Dont take your Audi S4 to an instant oil lube shop

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Originally Posted By: lubricatosaurus
Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
Yes, DIY oil change is very easy on BMW or Audi with a Mityvac.
BMW's don't have a dipstick, so no Mityvac. Audi's do I guess.

Newer Audis no longer have dipsticks either, but at least they still have dipstick tubes, so you can extract oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: lubricatosaurus
Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
Yes, DIY oil change is very easy on BMW or Audi with a Mityvac.
BMW's don't have a dipstick, so no Mityvac. Audi's do I guess.

Newer Audis no longer have dipsticks either, but at least they still have dipstick tubes, so you can extract oil.

I hated my electronic dipstick so I got an actual dipstick. Much better!
 
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Originally Posted By: deven
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: lubricatosaurus
Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
Yes, DIY oil change is very easy on BMW or Audi with a Mityvac.
BMW's don't have a dipstick, so no Mityvac. Audi's do I guess.

Newer Audis no longer have dipsticks either, but at least they still have dipstick tubes, so you can extract oil.

I hated my electronic dipstick so I got an actual dipstick. Much better!

I did the same with wife's Q5. The electronic ones are not known for their reliability/accuracy.
 
The premium German brands tried to cut cost(BMW eliminated dipstick and tube altogether and no dipstick in Audi) to compete with Asian automaker ?
 
I think they tried to eliminate the dipstick and extend the OCI as a ploy that you don't need to perform any maintenance, and certainly they didn't expect the driver to ever open the hood. I had an ATS and an E350 and both of them had the hood release so far under the dash it was ridiculous. It was obvious they purposely hid the hood release.
 
Originally Posted By: philipp10
how can an oil change run $200. Its what 6 or 7 qts synthetic and a filter....lol


I got rid of my 2004 VW TDi, but it took 5 liters at $9/L engine oil the entire time I owned it. I'm sure it would have been $100 job at the dealer.

My local Toyota dealer has a nice waiting area, free coffee, free WiFi. But if I were dropping off my Audi (let alone something nicer) I'd expect a selection of free coffees (instead of just reg vs decaf), lazy-boy recliners, etc. All of which isn't free.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The premium German brands tried to cut cost(BMW eliminated dipstick and tube altogether and no dipstick in Audi) to compete with Asian automaker ?

They are so stuck up, I don't think they are even trying to compete with the Asians.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The premium German brands tried to cut cost(BMW eliminated dipstick and tube altogether and no dipstick in Audi) to compete with Asian automaker ?


Eliminating the dipstick and replacing it with a complex oil level sensor system certainly wasn't a cost savings measure.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The premium German brands tried to cut cost(BMW eliminated dipstick and tube altogether and no dipstick in Audi) to compete with Asian automaker ?



What I suspect BMW and Audi are doing is trying to get the average owner to kind of care a bit about the oil level. Since most are leased with maintenance included...if you can check it on the dash they might try it...especially since a lot of new BMW's like burning oil!

Like it or not we are moving away from a society of gear heads, most kids these days don't know anything about vehicles. They don't really have to either, modern cars are very good. Not like it was before.


Its certainly not a cost saving measure, the stick is cheaper.
 
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Can you guys explain why newer AUDI vehicles have the tube but not include the dipstick in the vehicle, so that some owners must pay few dollars for it ? Isn't it cost cutting ?

Why MB still have dipstick and tube for changing the oil with a fluid extractor, and at the same time MB has as a sophisticate oil level monitor as any ?

I saw a Youtube video about changing oil in a newer BMW, it was real mess doing it with drain plug compares with using an extractor.

If VW vehicles don't have dip stick and tube, I understand saving a few bucks is importance for low end vehicles, but for premium vehicles $5-10 is nothing to cut corner.
 
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Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The premium German brands tried to cut cost(BMW eliminated dipstick and tube altogether and no dipstick in Audi) to compete with Asian automaker ?


Eliminating the dipstick and replacing it with a complex oil level sensor system certainly wasn't a cost savings measure.

But don't the upscale Japanese brands have these electronic oil level sensors as well, in addition to traditional dipsticks?
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Can you guys explain why newer AUDI vehicles have the tube but not include the dipstick in the vehicle, so that some owners must pay few dollars for it ? Isn't it cost cutting ?

I doubt it.

Maybe Audi just does not want the owner poking around under the hood and accidentally seeing how filthy their engine oil looks after 10K miles in a DI turbo engine.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Can you guys explain why newer AUDI vehicles have the tube but not include the dipstick in the vehicle, so that some owners must pay few dollars for it ? Isn't it cost cutting ?

Why MB still have dipstick and tube for changing the oil with a fluid extractor, and at the same time MB has as a sophisticate oil level monitor as any ?

I saw a Youtube video about changing oil in a newer BMW, it was real mess doing it with drain plug compares with using an extractor.

If VW vehicles don't have dip stick and tube, I understand saving a few bucks is importance for low end vehicles, but for premium vehicles $5-10 is nothing to cut corner.


