Raped!! By Mechanic on a Saturday

[cyclo]

So, I'm on my way out to the GWB to go for a bike ride with some friends. When I'm about 20 miles away I goose the throttle and the car shuttered. Weird, I thought. Right after that I started losing power. Little by little until I was only able to hold about 35-40 mph and the engine was really weak. Well, I made it to the ride, anyways. Rode for about 3 hrs and prayed that the car would cure itself. It didn't. I got back and started her up and the same weak shuttering engine. AArrgh!!! What to do now? Cripple back home the 30+ miles in dense traffic, call a tow truck to get it to my mechanic (and just leave it in front of his shop seeing as how it was about noon) or try to get it fixed locally and possibly leave the car overnight with some cro-mag.
Tow to Brooklyn was $400. I wasn't doing that.
I had a feeling it was the coilpacks but having had no experience with them I didn't want to sit there and figure it out...so I called a local shop and drove in a crippled state to the shop on rt4 in NJ and left it there.
The next day I get a call. The cost? $732 (tax included in that number). He replaced 2 coilpacks and said he fixed a short in one of the wires (which is probably complete bs). So a problem that could've cost me $80 to fix (it was 2 coilpacks) if I had bought the coilpacks from the dealer (less at ECS...by a lot), ran me a whole bunch more. Could I have played it differently when I wasn't sure it was the coilpacks to begin with?
Opinions? Oh, and is there anything I can do to this guy for raping me like he did....aside from just taking it like a man.

[wolfdog]

I got 4 "R" coil packs from the VW dealer for ~$150. Two of those plus about 20 minutes of labor (maybe they only charge in 1 hour increments) plus a generous hour to diagnose doesn't equal $732. At the most (i.e. dealership) it should be half. Now, I don't know what he did to fix a short but that's the real variable. Some of the wire harnesses for my CPs are brittle and the wires have been exposed in a spot or two. I just put electrical tape around them because that's all I could apparently do. I'm curious as to what he did.

[Papachristou]

should have told him you wanted a price before doing the repairs, its a 30 second job to replace two coilpacks.... well maybe one minute

i would call him back and explain the cost of the coilpacks at most is $40 from the dealer each, plus one hour labor = $200 MAX!!! tell him you are reporting him to the BBB and then google his business name and do a online review of your ass raping

[manhertm]

Laaaaaaaawsuit!........or Just go and have him explain what his $700 worth of work was.

[cyclo]

I mean I hate making trouble but the more I think about it the more upset I get. I'm not the kind of guy that does stuff like calling the bbb or hit the lawsuit circuit...but I'm out at least $500 by my calculations.

[knightstick]

was there any type of estimate provided before he did the work or did he just fix the car and then give you the bill?

[AudiA4Turbo22]

dude i changed my coilpacks 2 times all four so basically 8 in 2 weeks and it didn't cost me $200 at my mechanic's shop!!!! and he seriously fixed shorted wires, the harnesses for the coilpacks were rubbing each other and shorting the packs!

[AudiA4_20T]

nice man, and we always tell you to put spares in the trunk, now you know

[dougyfresh]

Perhaps this might help next time:

[gdawg'05a4]

$25 each at my dealer:

http://www.audipartssuperstore.com/c...roducts_id=473

[BSIXER]

Questions, are the symptoms for failed coil packs the same for 1.8s and 3.0s? Is power loss the first/only symptom or are there others? What are they? I hear about these going out all the time on 1.8s but not 3.0s...they do both have coilpacks right?

[gdawg'05a4]

Most, if not all failures have no symptoms to warn you of a impending CP dying. Best way to protect yourself is to carry one or two spares for when the unexpected happens.

[chrislups]

Wow what shop was this i would love to go there and smack that guy!!!

[cyclo]

He called me up and the car cost $685 (I think was cost without tax) to fix and that it was already "apart" and that it could be ready later that day. He said he needed to replaced the "coils", so because he didn't say coilpack I thought he meant something that was harder to fix. I mean, really, the car was apart for coilpacks? What's that look like? An engine cover removed??? Geez!!

Yes. Vaseline my friend!

[AudiA4_20T]

He called me up and the car cost $685 (I think was cost without tax) to fix and that it was already "apart" and that it could be ready later that day. He said he needed to replaced the "coils", so because he didn't say coilpack I thought he meant something that was harder to fix. I mean, really, the car was apart for coilpacks? What's that look like? An engine cover removed??? Geez!!

Yes. Vaseline my friend!

the guy probably didnt know what the problem was so he took some other stuff apart too

[Mikef5000]

I would simply ask him to show you what he did. See if he can justify it himself.

[vdubstreets]

Thats bullshit, I would really ask them to justify that. Changing coil packs are just about as easy as changing a lightbulbs. wow.

[treemolecule]

rabble rabble a justification is in order! dude google his business, see if he has a BBB# and call him with that threat if he fails to justify his work, if he ropes you still, then move foreward by reporting him to BBB, sometimes they can really get serious and if you show enough interest in the fact the he butt wanged you and shouldnt be allowed to do it to other people, you'll probably be compensated

[itsjeo]

Questions, are the symptoms for failed coil packs the same for 1.8s and 3.0s? Is power loss the first/only symptom or are there others? What are they? I hear about these going out all the time on 1.8s but not 3.0s...they do both have coilpacks right?

I had 3 go out in 2 weeks.. on a 3.0.. first 1 went out and i went to get em replaced, got raped, paid 180, then ordered spares. lo and behold, the next week two more went out. thats when i ordered and replaced all. still got a couple of spares in the trunk.

