dealer or no dealer

[big cat]

hello everyone! my name is big cat.i joined your site today.i am no wiz on computers but think that the new technology available on discovering the www is great.i have a tt 1.8 roadster.its its birthday.2 years old 13,000 miles.its a beautiful piece of engineering!i am not sure of all the ins and outs of this site.but before you shout and say i am in the wrong part of the site for posting this kind of message i do hope you can guide me to where i should be posting.
i want to get the car serviced asap,but i am one of those people who does not like to get ripped off.{does anybody}i am a mechanic of the old school.{plugs and points}and i think dealers are expensive!!!!!!!!!!
my questions are as follows:
1.being a 2 year old vehicle is my warranty now expired and it does not matter where i get it serviced?
2.what type of service do you think i should go for:long life service or inspection service.{audi service schedule terminology}?
3.can a non audi garage do the same type of service and reset the onboard service indicator and will the service be as GOOD ?
4.can anyone recomend a garage in the tyne and wear area ?
5.i could attempt the basic service myself.oil,filters,brakes etc.but i do not have that wizardry that the dealer has ie a computer which tells the fitter to put part A IN POSITION B.HONESTLY DOES ANYONE REALLY THINK THESE GUYS ARE MECHANICS?.
SORRY IF I AM RANTING ILL GET LOST NOW!!
BUT BEWARE ILL BE BACK WITH A FEW MORE TALES OF WOE REGARDING DEALERS NOT MENTIONING NAMES IF THAT IS PERMITTED ON YOUR SITE.
THANKS P.S I LIKE THIS SMILIE AS A SQ ROCKER SHOULD.GET DOWN

[MalcQV]

Welcome mate, you sound like my dad I am not so young myself, wrong side of 40.

Being in IT I do not find it so odd that computers are used to diagnose faults, there are so many of them in the car e.g engine management.

I like to think without the technology we would not have the efficiency from the old internal combustion engine that we do now