Are independent shops reliable for gearbox work or should I go to the dealer?
I've got a 2017 A6 with the 7-speed and it's started doing this weird delay thing when I shift from park to drive in the mornings, takes a good two or three seconds before it engages and then lurches forward a bit. The dealer in Dubai quoted me something insane just for a diagnostic fee alone and I know if they find anything wrong the bill will probably be half what the car is worth at this point. There's a bunch of independent garages around Rashidiya and Al Quoz that claim they specialize in German cars but I've been burned before by shops that overpromise and underdeliver, especially with something as complex as Audi transmission repair. I don't mind paying for quality work obviously but I also don't want to throw money at someone who's just going to do a fluid flush and call it fixed when it really needs a mechatronic rebuild or something. How do you guys find a shop you actually trust with a gearbox job this involved, any red flags I should watch out for when talking to these garages?