How concerned should I be when letting others work on my car?

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CompuTechish

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I’ve noticed a few posts where people have had their cars damaged when lifting the car up to with do a tyre change or some work underneath the car.

Is the Audi A2 difficult or unconventional in how it can be lifted? If so how concerned should I be that garages wouldn’t know the correct procedure?

More importantly, what is the proper way to lift the car? What if you want to remove all four wheels?

Is there any official documentation on where the lift point are located and the procedure?
 
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Others will be along to comment I know! But yes the A2 being both aluminium and plastic has very specific requirements on where to jack besides the side access jacking points for emergency lifting for a puncture. There are designated ‘hard points’ that should be used by trolley jacks etc. Poor garages that don’t know better often lift by the cills (plastic so crack) or further in on a flat aluminium panel that buckles into the space voids under the front seats.
there is no shame in asking the garage to make sure they are using the correct locations. They may look askance at you but usually understand when they look
Here is link to a post that shows the jacking points in a rather unconventional way!

Safe chassis area to place on a 2 post lift or axle stands

Our car's going in tomorrow to have the Alloys refurbished and will be placed on axle stands.I've had a look on the forum but couldn't find anything concrete as to where on the chassis is the correct place to do this? Does anyone have a factory manual that shows this in a diagram and or photos...
www.a2oc.net

Follow thread down to #10
 
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Wouldnt hurt to use some hi vis paint on the appropriate jacking points it sure has crossed my mind!
 
One of my posts from a little while back dealt with this and included a useful picture. Have a look here, the third paragraph is where it becomes relevant to this enquiry.

Edit, just noticed it's using the same picture as referenced above. Here's a direct link to Mike Skipton's original post.
 
I print an a4 size notice saying “Do not jack / lift this car using the sills! Aluiminium bodyshell” and leave it on the drivers seat when I drop the car at a garage - they can’t miss it that way!
 
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nod said:
all 3 of my A2 have had the plastic stills broken underneath before i bought them, so yes, definitely something to highlight to the garage
Click to expand...
Mine has the same on the passenger side. Links above are a great resource and a suggestion from @dj_efk is great. I would also speak directly with a mechanic that will work on a car to make sure he understands where the lift points are.
The problem is also that the rear lift points do not have a lot of space around them and using standard (large) rubber lift pads will most likely damage the surrounding plastics. That is why I have made custom alu lift pins with info from @60sChild in this thread: Jacking point pads, for trolley jack usage (questions)
The damage on my car also gave me an idea to make a short video with lift/jacking points:
 
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I had one written off, lifted both sides on the plastic sills under the B post. It drove sideways afterwards.

I say written off, it was still on the road the last time I checked so I assume the garage straightened it and sold it on.
 
How is this possible?
Because I would expect that only unstructured aluminium parts would bend, structured chassis cannot be bent only by wrong position of lift hooks.
 
mtl said:
How is this possible?
Because I would expect that only unstructured aluminium parts would bend, structured chassis cannot be bent only by wrong position of lift hooks.
Click to expand...
That is exactly what happened. Sill was visibly bent upwards both sides and marked by a lifting pad
 
CompuTechish said:
I’ve noticed a few posts where people have had their cars damaged when lifting the car up to with do a tyre change or some work underneath the car.

Is the Audi A2 difficult or unconventional in how it can be lifted? If so how concerned should I be that garages wouldn’t know the correct procedure?

More importantly, what is the proper way to lift the car? What if you want to remove all four wheels?

Is there any official documentation on where the lift point are located and the procedure?
Click to expand...
Knowing how tyre garages use a lot of young labour who have probably not seen an Aluminum and plastic car, such as the A2. I have actually removed my tyres and wheels for them to be replaced rather than trust them, jacking up the car, one member actually had his A2 written off by a National garage while having a tyre change. I always use the motto only one person really cares about your car and that is not the garage, tyre fitter or local car washer if you use them.
 
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dj_efk said:
I print an a4 size notice saying “Do not jack / lift this car using the sills! Aluiminium bodyshell” and leave it on the drivers seat when I drop the car at a garage - they can’t miss it that way!
Click to expand...
Funnily enough I have just returned from dropping Audrey off at the garage to get the wheel bearing done (I will not have time to do it myself, especially if something goes wrong like the driveshaft won’t release etc.) - and I printed this notice off before I left and again left it on the dash in a place where anyone inside or outside the front of the car could not fail to notice it.
 
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