Awwww yeah. Naw but seriously, I used to have a 2.8 30v A4 and it ran like a champ and as one of the moderators (ImtheDevil) knows, I drove the ***** off my car. Everything everyone says on here is completely correct. Don't let the "proper tools" phrase scare you either. Most jobs require a set of metric hand tools like sockets and wrenches. Most of the routine stuff isn't too bad if you just have a couple hours and a nice big can of Deep Creep penetrating lube.

 

Agreed with all of these guys. Here's my take:

Timing belt - when was this done last? Every 60-65k is when it should be done. If it was done on schedule, you have another 20k miles before it's due. More than enough time to put together the proper money and find a reputable shop or a member of this forum who knows what they're doing. I'm not volunteering anyone, but turbo kraut is in St Louis and he knows these cars.

Oil sludge/pickup tube - maybe I overlooked it but I didn't see anywhere in your posts that you have a sludge issue. In that regard I think Krip is right that the shop is blowing smoke up your back door. You said it runs and drives fine. The only leap that would conceivably indicate a sludge issue would be the alleged failing chain tensioner. You said they diagnosed it as being bad - how? What noises are there and where? If it's not clattering like a diesel at idle I doubt you have a problem. Our cars idle with a mechanical sound and if this shop is inexperienced with A4s they're probably mistaking the idle noise with a bad tensioner.

Transmission - you mentioned that they wanted/insisted that it be "fixed" but why? Inferring from your post, your car doesn't have shifting issues. Yes, Audi says that you have lifetime fluid, and yes that's ridiculous to believe. At some point you should have a fluid and filter change done, but why the insistence that it be done now?

In all honesty, I'm guessing that you probably have nowhere near the issues you're being told you have. You'd do well to go to the main page of this forum, scroll down to the regional section, pick the regional forum that includes your home state, and explain what you've told us here. Ask for recommendations for reputable shops near you from others with experience. You may find an AF member who will do the work for you at a price considerably less than a shop or dealer. Quite a few of us do this on the side, and those of us whom I know a) know their stuff and WILL do it right, and b) will likely do a better job since they're not racing the clock to finish as fast as possible.

Too bad you guys aren't in the NE US - we have a strong core of enthusiast owners who could turn your car around legitimately, without scare tactics or trying to bulk you for unnecessary work.

 

3000 Miles?

 

NE for the win. If you do what Jeremy said then you'll be able to find a reputable mechanic or an AF member willing to do the work for a decent price.

 

Hopefully later today, I will get my husband on here to tell you exactly what the mechanic's shop told him to make him feel this way. I can tell you it was a lot of "we see a lot of this and this is what happens and this is how much it costs to fix this."

To clarify: we have the money for a timing belt/cam chain tensioner job.

To give a bit more history: The car has had several owners in the past several years, all foreign exhange students from the college. They typically come for a year of school and were basically passing the car to the next. We have no idea of the maintenance history. The previous owner told us he had the oil changed 4 or 5 months ago at a local oil change business, but we don't know what kind of oil was used. We changed the oil right away with seafoam added and put in a new filter. About 500 miles later, the car started running rough and threw a new set of codes. Sorry, don't remember which ones. Somewhere in this forum, a posting was made about those codes and to remedy to change the oil, so we did (with a new WIX filter). The codes went away. Since we don't know any maintenance history, we have no idea when the timing belt was done and we just figured we better do one than risk it breaking and causing a heap of trouble later.

On Friday, the relay that controls the turn signals went out. The mechanic doesn't even know about that. I found DIY info on the internet for that.

I will post in the regional section and see what we get.

 

ImTheDevil, I forgot to answer your question about how they diagnosed the cam chain tensioner - by sound and experience.

 

I just got a 97 A4 1.8, im not sure what the hecks wrong! Some times it runs great and some times it slips jerks ect. I am not sure if it is the clutch slipping, shift solenoid, trans.... heck I cant even find the tran dip stick to check the fluids!!!! The car didnt come with a manual and im a GIRL!!! Please some one give me some ideas, lets start off with this question on this car can I check the tran fluid? Or is it some sort of self maint. tranny HELP PLEASE

 

This mechanic quoted us $855 for parts and labor for the timing belt and for the cam chain tensioner $285 labor and $725 for OE parts and $600 for aftermarket parts. The timing belt quote is pretty typical for what we've been told at other shops. This is the only place we have gotten to give us a quote for the cam tensioner, is this a typical price?

 

I think you need to start your own thread so you can get the most help.

 

follow the diy's and do the tb/wp and cam tensioner yourself..... hardest part is taking everything apart.... yes im in stl and would be willing to help if i can/needed.... you also have a very knowledgeable member in junction city