Gearbox Service
 

I contacted my local Audi dealer for a price on a few bits I want doing on the car but it raised more questions.

I asked them for a Interim Service and going by the site it should be £159 but they quoted me £250.58.
That's not a fixed price service or is it the fixed price service for a A8?

Next I asked for a AC service, they quoted £79 which is the same as the website, so all good there.

Last but not least and the main thing I want done, I asked them to change the oil and filter in the gearbox.
The came back with the line of "Its a sealed for life gearbox and we don't do that".

I read somewhere that they say this cause they don't know but I can't find the thread now.

Has anyone had their tiptronic gearbox serviced by Audi after they said its sealed for life?

I know of a couple of local gearbox places but I like the idea of keeping the Audi paperwork going and I'm happy to spend the money with them if they start getting their act together and stop being so ****e!!

I guess I could go to Swindon. +++

I don't think you'll get any Audi main dealer to do this - I didn't, and like others on here, I'd point you in the direction of either Mackies (Glasgow), or Chester Transmissions (Chester, unsurprisingly…:)).

Links are here:

http://www.mackie-transmission.com

http://www.transcentre.co.uk (I think…)

Service cost at Mackies is £155, more than that at Chester Auto (£c.250 from memory…).

There's also a couple of longish threads on this, here's one which covers the box replacement (which hopefully is less relevant to you.. ;)…)

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5719

Thanks for the links. I'll have a read now.

Shame Mackies and Chester is so far away from me :(

I looked long and hard to find someone in the South(ish) who would do it and failed.
In the end my local VAG independent did a standard "drain and refill" with new filter etc. which is better than nothing.

Agreed - I used Chester Autos the first time, as it was fairly local (I'm in Cheshire), but went to Mackie's in Glasgow for the second service, and combined it with a short break in Glasgow, which made it a more sensible excursion. It's a long way just for an oil change…;).

The key thing about both these places is that they have the specialist "sucky/pumpy thing" which is required to do this properly, and which you'll hear mentioned on other threads, including the recent thread started by The Laird about the Mackies's open day. That's probably another reason why Audi dealers won't do this...

Found these guys.
http://www.cdtransmissions.com/

Apparently they are good.
I'm bashing that on the fact that I can't find anything bad.

Sounds like it's worth exploring. If it was me, I'd want to know how much experience they have of this particular gearbox (5HP24? - someone'll be along to correct that if I've got it wrong), which used on the '8 and also the Jaguar XJ6.

If they're official ZF agents, that would also be good. I think someone on here found a ZF agent based down south, but can't recall/find where that was: you should be able to get this info from ZF directly.

There also seems to be a very long list of cars that they say they will service the 'box on, and no customer testimonials, which could possibly raise alarm bells….

I found a ZF service centre
http://pilkingtonmarine.co.uk/

But its marine. lol

EDIT: I pressed the wrong button.

Better look at the correct map there appears to be two near Bristol that are partners.

What difference for it make to be a ZF partner?

Scott, our gearboxes are not tiptronic as far as I know, or are they??? Tiptronics are not sealed for life and they need servicing every 30k or something like that.

Our gearboxes are sealed for life, but if you want to do it especially on a high millage car then MAKE SURE you really use PROFESSIONALS and Audi EXPERIENCE SPECIALISTS.

For anyone who is prepared to travel or lives local to London/Harrow I STRONGLY RECOMMEND this guys
http://www.audivwsc.co.uk/

The amount of experience they've got (Chris especially with A8s) is really impressive. They are just TOP BOYS.
I service and repair my car with them for around 3 years now and genuinely I can't even think of one bad thing about them, hand on my heart...well, there is one thing, not very comfortable sofa in the reception area :D
But on the serious note, I've done all sort repairs, from camshaft tensioners (both), cambelt, rad replacement, suspension, exhaust, longlife service, ac service, alternator belt, water pump, electrical faults and never ever had any issues with them.

Plus they use only genuine parts for very good prices and the main London stockist which supplies all Audi dealers in London and surrounding areas is just next to them, so any part any day Mon-Sat will be with them within 30min.

I can't remember if that was a service or just filter+oil change (dont know what else you can service there if gearbox is running fine) but it was £250 I think (or 350?? I'm almost sure it was 250)
Just check About Us section to find out more about them.

