot be trusted. A $4000 bill for a new head, and the car only needs an alternator.
I'm driving a WRX sportwagon and the wife hates it. We share a car (live in the city) and so we decide to part ways with the Subie. I tell her to consider the Passat Wagon and get a test drive set up. She likes the ride, but that car has been ridden hard and put away wet. So I comb craigslist for weeks. One day I find a posting: 1999 Audi A4 wagon, needs work. I call the owner, he says that the Audi is at Sunset East (they have 2 shops due to "heavy demand"). I go on down there, have a look-see and find that it's a really clean car (fully optioned out: cold weather package, quattro, CD changer, Onyx, all options) with a huge estimate to get it rolling again. They say the timing belt let go and it needs a head. I take a risk and offer the guy 15% more than the highest offer. $1700. The car is mine. I have it towed to my place, get the parts from Sunset and tear the front off the thing. Timing belt appears after an hour. Covers come off, belt... is fine. Engine is in time. I replace it anyway (90k) and do a waterpump. Charge the battery. Crank it, and it starts, then dies, battery won't keep a charge. Make a call and drag the alternator over to autozone. It's dead. I get a new one for $160, drop it in, finish the 90k service, put the front end on, clean the throttle, fix a few vacuum leaks and tighten some clamps. The car is awesome, for $1700. Epic win for me, epic fail for Sunset!
Once your warranty runs out, take it to a different shop, Sunset cannot be trusted. A $4000 bill for a new head, and the car only needs an alternator.
#2
11-14-2008, 08:20 PM
that... is amazing. I wish I would have seen that, I am looking for a cheap audi, and live in the portland area. I agree with you on sunset ripping everyone off... my mom has an 06 A4 and I hear their **** all the time. Looks like you got lucky though man! I'm glad it went into the hands of someone who really knows how to take care of a car and not someone who would be willing to pay 4k to do unneccesary work.
Hey, if you come across something like that again... let me know! I'll pay you 15% over what you did!
Hey, if you come across something like that again... let me know! I'll pay you 15% over what you did!
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