Trip Trouble, Part 1, Return from the "Monkey Lads"(TM), LONG

[David Ritter <dritter@mich.com>]

Hello All,
This will be a multi-part report since the facts are incomplete. 
Subject Car, 1990 200TQW with recently replaced radiator and hoses
etc. 
After traveling to the warm hills of Appleton, WI and doing a bit of
shopping the Clutch pedal suddenly goes "crack", "wham" to the
firewall. The clutch remained engaged and I was able to drive
clutchless, doing a bit of rpm-matching to a Audi dealer nearby. I
knew that this was typical of the "broken pedal" for the 200Q, and
noted this to the service dept folks when I checked the car in.
They said that they would check it out the next day, since it was
already getting late. So far, so good, I thought.
The next day, they informed me that the clutch master cylinder was
definitely bad and would have to be ordered. The part would be
arriving on Monday and they could get right on it.
I am very suspicious at this point, but couldn't really insist that
they were being dense, and played along. 
I then take the family back to michigan in the rental and get a nail
in a tire on the POS YVEHC REZALB on the way home.
Monday, called the dealer a couple of times. First to confirm the
part was in, and later to confirm that there weren't any other
problems ( Knowing the they would probably discover their stupidity ).
No, he says, "It is the correct part and everything is fine".
Ok, I say "I'll see you tommorrow".
Today, Tuesday, I get up extra early to clear some local road
construction, and get rolling about 7am in the  POS YVEHC REZALB.
I roll into the service dept about 1030am and inquire about the
car. "You'll have to talk to XXXXX about that", they reply.
I see they have found their mistake, I think to myself.
The XXXXX guy crawls out of his office to explain that once they
removed the clutch master cyl they discovered that the pedal was
broken. He says something else that I can't quite remember, something
about not being able to determine clutch pedal failure without
removing the master cyl. I didn't buy his explanation at this point.
He then says that they have found a part and that it will be there
within and hour and that they would get "right on it", once they had
the pedal.
He also said that he wasn't sure that the transmission wasn't damaged.
I instructed him quite firmly in the fact that the trans was fine when 
I drove the car in there, that if it was broken, then they would have
been the ones who broke it. I went to lunch, after checking out the
new car lot. BTW, If anyone is looking for the 99 A6 Avant with the
third seat option Volcano Black with Grey interior, they have it there
for a sticker of $44,470.
After returning from a leisurely lunch I find the pedal is installed
and the tech is bleeding the system. The engine is started the wheels
spin a bit, and there is a discussion and a bit of head scratching
going on back there. The big cheese XXXXX is called back in to the
discussion at which time he returns with the bad news.
They have just broken another clutch pedal and they think I need a new 
clutch plus unknown other things could be wrong. Bottom line seems to
be a sucking sound directed at my wallet. He offers the option of
trading in the TQW at that point. I replied that they don't make
anything which can replace it.
I make some calls and decide to rent a U-Haul truck and trailer and
drag the possessed beast back home.
To their credit, they only pop me for two hours of labor and help me
get the TQW on the trailer.

Ok, now the TQW is at my independent mechanics shop and he will get to 
it in a couple of days. In the meantime, does this double broken
clutch pedal bit ring a bell here to anyone?  I know others have
broken the pedal, but I don't remember anything else about this.

XXXXX claimed to have "never heard of a broken clutch pedal
before". Sigh....

More later, as it unfolds.
At least the Monkey Lads(TM) aren't going to do anything else wrong on
my car, this time.

Later

David