Reccomendation And/Or Referral...

[jqpublic11]

Hello. I'm a new member, but I've read the forum for years. As a result of relocating, I'm looking for a shop/mechanic (good work, fair price, etc...) in the Lancaster, PA area to maintain, and possibly upgrade, a Stage 2 2001.5 S4 Avant w/approx. 93K mi on the clock.

While I've been able to work on all my previous vehicles up to and including this Avant, as an older gentleman crawling under or over a car is not quite as physically consequence free as it used to be. ;-)

Thanks in advance for any helpful responses.

PS.

Pop Quiz (Don't know if this has come up before...)

Since the matter of age has been raised, a couple of cultural signpost questions:

1) What is the cheapest price for a gallon of gas that you, personally, can remember?

2) What is the cheapest price for a pack of cigarettes that you, personally, can remember?

(Drivers and non-drivers; smokers and non-smokers can play)

Quiz meant for amusement and education: please, no wagering. ;-)

[S4tech2]

I barely remember when gas was like 75 cents and Marlboros have always been like 5 bucks. Unfortunately I'm in alabama and can't help

[jqpublic11]

I barely remember when gas was like 75 cents and Marlboros have always been like 5 bucks. Unfortunately I'm in alabama and can't help

Thanks for the response to the quiz, anyway. Your memory managed to get the gas under a buck a gallon, much closer to what I recall but still off a bit. I can remember a pack of cigarettes under a buck, too. Keeripes, I'm getting old!

Again, thanks for playing.

[S4tech2]

Lol no problem bud

[dozer103]

Sunoco 94 at something like $1.30 a gallon in 1980 and I don't smoke. I'm closer but still a bit far away! Live near Westminster, MD and our shop is In Rockville, MD but let me know if you need a hand when you're near!

[goalieman24]

Couple of Audi dealers around Wilmington and Philly. AWE Tuning is just north of Philly... or NGP Racing down in Aberdeen, MD.
I think there are a decent amount of B5 forum members relatively close to you as well.

[jqpublic11]

Sunoco 94 at something like $1.30 a gallon in 1980 and I don't smoke. I'm closer but still a bit far away! Live near Westminster, MD and our shop is In Rockville, MD but let me know if you need a hand when you're near!

Thanks for your response. I don't smoke, either. I just remember the price/pack being a subject of comment (complaint) each time the price went up. That and the upper limit of cost at which the complainer would 'give up' smoking. Of course, 'real' smokers purchase(d) by the carton and not the pack.

Viz. Sunoco: I remember when their pumps a a clock dial-like mechanism on the side and you could 'blend' the octane rating of your purchase (I *think* up to 102 octane. Corrections and clarifications welcomed).

Thanks, also, for your offer of help. A bit of a haul for me but, perhaps I can pick your brain via this forum sometime (hopefully with little or no fluid loss)? BTW, What is the name of your shop?

Couple of Audi dealers around Wilmington and Philly. AWE Tuning is just north of Philly... or NGP Racing down in Aberdeen, MD.
I think there are a decent amount of B5 forum members relatively close to you as well.

Thanks for your response. Funnily enough, both I and my wife are originally from Philadelphia. We're currently in the Solanco area (SOuthern LANcaster COunty). I've purchased a couple items from AWE online over the years. They, along with APR, appear to have left the B5 S4 market behind for the most part. (Can't blame them, really, it's a 16 year old platform). Not to say that they couldn't do the work, but it would still be a haul to go there.

Autohaus Lancaster is local to me. Would a dealer really want to look after and upgrade an old Audi?

I have seen a few B5 S4 while driving around. And they always seem to be going in the opposite direction! ;-) A 'Hi' sign, a smile and then they're off. They, also, all seem to be driven by young people (well, people much younger than me anyway). Maybe schools and colleges haven't let out yet and everybody's in a hurry to either get to class or do homework? (It's a joke; it's only a joke. Hey I was young once, too.)

As you say, maybe some forum members closer to me will see my post and have some useful information.

As always, thanks for playing.

