[200q20v] 1st trip to dealer

[Mike Miller]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Tomsaudi200 at aol.com 


Well guys, I finally hauled my car to my local Audi dealership, only to be 
surprised that one of the staff not only owns a 91 200 Quattro, but is also a 
fellow lister here. Not wanting to put anyone in an uncomfortable position 
here, I will not name the dealer I went to.

I had the KF recall performed (the airbag sensor). Plus a fog light bulb had 
burned out, and you guys already know the rest about the stalling, bouncing 
speedo, and the POP of the stereo. I know you guys offered possible 
explanations to my problems, which of course I appreciate. I want to approach 
a dealership with my problems as educated as I can possibly be-1. so they 
take me seriously and 2. so I can't be conned into doing unneccessary 
repairs. 

Wellll.......dealing with the service manager, all talk on e-mail lists 
leaves a lot of room for rumors and misinformation, or so I am told. My main 
concern here is that we are dealing with a car that was imported to America 
in the hundreds, not ten's of thousands. In any case, I feel a little better 
knowing one of the guys there has the same car as me. 

Ok, I won't keep you guys hanging any longer-here are the dealer's solutions 
to my car's problems:

POP in stereo speakers: blown diode. Cost: $193
Erratic speedo, problem believed to be linked to the stalling: printed 
computer board,. Cost: $593. 

So, we're basically talking $700 for a couple of minor problems. 

This sound in line to you guys, or am I being taken?

Tom

Sounds to me like the dealer doesn't know that much. The dealer I used to deal with was on one of the regional Audi lists. And they seemed to take it seriously. I'll name it - University Audi in Seattle and Douglass was great to work with as was Bjorn.  Personally, I have saved literally thousands of $$ from the Audi and Ford truck lists that I belong to. 

The speaker pop can be fixed with the _ addition_ of a xener diode that is covered in an Audi TSB from about 1990 - I don't have the number handy, but surely the dealer does.  The problem is an inductance spike  when the A/C compressor turns off, not a bad diode that is already there - the diode doesn't exist! The cost to install the parts referenced in the TSB is in line with expectations. HOWEVER, there are way cheaper fixes. I'm sure another lister will detail it out for you.

The bouncing speedo is almost certainly a loose connection and or bad solder joints - I would say the majority of the 91 200q's I have heard of  has had the problem, including mine.

The stalling can be a symtom of the A/C inductance spike according to the TSB - I have yet to see it happen personally and mine does  the pop. BTW, a new compressor did not fix the problem. I forget what you say the stalling symtoms are, but if it is lifting the throttle and the tach just falls to 0, most likely suspect is the Turbo Bypass Valve. I've already replaced one and am about to replace another. They seem to last 2-3 years, in my experience. I'd be _very_ suprised if they replaced the dash "printed computer board" and it solved any stalling problem and I would definately get it in writing from them that if the stalling problem is not fixed by replacing that, there is no charge to you. That will most likely fix your bouncing speedo though.

The fixes you reference above can be done, by you, with the help of the SJM or CM websites for about $50 and 3-4 hrs labor as a guess. Let your wallet be your guide :-)

mike miller
91 200q owner since May 96
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