Oil change due is Audi stamp worth it

[Redcar01]

A4 MY12 Avant 44k miles, oil light change came on it was serviced and brake fluid March 16 so far FSH but at £159 for an oil change is it worth the FSH stamp as the garage next to my work will do it using correct oil and filter for £58

[HAWKS]

That depends on how you value your motor.
How long you are going to run it before you sell.
If you were going to buy a car and you found 2 the same spec and price. 1 had 5 service stamped at Audi and the other car had 5 service stamps at a back street garage.
Which one would you buy?

[chrishamer]

HAWKS makes a good point and I'd agree with him. It very much depends on how long you aim to keep the car and the value.

Personally, I have a B8 1.8 TFSI 170 MY12 and am very much going to keep it serviced and looked after by the main dealer throughout the time I keep it (presumably another 4 years or so).

In my case I'm keeping the Audi extended warranty running during that time, so main dealer services makes it impossible for them to contest anything that's covered, but also, the value and ease of selling it will be easier too.

[Lukenkarl]

Don't Audi offer a price match for indis within a certain radius from their branch. Try that, you will have to get written quote tho

[rowdy-999]

An oil change is an oil change. No skill involved. Why give money to a multi national company like the VAG who have a poor reputation of late, when a local 'back street garage' with a good reputation will probably do a better job?

[HAWKS]

If changing the oil & filter requires No Skill.
Do it yourself and save more money...
My point was about the service stamp history.

[Gazwould]

The best job is your own job .

Does a dealer or indi let it drip for hours or half a day .

Or suck out every last drop inc from oil cooler with an oil extractor .

Nope .

[b206]

If it's just an oil change, do it yourself. Last time mine went into Audi it cost me over £1000 for a service (inc filters and sparks) - that was before they introduced fixed pricing for engines over 2ltr so dealerships could lift your leg! I now do it myself for less than £80.
Is the Audi stamp really going to make much difference to the resale price ? Doubt it - even if it does, think how much you've already saved by doing it yourself. Plus you know the correct oil has been used and the filter has actually being changed! Just keep the receipts so you can show it has been done.

[FrenchAudi]

I don't believe an Audi (or any other) stamp is worth much without an official invoice listing the work carried out and new parts fitted. In fact I think detailed invoices from reputable garages are worth more than stamps.

My car came with stamps from a variety of garages, some Audi dealers, in Switzerland and France, but no invoices at all. The first owner died years ago. His widow hardly used the car, and left it to her nephew, who just wanted to sell it, and had no idea where to find any invoices. The last recorded service was in 2008, and the car had only done another 11,000 km since then, when I bought it in February this year!

As a result, I had to carry out every service due since new, mostly on a time basis, so it would have been nice to have invoices rather than stamps

When replacing the timing belt I found that the tensioner idler pulley assembly was incorrect. The thickness of the spacer fitted behind the pulley was wrong, 6mm instead of 3mm, so the belt had been running partly off the pulley. But I have no idea who fitted it.

I have found that when I buy parts in France using the VIN to identify the car I don't always get the correct parts. even from the local main VAG dealer, so possibly whoever replaced the tensioner ordered the parts in France and didn't notice any difference from the part he replaced.

I'm guessing that there are some differences between models for a particular year homologated in Switzerland and France, so I try to verify parts by their illustrations before ordering. The correct pulley, when I found it, was listed for a Series 1 Phase 2 (8D5) which agrees with my original vehicle spec., whereas my VIN, when used by a French parts supplier, says it is Series 1 (AU45). Fortunately my main online suppier accepts returns within 12 months with only a small charge for returning, so if in doubt I sometimes order more than one version of the part.

[spartacus 68]

I'm with FrenchAudi on this.

If you're happy to service the car yourself, and have the necessary experience and knowledge, then go for it. I'd use genuine Audi parts if you're planning to sell on at some point in say 2-3 years. The Audi main dealer give me 10% discount (on account of years of buying genuine kit), so every little helps.

Document all work, including dates and mileage.