If actual cost will be less than quoted because of less labour involved, they WILL charge the correct amount. If your car is ready early, they will be on the phone to you to take car away to make room for another one (there is outside space of course) as in 3 years I've never seen a quiet day there, ever, and I've been there many times, sometimes even for a chat about some issues which I couldn't figure out.

They were recently adding Lucas Transmission maintainer for me (great stuff and it works), and not every VAG specialist will tell you, but even that requires gearbox oil temp to be something like 51 degrees, and they always follow this procedures as you would expect from specialist, where some would just add it, charge money and wave you goodbye. Not sure if temp requirement is crucial, but its there for a reason

Sorry for the write up, but I believe that real professionals should be always reviewed well...and they do full rebuilds as well, no matter if its a gearbox, engine or whatever.

Wow that's a lot of praise.
I like a good write up of a good garage.
Just s shame I'm in the ass end of the UK with nog much down here for cars (IMHO).

I thought multronic was for FWD only and tiptronic is for Quattro's?

Going by the book there is nothing for tiptronic services just multitronic ATF change every 40k.
Looking at my service book there is no record of anything happening at 40k, with all that I'm assuming it's tiptronic. Wrongly?

the car is on 156k, hard shifting and odd surging. So im thinking of gearbox service and see if that helps a long with software update that I read about. If needed.

I've only ever 3 A8s down here, one of them is mine, one of going to Plymouth and the other was leaving Devon.

I guess I might have to travel.

check out the stickies for the right links guys! there is a sticky for this which is - http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showpost....9&postcount=29

Honestly, they are amazing. When I decided to switch to independent specialist, one of the main reasons was poor Audi ''stealers'' around me, especially Bexley Audi, I've done A LOT of research. They are that good, that everytime I go there I have to drive 36 miles from SE London to NW London, across it, and thats a couple/few hours trip one way!!!!!

!!!!!!!!
Anyway, Scott, trust me on that one, I trusted Chris on that one and it worked for me. He said it will take approx 200miles to start work, but in my case it took good 300-400miles.
Buy one bottle of this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lucas-Auto...item56622911a9

Just remember what I mentioned about correct/precise temp when adding it, plus you've got to drain 700ml of oil if I remember well.

IT WON'T DO ANY HARM !!!

Local audi dealer quoted me over 800 quid today for a service, oil, filter, plugs, air filter and pollen filter :ROFL:

One quoted me almost 1300 for a full/longlife service for what you listed plus alternator belt, brake fluid change and I think thats it. That was when I was looking for a new place to service/repair my car when needed as mentioned above before I found Audi VW Service Center. Paid something like 900

Sorry, my memory isn't that good

Ah, also AC service, coolant change...and I think something else, but I do that approx every 2-3 years only, usually one standard longlife service in between, unless there is something new what needs doing

Thanks for info lads.

The reason I was wanting the service to try and fix this surging and hard shifting.
I plugged my MAF today on the way in to work and it solved it.
I'll see what happens on the way home but I will still looking in to getting the box service.

You've confused me on what box is fitted now, if its a tiptronic or multitronic.

AC needs doing, it was boiling the other day and air came out a little less cool.
The coolant looks really nice fresh pink.
I might change it end of the summer in time for winter.

Thanks for the info lads.

Scott, yours is Tiptronic. Only some models with petrol engine and front wheel drive had Multitronic.

Thought so.

Thanks audifin.

M-A8, I think we are safe. We don't need oil service ever!!
Going by Audi but I'd rather go by what ZF says and get it done any way.

I think at 155k it got to be due.

Having a general catch up with a mate last night and mentioned the gearbox.
He said I can use his ramps to do the oil myself if I wanted.

I like the idea of doing it my shelf cause its cheaper but its not always about getting it cheaper and saving money. I want the job done properly and correctly.
But this got me thinking.

What is the difference between me doing it using all the proper oils, filters, seals and getting it up to the correct temperature.
Compared to a ZF authorised service centre?

I'd go with the proper centre, especially if the have the sucky squirty pumpy thingy machine like Mackies.. And I don't think they charge that much more than the gearbox oil costs retail anyway.

The definition of 'sealed for life' is 7 years or 100,000 miles, beyond that it's considered scrap.

Don't do it, you don't have the right equipment, nor do most garages for that matter. If you want it done 'properly', you must find a suitably trained and equipped specialist

What is this sucky squirty machine?

