Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[2JDM]

That's the dealer.... Hopefully an indie is less

Where do you go for indy work?

I found Autobahn in Kars to be quite inexpensive - they seem to not mark-up their parts as much. $117 / hour.

[tortoise]

The Highlander goes to Dirienzo & Saikaley Automotive. And the Golf for regular stuff like brakes. I've been going there forever and like dealing with them.

For more TDI specific work it's been the dealer.  But I'll have to shop around for the timing belt.  Advanced Auto Works comes highly recommended in the TDI world.

I've also been really impressed with SMRO Auto Repair.

Good to know about Autobahn, thanks.

[rrocket]

The Highlander goes to Dirienzo & Saikaley Automotive. And the Golf for regular stuff like brakes. I've been going there forever and like dealing with them.

For more TDI specific work it's been the dealer.  But I'll have to shop around for the timing belt.  Advanced Auto Works comes highly recommended in the TDI world.

I've also been really impressed with SMRO Auto Repair.

Good to know about Autobahn, thanks.

I forget which Audi/VW specialty shop raped me in Ottawa.....

While they came very highly recommended by AngryChicken, I think I was the recipient of "out-of-towner" nonsense.

[2JDM]

The Highlander goes to Dirienzo & Saikaley Automotive. And the Golf for regular stuff like brakes. I've been going there forever and like dealing with them.

For more TDI specific work it's been the dealer.  But I'll have to shop around for the timing belt.  Advanced Auto Works comes highly recommended in the TDI world.

I've also been really impressed with SMRO Auto Repair.

Good to know about Autobahn, thanks.

I forget which Audi/VW specialty shop raped me in Ottawa.....

While they came very highly recommended by AngryChicken, I think I was the recipient of "out-of-towner" nonsense.

I find prices for things vary greatly depending on the job, for each shop. One might charge 1600 for brakes but only 110 for an oil change. Another charges 1000 for brakes but 150 oil change. Same parts and supplies.

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[bridgecity]

Forgot to add, they gave me an estimate for a timing belt change/water pump change.

$2100+tax

Just got an estimate for the wife’s MDX. $1200 from Honda with water pump and tensioner. They’ll inspect at the time. $550 labour + belt without the pump/tensioner. I’ll be calling an indy also but it seems reasonable.

[rrocket]

The Highlander goes to Dirienzo & Saikaley Automotive. And the Golf for regular stuff like brakes. I've been going there forever and like dealing with them.

For more TDI specific work it's been the dealer.  But I'll have to shop around for the timing belt.  Advanced Auto Works comes highly recommended in the TDI world.

I've also been really impressed with SMRO Auto Repair.

Good to know about Autobahn, thanks.

I forget which Audi/VW specialty shop raped me in Ottawa.....

While they came very highly recommended by AngryChicken, I think I was the recipient of "out-of-towner" nonsense.

I find prices for things vary greatly depending on the job, for each shop. One might charge 1600 for brakes but only 110 for an oil change. Another charges 1000 for brakes but 150 oil change. Same parts and supplies.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

Angry Chicken texted me back!

The place was called Autostrada that hosed me.  Apparently they are closed now.

He also said Rodger Performance is good "but expensive".  He added they are Unitronic dealers.     Might as well get a tune with that new waterpump!!   

He also said Automark is very well reviewed/regarded by local VW/Audi community.

[2JDM]

The Highlander goes to Dirienzo & Saikaley Automotive. And the Golf for regular stuff like brakes. I've been going there forever and like dealing with them.

For more TDI specific work it's been the dealer.  But I'll have to shop around for the timing belt.  Advanced Auto Works comes highly recommended in the TDI world.

I've also been really impressed with SMRO Auto Repair.

Good to know about Autobahn, thanks.

I forget which Audi/VW specialty shop raped me in Ottawa.....

While they came very highly recommended by AngryChicken, I think I was the recipient of "out-of-towner" nonsense.

I find prices for things vary greatly depending on the job, for each shop. One might charge 1600 for brakes but only 110 for an oil change. Another charges 1000 for brakes but 150 oil change. Same parts and supplies.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

Angry Chicken texted me back!

The place was called Autostrada that hosed me.  Apparently they are closed now.

He also said Rodger Performance is good "but expensive".  He added they are Unitronic dealers.     Might as well get a tune with that new waterpump!!   

He also said Automark is very well reviewed/regarded by local VW/Audi community.

I've used Autostrada (new front struts) and Rodgers Performance (tire install). I thought Autostrada was ok pricing wise, but now I'm not so sure.

[rrocket]

^^Perhaps they were just fine for you. 

