Dealership Service in San Diego area

[audrobotic]

I'm just about the finish out my Audicare at 45k and I would like to keep taking the car to the dealership. It seems Audi San Diego charges $180 for just an oil change. I want to go 5k intervals. I've seen other area dealers with online coupons at around $80.

I know there a lot of good local independents, but I utimately want to try to stay with the Audi backed service for most services. I've always been very happy with the service at Audi San Diego but I'm not sure if I want to pay their prices. I haven't read good things about Audi Escondido and I've stopped in a couple times to ask a few questions and I didn't get a good feeling from the service advisors. Audi Carlsbad (Hoehn) seems like a good option if they are little better on prices. They seem to have good online reviews. Does anyone get coupons in the mail? I used to get them when Audi San Diego was Audi Miramar. I don't really want to haggle on service prices. I haggle on other things but in this case I don't want to go that route.

Anyone have any ideas or experience with these dealerships?

[plat]

Why not consider getting Audi Care again? Audi does offer it.

[audrobotic]

Yeah thats a good option. I think Audi may have changed the plan where you can only buy (select) two services (like 65k and 75k) instead of 55/65/75. But that could still maybe work. The downside is you have to pay cost upfront.

[plat]

I was just looking at the Audi Care Brochure and you are correct. They have made changes to the service plans for anything above the standard Audi Care package. For example, for Package #1 for services between 55k and 65k miles, the cost will be $819 for some models and $1,099 for others. While paying upfront is a good trade off for savings on these services, I don't think there is any savings to be had given their pricing.

Since you are going to do oil changes every 5k miles, i suggest discussing some sort of service plan with an independent Audi shop and just keep a good file of service receipts to back yourself up when claiming any warranty related issues with Audi.

[lx4life]

Just change your own oil, especially if you are going to change it every 5k miles I dont know why, but to each his own.

[audrobotic]

Just change your own oil, especially if you are going to change it every 5k miles I dont know why, but to each his own.

My wife drives the car 2.9 miles to work. Dont have space to do oil changes but someday.

[Mike@PureMS]

I know you mentioned wanting to stick with Audi service, but if you have a change of heart we'll save you a bunch of money over their service. We have factory trained Audi techs here as well, and are just down the street from Audi San Diego.
We offer a courtesy loaner vehicle for most services as well.

[0396]

$180 is about right for an authorized Audi dealer. In the LA area, it's going to be a little higher. When you take your car to the dealer, don't forget your also paying for their continued Audi tech schools to keep them abreast with all the new things with the Audi line.
I have a Porsche Master tech friend, three years ago, the hourly rate for a Porsche to work on a Porsche was $190 / hour...the dealer has to pay for all these "corporate " training..

[0396]

$180 is about right for an authorized Audi dealer. In the LA area, it's going to be a little higher. When you take your car to the dealer, don't forget your also paying for their continued Audi tech schools to keep them abreast with all the new things with the Audi line.
I have a Porsche Master tech friend, three years ago, the hourly rate for a Porsche to work on a Porsche was $190 / hour...the dealer has to pay for all these "corporate " training..

[audrobotic]

I know you mentioned wanting to stick with Audi service, but if you have a change of heart we'll save you a bunch of money over their service. We have factory trained Audi techs here as well, and are just down the street from Audi San Diego.
We offer a courtesy loaner vehicle for most services as well.

Thanks, I will take it under advisement!

[lx4life]

All you really need is a mighty vac to suck up the oil. You dont need to raise the vehicle or anything the filter is on top also assuming you have the 3.0.

[audrobotic]

Yeah the mityvac is a good option. I wonder if most Audi dealerships use an extractor. It seems like most Audi dealerships will do an oil change for $100 or less. I think I'm ready to move on from Audi SD. I've been going there for over 5 years because I've always been under warranty and under Audi care with the 2 Audis that I have/had. And their location is really convienent for me. Over the years I've driven so many different Audi loaner cars, and I think that's a big perk for me. They've treated me well, but I get the overall impression that I'm just another customer.

I don't expect a whole lot in general for customer service but with my car I guess I want a little more. I've never been off warranty (coming up soon) and off Audi care (just had my last "free/prepaid" service). So I'm thinking for my 50k oil change I'll try Audi Carlsbad or good local shop (such as PureMS). Also will need a brake fluid change in a few months. My brakes are lasting a pretty long time. I may be able to get 70-80k miles out of the stock pads.

[0396]

I don't want to rain on your parade. But considering that a two gallon of M1 even at Walmart cost about $57.00,
And not including the oil filter. How is dealership able to pay the Audi tech for minimum of an hour of work able to make any money? If this is true, maybe they are putting cheap non synthetic oil in and are just getting one in hopes of charging you for another item.

[audrobotic]

I don't want to rain on your parade. But considering that a two gallon of M1 even at Walmart cost about $57.00,
And not including the oil filter. How is dealership able to pay the Audi tech for minimum of an hour of work able to make any money? If this is true, maybe they are putting cheap non synthetic oil in and are just getting one in hopes of charging you for another item.

It's all good, I have no objection to different perspectives. Dealer charges $37 for 5 quarts of high quality Castrol synthetic ZVP 000 540. Charges $12 for oil filter. This is their retail so you know there is some profit on this. So that's $50 bucks. Then they are charging $40-50 for labor having a junior tech getting paid very little. These oil changes are kind of a loss leader, but they probably make some profit. Of course the hope is you'll need other work or maintenance while your there, as you mentioned. Dealership service depts are extremely profitable and calculated money making operations.

[n8vs3]

I don't want to rain on your parade. But considering that a two gallon of M1 even at Walmart cost about $57.00,
And not including the oil filter. How is dealership able to pay the Audi tech for minimum of an hour of work able to make any money? If this is true, maybe they are putting cheap non synthetic oil in and are just getting one in hopes of charging you for another item.

Over the past few weeks, PepBoys has 5 quart jugs of M1 0W-40 for $27.

[HearMeSpool]

$180 for an oil change? What do you drive, a jet? Audi of Escondido was charging me $80, or I believe $59 with the coupons they always send.

[audrobotic]

$180 for an oil change? What do you drive, a jet? Audi of Escondido was charging me $80, or I believe $59 with the coupons they always send.

I know - right! I need to get on those dealership mailing lists.

[lx4life]

Walmart sales M1 5qt all day for $25, also for my A7 you can only use an extractor since there is oil pan bolt. Plus the filter is on top super easy and less messy. I do all my work so far on my Audi A7 Q7 and my 6series, never had anything major fail yet on either.

[AWB7]

$180 for an oil change? What do you drive, a jet? Audi of Escondido was charging me $80, or I believe $59 with the coupons they always send.

This, or if you want to go to an independent shop i would go to TAG motorsports if your in north county or SD motorsports if you are further south