I had my timing belt (and water pump, tensioner, spark plugs and headlight ... $280!!! and oil change) completed at a dealership this week.

The timing belt change was covered by a grandfathered US Audi Care that the previous owner had purchased but I paid for the rest ... total bill was just shy of $1,000.

Shortly after leaving the shop I was looking at the front end and it looked a bit crooked ... not much but noticeable to me. I have had a few other "objective" people look at it and they all agree that it is off. It looks like the grill on the right side is almost a quarter inch closer to the hood then the left side.

Anyone experienced this and if so is this something that I should just accept ... ie. is it a real trick to get the thing back together perfectly?

 

sounds like you need to take it back....

 

yup, take it back, say it's not right. No reason they should refuse you. if they took the front bumper off, they could have easily messed with the adjustments by accident

also never pay for xenons from the dealership, they charge $231 per bulb plus instal cost lol.... you get get two bulbs for ~160, and installed for $50

HOWEVER, if the bulbs where never changed, there was a reimbursement letter that went around last year, stating that bulbs should have never died before the 4 year warranty mark

so if you got them replaced outside of an audi dealership, you'd need the billing, and proof of requirement to replace them....I had both, including a workorder from audi saying I needed two new bulbs - I said screw you to the $231/bulb, got them ordered from my dad, went to my mech, installed, and sent all the billls to audi, and they sent me a cheque!

 

A couple photos of the grill ... I emailed them to the dealership and am awaiting their reply.

 

yup, they messed with the adjustment ****..... there are some under the hood (on the hood underside) but I doubt that would fix it enough...

this had happened to me once before

use this link,
http://www.euroaddiction.net/forum/b...r-removal.html

about half way down the guys shows a couple pictures of the bumper height adjusters, they may have had one fall out, happened to me when my bumper was repainted due to my gf's neighbour backing into my car..... had to get them to put one back in

 

Thanks hojimoe ... great link. I'll have a look tomorrow. The reply from the dealer went as follows:

"Ted Don't know the answer the grill and front bumper cover come off as one
piece, the grill does not separate from bumper cover we may be able to
loosen the grill and adjust it?"

It concerns me a bit when they make it sound like they only "may" be able adjust it???

If I wanted a car that was all crooked I wouldn't have bought this one!

 

not surprised with that answer, because it may mean one of those **** has come off, could be sitting on your belly pan (happened to me) .... bumper needs to come back off to put it back in usually, unless if someone can get there hand there? (i have a 3.2, and there's no room) bumper removal in like 2 hrs labour, so they may be reluctant because of that

they are correct in that the grill doesn't move seperate from the bumper, the adjustment that needs to be fixed is the entire bumper adjusted up, via those two large ****, will be fine after that

 

They told me to stop by sometime and they will see what they can do ... on another note, the damn CEL came on again ... the thing comes on quite regularly and then usually goes off after a couple days. It was on when I brought it in last week but forgot to ask what the cause was ... will give them a call I guess.

Cheers