Why Mechanics Don't do Audi Trannies..

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

rao@pixar.com (Arun Rao) said:

> 	Truth to be told, most Audi drivers I've encountered on the
> 	road seem completely oblivious of other Audis, and there I am,
> 	with a goofy grin -- "Look, look, I have one, too!" Pretty
> 	embarrassing.

True.  This is a select group.  Random reports dept:

While spending more time in the last week with my resident automtaic 
tranny genius (a Chevy tranny project, not the Audi again) I 
mentioned how much trouble folks on this list seem to have finding a 
transmission shop which will admit that they can actually WORK on 
Audi trannies, or who will admit it but charge astronomical figures.

His response:  "To tell you the real truth, most transmission shops 
don't want to touch any Audi or Volvo.  And the reason isn't the car, 
it's the owner.  [he said] You are one of the exceptions to this rule 
- and I have a half-dozen other customers who are also exceptions - 
but most people who drive Audis or Volvos are d**n near too weird to 
be alive!  Working on their cars is not worth the headaches."

On questioning, this indictment boiled down to three pertinent 
characteristics which I didn't have much trouble guessing:

1)  They're incredibly picky about the work being done;
2)  They are, simultanreously, totally ignorant of anything about the 
work being done, and therefore haven't the foggiest idea of what 
they're being picky about;
3)  They are incredibly cheap when it comes to paying for good work!

I commented, "In other words, they make perfect university 
professors, don't they??"  He smiled a giant smile, and nodded.
Having worked in service industries, I can fully understand why this 
would incline a shop NOT to welcome certain makes of cars.

And so - a salute to US on this group!  We are all incredibly picky, 
but we're all trying our very best to understand the internal 
workings of our machines, and I HOPE that we're all willing to pay 
for good work when it'sachieved.

But remember, many of those other Audi owners just have not had the 
cleansing, purifying experience of enlightenment which brought us all 
to this group!  (Cough, cough...)

End random reports dept..........

Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.             Fax:    409/862-1202
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"Baseball is 90 percent mental.  The other half is physical"...
...Yogi Berra.