Leaderboard

Hi they are a great drive but having owned the A6 2.0 [same engine] which I ran up to over 270k as a cab I can assure you that car could well be the decimation of your finances if you let it, I can thoroughly endorse a Honda Jazz the later versions are well equipped but the main feature is the engine which if kept well is bullet proof, consumables such as brakes tyres etc are better than reasonable and at around fifty to the gallon they won't disappoint. Steve.

You can't stretch a steel cable, so what is really wrong with it? Why do you want to change it?

Thank you Gareth, yeah I'll wait untill the v5 comes back and pop over to them (it's a excuse for the nice drive also😉)

So it's a matter of length not which side of the car it fits to? What length do you need?

Regards rewiring, looms are expensive and difficult to renew. I personally would find an auto electrician and splice in new cabling where needed using waterproof connectors.

Hi Tom and Andrew Many thanks for your kind responses. Andrew , I do understand your frustration with the many problems with your S5. That is not good and I hope Audi get their act together and help you sort it out. I purchased my first Q8 in 2020 and the first Edition Ones were almost all bought by punters by then . I did hear that the Edition One models had simliar software problems so I think I was a little lucky in having a " second generation " car that had been sorted by then. Tom, many thanks for you support in my decision to choose the S5 as a replacement ! Its a bit of a leap of faith isnt it. Both my Q8's have been superlative cars. The firts one had 40,000 miles when I got rid and this one will have 32000 when it goes in March . The build quality of both was impressive. I had and not had a single squeak and rattle in either. A big plus point for me ! I was the proud owner of 2 VW Phaetons before these Audis and they were probably the finest engineered cars that I had ever owned. I do remember Car magazine way back in 2006 road testing one and said that if a nuclear device was let off in the cabin it would probably survive ! So, I hope the S% will not disappoint. For all its undoubted strenghts I have to admit that I have fallen out of love with the Q8 and SUV's in general. Not only is it big but it's a clumsy car too if you get my drift. Just about enough power to haul almost 2 and a half tons down the autobahn but even in Dynamic mode which firms up the supsension and steering Ive always been a little hesitant in giving it a full blast. Tom , I take your point about the ease of entry and exit but as I said I took my Missus to a local showroom where they had an S5 Avant and she got in and out many times and not once did she show her pants ! And I did look closely ! As an aside, we spent about 30 mins there looking at this car and not once did the six or so salesmen bother to get up from their desks to see if we wanted any help. We didnt but what a way to try and sell cars eh ! So I am looking forward to the S5. The reviews have been mostly postive so we shall see. I'm going to enjoy my old Q8 for the last time in Germany. We depart in 2 weeks time and we will have a blast up to the Bavarian Aps before swinging westward to Dresden and then to Lower Saxony. We always spend our final 2 nights in the town of Ypres in Belgium where we walk to the Menin Gate and pay our respects and say our thankyous to all the Tommies who perished in the mud of Paschendale.

Try car breakers. Many are online nowadays.

Thanks Cliff - we parted on good terms as well.

Hi Maybe my mistake was to buy the new S5 Avant model (one of the first in the UK) before they finished developing it.... I had previously an S4 Avant, which I bought new (because I wanted the Adaptive cruise after experiencing that on my previous Jaguar Super V8) and kept for 10 years and 10,000 miles. in the first years (before I retired) I did 20,000 per year, but less than 10,000 latterly. It was reliable and did everything I needed, including towing classic/vintage cars on trailer. Best towcar I have had and a good towing capacity (2100kg). I would have bought a new S4 but was avoiding the diesel version, so when the petrol S5 replacement was announced that seemed the ideal replacement. I would never have an SUV ... So my S5 is the Launch Edition, intended for dealer showroom/demonstrator 4 months ahead of general availability in November 2024. Stratstone offered me one as they had one more ordered than Audi required them to have. It has all the extras, except the pan roof for some reason and Stratstone did me a good deal on the price. It didn't have a towbar, but I thought I could add that, as I did to the S4. However I found that you cannot add an aftermarket towbar as with the new coding protocol it is impossible to code anything other than an original Audi one - which costs over £2,000, or would if you could get one (though they are fitting them on the production line to order). After a year of asking Audi said it is available, but "on back order", I ordered one 2 months ago and still no date. Everything is on back order ... it took 2 months to get rubber floor mats, 3 months to get a windscreen after mine cracked - and now my interior mirror has detached from the screen (hanging by wires till I stuck it back with double sided tape) - the dealer said the windscreen needs replacing again as the bonding has separated - no news on when that will appear! I have had 3 software updates so far (one of which followed a stranding with a dead/unresponsive car), but still have some gremlins. Today, for example, the cruise control would not work because it said a door was open - though I have checked all the doors and re-opened and closed them. So already this has been the most unreliable car I have owned in over 50 years (revealing my age there!) - a contrast to the last Audi, and the dealer service has been poor (they have one technician that is very good and customer friendly, but the 'front of house' people who you usually have to contact are hopeless, they don't have any technical understanding and don't return calls etc.). After the first 3 years I used a good local Audi specialist for the S4, at less than half the cost. Rant over ... it is good to drive, performs well, is (only slightly) more economical than my S4. The adaptive cruise is better (old one didn't work below 5 mph). Some of the tech is good, when it works, though some is too nanny-ish. You guys are coming down from larger cars, for me this is significantly larger and heavier than the S4, with less room inside, especially storage. So not so easy to park in congested Cambridge! (I had downsized from an excellent but LWB Jaguar). Nowhere to put the tyre pump (I had a spare wheel in the S4!) or first aid kit (was in the rear arm rest of the S4). I don't think I will buy another Audi it would seem they have gone downhill. Product development, incomplete; parts supply, inefficient and poor customer service (not just the dealer, Audi UK are no better). I hope your experience is better than mine!

