Can this be right?

[mand]

Took the A4 3.0tdi Q for its second long life service at 38300 miles.
Handbook says change air filter and fuel filter at 38000 so was expecting them to be changed.
Had to pick it up in a bit off a rush. When I eventually looked at the invoice there was no air and fuel filter change.
Service desk is telling me that a visual inspection would have been done and the filters not deemed in need of changing.
Sounds like a load of bull to me, what do you think?? What is correct?

Mand

[theskyfox]

Could you perhaps ask them when they think the filters are meant to be changed, if not at 38000 miles? Tell them that the manual says it needs doing at 38000 miles and you want to know why theyre not following that.

I have had some interesting discussions with secretaries (Chelmsford Audi) blatently lying to me before because they don't know the answer to a question I've asked and cannot be bothered to go and ask the people that do. The best one recently was "We use a special oil that doesnt need changing until two years and isn't available over the counter." *sigh*.

-Andrew

[John140]

I am of the same mind as yourself, on all of my Audis - all diesel I believe the fuel filter is changed on the second service ie 36-38K miles as the fuel filter is critical to a diesel engine of any type. They dont seem to EVER want to change the air filter for some reason as on my last B7 A4, I had a 3rd service done @ 53K miles and they didnt change the filter then, or on my previous B6 A4. I questioned them on this and they just shrugged the shoulders so I also shrugged my shoulders and drove round the corner to Eurocarparts and got one for £10 and changed it myself. However I dont think on modern diesel Audis that you can safely change the fuel filter without do a 'prime' function on VCDS otherwise the CR pump may get damaged. They seem to want their £350 and dont even want to compromise on including a ten quid part ?????????
I see dealer services as not really a service but more a get out of jail free card for any warranty work !!

[Crasher]

This is what happens all the time with dealer servicing. They give a price that sounds good compared to an indi and promise everything will be done only for those who actually ask to find out bugger all gets done apart from sucking the oil out through the dip stick and a new filter. Ask them where the full code scan and print out is that should be given to the customer together with the service tick sheet....

[skymaster]

Surely the time it would take to check the condition of the air filter and the fuel filter is the same or more than actually changing them...

My 3.0 TDI was on around 30k and around 3.5 years old... it had three Audi main dealer services ... but only two oil changes.. one was an 'inspection only' !!!! it was still on it's original fuel and air filters...

To be honest... if I went to the trouble of taking the car into the dealers to get a service and came out with the same engine oil I went in with them something has to be wrong!

I booked it in for a FULL service and insisted Oil filter, Air filter, Fuel filter, Pollen filter and the oil were all renewed... haggled them down to a sensible price too.

I plan to keep the car for a long while... so will be ignoring the official service schedule and getting things done at a sensible frequency.

[mand]

They eventually agreed that it should have been done, but was not covered by the 'free service for using Audi finance' deal, as the filters are additional work.
£95 for 1 hrs work.
Where's my local indy specialist............

Mand

[S.line]

Why is it tho that a car with fdsh can get more coin when being sold?? They don't do it properly, cut corners and charge fortunes!!! I'm gonna start doing my own and take pictures of items changed but will that be enough when I sell it?

[Crasher]

Why is it tho that a car with fdsh can get more coin when being sold??

Good marketing and well meaning but misguided buying articles in the media telling us that a full dealer history is best. Nothing is worse than a POS back street garage who do not give a **** and want to rip your heart out BUT nothing is better (in my opinion) than an independent specialist who loves the job, wherever they are located back street or otherwise.