'88 80 Quattro Oil Leak & dead A/C -- 2nd post

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

>From: Cory Brayton <cbrayton@bcm.tmc.edu>
>Subject: '88 80 Quattro Oil Leak & dead A/C -- 2nd post
>
>Thanks to the 1 person who re'd off list -- is this an inappropriate query
>for this list?
>

Yes, it is appropriate. Sometimes we don't get a reply to our questions (I
had one about quattro drive shafts a few days ago - total silence) and
sometimes we get 50 responses. Luck of the draw, or something.





>I've taken the car to the new, recommended service place & am now carless
>x2 days -- They did not start to look at it til evening of 1st day & did
>not call to discuss till afternoon of 2nd day & can not complete repairs
>for another day or 2 but they don't work weekends so make that sometime
>next week -- this was after I made appt week in advance for day they
>recommended/preferred, and I called the day before I came to make sure that
>appt was set/OK -- I guess they're accustomed to multicar families where 1
>missing car = only minor inconvenience.


Step one: retreive your car immediately, before the bill and othe damages
are worse than they already are.

Rule: Never, ever take an out-of-warranty Audi to the dealer!!!!! (Unless
your bank account dwarfs Bill Gates' or Donald Trump's, and you want it to
go away.)




>
>Wrt
>1) small oil leak x months -- they say it needs new oil pump for $700.+ --
>does this make sense? 
>

Look for loose bolts around oil pan and alternator mount. Worst case you
may need a pan gasket - lots less than $700!





>Wrt
>2) A/C died 7/15 -- they say it needs new Condenser ($1200+) + new
>Evaporator ($1000+) & there is no financial or time savings in having it
>all done at once -- does this make sense?
>

Have you been to an independent A/C shop - not a "chain" like Midas or
similar, but some guy who works out of his garage or from a truck? It has
been my experience that the chain stores (like the dealers) want to replace
EVERYTHING because they want to drive the bills up and don't want to spend
a lot of non-paid time doing diagnostics. This is the shotgun approach -
replace everything, and it's gotta work! Logical extension of this is
buying a new car because the wiper blades are shot.





>Wrt
>Vibration while driving, they say that my Cooper Cobra's (<15K) have tread
>separation & I need new tires & the best Cooper will do is give me $15.
>discount off 2 of the tires -- does this sound reasonable?


Sounds like you need a second opinion. Tread separation is now rather rare,
and if the mileage is under 15K, sounds like a warranty issue. Any
paralegals in your area? A $50 letter from one of them might change their
attitude completely . . .




>
>Wrt 
>Lawnmower engine sound -- 1 guy said it had to do with exhaust system
>(which was replaced completely in 97 by the original Audi dealer) -- other
>guy said it had to do with the timing -- last tune up (03/99) adjusted
>timing & only made it sound like a racing lawn mower -- does either make
sense?
>

Nope. Timing light costs $15 at Pep Boys, check the book for settings, do
it yourself. Takes ten minutes, including washing your hands afterward.

These guys are ignorant, and hoping you are worse. Learning about your car
is basic self-defense. You'd get the same treatment even if you drove a
Camry - you MUST learn enough about your car (whatever it is) to tell when
you are being BS'ed with an eye to taking all your money and still not
fixing the car. (See the tire problem, above.)






>In NYC I used a gentleman called Willie Bitterman (Autobahn is the name of
>his business) -- really nice guy, who seemed to like my car, do good work &
>charged more reasonably than anyplace else I'd tried in NYC or NE -- I'm
>very frustrated, carless & $-depleted here in Houston.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Cory B 


Take arms against a sea of troubles - Shakespeare

(AK-47s are good - Mike Arman)

Non illegitimi carborundum ("Don't let the bastards wear you down.") -
Jimmy Hoffa


Best Regards,

Mike Arman