My brother had his brakes replaced at Barrier Audi couple weeks ago. He ordered the parts online; OEM S4 rotors with Hawk pads on the front and back. Neither of us knew how much Barrier would charge, since it is a simple brake change. I got my TSX brakes changed at Acura for $250, so we thought it would be about $400. Well our brother drops the car off and we wait a while. We get a call saying that there is a clicking noise coming from the brakes, so the company that we ordered the brakes from sent out another set of front pads, but the clicking noise was still happening.

So his brakes made a clicking noise, and when I braked one time, the pedal went all the way to the floor, and I told him they didnt bleed the brakes properly. So I pop the hood and see if the brake fluid was changed, and it was but we also noticed his Audi badge wasnt on the cover, it was in the corner of the engine bay. Well then he took it to Redmond European and they ordered him different pads for the front and we left the car there for a couple hours. We come back and are told that the front pads weren't installed correct; Barrier installed them twice , that they didn't bleed the brakes all the way, there was a lot of air in the lines and last but not least, the ABS lines were being pinched and they weren't working.


I'm going to go talk to the service manager because this is a simple brake job that they couldn't correct twice, and they also didnt return it back the same way we left it there.


Anyone else have bad service with Barrier?

 

Ouch, sorry to hear that. Barrier is a very reputable company.

 

From my experience over the past decade, Barrier Porsche provides excellent service; Barrier Audi has consistently been a disappointment.

 

I had a really bad Barrier Audi experience too. I hear their sales department is quite good, and that Barrier Porsche is good too.

My experience was similar to yours. They did it wrong, I took it back they did it wrong, I took it back, they did it wrong again, finally gave me an overnight car, and then did it right. Overcharged the crap out of me, I guess they figured I wasn't coming back.

The most insulting part for me was the "tested, working according to spec" they kept saying when it was quite obviously not working at all. Especially the next to last time when they left the new part uninstalled and sitting on the passenger seat. "Tested and working according to spec". Pretty damn good part working from the passenger seat. Or perhaps their copy of the specs is misleading.

 

You guys are not giving me a warm feeling here. I like to change my oil more frequently than Audi recommends so when I took my car in for service (free oil change) they said it wasn't due yet (because they had reset the service interval indicator on a previous change). Then they told me whoever changed the oil previously had used a non-Audi filter (big deal) and had over tightened the oil pan plug. I had been using a less expensive service provider. I think they were trying scare me into using them exclusively for service.

When I had a fog light go out, they wanted me to make an appointment and let them keep the car for a whole day. They told me it wouldn't be covered under warranty. I called FOUL and they took it immediately to the service department and hooked up a loose wire. (no charge)

Now I've received a discount offer for a 35K mile service, which they say is supposed to be most important. They'll change the oil and filter, check the belts, brakes and spark plugs. Spark plugs! How in hell do you check spark plugs? I'm sure they'll recommend new ones whether they are needed or not.

 

i have had absolutely fantastic experience at Barrier Porsche - no doubt about it. i know a few other indy porsche shops but prefer Barrier.

barrier mercedes - depends on the service writer and how busy they are. quality of mechanical service has always been good for me but it's a factory and they can be long on commitment and short on delivering sometimes. generally, better than i've had at phil smart.

barrier volvo - criminally bad, seriously. one time they took the service records out of our glove box and "lost them" when we were in discussions with volvo to put in the THIRD A/C unit so we would have to get the service verifications from other dealers. i don't know of an organization that has lied to me more than that service department

i've not really heard good things about the audi service department and some friends of mine are always looking for a good independent audi mechanic.

i don't know how they can be so varied between the dealerships, but that's been my experience, FWIW

 

A lot of the above is really weird to me. My S4 goes to nobody but Barrier and they have been nothing short of fantastic about timing of repairs/service and fixing things right for me every time. The same said for Barrier Mercedes. Since 2005 the whole thing has been great.

I'm looking at another car, and should be getting the deal done with Barrier Audi just because of that consistent service from everyone.

 

I also have been taking mine to Barrier Audi too. Everything from routine maintenance services to needing to get parts installed and I've always come away satisfied each time. I'm not sure why your brother has been getting bad results.

 

what baffles me is that you all are going to the dealer for oil changes, brake jobs, and disconnected fog lights. i do all my own work. less cost, i know it's done right, and no stress from dealing with idiots at the dealers.

 

Not everyone knows how to do those things nor do they have the equipment to do so.

 

Had my Cayenne serviced @ Barrier for 40k miles service,,,, less than expected outcome, they took out the engine bay panels but forgot to put one plastic screw that holds the engine bay panels together and managed to break the OBDII cover and the vehicle was returned back to me.
Of course, you would think, the dealer like Barrier Porsche would take care of your car w/o problems.
NOT!
I had to take another trip back to the dealer and talked to the SA and eventually took care of these, had a little unpleasant conversation, since SA sorta denied at first saying that "oh they might have not been there....."
I was like WHAT? Are you saying that I'm lying on your face for those items worth less than few $$? Why would I do that? because I don't have few $$ to spare while driving Porsche Cayenne?
They should have replace the damn things if they weren't there, I wouldn't have noticed few dollar charges here and there anyways.

Anyways, I took in for 40k miles service @ the dealer just because my Cayenne is still under the factory warranty, otherwise I would never use the dealer service for like this.

 

Not to mention the time... I am so busy that I barely get to see friends and family. Do I want to waste my time (that I do have free) wrenching? Not really, it makes more sense to me to just pay the labor cost.

 

oil changes require a socket, oil filter wrench, and a bucket. come on guys. i have to imagine you all do far more complex things everyday at your job than that. all the brakes jobs i've done require just about the same effort. i owned a 08 rs4 and barrier would try to sell me their $200 oil changes (they first tried quoting higher when they couldn't tell the difference between the rs4 and rs6). for that price you get castrol syntec, a filter, and some 18 yr old bozo dinking with your car. they'll even throw in a nasty paint scratching carwash. no thanks.

i knew i'd get these responses, but i just couldn't help commenting. people complain about dealers being incompetent and most of the time the entire situation could have been avoided by spending a few minutes doing it yourself.

cheers

 

My S4 requires 9Q of synthetic, a filter, a new crush washer, a 25MM socket (no filter wrench) and a T-35 torx socket. The oil change takes about an hour, and the supplies cost just over $120. Barrier is $235 out the door.

It may be easy, but I would rather spend that hour not wrenching. My Facebook page is half replies to my status updates asking where on earth I have disappeared to. If time frees up, it's probably a good idea to spend it with friends and not under my car. Sure I don't have the rewarding feeling of doing the work myself. But the drive alone is pretty rewarding.

The brake job is anything but easy, and does require more Torx sockets, which aren't common tools. I have a set, but I will be the first to say that I am anything but normal.

 

its all about opportunity costs