[vvarsanyi]

Hi all,
New member here (or if not new, silent so far), owner of a Q3 for a couple of years now.
Have you ever been offered "engine cleaning" when taking the car to the regular service? They say it includes injector cleaning and things like that, and that it's optional. Do you think it's necessary or it's just another form of making a bit more money? No problems with the minor/major services of course, but I'm not sure that one should opt for that extra service when there's no issue with the car. What are your experiences?

 

[S4'ed]

Waste of money.....just a way for the dealer to make extra money...

 

[2018AudiQ3]

Some direct injection engines result in carbon buildup on the back of the valves. A good mechanic should be able to check the back of the valves with a camera to determine if the service is needed. Usually carbon buildup is not noticeable since it results in a slow progression of reduced vehicle performance over a long period of time. Some automakers are building engines that have dual port and direct injection so that the back of the valves are washed. I don’t believe the Q3 has a port injection. I would argue that if you are experiencing issues that may be related to carbon buildup the cleaning should be covered under warranty. Otherwise, the cleaning may be unnecessary.

 

[vvarsanyi]

Thanks guys, happy I turned down the offer. I prefer to stick to the regular services suggested by the factory and if there's an issue in the future, it can still be dealt with anyway.

 

[moonmage007]

I used to own a Ford Mustang and took great care of it by using a steamer instead of chemicals. I thought the Optima Steamer would be the way to go, until I read a review on Do not buy the Optima steamer before reading this . I switched to the Fortador Pro and I'm glad I did. I especially like to clean the engine compartment and the motor with steam, since a pressure washer with water cannot do this. The steam is quite safe as it only leaves 5% of the water on the surface.

 

[Auberon5]

This is a common problem, and when you get your car repaired, it usually exaggerates the problem and makes you spend more money