Audi A4 2013 repair went from $620 to $1940. HELP NYC

[Dennis Brown]

My check engine light came on an it said something about o2 Sensor needing replacement( I am at work, will provide picture once i get home). Then a few days later i get an alert on my dashboard saying "coolant temperature! Let engine run with Vehicle stationary" OK, I take drop off my car to my Audi Mechanic that has been servicing my car four years. The work was $700 yesterday today i get a call and the price jumps from $700 to $1900. what apparently happened was something( can't remember what he said) was bracing on the coolant line and caused it to leak. So now not only do I have to pay $1900 if i don't i cant even move my car i have to get it towed. Towed to my parking destination because the lines are not connected. Here is the bill.


Really need some help. thanks

[capital89]

According to a labor guide, Water pump calls for 5.1 hrs not 7.5 ( Can someone else verify this ? ) . Also i believe the water pump on these cars are under a extended warranty.

[Theiceman]

well lets assume you trust this shop.

you have a bad O2 sensor plus labour to replace it 1 hour
you have a leaking water pump plus 7.5 hours to replace it

at 140 an hour there is your bill... these cars are expensive to maintain so not really much more to add. leaking water pumps on thee cars are not uncommon and they are a PITA to replace.

I will say i think 7.5 is a little high to replace the water pump even though its a pain but likely book rate with coolant flush and fill etc
an hour for a O2 sensor is probably right.

all i can really say is get your old parts back , inspect the pump , if he shows you the leak it is usually obvious

how many miles ? 100K or up water pump is gonna leak

[Dennis Brown]

well lets assume you trust this shop.

you have a bad o2 sensor plus labour to replace it 1 hour
you have a leaking water pump plus 7.5 hours to replace it

at 140 an hour there is your bill... these cars are expensive to maintain so not really much more to add. leaking water pumps on thee cars are not uncommon and they are a PITA to replace.

I will say i think 7.5 is a little high to replace the water pump even though its a pain but likely book rate with coolant flush and fill etc
an hour for a o2 sensor is probably right.

all i can really say is get our old parts back , inspect the pump , if he shows you the leak it is usually obvious

how many miles ? 100K or up water pump is gonna leak

83K miles

[Dennis Brown]

Where can i find the labour guide? where can i get extended warranty decision.

[19birel]

My family has had two of these car's, my mom's 2012 A4 had its waterpump die at 61k, my 2013 A4's pump started leaking severely around 65k. You're lucky you made it to 83k with yours haha

Your guy's pricing sounds reasonable, these cars aren't cheap when stuff breaks.

[Dennis Brown]

My family has had two of these car's, my mom's 2012 A4 had its waterpump die at 61k, my 2013 A4's pump started leaking severely around 65k. You're lucky you made it to 83k with yours haha

Your guy's pricing sounds reasonable, these cars aren't cheap when stuff breaks.

Honestly it's just bad timing. I want to just make sure the price is correct. They have been doing all my work since i got my car and i like to keep it that way. but damn the price from 620-1900. I still have to do my shocks and get new tires in the fall. all together that $4K+.

[19birel]

Honestly it's just bad timing. I want to just make sure the price is correct. They have been doing all my work since i got my car and i like to keep it that way. but damn the price from 620-1900. I still have to do my shocks and get new tires in the fall. all together that $4K+.

Totally understand, always good to get a second opinion if you're unsure.

If you have the space to work on the car (and the time) doing your own work saves a TON of money. Understandably not everyone is able to do this, but if you want to get your feet wet the forum is a great resource for learning about maintaining these cars on your own! Best of luck getting the repairs sorted!

[Dennis Brown]

Totally understand, always good to get a second opinion if you're unsure.

If you have the space to work on the car (and the time) doing your own work saves a TON of money. Understandably not everyone is able to do this, but if you want to get your feet wet the forum is a great resource for learning about maintaining these cars on your own! Best of luck getting the repairs sorted!

Unfortunately i dont have the space nor the time. i'm a gutting and renovation my house. so this is totally out of my reach.

[Dennis Brown]

I just bit the bullet. worked on the price from $1900 to $1600 flat.

[Theiceman]

Thats pretty reasonable. he took a couple of hours labour off for the water pump so right where it should be.

This should be a warning to all those who see these shiny turds sitting on used car lots.. they are NOT Hondas, when they break you pay , and they are not the most reliable cars.

[Nano909]

Thats pretty reasonable. he took a couple of hours labour off for the water pump so right where it should be.

This should be a warning to all those who see these shiny turds sitting on used car lots.. they are NOT Hondas, when they break you pay , and they are not the most reliable cars.

*laughs in 108,000 miles with no issues*

[Theiceman]

*laughs in 108,000 miles with no issues*

dont play with the Audi Gods..

[Nano909]

dont play with the Audi Gods..

I make sacrificial blood cleansing every 3000 miles. They reward me. Lol

[Theiceman]

*laughs in 108,000 miles with no issues*

"For sale I have an OEM K03 with ~30k miles. It was a replacement from Audi when my old turbo went out."

so much for credidibility..

[Nano909]

"For sale I have an OEM K03 with ~30k miles. It was a replacement from Audi when my old turbo went out."

so much for credidibility..

Wastegate issue = the entire car being unreliable?

[alnoor15]

I just bit the bullet. worked on the price from $1900 to $1600 flat.

good stuff, im actually about to go to tyrolsport tommorow to get my diagnosis for oil consumption and possibly repair depending on the price... definitely seems like shops can charge 1/2 - 1 hour extra labor for the heck of it without customers really knowing.... more money for them easy

[NitroViper]

Do it yourself and save $1500

[B6_Dolphin]

Or be-friend an Audi mechanic who will work on your car in the back shop of the dealer on weekends.

Saved me some serious $ when I had my B6 A4 and it needed maintenance or upgrades installed.

[Novarider]

How do you go from a leaking coolant line to a water pump replacement?

OP doesn't sound very Mechanically inclined (no offense), sure hope the shop isn't taking advantage of him. The coolant line isn't even mentioned on the bill.

[Theiceman]

How do you go from a leaking coolant line to a water pump replacement?

OP doesn't sound very Mechanically inclined (no offense), sure hope the shop isn't taking advantage of him. The coolant line isn't even mentioned on the bill.

I'm thinking it was water pump all along.. coolant line was the red herring.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Audizine mobile app

[Novarider]

I'm thinking it was water pump all along.. coolant line was the red herring.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Audizine mobile app

Unless he's getting screwed. I've been burned by a mechanic before.

A/c wasn't working so I took it to a mechanic. He said it was the compressor so I paid him to replace it, the drier and orifice tube. Right at $800. Pick the car up a couple days later and on the way home a/c cuts out. Take it back to him and he's said "I'll fix it". He calls me a couple days later and said it's ready. When I go to pick it up he says I owe him $1k for "diagnostics" and a relay. I had no choice but to pay him or he can keep my car. Keep in mind he misdiagnosed the problem to begin with. Needless to say I've never been back and never sent him any business again. That's also when I started doing ALL of my own work. I used to do some but have a mechanic do some as well. Not anymore.