howdyaudi

im a new audi owner. i have a turbo issue. theres an oil leak and the exhaust smokes like a chimney. i know i need a new turbo and the plan is to order the part and either fix it myself or let a mechanic do it. is that a feasable task or should i leave it to the professionals?

howdyaudi

also, where can i find lower door moldings? i need all 4 and cant find them anywhere

David.Norton

The best price I found was the dealer who is operating up on *bay. On another note lots of folks have suggested that you will need the screws and clips. That was not the case for me. The screws spun on me, but it looked like my moldings were rotted out, so I just pealed them back and clamped a vice grip on the inset molded nut. The screws came right out then. I also carefully pealed them off the clips, no damage there, just slid the new ones on. Took about 15 min to do them all.

howdyaudi

ok thanks. sounds pretty simple. i actually bought the car without the moldings so i wont be as lucky as you. i just cant believe 4 pieces of rubber will set me back $200. $50-$60 per door. ive been trying to find a salvage vehicle to part them out a little cheaper

David.Norton

Don't go used, these parts are always rotted out. If you check that seller I noted before he has a kit with the screws and clips, if your moldings are missing I'd go for the kit because if the parts are gone the fasteners are likely missing also (you'll have to check, each metal post on the door bottom needs a white plastic clip). I just got his kit, the price was the $200 you mentioned, plus shipping (and he wasn't bad).

MikekiM@PureMS

Replacing the turbo on the A4 isn't a trivial task. The catalyst has to be removed, and the downpipe has to be moved out of the way. It helps tremendously to have a lift, as you'll be working on both the underside, and the engine topside of the car.

Many people have done it themselves, and probably many of them have been successful to some degree. If you're not confident you can do the task, leave it to a professional who'll warranty their work.

But if you have the tools and the confidence and experience, you can certainly save some cash. Pick up one of our Bentley Service manuals, which will walk you through the process, and provide all the proper torque specs and sequences.