OK Guys, it's been a long time but finally the A5 has been sorted and I've got to the bottom of what happened and how. The original crankshaft pulley failed - a flaw in the casting meant that the boss was still bolted to the crankshaft, but the pulley itself sheared away - which enabled the car to be driven. However, the replacement pully coming off wasn't a design flaw, it was a case of the sprocket being incorrectly fitted and not aligned with the crankshaft - there are 'mating marks' on the pulley and crankshaft that, if not aligned correctly, will result in the pulley coming off again. But this time, it did serious damage. The head had to be removed, reground, and 8 new valves fitted, plus all the necessary gaskets etc. So as a result, the A5 is now purring very nicely. The mechanic effectively accepted responsibility for the second failure and associated works, without any pressure from me I must add, and asked whether I would be willing to pay for the parts and no labour costs. That came to about £1300:00, which, in the circumstances, wasn't unreasonable. Thank you to all who offered help and advice. Best regards, Barry.

Hello Frank, I do not think you have made a bad decision. The only factor that would have been decisive to me would be ease of access with the S5 being lower causing some to struggle getting in and out. The S5 certainly has the legs for the long journeys but also the agility for those wonderful roads around the New Forest. I do not think it is much smaller in area than the Q8 but have never checked the figures. My S5 was never going to be as frugal on fuel as my previous A6 C7 Diesel but there comes a point where enjoyment overtakes economy. On longer drives to Glasgow and Doncaster I have seen over 36MPG. Adaptive Cruise and the adaptive ./ adjustable suspension is definitely a bonus. You will have seen that early cars have had the odd undocumented feature that has required SW updates but the car is certainly able to tick most if not all boxes be them practical or based totally on desire. The pano. roof helps light up the interior, the passenger screen (a divisive option) works for me - Disney+ for those that want in-flight movies, or as you have highlighted, lets the passenger assist with entertainment and navigation. Mine has massage seats - heated and cooled. These are comfortable although it took a short time to find the sweet spot of settings. Side bolster adjustment too for that hugging support laterally. The Hybrid + definitely helps with economy and will give the Green Fraternity a fuzzy feeling until they realize it only works up to a certain speed and a short duration. Times that it is most noticeable are when in traffic such as motorway tail backs or in Towns and also when arriving home and car parks. I expect you have already experienced adaptive cruise but it was new to me and when sat in tail backs I found it works perfectly. The regeneration seems to work as described although there is no State of Charge gauge but it does show when power is being recuperated. I have parking and towing assist but have not tried these in the past 9 months of ownership although as a tow car it works will- More to like than dislike.

I know alloy corrosion can lose tyre pressure. I’d have thought a 2019 rim should be fine, assuming it’s powder coated. If it’s diamond cut, they inevitably get corrosion due to lacquer failing. If in doubt, refurbish the alloy, new powder coat, new valve and swap over TPMS sensor. Would be worth scanning with VCDS if any other erroneous errors so you’re not on wild goose chase.

If you’re looking at a 21 plate V6 Allroad diesel, then check it’s not been on long service regime from new. First owners who had them could have put 18k miles on them between oil changes for first 3 years. Subsequent owners will pay the price with chain rattle and cam wear. Audi introduced this nonsense to reduce fleet cost servicing. You want oil changes every 8-10k miles, and fuel filter every 20k miles. Add a can of Forte diesel fuel conditioner to it before changing. A6 Allroad comes with air suspension as standard. Also spec electric towbar (I have same in A4 Allroad V6), which is a delight. Lastly, get into habit of adding Forte AdBlue anti-crystal to AdBlue top ups. Forums are full of failed level sensors or tank issues. This is an expensive fix if it goes wrong.

So not not new at all. Best include them in the soapy water tests.

I had this on my TT many times - rightly or wrongly I just used to slam it shut and it was always fine - the rubber seals will give way before the glass* *not responsible for any broken glass should you take my advice and it goes wrong :')

Thanks for letting us know.

Problem solved, mechanical issue with new valve. Bolted old valve and body to new cooler and fault gone. Pity you cannot just buy the cooler

Hi, I suffered the same issue. I think we can never keep away from that problem. I removed the wiper motor by removing the plastic trim covering the area first (just undo the two screws inside the both handles that could not be seen unless you bend over) and then by pulling the trim backwards. You can easily remove the motor by undoing the three 10 mm nuts, motor connector and thin water hose, after removing the 13 mm nut under the wiper arm. Remember that you should gently remove the plastic cover to see the 13 mm nut under the cover. Remember to wiggle the wiper arm to get the motor assembly from the tailgate. Place the wiper on the bench. Remove the electric motor from the wiper section in which the gear placed. And, undo the 6 torx screws from the wiper section. You will see water, rust and contaminated grease remains inside other than a worm gear, a gear, and an arm that moving the wiper. Clean everything and lubricate using a thin grease and then reassemble everything. It is not complicated job and after fixing the wiper motor, I have been using it for almost two months and had no problem with that. Good luck...