But I can tell you from my end, they absolutely took advantage of the fact I was an out-of-towner.  Everything from part price to exorbitant amount of time to do the prescribed work.  They also did front struts on my car..and the labour for that alone was 6 hours IIRC.  For 2 struts!

Just really bad.

[HeliDriver]

FedEx delivered the new thermostat this afternoon, right around the same time I get an email from a guy wanting to come look at the car. I put him off until Friday, but now the pressure’s on to get this thing fixed (again )

Not too worried. Everything is fresh in my memory, so should go much quicker this time around. And I’ve also driven it only a few hundred km since the first fix, so hopefully I can skip the carbon cleaning this time. 

[rrocket]

so hopefully I can skip the carbon cleaning this time. 

 

[HeliDriver]

^^ 

I’m actually kind of curious to see how they look. They were a disaster after only 40,000 km. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if there’s already a tiny bit of a black film on there.

[rrocket]

^^ 

I’m actually kind of curious to see how they look. They were a disaster after only 40,000 km. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if there’s already a tiny bit of a black film on there.

Maybe you need to make an effort to polish to a high lustre so the carbon sticks less?   

[HeliDriver]

^^ 

I’m actually kind of curious to see how they look. They were a disaster after only 40,000 km. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if there’s already a tiny bit of a black film on there.

Maybe you need to make an effort to polish to a high lustre so the carbon sticks less?   

Won’t be my problem anymore. New owner will start with clean valves, but the rest is on him. 

[HeliDriver]

13 hours yesterday and another hour or so today to finish it up. Why so long? Because after I got it 95% put back together I discovered I'd pinched a wire behind the intake manifold and it wouldn't reach its connector. Had to take the whole goddamned thing apart and start over again. 

And the best part? Got it running today and the problem is exactly the damn same. Will drive it around again this afternoon and see if the code comes back, but I expect it will. I am so facking over dealing with this it's incredible. 

[rrocket]

Put the new wiring harnesses in the Audi. 1/2 hour. 2 bulb bottoms were completely flat and appeared to be melted.

Still a poorly designed set up. Also...wires seem thin compared to domestic and Japanese stuff.

[blur911]

Put the new wiring harnesses in the Audi. 1/2 hour. 2 bulb bottoms were completely flat and appeared to be melted.

Still a poorly designed set up. Also...wires seem thin compared to domestic and Japanese stuff.

Audi has used small wires for quite  a while, electrically they're large enough, but they are delicate.

[ktm525]

Forgot to add, they gave me an estimate for a timing belt change/water pump change.

$2100+tax

Just got an estimate for the wife’s MDX. $1200 from Honda with water pump and tensioner. They’ll inspect at the time. $550 labour + belt without the pump/tensioner. I’ll be calling an indy also but it seems reasonable.

If you are getting a Honda pump/tensioner that is a good price.

[rrocket]

Audi has used small wires for quite  a while, electrically they're large enough, but they are delicate.

Yes they are!

First thing I thought of when I saw them was they reminded me of those small wires inside children's electronic toys.

[PJungnitsch]

13 hours yesterday and another hour or so today to finish it up. Why so long? Because after I got it 95% put back together I discovered I'd pinched a wire behind the intake manifold and it wouldn't reach its connector. Had to take the whole goddamned thing apart and start over again. 

And the best part? Got it running today and the problem is exactly the damn same. Will drive it around again this afternoon and see if the code comes back, but I expect it will. I am so facking over dealing with this it's incredible. 

WTH? That is pretty crazy.

Second new thermostat isn't working? Can they be installed upside down or something?

[HeliDriver]

13 hours yesterday and another hour or so today to finish it up. Why so long? Because after I got it 95% put back together I discovered I'd pinched a wire behind the intake manifold and it wouldn't reach its connector. Had to take the whole goddamned thing apart and start over again. 

And the best part? Got it running today and the problem is exactly the damn same. Will drive it around again this afternoon and see if the code comes back, but I expect it will. I am so facking over dealing with this it's incredible. 

WTH? That is pretty crazy.

Second new thermostat isn't working? Can they be installed upside down or something?

No way to install this one upside down. Honestly have no idea what the hell is going on, but I’m done with it.

And the best part? I’ve pulled the intake manifold off so many times now that I think the fuel injector seals are leaking: there’s a gas smell after it’s been sitting, and it doesn’t catch right away on the first crank like it’s done forever.

Oh, and wait, it gets better! I’ve had a full set of new injector seals sitting on the bench since 2018! No idea why I didn’t just use the damned things. Old ones looked fine, I guess. SMDH.