snagitseven

Three Audi dealers in the same area should be enough to provide competitive service pricing (unless they are colluding to price fixing which would be illegal). Did you happen to price out an oil change with the other two?

jjsC6

You guys know you can have an oil change done anywhere, right? Your local Jiffy Lube can do it without voiding the warranty. In fact, you can do it yourself as long as you document it.

newmoon

I guess you haven't seen this thread yet:
Just another reason not to take your S4 to an instant oil change shop....

lardog

San Diego has 3 dealers within about a 20 min drive of each other. They are bunched up in the northern part of the county, and none south of that. The population of San Diego is 1.4 million (3.3 million in the county).

A 4th dealer is opening soon in Temecula, about 40 minutes North of these. There are also a lot of German car specialists (independents) nearby.

It scares me to have my oil changed at a Jiffy Lube type of establishment. I've had weird experiences with these places (mostly teenage kids that know nothing about cars). But I would take it to my regular mechanic, who I trust immensely (although come to think of it he told me not to buy an Audi). He charges $25 on my wife's Avalon, and has been working on my cars a long time.

Acuransx

I will do that -- will be interesting to see what they charge. Each of these other dealers are at least a 45 minute ride from both where I live and work so a bit inconvenient.

snagitseven

Sorry, but I wouldn't take my Audis in to a Jiffy lube any more than have back surgery done at my local drug store.

jjsC6

Clearly you have to qualify them. I have changed oil myself in probably 100 different engines. It's not rocket science or back surgery. My point is simply that there are many options.

Acuransx

Qualified or not, if there is a problem during warranty I'd prefer to have had all service done at dealer -- avoids any possibility of finger pointing. I'm uncomfortable and not qualified to "qualify" the Jiffy Lube boys. Once qualified chances are one would have to "re-qualify" them given that I imagine turnover is a bit of an issue with these type of places. Agree, not rocket science or back surgery but that story about the S4 was something else. Not worth the risk IMHO. jjsC6 my bet is that you are eminently more qualified to change the oil than the dude in the pit at Jiffy Lube. And FWIW I had my own issue with a Jiffy Lube type place.........on my 1977 Chevrolet Caprice Classic in the early /80s -- dude in the pit managed to install wrong (much larger) oil filter. The next a.m. on startup there was some valve clatter that I had never experienced. No damage done but proper filter immediately installed. And by the way that old GM 305 V8 ran 200,000 miles without problem (yup, I changed the oil every 3,000 miles religiously)!


Best,
Jeff

snagitseven

I'm not sure how you can "qualify" any of these places without trying them out and discovering one of two things: they removed all of the old oil, used the correct typr, filled it to the proper level and installed the correct filter. Or, they didn't do one or all of those things correctly and you discover down the road you have a problem which might be too late. I would trust a good, reputable Audi/VW indy shop or my dealer but not one of those get 'em and get 'em out places where the help changes faster than the weather. Not worth the risk IMO - I'll spend a few extra bucks to protect my $60K investment. I'll leave the Jiffy lubes to others.

jjsC6

Once again, I was just trying to make a point. I get that most people who buy premium cars are comfortable paying a dealer. You have to either accept that they are not cheap or look for alternatives. Again, changing oil on most vehicles is really a simple task. I actually do know of a couple that are a little tricky only in that you have to know the quirks of the vehicle. Maybe I need to study the procedure on the Audi before I speak.