Pirate

I have my old windbreak from my 2009 A3 Cabriolet if anyone wants it. It comes complete with its protective bag and is in great condition. I think the clip that keeps it up is a little looser than when I first got the car but otherwise it works fine. I think it got wet once so it isn't pure black in places (see pic) but it's looks fine. I don't want anything for it - just a good home. Don't know how messaging works around here but let me know if you want it - first come, first served.

Having subsidised diesel car purchases, diesels are now a bit of a pariah, with London pretty much banning them. Diesel fuel was cheaper than unleaded, now it's more expensive. Diesels that don't meet RDE2 standards are taxed higher than other diesels or their petrol equivalents. Yep, my choice to use E5 fuel of course. I just don't think I trust E10 until a few years have elapsed to find out how it really affects engines, fuel lines etc. I'd guess I do about 6000 miles a year in my car - I drive it at least once a week. I also have a motorbike which I prefer to use, weather permitting and that does another 6000 miles a year.

I agree abut the price Magnet but my Yuasa (which is a well-known brand) should have been over £200 retail but I got it for around £170 I think and it came with a 5 year warranty so it's not all bad!

Sorry, I'm late to the party here but it sounds like the local garage you used for this is to be avoided in future. The AA came out to me when my battery went (Stop/Start wouldn't work for a while, then it finally failed to start at all) and we went to Halfords to buy the replacement (AA chap had a discount card which helped considerably with the price of the battery!). Very happy with the Yuasa battery.

I have these cut-outs on my 2015 A3 Cabriolet S-Line. When I have my headlights on, if I wash the windsceen the headlight washers pop out and spray water on the headlights. I know this because I washed the windscreen when I got home one night in the dark just before I turned the engine off and I noticed water trickling down the headlamp lenses! Of course, it's a simple two-man job to test this out on your car.

I always use E5 (Premium) fuel in my car and my motorbike. According to the Govt modern engines are supposed to be OK with E10 but they also said Diesel engines were the way to go and look how that turned out! For me, it's not to do with performance but Premium fuels tend to have better detergents in them too.

I'm looking for the same thing. There are a few around on Ebay and the like and they seem to slot neatly in between the air vents (which is a great solution if it works). Anybody installed one of these things?

Just wanted to post my recent experience of my lovely A3 cabriolet 09-plate. I had odd noises coming from the gearbox when accelerating or slowing. There had been a slow oil leak for a few months before that. My local garage couldn't trace the oil leak as it was so filthy under the engine so they removed the plastic cover and let me drive tha car. Before I could get the car back to them, the oil leak continued and suddenly one morning the car came to a VERY sudden halt. I could engage the gears but the car refused to move. Turned off and back on again and it moved again. Went gingerly on for about 30 yards before the same sudden halt. Called the AA who diagnosed a hole in the gearbox with engine and transmission oil all over the road. Cost to repair, with a re-conditioned gearbox, new clutch, flywheel etc was going to be £3,500. I had also had a damp interior for a while and it smelled slightly damp so I took the decision to scrap it (got £250 which was a pleasant surprise). The rest of the car was in excellent condition but I feared for the turbo or something else expensive happening. Now replaced it with a 2015 A3 Cabriolet as I loved my previous one so much. A nice step up in gadgets and cheaper to run (much cheaper VED and many more mpg). Now moving forums but I still miss my old A3!