I will but I'm curious what they do differently to bob down the road.
Apart from the sucky squirty machine.

This was kindly posted only a few days ago..........

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthrea...=sucky+squirty

It does a little bit more than just pumping oil in and out then.

Thanks.

I completely agree with Psyche and Sarg, if your gearbox needs serviced, this is really worth investing a relatively small sum in having it done properly.

Or putting it another way, the gearbox (along with the engine, maybe..) is probably the single most expensive, complex, and problematic part of the car, and your '8 will only be only worth scrap value if it is f**ked up by messing with it.

A "new" box from Audi is c£6k, so it's a worthwhile investment of a few hundred pounds to get a specialist to keep it running right.

I'm going to add my praise as well, I followed M-A8's advice and they did some work on my A8 and replaced both Exhaust Flexi joints. I travelled from deepest Dorset to Harrow for the work to be done, and was first car in the workshop at 8am, back on the road by mid morning back to Dorset.

Just booked the '8 and the X5 in for a Mackies 'squirty-sucky thingy'.. It's a smidge more expensive for the 6-speed.. just over 300 quid each.

Let's not forget I speak from experience here, my D2 gearbox failed just THREE days after it was 'serviced' by a VAG specialist - the emphasis being VAG specialist, not a GEARBOX specialist.

I had to scrap the car.

After it started playing up, me and my brother di d a second DIY flush of the gearbox oil as there was some suspicion that the garage had royally screwed it up, but it didn't help. DIYing the job is very hard to flush all the old oil through, and you will need at least DOUBLE the required amount of fluid to do so, so it doesn't really help you save any money either.

My A4 is in bits on the drive cause the gearbox started to slip, then burnt itself out and now its being broken :(.

I guess I'm a little bit paranoid about auto boxes added with my lack of trust of anyone working on my car/s, mixed in with a little bit of wanting to save a couple of quid here and there its a bit of a struggle for me.

You are all right, it should be done by a professional and not me with a spanner and a ramp.

It looks like there is a couple of ZF sites in Bristol, which is closer and I got family there, so a place to stay if needed.
I will be contacting them in the coming weeks.

I would agree with this, very important to get a transmission specialist as opposed to a VAG specialist, the local Audi indie around here refers all his customers to Mackies for anything transmission related. Looks like you might have found a suitable ZF agent in any case.

Guess you may have been here already....lists the ZF Approved Agents

http://www.zf.com/eu/content/en/grea...e_cars_uk.html

Good luck+++

Oh my God...there is so much mess in my head right now :Confused:

I was reading your posts through out the day and now I'm not only confused but paranoid as well, plus now I don't want to trust my specialist on top of it even if I know they've got huge experience in servicing and rebuilding gearboxes, and I did seen them couple of times working on A8 and 10plate A6 gearboxes :Confused:

Brian, I looked at your link and it looks like I've got at least 2-3 ZF approved specialists around London.

Originally I didn't want to service mine 3 years ago as other A8 owner told me about some little thing which if isn't done right it can **** the gearbox, so I got scared.

Now, I'm 100% sure I want and need to do it. I trust my VAG garage in every aspect, I know they've got all the required equipment, sucky thing etc, and experience on D3s gearboxes, BUT an Automatic transmission specialists doing only that so they would be the guys to go for????

Really confused, another headache for the weekend on top of my cold which I got after washing car last evening at 8pm in just a wet t-shirt :rolleyes:
no no...I've had my pants on as well (thongs :D) and I was all wet as it was windy not because I'm experience in wet t-shirts competitions :tuttut:

Is this the place in Harrow and do they know D2's?

I'm getting close to needing "The full Monty" of major service and cam belt. At which I'd also expect the water pump and various other bits to be done too.
I've recently (as noted) had the gearbox fluid changed (drain, new filter, refill) but might also do it again if they have that machine.

Bit too much info in there;)

Sounds like you may be lucky and have a VAG garage who also seems to know there way round transmission as well+++ Just checked some of the ZF Agents on that link I posted and I am not sure they all do servicing, maybe just parts and complete boxes.

OK, I'm a idiot !!!
Don't know if thats because of the cold/flu I've got since this morning, but at least I've got some excuse which is better than nothing.

