Daughter has an Audi TT Quatro. Slight feathering has been noticed on the front tyres so needs to have the alignment checked.
Having checked with the local Audi dealer they told her that they would need to do a full diagnostic check (£150) before they would look at the suspension, then £100 + for the alignment plus any 'faults' that may be found.
While I appreciate this is a complex car I do not understand why the diagnostic check would be necessary. A recommended garage with Hunter 4 wheel alignment gear did not understand the need for the diagnostic check.
Thoughts please on this, is Audi trying to to take the mick or should the diagnostic check be done?
Thanks
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Is it under warranty? That's the only possible reason I would even consider for going to the dealer. Even then, if it's just alignment it won't be covered.
Is there a reason not to just take it to somebody with the proper equipment and tell them to adjust it? They should be able to tell her if it's due to play/wear.
It's not obvious to me why it "needs" what I assume is a plug-in diagnostic check but I'm no expert. I suppose it could be that it will ping the electro-mechanical steering. Does have anything like active suspension?
Unless there's a safety risk, in which case they should have told her not to drive it, why not try the cheapest/most likely solution first and get a full alignment check first for maybe £100?
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I had the wheels on my X Drive BMWs aligned as and when required - they are critical items as far as I'm concerned. BMW dealer charged £75.00 no mention of a diagnostic. Try an indie Audi garage.
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After it is aligned tell her to go over speed bumps
1) more slowly
2)1 side over the hump, the other side on the space between the humps.
Applies to all cars but especially to cars with low profile tyres.
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Good point. 20 years ago council put in some badly made and savage speed cushions on a busy B road I used daily. I used to straddle them because there were lots of them and unless I did then I would have been slowing literally to walking pace or paying with suspension damage.
The Scorpio estate hid the inside edges of the tyres pretty well. Only at MoT time did it become evident that the damage over a few months had gone way beyond feathering with wire coming out of the front tyres. I've done one wheel on, one off ever since.
The council reduced the cushions dramatically after about a year after many complaints from residents.
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Thank you for your replies.
Feathering was noticed during the MOT at a centre that does no repairs.
I am not sure if the car has active suspension and have not got access to the handbook at the moment. it is no longer under any warranty and as noted alignment would not be covered anyway.
Her indie garage has recommended a place to have the alignment adjusted so will see how that goes. She spoke to the indie owner first thing today who does not see the need for the diagnostic check.
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Audi TT Roadster - 4 wheel alignment - Manatee
