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Hi yes they are one of the best cars you could own in terms of drivability and comfort but the built in obsolescence is off the Richter scale, I think what happened was they built a reputation for reliability during the nineties and have been trading on that ever since whilst back tracking on parts quality, I think the premium sticker is pretty faded for most German car producers, BMW Mercedes Audi. Steve.

Welcome to the forum you'll find the members on here are a friendly and helpful bunch 🙂 Keep us posted on how you get on, as you know your consumer rights hopefully all issues will be resolved.

Hi everyone, we have an Audi A3 1.8t 1998 that needs a good home. It has an excellent engine, electric sunroof, leather heated seats that work etc. The only thing that doesn't work is the drivers door electric window. It runs beautifully, but we have 3 cars and I do not have the time to restore the car as it deserves. We are looking for a good home for this car, where he will be looked after as it deserves. Please PM me only if you have a genuine interest in buying it at a bit above scrap value, and are able to pay for it and collect it without delay. MOT until May 2025.

Hi, yes the refinements are great but if its a CNHA engine or any of its derivatives for that year you will inevitably come across EGR cooler problems and MAF/MAP problems I ran mine over 270k as a taxi and believe me I ran in to a multitude of problems during that milage, the worst being the EGR cooler and its valve which are a nightmare to change then you have the clutch, parts are hard to get hold of unless you want to get them from Audi my first one was £1900 for the parts alone and only about £100 cheaper on subsequent changes, around 100,000 miles the game becomes interesting with things like oil leaks around the sump and oil level sensors packing up, you can't beat a dipstick, then there is the silica bag in the expansion tank which ruptures and kills the heater matrix if you dont get at it a bit sharpish, drive shaft outer gaiters tend to be a problem as well, never had a problem with the adblue as I used so much I dont think it had a chance to crystallise, lovely drive but expensive parts/labour even at an independent garage because everything major is so hard to get at, as for the nature of forums thats just the tip of the iceberg, the majority of owners who have the problems with EGR coolers and clutches just sell the car when they find out the cost of the repairs, I am lucky insomuch as I did most of the repairs and have an excellent rapport with my local garage for clutches etc. Steve.

Latest Update 18 11 24 It appears that the above system does work as long as I don't double click the remote to 'deadlock' the doors! 🤔... no more deadlocking then if I want to use the remote central locking system.

Will do

For LEDs you'll need specific ones that won't throw up a bulb out warning on the dash. Your alternative option is to fit an accessory light.

In that case try renewing the bolbs, because they degrade slowly over time. Are the lenses clean on the inside? Are the reflectors dull or dirty?

I have a feeling that the power and brightness of all car lights is subject to the Construction and Use regulations, so it would be worth checking before modifying your car.

Cheers

Thank you for the advice, Gareth. I'm in Oxfordshire. Specifically midway between Oxford and Banbury, if that helps anyone recommend a local VAG independent within reasonable distance.

Hi there is only one matrix fortunately, you could try flushing it with a jet wash as the inlet and outlet are reasonably accessible, the blockage is usually caused by the stupid silica bag in the expansion tank rupturing and dumping the crystals in the cooling system which blocks the small channels in the matrix. Steve.

Pleasure to be of help Nick, and good luck in finding the car a future caring owner. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thank so much Gareth, much appreciated

As a driver of an electric pocket rocket I agree completely, yet most drivers of petrol cars are happy to sit on 12 gallon tanks of explosive fuel without a care in the world.

Hi the big end shells are not good the lighter patches are where the coating is worn away when the oil pressure has dropped and they have been in contact with the crank journals, its quite a complex system at the bottom end the journals are always separated from the bearings by a film of oil this negates any bearing/journal contact on initial start, the oil pump pressure is almost instant and from there the bearings/journals are separated by what is known as a hydraulic wedge which keeps the two apart, on very old engines say the 1900s the bearing shells were coated with horse hair this allowed for the very inefficient oil pumps to get up to pressure without damaging the crank journal. Steve.