And geography pays a big part, home counties prices and all that! :rolleyes:

Apologies for ranting on, I'll just say one more thing.
I dont trust dealers with some of the more complex operations, because I have seen evidence of dealers changing timing belts with paint marks, they didnt even use their own cam locking tool!
Its probably unfair to tar them all with the same brush, and I'm sure at least a few have master-techs who know how to work on a D2, but I just dont trust them. Sorry.
I'll happily pay a couple of hundred more and go to a independent who is well known, especially because they can usually spot other trouble areas that most dealers would miss. That way my car gets check up that it wouldnt get at the dealer.

You're right, Goran. I have a theory that in car repair business all good mechanics sooner or later go off on their own and start working for themselves. It is (almost) impossible to find great motor specialist working for Audi dealer. So far, I haven't met any... Sopping around is absolutely necessary, but avoid dealers at all costs. And yes, folks who deliver quality deserve to be paid premium.

Dealers get a bad rap, often for good reasons. Whoever we use, I'd imagine for most of us it's down to trust more than price (as we all care about our cars...). However, we also all like to get good value, especially as these are expensive cars to maintain.

I trust my local Audi dealer, and have the same mastertech and service rep who always look after my s8 and me, though it wasn't always like that, and it took a short conversation with the Inchcape CEO to get this right.

They know me and I know them, and they're happy to haggle and often price match, wherever they can (gearbox rebuilds excepted ;)).

I'm confident in their abilities and value for money, so for me personally I wouldn't ever dismiss a main dealer out of hand, as I may just pay more and get less - though I'll continue to use independents like Unit 20 where they're better, on a case by case basis +++

If you don't mind dropping the car over this way I'd get a quote from Camspec that I quoted costs for some way back in this thread - their main man on the service side is Master Tech trained on R8 and A8 and did the major work on my D2 before I bought it. They've always been extremely helpful and accomodating even though I've barely spent a penny with them in relative terms to the last owner.

They really aren't cheap, but they are VERY good! They've taken a lot of business from established but not so consistent local specialists.

Always happy to offer a taxi service to Gatwick or surrounding train stations if leaving the car and fancy a coffee etc :) that goes for any member on here

Now the really clever trick would be to combine that with a week or two away on holiday flying to/from Gatwick...
Drive to/near Gatwick, leave A/S8, get taken to airport.
1 or 2 weeks later....
Arrive at Gatwick, get collected by (or taken to) A/S8, drive home in fully serviced car. +++
Given the cost of parking that could be a reasonable little earner. :D

Problem is many flights are on Sundays. :(

OK another option maybe? On your next Scottish jaunt extend your trip by a couple of days and book it into A For Audi in Glasgow. I am sure one of us up this way could put you and Mrs HP in the spare room to help keep the hotel costs down:D