I definitely wouldn't do it for $400 dollars. The amount of work involved in removing the whole front piece just to get to the engine is too much. If anything, I'd be looking for $600.

 

$400 seems reasonable for the service although for comparison purposes, I have an Audi trained mechanic who's been coming to my house for several years to work on my Audi's for $45/hour and he's crazy fast; it looks like he could do this stuff blindfolded, he knows every little trick and gotcha and brings his own specialty tools. He just did a timing belt service along with some other diagnostics on my wife's 99 A6 2.8 yesterday in 4 hours and that included an intense clean up. $180 for the labor plus parts.

Job time really comes down with experience, he had the front service piece released and pulled in nothing flat.

 

yeah i agree with you markcm if all comes down to experince and how many times you have done it

 

from where r u getting the 300 tb kit?

 

blauuput. i know i spelled it wrong. someone on these forums recommended them. 269.99 for the kit

 

When buying your timing belt kit, DO NOT GO CHEAP!!!! You will get what you pay for!!!

I bought an "OEM or OEM grade" parts kit off ebay for my Timing Belt kit, the tensioner failed with in 1000 miles. Fortunately we were almost home when we heard a clicking noise, it turned out to be 2.5" inches of slop in the timing belt and the tensioner bearing slapping against the block of the motor due to the failed tensioner.

Don't even think twice, pay an extra $150 now for the real parts and save a couple thousand for your engine not self destructing when the cheap parts fail. I'm not the first person to say this, don't buy the cheap crap, there's too much riding on it.