So, I said they've got that stuff as once I've seen in their garage sucky thing look a like machine so I asked whats that, and for some reason I remembered it as the sucky thing for servicing gearboxes :hammer:

So I called them 5min ago just not to look like a tw@t ( a bit to late now as I called them after my last post, imbecile) and it wasn't that, they dont have it as they flush them or whatever, couldn't really heat a thing as line was breaking up (I live in SE London where is no reception, amazing stuff) plus they had some serious issue with the system so me being on the line at that time wasn't helping their situation. Instead of drilling their head they asked me to call them on Monday if I've got some questions. I don't like being under the pressure especially I had two other things to ask.

Anyway....I heard something about even Audi not using one, but probably thats why ZF and Mackie guys are the best guys to do it as mentioned before because they do JUST the gearboxes.

Will know more on Monday, but at this moment I trust you guys with your expertise and experience +++

QUESTION:
How important is to have this sucky thing during the service/oil&filter change???
Is that better than a flush???

I'm trying to gather some more info before calling them on Monday.

BTW, I did seen them working on gearboxes so it's only my memory which is a mess not my eyes as well ;) ...well I wear contacts so my eyes are ****ed, but I wear my lenses all the time ;)

I do apologies for misleading you few posts back :hammer::hammer::hammer:

You know what Brian, I couldn't find any info about servicing as well, just parts and repair kits :Confused:
Back to the starting point :(

I'm not being dramatic guys but like TinTin I have also had a gearbox replaced in my D2 and for a gearbox service even though I am in the south I would not hesitate to drive to either Chester Transmissions or even Mackies to make sure the new gearbox is serviced properly, no where else in the UK would have my trust for properly servicing it using the correct machine. As others have said it has got to be worth it for the peace of mind. I'm planning to do mine at somewhere around 30-40,000 miles on a regular basis if I ever do those mileages! +++

New I should have have bought that M-sport with Manual gearbox lol

Like the rest of the people in the south, we don't have much down here abd Mackies is way to far to go I think.

Ive been on the ZF site but don't het confused between parts, marine servicing and proper car servicing.

I think there is a place in Bath and one in Portishhead near Bristol.
If they are car places and can do it on a Saturday I will pop up.

I spoke to Audi UK yesterday and they confirmed that my box is tiptronic and sealed for life. "Audi does not suggest any form of servicing or maintenance for your box" was his words.
As such most dealers won't do the oil on the box cause they can offer a Audi backed warranty.

So independent it is for us tiptronic brethren.

The dealers always say this, not just Audi, VW, and BMW too. I don't know why, it's easy money for them - but that's not what it says on ELSA, their documentation says it is filled with a "lifetime fill" and does not normally need changing, but if the vehicle is used in very hot or very cold conditions, driven in an aggressive manner, used for towing, a taxi, or for at high speeds for long periods it should be changed every 80,000 miles.

That is not word for word, it is my paraphrase from memory.

This is what ZF say, word for word...

that fills you full of confidence then I guess.

Hmm, Chester Transmissions are about 4h drive from me.
Scott, have you contacted guys you located around Bristol as they are closer than CT ???

I've asked this question yesterday but will ask again. Whats the difference between flushing the gearbox and draining with the sucky thing??
Is there a huge difference??
Or we just being a bit an@l about it??

Surely if you drain the old oil fully, even if there is a little/tiny bit left it wont do any harm when you fill gearbox with new fluid ??

I know D2s gearboxes are more likely to fail than D3s so is it really that extremely important ??
I know you said yes, but I'd like to know more about it :cool:

Difference between just drain and fill up, drain, flush and fill up, and drain, sucking out and fill up.

Chester is past Bristol, about another 2 hours I'd say.

Plus I get free bed and board in Bristol. :)

The difference as I understand it is that the sucking thingy, sucks all the oil out of the oil ways, oil cooler and pipes. Maybe the TC as well?

Well just draining will only remove the fluid that is able to move from the sump area and pipes that drain in to it.

Someone mentioned about draining the oil, fill it back up, draining and emptying again?
My mate also said this is what he does.

It uses double the fluid but you get most of the crap oil out but I'm not sure on the little particles that won't move by fluid moving under its own weight but I assume they will move when the fluid is being forced out?

I've not contacted anyone yet.
I'm still trying to get my old A4 and the GTI removed, then I can put a bit more focus on the A8.