[Moto7451]

I guess the $10k service bill for just changing a water pump in an Audi won’t impress you. Mercifully for me this 40K Mile time bomb went off under warranty. In a sibling comment they’re talking about getting a deal on cylinder sleeves for $6,000. In 2005 I had a top end rebuild done for $1200. I am 100% not spouting BS, times have just changed.

Shop fees and hours are very expensive for repair. When basic repairs involve disassembling the entire front of the car they add up. This is why YouTube mechanics often just drop an engine subframe and get an alignment after.

Third party mechanics don’t get access to all the tools and software anymore. VAG decided to increase the pain by requiring a license fee to access alignment information from next year onward for Audi, Porsche, and other brands.

Normally for anything I won’t wrench myself I’m happy enough with Pepboys service but increasingly they have to turn me away because they lack the tooling, software, or expertise for a job, and we’re no where near talking about machining an engine.

Rebuilding that damaged engine needs a specialty shop. They’re not just spinning a bore hone on a drill anymore. Coupled with overall improved designs and there just isn’t the same market for the work that there used to be.