no free service on 2007 A4?

"Wolfgang Pawlinetz" wrote

They used to, up until around 2004, when they sent out those mass mailings to customers with revised oil specs and advising of possible sludge issues and extending warranties on some engines due to that.

Pete

How do you figure? Assume 3 oil changes per year and that works out to $48 per change. What other scheduled maint. happens in that time frame, besides perhaps the air filter change?

Alignment and brake pads. to name 2..... Wiper blades for a third.

Dan D '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6 Central NJ USA

Serpentine belt, spark plugs, cabin filter, radiator fluid flush, brake fluid flush, wiper replacement, brakes (if you are hard on them), fluid top off whenever you need it. There are probably others also.

If memory serves, the every 10K service is about $100 (it is more than just an oil change, they also check quite a few items and if they find anything (i.e. wipers, brakes, they replace for free) and the 40K service (replace spark plugs, air filter, cabin filter, serpentine belt, oil/filter, flush brake fluid, flush radiator fluid) is about $500.

I don't have all of the services in front of me, but that is an approximate. Oh, and I use synthetic oil so my oil changes may be a bit more than your quote.

So, combine the 5K , 10K , 20K , 30K , 50K (approx $450) and the 40K ($500) and with just routine services the $575 has paid for itself. If you have other items that need replaced (i.e. brakes, battery, etc); it will more than pay for itself.

As with anything, YMMV.

Ok on the others, but the belt? That is, or was on my '98, a

60,000-80,000 item and not covered under the original maintenance plan, and is usually a $500-$600 job by itself. Is it under 50K for that now in the 2007 models?

Not the timing belt, but the serpentine or drive belt.

It is usually 1 hour labor and the belt is about $25.