[DorK]

82 Autowerks is just south of Reading. I've used Neil's shop many times. Very satisfied.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/82-autowerks-geigertown

[jqpublic11]

82 Autowerks is just south of Reading. I've used Neil's shop many times. Very satisfied.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/82-autowerks-geigertown

Thanks for your response. Have they done upgrades/tuning as well as maintenance on your vehicle(s)?

[zillarob]

That is me jq.
Let me know if you want to swing by some time for a meet n' greet. Can throw the car on the lift and cuss and spit and kick some tires

[jaychen]

That is me jq.
Let me know if you want to swing by some time for a meet n' greet. Can throw the car on the lift and cuss and spit and kick some tires

Neil? is that you?

[zillarob]

Nope, Rob

[DorK]

Mostly maintenance. Clutch, new suspension, axles, brakes, repair coolant leaks...
I always saw several other S4's in various states of modification there. I've had mine for 16 years and kept it fairly stock.

[jbain2]

Zilla is a huge assest to B5 owners and very knowledgeable. Would definitely and have (remotely) gotten advice and help from him. Just keep an eye on your duct tape. It may go missing if your car ends up in his shop...

[jqpublic11]

Thank you to DorK, for the recommendation; jbain2, for the confirmation and zillarob for the invitation. Given your profile location "WetSide, WA", I assumed you were located in the Pacific Northwest. Silly me. (Also, no relation to 'CupraZilla', unless you're primarily composed of resin and carbon fiber.)

I'm not sure how to PM someone. Perhaps I can try email, or this thing I just heard about called a cellphone. Apparently it's very popular nowadays.

Also Mea Culpa for misspelling the word 'recommendation' in the thread title. All of my English teachers and one or two of my auto-correct programs would be appalled.

And if it takes duct tape & WD-40 to keep Zilla sweet I say screw it, go top shelf: 3M or Gorilla Tape & AeroKroil. ;-)

Answers to my own pop quiz, as follows. Please empty your mouths before reading; not responsible for screen damage.

Gasoline: 29.9¢/gallon of regular and 32.9¢/gallon of premium (or 'high test', as we referred to it in our house). This is when I got my license at age 17. Only 2 grades, other than the Sunoco 'blends' mentioned previously.

Cigarettes: 50¢/pack and smokers swore that if the price went up to 65¢ or (forget it, it wouldn't happen) 75¢, they'd quit. Too expensive. Wasn't worth it.

Prices just didn't fluctuate that much back then. A barrel of crude oil was approximately $5.00 and gold was $35 an ounce.

Oh, and it was perfectly acceptable to clean off the dust from asbestos brake shoes with an air hose...a powerful, unregulated one. How else were you going to do it...put your lips together and blow?

Anyway, continued thanks for your responses

[zillarob]

I should change that some day I am from Puyallup, WA (between Tacoma and Seattle)

I remember gas right at $1/gal when I started driving. What I remember most is it changing between .95 and 1.05 weekly and wondering why they didnt just make it a dollar and leave it.

I think smokes were $10/carton for the good ones.

[jqpublic11]

Prices just didn't fluctuate that much back then. A barrel of crude oil was approximately $5.00 and gold was $35 an ounce.

Unless the prices were approx. $7.00 for crude and $50 for gold. I haven't searched the intertubes, just my memory. And as Professor R.J. Gumby of 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' fame has said, "My brain hurts!"

As always, corrections and clarifications welcomed...

[Cairo94507]

I use to buy gas for 23.9 at a USA gas station in Oakland on Foothill Blvd. Though I never smoked, I was a grocery clerk as a kid and cigarettes were $3.29 for a carton of regulars back then. Jeez....I guess that makes me old as dirt.

[zillarob]

Dang Cairo!! How did you make it past the dinosaurs to get to work?

[jqpublic11]

I use to buy gas for 23.9 at a USA gas station in Oakland on Foothill Blvd. Though I never smoked, I was a grocery clerk as a kid and cigarettes were $3.29 for a carton of regulars back then. Jeez....I guess that makes me old as dirt.

Thank you for your response. You just took 6¢/gallon off my age! ;-)

[jqpublic11]

Apropos: zillarob, are there better times than others to stop by for tire kicking and cussing? Also, just checked with ECS about a Clock Spring for a my 2001.5 S4 6-speed w/ESP and was told NLA from Audi. Is salvage the only recourse?