Extra services?
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AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Glen Ridge, NJ
Extra services?
Soooo, I was at my dealers for my "in between 5k" oil change and I was curious about some of the other services they had and the agent listed a few - coolant change and fuel injector cleaning for example - each $199.99 BTW.
If you plan on keeping the car long term, is this a prudent though overly cautious service or a waste of $$$?Also, BTW, that agent thought the oil change at 5k was unnecessary- which I would disagree with.
If you plan on keeping the car long term, is this a prudent though overly cautious service or a waste of $$$?Also, BTW, that agent thought the oil change at 5k was unnecessary- which I would disagree with.
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 389
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From: Virginia
I’m not going to swap the coolant out of my car at 2 years, I’ll probably wait a couple more years before doing that, and I’m not going to have the injectors cleaned absent a symptom which would lead me to do so. My cars injectors function perfectly, the car runs perfectly, mileage achieved is consistent with new, why fix something that isn’t broken?
There be will be two separate camps on the forum regarding the oil change issue and it is going to be impossible to resolve. For each person that says do it once a year/10K there is going to be someone who says do it earlier. Oil changes are a “hit a nerve” subject for car aficionados for good reason.
Personally, and assuming normal driving usage, I follow the manual and do it annually or 10K whichever occurs first. My reasoning is thus, although you will read scores of posts here and other comments and opinions elsewhere extolling the virtues of early preemptive oil changes, I have yet to come across any substantive detriment/damage/disadvantage to the engine by following the recommended interval.
There be will be two separate camps on the forum regarding the oil change issue and it is going to be impossible to resolve. For each person that says do it once a year/10K there is going to be someone who says do it earlier. Oil changes are a “hit a nerve” subject for car aficionados for good reason.
Personally, and assuming normal driving usage, I follow the manual and do it annually or 10K whichever occurs first. My reasoning is thus, although you will read scores of posts here and other comments and opinions elsewhere extolling the virtues of early preemptive oil changes, I have yet to come across any substantive detriment/damage/disadvantage to the engine by following the recommended interval.
Last edited by Dave W; Feb 14, 2019 at 08:39 AM.
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,072
Likes: 121
From: Boston, MA, USA
Soooo, I was at my dealers for my "in between 5k" oil change and I was curious about some of the other services they had and the agent listed a few - coolant change and fuel injector cleaning for example - each $199.99 BTW.
If you plan on keeping the car long term, is this a prudent though overly cautious service or a waste of $$$?Also, BTW, that agent thought the oil change at 5k was unnecessary- which I would disagree with.
If you plan on keeping the car long term, is this a prudent though overly cautious service or a waste of $$$?Also, BTW, that agent thought the oil change at 5k was unnecessary- which I would disagree with.
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 81
From: Midwest US
What Dave W said, though I intend to follow the book on all of it including coolant in large part because I took the car with AudiCare.
One note, the manual does asterisk and recommend sub-10,000 mile oil changes if you often or mostly drive the car in harsh conditions e.g. deep freeze winters or mostly short city trips. I am at 23K or so right now and I definitely waited a little too long on my first oil change (10K); felt like a new car when I got it back with fresh oil. Probably should have dumped that original oil at 7K or so with where I live/the way I drive.
Also, on these direct injected cars -- you would be amazed what a good spirited drive at high RPM in manual mode, ideally up some mountain roads, will do to blow out the cobwebs/carbon/etc and reprogram the ECU to remind it you like to drive, and are not just some dentist who carefully goes the speed limit between his office in Suburb A and home in Suburb B. I would 100% try burning through a tank or two of gas driving your S4 that way before I paid anyone triple digits to clean my fuel injectors. Wouldn't be surprised if all they do is pour in a bottle of grossly overpriced FI cleaner in anyway...
One note, the manual does asterisk and recommend sub-10,000 mile oil changes if you often or mostly drive the car in harsh conditions e.g. deep freeze winters or mostly short city trips. I am at 23K or so right now and I definitely waited a little too long on my first oil change (10K); felt like a new car when I got it back with fresh oil. Probably should have dumped that original oil at 7K or so with where I live/the way I drive.
Also, on these direct injected cars -- you would be amazed what a good spirited drive at high RPM in manual mode, ideally up some mountain roads, will do to blow out the cobwebs/carbon/etc and reprogram the ECU to remind it you like to drive, and are not just some dentist who carefully goes the speed limit between his office in Suburb A and home in Suburb B. I would 100% try burning through a tank or two of gas driving your S4 that way before I paid anyone triple digits to clean my fuel injectors. Wouldn't be surprised if all they do is pour in a bottle of grossly overpriced FI cleaner in anyway...
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Northern NJ
DSG/S-Tronic transmissions found in all B9 A4s get new fluid every 40k. The G13 Coolant used is long life, usually it gets changed when something in the cooling system breaks..... like the water pump or radiator.... so around 100k if you are lucky. I've always done 5k oil changes on the many 2.0TFSI engines I've owned, its notorious for beating the crap out of oil. Didn't seem to help my last car from developing oil consumption problems though.
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Sep 2017
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Likes: 35
Most modern coolant is long lasting version. It should last at least 100k or 7 years. Injector cleaning kind of became a thing of past for Direct injection engines or Stratified injection engines here in Audi's case with most detergent supplemented fuels especially those Top Tier ones. I think the carbon buildup on valves/ports became more prominent problem than injector clog.
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Thread Starter
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 2,527
Likes: 52
From: Glen Ridge, NJ
What Dave W said, though I intend to follow the book on all of it including coolant in large part because I took the car with AudiCare.
One note, the manual does asterisk and recommend sub-10,000 mile oil changes if you often or mostly drive the car in harsh conditions e.g. deep freeze winters or mostly short city trips. I am at 23K or so right now and I definitely waited a little too long on my first oil change (10K); felt like a new car when I got it back with fresh oil. Probably should have dumped that original oil at 7K or so with where I live/the way I drive.
Also, on these direct injected cars -- you would be amazed what a good spirited drive at high RPM in manual mode, ideally up some mountain roads, will do to blow out the cobwebs/carbon/etc and reprogram the ECU to remind it you like to drive, and are not just some dentist who carefully goes the speed limit between his office in Suburb A and home in Suburb B. I would 100% try burning through a tank or two of gas driving your S4 that way before I paid anyone triple digits to clean my fuel injectors. Wouldn't be surprised if all they do is pour in a bottle of grossly overpriced FI cleaner in anyway...
One note, the manual does asterisk and recommend sub-10,000 mile oil changes if you often or mostly drive the car in harsh conditions e.g. deep freeze winters or mostly short city trips. I am at 23K or so right now and I definitely waited a little too long on my first oil change (10K); felt like a new car when I got it back with fresh oil. Probably should have dumped that original oil at 7K or so with where I live/the way I drive.
Also, on these direct injected cars -- you would be amazed what a good spirited drive at high RPM in manual mode, ideally up some mountain roads, will do to blow out the cobwebs/carbon/etc and reprogram the ECU to remind it you like to drive, and are not just some dentist who carefully goes the speed limit between his office in Suburb A and home in Suburb B. I would 100% try burning through a tank or two of gas driving your S4 that way before I paid anyone triple digits to clean my fuel injectors. Wouldn't be surprised if all they do is pour in a bottle of grossly overpriced FI cleaner in anyway...
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AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Western Massachusetts
I had one Audi tech tell me once that Audi uses "permanent" coolant, and you do not have to change it. Also, I take a lot of short trips in my car and don't let the engine get to optimum operating temperature, therefore I change my oil and filter myself in between scheduled changes.
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