seanA8

I had my car at Curry's Auto for two full weeks with no results and a $380 bill! Matt was nice but they did charge me for four hours labor and stated they spent ten hours on my car. Matt was on vacation and they would not release my car without payment. I reminded them they did not do anything outside running the diagnostics.

I took it to a Citgo gas station in Bethesda where the guy used to work at Marten's VW/Volvo. The guy knew exactly what to with limp mode and stated he would attempt the transmission service. I had it changed three years ago when I purchased the car and it was black again from it's original yellow. I paid $270 for his five liters of fluid, my trans kit, and his labor. I went up to the guys shop on Sunday, brought it back on Monday (snow day), and it was ready on Tuesday afternoon. No more limp mode and the transmission shifts fine. They were finishing up the diagnostic when I picked up the car. He cleared the codes in less than ten minutes.

Should I call American Express and cancel the $360 payment to Curry's Auto? The guys were nice but I think they did not know how to handle this issue. I feel like they charged me four hours labor just for looking at my car, running some codes, and working an estimate. An estimate for new brakes, suspension, etc.

Would you guys pay someone $360 to park your car outside the shop for two weeks? They attibuted it to being an A8. A shop will say they work on Audis and then make you feel like your A8 is not better than an 82 Jaguar XJS V-12 Gray Market Car. If you are not familiar with A8s, say it right up front and don't charge me $360 because an A8 is over your head.

I called Tisher in Silver Spring and the guy stated 95% of the limp mode cars are flushed and they replace the multifunction switch. He quoted me $159 for the switch plus four hours labor. I did not ask about the transmission flush.

PaulW

The guy worked on your car for 10 hours and charged you $360, consider yourself lucky.

They have a real business to run, too bad they couldn't help you, but that's life.

So you didn't need the TCU after all....funny....but we already knew it didn't need replacement.

Do you know how many hours we tried to tell you to get the fluid and filter changed before you agreed? You wanted us to research for you what the TCU part numbers were. We didn't charge you a penny.

Let the guy who needs to feed his family go.

And what's with the guy in Silver Spring that is going to do the tranny flush and change the multi-function switch? If there was something wrong with the switch, you would definitely have a code.

To date, have not heard of one failing on an A8.

Glad your tranny is back to working order.....glad our advice worked.

RFGURU

Stop Payment, Brotha! Smart that you put it on your card

seanA8

I am leaning toward the stop payment. I posted a few questions as the first recommendation was to replace the transmission control unit at $1502 retail. Then he told me the transmission would be $7100 if the control unit could not resolve the issue. I asked them just to perform the flush from day one. It took me going up to a Citgo gas station to get these codes cleared!

I understand the guy needs to feed his family. I appreciate you guys helping me out, especially Paul. However, they are the Audi mechanics! Why should I pay them $360 to run some codes and tell me they cant figure it out when a Citgo gas station figured it out. They should say "We work on Audis, but don't work on A8s."

My goal was to see if others have paid mechanics that work on Audis only to learn they know nothing about A8s. I dont know if I will dispute with AmEx. I will call the guy and ask if $200 is fair. Yes, they spent time on the car but not $380 worth of time. I can not bill out my clients unless they get a deliverable. In this case, they billed me for a quote!

KaMaKaZieP -ALUMIN8-

Talk it over with them and of needed take them to small claims ct.. the laws are extremely biased to mechanics on stop payments... BE CAREFUL

svxit

When this gets resolved, you may want to give Pro-Imports on Airpark Road in Gaithersburg a try. They are low key, do good work and only charge half an arm. And best of all, when I asked them how they would go about changing the tranny fluid on my '98, the procedure they used was exactly what was written up in here.

Mr. Ricco

lunch by Judge Judy dude.

s4master1

who in his right mind take an A8 to any shop
with that money buy 20ft of rope and hang yourself
and do your A8 the best favor you can do to it

s4master1

you tell him brother

KMU

fill at least.