Sad to say that it was last "changed" by an Audi dealer, according to their invoice to the owner at the time. It was then apparently "inspected" by a VW/Audi specialist 15k ago. I don't think either took the undertray off.
I work with a couple of chaps who were previously a mechanic and a parts manager for a franchise dealer and some of their tales are shocking. Whilst I sometimes find it a pain working on my own vehicles, I do at least know when a job's been done, which is a satisfying to know.
could not agree more, no one works on my own cars simply because by me doing the work I know its been done correctly and with due care and attension, owe and I'm too bloody tight to pay garage labour rates
Totally agree that main dealers are often the worst. Some 20 years ago I bought a 6 month old Mitsibushi and to keep the warranty at the time it had to be serviced every 12 months at the main dealers, the first service I came away £155 worse off with a set of paperwork long enough to wall paper by staircase, all the things that had been checked etc
2 days latter I had to brake very hard to avoid a dog that was doing its upmost to commit suiside, dog avoided but what a noise came from rear drivers side brake. On inspection there wasa groove in the face of the disc and the pad was down to the metal
I took it back and tore a strip of the sevice manager, insisting that it was put on the ramp and re inspected, after much arguments he finally agreed (after I threatened to go to the local press - always a good ploy)
The pads had no friction material left, just metal backing pad to steel disk, hence the noise.
I had a field days as they had charged for 2 off 'brake cleaning kits' at £36ea which had clearly never been used nor had the breaks been looked at
I got new disks and pads on the rear, plus 2 free services
This kept my warranty, but I simply did the work (checks, new oil / filters etc) after the official service had been done and the all important stamp in the service book
The owl thing left a dirty taste in my mouth, I would never trust that main dealer again, only used them because of the free services and the fact that it was 60 miles to the next nearest main dealer
Paul