So today I was in a very christmasy mood and decided to buy myself a 10 disc changer for my A4 because the buffalo radio blows and I dont feel like having XM or Sirius again, I like to listen to what I like to listen to at any given moment. Anyway, So I go to the CC and see the Boost Addict and he installs the whole deally o. In that process he had to unclip the factory radio harness which sent it into safe mode. Now since I bought the car used I dont have an owners manual so of course I dont know how to get that SAFE mode out of it. So we look online figure out the buttons to press and where to get the code for it. Only problem is my radio didnt match the car because it was reman’d in 99…my car is a 96 so the car radio code didnt work with the radio of course. No biggie…We are smart people, lets call the audi dealer…there are 100 serial #s on this radio, it must be in a database somewhere or they have a generic dealer code. So call up the dealershit and they say the following:
We need you to bring in the car with proof of ownership and we will take the radio out…plug it into some machine…which connects to some database in audiland and give you the code…I say pain in the ass…but ok whatever…I need a radio…then they subsequently tell me that it will be 80 dollars to do this. I SAID 80 DOLLARS…ARE YOU PEOPLE CRAZY…so I ask for the service manager because this is just ridiculous, he gets on the phone and says essentially thats the way it is, its not the best system, but he has to pay a tech the time, and the machine cost 16g blah blah blah bullshizzle, I say well there is no way that I am paying 80 bux on top of what I spent on the changer etc. So long story short I now have an aftermarket headunit in my A4 because Audi is the dumb rip off for everything.
I am buying a domestic…I cant take this import car upkeep anymore! :tup:
hmmm, i dont see it as being an audi thing so much as a dealership thing. i HATE the local audi dealer. i could write a whole long drawn out statement about the things i wish i could do to that place and some of the people there. oh well, i go to holtz in rochester. a friend of ines father worked there before he passed away and i established a great rep with them. they always treat me right. you should have tried them. of course you can always go to caito’s shop: at your service car care. he used to work at Shitts…i bet he could have helped you.
Well I called Audi USA and they gave me the same thing…dealer discretion. But Audi USA was helpful and told me where to find all the #s I needed up until finding out the radio was replaced in 99.
Talk to darkstar or some of the other Audi monkies on here. Hit up the Audi forums and ask. There are tons of resourceful people out there that have already figured this shit out. $80 is rough but you gotta pay to play.
lol same thing with my buddy’s benz… anytime his battery gets disconnected he has to go back to the dealership and pay to have his radio reactivated/turned on
sooo gay… and he wonders why I bust his balls for owning that pos lol (shit, actually his porsche was a pretty big hunk of crap too… dumbestic for life y0)
There’s nothing wrong with that any more than the $75 to pull codes using the VAG. You schedule bay time, a techs time, and still want to make a profit they’re going to charge you the customary rate. If you don’t like it, buy a Cavileer next time.
Sorry dude.
I had another Audi with a replaced radio and the code was actually written on the radio because it is such a pain in the ass to get the f’in code!
Now is probably not a good time to ask for that key chain huh?
nah man its fucked up, so that every time your battery dies they are guaranteed another $80 to reset your radio. even if you take the car to THEM to replace the battery, they still will tack on the $80 to pull that code. other cars have codes in their radios, and i know for a fact you don’t have to pay anything to get those codes…
It is fucked up, but these are things you should know before you buy an audi, You can’t pull the code any other way but the dealer, a vag-com on your laptop won’t work. For some reason I have unplugged my radio and my battery has been disconnected for days and mine doesn’t go into safe mode
no… if you are a dumbfuck, and can’t keep track of your code, and don’t get it from the previous owner, then yes, they get $80. One would hope you wouldn’t be stupid enough to lose it again. It’s an anti theft device. It keeps people from stealing your Audi radio, instead, they steal the whole car.
I know plenty of people who have had factory radios stolen. Most times your shit is stolen when it’s parked in the dark at night. They don’t smash your window, and then say “nah, it’s still stock” and head to the next car hoping for some fly alpine.
people pay a lot of money for factory headunits. lets use my old 2000 blazer as an example. a brand new delco cd deck from GM would have cost me about $600. it was almost 3 years old when i sold it on ebay for $325. i bought a brand new pioneer for $250 and cha ching, $75 profit.
