Reverend_Swanson
New member
I’ve been around cars for quite a while, buying parts both for personal use and professionally for decades, but owning an Audi has been a bit of an eye-opener when it comes to parts pricing. My wife got a nice 2018 Q5 recently, and while we love the car, I’ve already had a couple of “you’ve got to be kidding me” moments at the parts counter.
First, we needed a new rear license plate bracket. It’s just a flimsy piece of plastic, nothing fancy. The cost? $160! I had to double-check to make sure it wasn’t made of gold. Needless to say, I passed on that one.
Then, I realized the little plastic wrench to remove the roof rack crossbars was missing. No big deal, right? Well, Audi wanted $47 for that tiny tool! It’s not exactly a sophisticated piece of engineering, just a small piece of plastic.
Now I’m wondering, what happens when we need something more substantial replaced? Not sure my heart (or wallet) could handle that kind of sticker shock regularly.
Have any of you run into similar pricing surprises with your Q5 or other Audis? Do you have any tips for finding more reasonably priced replacements or aftermarket options that won’t cost an arm and a leg?
First, we needed a new rear license plate bracket. It’s just a flimsy piece of plastic, nothing fancy. The cost? $160! I had to double-check to make sure it wasn’t made of gold. Needless to say, I passed on that one.
Then, I realized the little plastic wrench to remove the roof rack crossbars was missing. No big deal, right? Well, Audi wanted $47 for that tiny tool! It’s not exactly a sophisticated piece of engineering, just a small piece of plastic.
Now I’m wondering, what happens when we need something more substantial replaced? Not sure my heart (or wallet) could handle that kind of sticker shock regularly.
Have any of you run into similar pricing surprises with your Q5 or other Audis? Do you have any tips for finding more reasonably priced replacements or aftermarket options that won’t cost an arm and a leg?