Catering to used-car buyers?

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <01bd1647$970de040$LocalHost@default> "Ian J Haseltine" writes:

> I understand the reasoning re. large or unusual parts, but the bits that I
> wanted were nyloc nuts in 13&10mm sizes and some clevis pin retainers and as
> such probably not unique to the RHD Ur quattro. I would have understood if
> they had some but not all the parts or even if they didn't have them in
> sufficient quantity, but they didn't. What would they do if during a service
> they discovered that such a part needed replacing? Telling a customer that
> they can't finish the job because they have to wait 24 hours for a 10mm nut
> to be delivered won't help to keep that customer loyal IMO - especially with
> their labour charges at over 40GBP/hour.

I went through exactly the same routine (clutch m/c replacement?) at my own 
main dealer.  Close questioning enabled me to determine that they do not, as a 
matter of policy, routinely replace self-locking nuts and bolts - they merely 
add a dab of Loctite and wind the old nut back on.
 
When I pressed for _NEW_ components because I wanted to follow the Audi service 
documentation to the letter, I got the feeling they regarded me as some kind of 
crank.  Although my relationship with BR Motorsport has been marked by some ups 
and downs, I must say that they have _always_ followed Audi's replacement rules 
on self-locking fasteners.

Subsequently, I've discovered the manufacturer of Audi's Nylocs, and now 
purchase them at GBP3 ($5) per 100. 

-- 
 Phil Payne
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club