Can You Get Your Audi Serviced At A VW Dealership? It Depends

Volkswagen isn't just one of the world's most established automakers, it's also one of the largest, with the Volkswagen Group currently being home to 10 unique automotive brands. Not all of those brands have a presence in North America, but one brand relationship American drivers are likely familiar with, though, is the one between Audi and Volkswagen. 

Audi has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen since the mid-1960s, and while there are plenty of differences between modern Audis and Volkswagens, like the engines, there can also be lots of mechanical similarities and shared parts. Whether it's something like the Volkswagen Group's widely used MQB platform or the company's venerable EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, there are some of cases where Audi and VW cars are nearly identical under their bodywork.

Naturally, this might make some Audi owners wonder if they could get their vehicle serviced at a Volkswagen dealership, and there are logical reasons why one might want to do that. The answer to the question, though, will depend on a few things, including which Audi model you have and what type of work needs to be done. While some VW dealers advertise that they work on Audis, if your car needs warranty or recall work done, you'll likely have to take the car to the service department at an authorized Audi dealer. 

Audi and Volkswagen models can indeed share a significant number of mechanical components, but they are still two separate brands with their own individual dealership and service department networks. With Audi being positioned as a higher-tier luxury brand, it's a corporate relationship similar to the one shared between Toyota and Lexus – and this means that while dealers are independently owned and operated, an Audi service department is likely to have higher parts and labor rates than a comparable Volkswagen one. 

This means that if you own a mainstream Audi product that shares a lot of Volkswagen parts, you could potentially save money by taking your car to a Volkswagen dealer for basic repairs and maintenance. However, not all VWs and Audis are the same, and if you own an Audi with, say, a six-cylinder engine, a longitudinally-mounted DSG transmission, or other components not commonly used in Volkswagens, you may have a hard time finding a Volkswagen dealer with the tools, training, and software to take on the job. 

What if you own a newer Audi that's still under factory or certified pre-owned warranty? In that case, the repair work should be covered by the manufacturer, so the parts and labor costs shouldn't matter. Even if going to a VW dealer would be more convenient, you will have to take the car to an authorized Audi dealer or Audi service center to get warranty or recall work done.