The brief
Mr Kim's A3 was due for its 30,000 km service. A service at this interval is mostly about keeping a healthy car healthy, refreshing the wear items before they start costing you anything. The engine oil and filter do the hard work of keeping the engine clean and protected, so they go on schedule. The two filters that are easy to forget are the engine air filter and the cabin air filter: the engine air filter keeps grit out of the intake, and a clogged one chokes the engine and hurts economy; the cabin filter keeps dust and pollen out of what you breathe, and a dirty one smells musty and weakens the aircon. Both fill up gradually, so they get checked and changed at the service.
The diagnosis
On the ramp the A3 came up in excellent condition, brakes with plenty of life, suspension tight, tyres good, fluids clean, no leaks. The engine air filter and the cabin air filter were dirty and due, and the oil and filter were due. Nothing was failing, the wear items were simply due, which is the point of a 30,000 km service. So it was the standard service schedule: oil and filter, the air and cabin filters renewed, fluids checked and topped, and a full inspection.
The work
The engine oil was drained and refilled with the correct Audi-spec oil and a new oil filter, the dirty engine air filter and cabin air filter replaced with new ones, and the fluid levels checked and topped to spec. The brakes were inspected and measured, the suspension and steering checked for play, the tyres rotated and set to pressure, the belts and hoses looked over, and the service indicator reset. A road test confirmed a clean start, smooth running, steady braking, and no warning lights.
The outcome
Fresh oil and filter, clean new air and cabin filters, fluids topped, brakes and suspension checked and sound, the service light reset, and a clean health check. The A3 went home serviced and good to go. The cheap filters skipped today are the rough-running and weak-aircon complaints later, so doing them on schedule keeps the car the way it should be.
