Any advice will help guys

[Deze2014]

Don't want to make a meal out of it it but in a nut shell I can't get my bonnet open and haven't been able to for 2 weeks
I'm worried now a van backed in to the front of my 09 sline sb I was amazed how I couldn't find a scratch or dent but ever since that I haven't been able to open it I had it in a body shop this morning and collected it earlier with them having no luck in opening it they tryed to acess it by taking of the driver side splash guard no luck they put it on the ramp and took the belly pan of and tryed to get between the gap of the intercooler no probs but no luck at getting at the mechanism or cable either I believe the only logical theory would be when the van backed into it (bumper,front panel) it slackened any tension that was in the locking mechanism then the wire and ball part maybe moved into another position deeming it irrelevant

Tryed pulling/wiggling/banging spraying wd40 into it but access is very minimal !

I don't want to put into audi as I'm moving out soon with my 1 year old boy and at the moment every penny counts

I think I can remeber on the locking mechanism the cables come down on the drivers side to open it but for some reason I think I can remember another wire/cable on the other side of the locking mechanism as I think they run on the tip if the front panel perhaps? idk can it be released some type of electronic way ?

I don't want to grind my bonnet off and foot a 4-500 pound bill as I haven't got the money guys it's been 2 weeks I haven't checked the beating heart of my pride and joy I need help people what do I do???

 

[NHN]

Sounds like the mechanism has been bent to me, based on your info, it will need forcing to open by the looks of it.

 

[Deze2014]

Yeah I did think that when I'm desperate what I might do is get in the stance of opening my bonnet prising both hands under I'm sure I could get a bit of leeway for that and just rip it up whether it works or not I don't no but it's still an option right now but whether it would give way I don't no as I'm sure the shocks/suspension would lift higher when I pull the bonnet up but if I done that I could damage front panel as the mechanism is bolted into that by 3 bolts and I could damage the bonnet and leave warping/denting on the top side of the bonnet with the hook etc being on the under side if that make sense....either way I'm going to be forced to pay a bill.. Of course I want the smallest bill which I don't need but hey I suppose life knows when to bend you over

 

[Bazzle]

Ask a dealer if they can open it.
If they can I would do that before you damage anything.
Money may be tight but a bill for hacking it would be even more.
Generally you push and wobble the hood whilst someone pulls the cxable is the normal fix.

 

[Mike597]

You didn't get the reg of the van I guess?

 

[mattiekane]

where abouts are u in the county?

 

[Deze2014]

well I was in a shop with a window looking out onto the road and I actually seen the van back really slow into my car and I heard plastic banging sound , I quickly ran out of the store distraught to my disbelief I scanned the front of the car and there was no damage what so ever!! I was so shocked at this point the van driving was looking I basically told him todays your lucky day go and put a lottery ticket on

so I didn't think it was relevant for me to jot his plate down, I went back in the store then when I left I thought I would check under the hood and that was when I realised im screwed funnily enough the store cctv wasn't on(whats the point in having cctv) also I did manage to get the mans number after I went back up to the store a day or so later did have to raise my voice abit to get it his number he payed this body shop I had it in yesterday £60 to open it but they didn't come up trumps and this man isn't answering his phone I wish I just went through insurance but its looking in to hindsight as it ended the other day 25th Tuesday and I took a new policy out on wednesay 26th so yeah that Thursday it happened on costed me so much I pulled a sicky and went for a job interview at a new place found out on the next day I didn't get it then I didn't get paid for pulling a sicky if I did go in my bonnet would be perfectly fine! sorry for going on lol

yeah bud im based in Birmingham I will appreciate all types of elaborations right now as im abit desperate to say the least

 

[_Zerocool_]

Have you read through this thread?
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/thread...open-any-other-way-8p-s3.123451/#post-2419622

 

[Deze2014]

yeah thanks for that mate been on it no luck :I

 

[_Zerocool_]

Ah thats a shame. Well if it were me I'd be getting it to a garage (not audi) and getting it sorted, paying for it and moving on. Stuff like this happens and you'll need to open it sooner or later

 

[Deze2014]

Yeah your right I like your breakdown of things your totally right the thing is I no audi can do it as this is there product
but I'm not sure what garage to put it in ?will they be able to do it the? last thing I would want is to have to pay a garage labour costs for them to tell me it's a dealership job ...

 

[_Zerocool_]

Its up to you where you take it. Personally I would never take my car to Audi as my experience with dealers is that they are ridiculously over priced and often incompetent.
I'm sure that there are a lot of experienced and competent audi mechanics out there but I've found that its rare that you find one and if you do you pay through the nose to get an issue sorted and it takes ages.
I've taken my S3 to audi before and been quoted up to 10 times the amount my local garage have to sort things. Then you have to book it in and have to wait ages for a slot to be available then it takes ages for them to sort and I've had cars damaged by dealers who have then denied it blah blah blah. Never ever again. I'd even void the warranty on my next car not to take it to a dealer.

Long story short I don't trust Audi dealers.

I'm really lucky that I know a guy who runs a caterham specialist garage and he has re built Audi Quattros from the ground up and is as bad with my with his OCD for cars.
Only he works on my car and not anyone else there.
I've always taken my cars to him and can normally book them in the next day. The last courtesy car we had was a 2010 golf gti which we ended up buying lol.
Once they put the liquid air freshener upside down on my dash. It leaked out and ruined the silver finish. I told them (no doubt if it were audi they would deny it) and they replaced the whole centre dash for free and were very apologetic.

I'm going on now... Basically Audi are rip off merchants. Find a a garage with someone you can trust or one that comes recommended by friends or family? Failing that then yeah you may have to take it to Audi. Just take it somewhere and get it fixed so you can move on

 

[Deze2014]

Wow, what a story and yeah I do believe they are way overpriced ! And yeah I could imagine them denying it if they done that air freshner situation to your car they seem like they have got there heads shoved up there **** that much they wouldn't admit liability for any wrong doing, they seem to doubt us if we have an issue and there right that's what feel you get from them!

I think I have to take into consideration when I choose what garage to get it done at I think they need to be very very familiar with German cars I don't want to use bills garage on the corner or bobs you get the picture I do think that audi would have the technical no how to get around this situation BUT it's how long it would take them to do this as I'm sure they would charge an arm and a leg on hourly rate and chuck on some extra time after that either way I'm in working a awqward shift at work so it won't be till the weekend till I can start popping in to local garages so in the mean time all I can do is try and get as much knowledge in this situation as I can before the weekend I feel sorry for myself and my engine as I can't get to it