Re: Framingham, Mass. Audi shop? also: H4s

[Sean_Ford@idx.com]

To:   rochow
The lister with the recommendation may have been me. I used Master Auto
Works on Grant Street in Framingham for a bit. MAW is fine for routine
maintenance, but I don't think they're up to the task of diagnosing and
fixing subtle or hard to find problems, nor are they the most frugal choice
for repairs.

Here's why: for anything resembling a repair (as opposed to oil changes,
mileage required maintenance, etc), MAW uses dealership pricing on parts
and they will quote you labor hours from a book. I found this to be less
than satisfactory. The straw that broke the camel's back for me was an
estimated $330 charge for a wheel bearing replacement; $130 for the wheel
bearing and 4 hours labor. That day I found a garage in Natick, Central
Street Garage, who gave a wheel bearing replacement quote of: $75 for the
wheel bearing and 2.5 hours labor for a total of $200. Side story: CSG
upped the price of the wheel bearing to $110 without calling me and when I
asked the owner about it he seemed a bit too casual than I thought was
appropriate when dealing with a concerned customer ("...Hey, is that for
me? Oh! I have another call. Is that it?"). Still, CSG's total turned out
to be $235 for the wheel bearing, a full $95 less than MAW.

I think I may live in some kind of fantasy world. I would actually like to
find a mechanic that:
1) is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to my Audi,
2) actively looks for the best parts prices
3) does not determine labor rates by barely undercutting the local
dealership
4) is friendly and will listen to me
5) is not afraid of performance upgrades
6) and, hell, is somewhat convenient when it comes to locale.

Imagine my happiness if those 6 criteria were met?

Sean Ford
'92 Audi 100CS 5-spd 40k mi
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/5528


Original Message-----------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 18:37:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: "G. Benedikt Rochow" <rochow@segosf.hlo.dec.com>
Subject: Framingham, Mass. Audi shop? also: H4s

  Someone said that >1 lister recommended a particular shop
  in (or close to) Framingham, Massachusetts.

  Which would that be?

  Any other recommendation in this area would be appreciated,
  too. I'm in the Hudson-Shrewsbury area.