The oil level sensor is necessary to warn you about the low oil level on the information panel and to avoid damage to the engine due to very low levels.

The owner can get the tube and dipstick installed if he or she wants it. Most of the drivers of these cars in the US do not do DIY so there is really no point to include them with the cars. For the leased vehicles, the service is included. For the owners, you can just take the car to the dealer when the car tells you to get the oil changed. These are very low maintenance vehicles -- look at the service schedule and there is basically nothing that needs to be done for the first 100k of ownership (oil change once a year, brake fluid drain every 2 years, coolant flush, air filter change and spark plug change every 50k or so and that's it).
 
Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
Most of the drivers of these cars in the US do not do DIY so there is really no point to include them with the cars.

Yup. I think this is key, right there. These luxury cars are not targeted at DIY'ers. They are targeted at those that want nothing to do with car maintenance. If you're the type of person that keeps their cars forever and wants to DIY everything, then a modern BMW or Audi is probably not your best bet. It is what it is.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Can you guys explain why newer AUDI vehicles have the tube but not include the dipstick in the vehicle, so that some owners must pay few dollars for it ? Isn't it cost cutting ?

Why MB still have dipstick and tube for changing the oil with a fluid extractor, and at the same time MB has as a sophisticate oil level monitor as any ?

I saw a Youtube video about changing oil in a newer BMW, it was real mess doing it with drain plug compares with using an extractor.

If VW vehicles don't have dip stick and tube, I understand saving a few bucks is importance for low end vehicles, but for premium vehicles $5-10 is nothing to cut corner.


Mercedes has always built the over engineered car.

Remember Audi and BMW were not luxury or even high end cars until the last what 20 years? In the 80's Audi's were junk, and BMW's were light weight sports cars for people who were to old to drive a VW.

They have never been known for obsessive over engineering of details or ease of service. Mercedes always has.


Nothing has changed, Mercedes still overbuilds their cars maybe less so recently but they still do a good job. Audi is still as much of an engineering abortion as the 5000 and 100 were. BMW is the big change, the quality has taken a dive because they are trying to out Mercedes, Mercedes. I would also argue they are trying to out Lexus, Lexus as well. That's not what BMW is and its what they have never been good at.
 
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Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The premium German brands tried to cut cost(BMW eliminated dipstick and tube altogether and no dipstick in Audi) to compete with Asian automaker ?


Eliminating the dipstick and replacing it with a complex oil level sensor system certainly wasn't a cost savings measure.

But don't the upscale Japanese brands have these electronic oil level sensors as well, in addition to traditional dipsticks?


I have no idea TBH. I don't shop Japanese cars usually and have only ended up in them as rentals or if friends own them.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
Most of the drivers of these cars in the US do not do DIY so there is really no point to include them with the cars.

Yup. I think this is key, right there. These luxury cars are not targeted at DIY'ers. They are targeted at those that want nothing to do with car maintenance. If you're the type of person that keeps their cars forever and wants to DIY everything, then a modern BMW or Audi is probably not your best bet. It is what it is.

Even more than 99% of BMW, Audi, MB ... owners have their vehicles serviced at dealers or specialized garages, oil change of an MB vehicle with oil tube designed for extraction is much easier/cleaner to do than traditional drain plug, even for mechanic with a lift at dealer.

If you had a chance to watch a Youtube video about newer BMW oil change via drain plug you will see how messy it is, the oil splashes over some cross members making a real mess to clean up.

My complaint is why eliminate a very low cost part that is so useful, especially in a vehicle that cost more than $40-50k ?
 
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The video is an engine with straight down drain plug so it is a clean drain. I saw a video of a BMW engine with horizontal drain plug, that one is a real mess because the oil shoot out more than 8-10" and splashed over some cross members. That video was posted here no more than 30-60 days ago. I will try to search for it and post it here later.

You did oil changes for MB, BMW and Audi with a fluid extractor, correct ? Do you like to do oil change that way or getting under the car(after raised it up and put jack stands under it) to drain oil via drain plug ?

I don't mind paying $100 or more for a fluid extractor to be able to do a clean oil change while standing up, especially for vehicles with top mount oil filter.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The video is an engine with straight down drain plug so it is a clean drain. I saw a video of a BMW engine with horizontal drain plug, that one is a real mess because the oil shoot out more than 8-10" and splashed over some cross members. That video was posted here no more than 30-60 days ago. I will try to search for it and post it here later.

You did oil changes for MB, BMW and Audi with a fluid extractor, correct ? Do you like to do oil change that way or getting under the car(after raised it up and put jack stands under it) to drain oil via drain plug ?

I don't mind paying $100 or more for a fluid extractor to be able to do a clean oil change while standing up, especially for vehicles with top mount oil filter.


I always just drove the M5 up on the curb, got under there with the ratchet and opened the door on the underbelly pan, pulled the plug, slid back out and let it drain. Probably a lot faster than using an extractor. The biggest issue was hooking up the laptop and activating the kick solenoids to drain their oil, not getting the oil out of the engine.
 
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