[s-cars] Re: s-cars] Stealer killed his car, eh?

[CLAG500 at aol.com]

Paul,

  I forwarded your posts to Rich. I'll have to get him signed up to the list.
I also e-mailed him links to SJM Autotechnik and Urs4 timing belt faqs so
when the service manager tried to tell him.......Oh heck you guys might as
well read it yourselves. Here's what happened:

Hello Chad:

Well, I went down to Hoffman Audi this am to meet with the service
technicians who actually do the work. The manager there told me that the
"kid" (boy I hate that!) removed the timing belt before he got the pulley
bolt loose for the crank pulley. After he explained how big the
lever he needed was for the job, he said it sometimes happens that the crank
will turn and not perfectly line up. Then the valve got damaged. At this
point, I interrupted him. You know those great websites you directed me to,
well I actually read what they said on how to remove
the timing belt. I told the manager that the audi manual says to never remove
the belt until you have locked up the crank with the special tool, then
loosened the bolt with the other special tool and only then remove the timing
belt after the camshaft pulley and crankshaft pulley are loose. He admitted
this was correct, and the tech should not have removed the belt when he did.

He then said they had isolated it to one ticking valve. I laughed at this,
since with the interference fit and running the motor, I would never believe
only one valve bent. He said maybe two. Sounds like let's make a deal.

I called the other Audi dealer around this area, in West Springfield. They
said at the bare minimum, there is most likely head damage. Certainly, there
might be piston damage as well. I called my lawyer who recommended a good
trial lawyer in Hartford. I suspect only two ways
might mitigate this disaster: New Motor; new car.

The manager from Hoffman Motors called me. I told him he had permission only
to remove the cylinder head to examine the damage, but not to repair the car.
I also told him my two considerations for fixing the problem.

What's really bad about this is that my wife loves this car. She has already
been planning her 100,000 mile celebration. The only way I could get her away
from her '76 BMW 2002 was to get her to test drive this S6, since it was like
her dream machine BMW with a decent motor, comfortable seats, AC and still
had a stick shift. Once she got in, I couldn't get her out, so we bought the
car. She tells me there is no other car she wants right now, as she does not
like the new body styles, and wants her shift. She is pissed.

Thanks again for the help. You are a true gentleman! I will keep you updated,
as I know these stories are highly entertaining in a macabre sort of way, as
long is they happen at arm's length. By they way, when they said they would
stand behind their work, I should have asked them
how far.

Yours,
Rich

Chad Tobin