[abradley]

What year is your car? i got 3 coilpacks replaced by the dealer for FREE. there was a recall on the '02 3.0 so parts and labor were on the house. I had already bought and replaced the 3 that went bad though so they replaced the others and wouldn't give a refund for the ones i already bought. and i thought i was getting f'ed

[47Ronin]

DId he at least lube your asshole first?

[Das General]

pwnd

[BSIXER]

What year is your car? i got 3 coilpacks replaced by the dealer for FREE. there was a recall on the '02 3.0 so parts and labor were on the house. I had already bought and replaced the 3 that went bad though so they replaced the others and wouldn't give a refund for the ones i already bought. and i thought i was getting f'ed

How do I know when coilpacks are going out? Just loss of power as mentioned above or are there more severe symptoms. My car tends to surge sometimes when it is hot outside. I hit the gas driving normal and it almost feels like I have lost all power then a second later it is back to normal. This has been going on for a few months now, but I thought that maybe it was just bad gas since it doesn't happen regularly. I don't have any check engine lights on so I am hoping this isn't my coilpacks.

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^U'LL SEE A cel ALMOST RIGHT AWAY AND UR CAR WILL RUN LIKE A POORLY TREATED 74 COOPE DEVILLE!

[woofster]

Definitely ask to the see the work order. Chances are they won't have a legit one and will probably just make one up after your request but it's worth a shot anyway. That's one of the worst things to happen: the emergency breakdown in the middle of nowhere, followed by a "drop-in" at a random shop. They know you're never coming back so they figure let's get as much as we can out of this guy. Truly sucks...

[absolutegtr]

If you would search and read you would gain ALOT of knowledge!

The power of knowledge would have saved you alot of $$$

[A4 KiDD 810]

Have him explain his $700+ worth of work or better yet, forget that just dont pay. Give him $125 and be done. If he wants to pursue you for the rest he can explain in a courtroom what the other $600 was for. Thats absolutely absurd. Please dont pay.

[[IX]]

Just asking! Did you give him a reach around?

[J-jizzle]

Had my first coil pack go out on me today. Lucky for me though It went out right when I left work so I just turned into the nearest parking lot and swapped it out with my spare in 5 min. (I was lucky and guessed the right one first time). Now Im bout to order some E's off ECS.

[FourRings80]

Guess the guy wasn't an Audi/vw specalist... he worked on your car for a few hour not knowing the problem and wants you to pay for his stupidity.

Fixed a short in one of the wires

[skeeball]

How do I know when coilpacks are going out? Just loss of power as mentioned above or are there more severe symptoms. My car tends to surge sometimes when it is hot outside. I hit the gas driving normal and it almost feels like I have lost all power then a second later it is back to normal. This has been going on for a few months now, but I thought that maybe it was just bad gas since it doesn't happen regularly. I don't have any check engine lights on so I am hoping this isn't my coilpacks.

Flashing CEL, bad hesitation, engine sounds like a subaru, (glowing turbo on the 1.8T). Those would be the more severe symptoms. Vag it to be sure.


To everyone:

Always carry spares in the trunk!

Whether you are 1.8 or 3.0, if you haven't had one go yet, then go out to your car and pull one out and put it back in. That way you are familiar with the procedure when you have to do it at 2am on the shoulder of an interstate. In 10 degree weather.

Mechanics and dealers will take a huge chunk of your money for doing something that is simple and easy. Like, changing your air filter kind of easy.

[Eyerate]

where is this on Rt4??? shops name and location?

I know one in Fort Lee (right next to the GWB) that is a total rip off. A friend of mine had them do a oil change and they charged her $48 for four quarts of dino oil :ugh:

[EYE4SPEED]

No justification... but "weekend" jobs cost more. Locksmith, vet, etc... they all charge double or triple time to rescue us on their weekend. Sorry to hear about your bad luck... throw a few extra coilpacks in your trunk and an allen/hex (whatever) key.

[rayiish]

For locksmiths its different. They usually provide a cellphone number and come to your house during their off hours. However you can't call a mechanic to just open up shop when its not suppose to be open. Good luck to you either way.

[Shi-Fu JaY]

yikes, that mechanic is ballin now!
shouldnt he have called you with the problem, and how much its gonna cost to fix, before he even does the repairs?

All the places i've been to, the mechanic calls me to see if im ok with the price. and if I give them the "OK" then they will start working.

[A4 JooN 2.0T]

yikes, that mechanic is ballin now!
shouldnt he have called you with the problem, and how much its gonna cost to fix, before he even does the repairs?

All the places i've been to, the mechanic calls me to see if im ok with the price. and if I give them the "OK" then they will start working.

its like that everywhere i go....who the fuck does the work and wants you to pay....thats gay

[golgo13]

should have told him you wanted a price before doing the repairs, its a 30 second job to replace two coilpacks.... well maybe one minute

i would call him back and explain the cost of the coilpacks at most is $40 from the dealer each, plus one hour labor = $200 MAX!!! tell him you are reporting him to the BBB and then google his business name and do a online review of your ass raping

I completely agree. Dont take that BS bro.

[Papachristou]

so what happened? give us an update!

[3thrd_a_4]

Please tell me the name of this place. Put him on BLAST!!!!! You know you don't have to pay that right?

[AudiA4Turbo22]

u gotta act like u know something ABOUT CARS, but if u don't don't bother, then u'll look like a fool, see that happens but as u search through here more and more u'll visit ur mechanic less and less!