Maintenance costs (US)

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OmgWtf

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Aug 12, 2021
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I’m considering buying a 2017 e-tron with 30k miles. Can anyone give a ballpark figure for typical annual routine maintenance in the US? I am having a hard time finding info about the vehicle and the dealer is not an Audi dealer and knows less about the car than I do. I’m worried about taking on a vehicle that might end up being very costly.
 
OmgWtf":2xgogj6t said:
I’m considering buying a 2017 e-tron with 30k miles. Can anyone give a ballpark figure for typical annual routine maintenance in the US? I am having a hard time finding info about the vehicle and the dealer is not an Audi dealer and knows less about the car than I do. I’m worried about taking on a vehicle that might end up being very costly.

I purchased a 2017 with about 20K in 2020. One nice surprise I had was that the previous owner bought AudiCare that covered the 10,20,30,40,50K services. They had already done 10-30, and I have had 40-50 done for no cost. So maybe call your local Audi dealer with the VIN and see if it might have some service left on it.

I plan on being religious about having the recommended service done since it has been like that since day 1; my next service is the 60K and I'm probably going to purchase the AudiCare package for the 60/70K service. $879 total for those 2 services. The 40/50K Audicare is the same price.
 
Don't know about the US, but been told I am due for a 5 year timing belt change at the cost of about £700. Was told as it is rubber it deteriorates so even though my 2017 only has 23000 miles on the clock I still have to do it.
 
I purchased a 2017 with about 20K in 2020. One nice surprise I had was that the previous owner bought AudiCare that covered the 10,20,30,40,50K services. They had already done 10-30, and I have had 40-50 done for no cost. So maybe call your local Audi dealer with the VIN and see if it might have some service left on it.

I plan on being religious about having the recommended service done since it has been like that since day 1; my next service is the 60K and I'm probably going to purchase the AudiCare package for the 60/70K service. $879 total for those 2 services. The 40/50K Audicare is the same price.
I have been doing a little reading to familiarise myself with Audi. I don't want to just be mesmerized by the good looks and great features. Someone commented that they were being charged $250 for a oil change, battery $300, fan belt $3000. Are these things normally this expensive or is this just a one off situation.
 
Well there are no belt driven accessories (A/C, alternator, radiator fan, water pump) so I would be upset if I got charged for changing the "fan belt".. :) Perhaps it is the timing belt. I had gearbox fluid change done recently (about $600)... brake fluid every 2 years like every other car. I do oil change every 10K (the ICE runs 25% of the time based on my driving habits) about $100. Not bad really for routine maintenance... But a out of warranty propulsion battery is over $10K. 12V battery can be done DIY but you will need to reprogram the computers for them to know you have a new 12V. Maybe $150 for a AGM unit. Owners manual does warn against letting non dealers muck with the EV system threatening to void the warranty. (I'm just the messenger here)
 
Cost are most often high for Labor. Where you live maters. Seattle Dealer labor= $250 / hour. Save $50 / hr at good independent shop. But they are not likely to handle EV System issues.
 
I have been doing a little reading to familiarise myself with Audi. I don't want to just be mesmerized by the good looks and great features. Someone commented that they were being charged $250 for a oil change, battery $300, fan belt $3000. Are these things normally this expensive or is this just a one off situation.
Yeah - that's typical dealer pricing. Figure $150-200/hr for labour, and anything they do (even as simple as changing the battery, they'll charge you for an hour).

$3000 price is definitely the timing belt. It's an involved process, but that side of the engine is just the standard 1.4T engine that VW used in a lot of cars, so any competent VW shop should be able to do it for probably half that price.

I do all of my own work, so those prices don't put me off; it's a great car, and yes - there are things that can go wrong and break, but that's true with any car. Standard maintenance is not egregiously overpriced - the DSG transmission fluid flush being the exception, but that's not e-tron/Audi, but rather typical price for any VWAG product with the DSG.
(The fluid and filter can be had for $100; I can do the fluid change in my driveway in a little over an hour - always shocks me that the dealer price is so over-the-top on that one. OE DSG fluid is charged at $35/L and requires 5-6L, so that explains some, but how they can't knock this out in an hour worth of labour is beyond me.)
 
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