Magnet

Thanks Imran, To me, this is the classic result of using high concentration chemicals to clean vehicles. If the seller had successfully sorted one area, it’s not clear to me why you didn’t check the other areas - pressure of time perhaps? If it were mine, I, would be asking them to now send you some of the product they used to sort the one area, and the instructions how to use it. If they are not prepared to do that, then take it to a high end valet person in your area, get them to sort it, and agree with the seller that they settle that expense. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Imran, How long have you had the car? How long have you had this issue, and have you had the interior valeted, or have you valeted it? Kind regards, Gareth.

Really sorry to hear of your situation Kev. Let’s hope for a sensible outcome. Kind regards, Gareth.

How strange Stephen, I’ve always (manually) checked oil levels when cold, and all the circulated oil has had sufficient time to return into the sump. My routine has been before start up after being stationary overnight. I now have this new fangled! no dipstick in a non Audi, and understandably the display will not work until the engine is cold. Why on earth should Audi suggest it check it when warm? - when some oil is still retained in the block and moving parts. Logic suggests that since it is true , then a lower than desired cold reading will be even lower if checked when warm. If this were mine, I would be taking taking the car to another Audi dealer, armed with the photo. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, ’I’ve had the brakes checked and apparently they are fine’. By who Steve, and with what equipment? To me, this sounds just like a (severe) brake issue associated with the discs, pads or caliper/s, and I would want to eliminate all of these before getting into the more involved suspected ABS problems. Has any work been carried out on the brakes on this car in recent times? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Robert, Thanks for joining the forum. It’s not that unusual for engines to burn oil within the first few thousand miles, and then the consumption falls off as the components bed in. Time of course will confirm or refute this. I this were mine, I would ensure any added oil is only bought from an Audi dealer, and the receipts retained. I would also keep a log of the date and mileage when the oil was added. This will be important evidence in the event of any subsequent dissatisfaction. Perhaps you would keep us updated. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, I’m disappointed that you are disappointed with the forum response. As you know, I sent you a PM saying that I thought you were ‘underselling’ this car at your asking price, and suggested you would be better off listing it on EBay. You declined this suggestion, and said you would prefer it to go to an enthusiast, and the money wasn’t important. Unfortunately, I’m not privy to the outcome of the initial interested reaction on here, so cannot comment, but it’s interesting to hear that you did subsequently follow my advice and list it on EBay - and by what I understand, it is indeed realising more (much?) than what I suggested was your under-selling price. I’m pleased for you, but remain displeased with your view that the forum disappointed you. Having said all that, I trust you will now be satisfied with the eventual outcome, and I rest happy that although it did not sell on here, you will be successful with following advice offered via. the forum. Many thanks and kind regards, Gareth.

Hello R.-? I would be avoiding ECP, particularly since they don’t now seem to have their large %discounts on so called retail price. Worth having a look on Car Parts in Motion, and perhaps GSF ( not connection with either apart from have bought from them. Sports suspension? Guess that’s only if yours is an S Line. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Darren - last comment on this:- the belt on a 7 year old car which has covered only 20k will have had a hammering, unless that 20k had been covered in relatively few long trips. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Darren, Many thanks for the extra detail, which gives a clearer understanding - albeit now even more confusing. Cutting to the chase, unsolicited calls from dealers informing owners they don’t need to spend money with them, must be rare. I too certainly wouldn’t be waiting until 200K, and not taking much licence either on the previous 5 year change period. Hello David, I think we can make as many experience claims of belts lasting beyond their recommended change intervals as we can by listening to owners who have ignored change limits and found themselves with wrecked engines. I agree with your suggested principle that high mileages covered over long distance trips is much kinder to belts and they can indeed reach mileage limits without issue. Where we differ - and apologies for repeating, but low annual mileage vehicles put much higher stress rates on belts, and you just cannot assume that they are going to last until the high mileage limit. Sorry, can’t make it any clearer. Kind regards, Gareth.

This is illogical to me, and I believe it is engineeringly unsafe, and wouldn’t be for me. While noting David’s - Itspointless- comments, I’m afraid I would have to counter the view that …’so age isn’t an issue’. It can, and is indeed an issue. The ongoing serviceability of a completely unstressed belt stored in a box for say 5 years, cannot be compared with a fitted belt which has been subjected to hundreds of highly stressed stop/ starts every week, sometimes in sub zero temperatures. If (in caps) Audi U.K. and I then guess Audi Global ( rather than a dealer) are saying there is now only a mileage limit, then how many of us doing short but regular low mileage trips around town etc. would be prepared to chance our engines ,when running on a 20 + year vehicle? Darren’s dealer’s phone call is interesting, and I’m not sure whether it was an out-of-the-blue call, or it was as a result of Darren having made a prior enquiry -? Audi economics?? Profit is made by the Audi dealer when fitting new belts and VAG make a profit on resale of the belt kits manufactured for them. However, if a belt fails, the potential for revenue is considerably higher where the vehicle is declared beyond economical repair and has to be replaced, or a very expensive engine replacement arranged - potential for far more profit! Now the Audi Economics makes logical sense - to Audi!! Sorry folks but it still doesn’t to my pocket. Additional point to consider - renewing the auxiliary belt -? I can see this timing belt scenario becoming an ‘inherited issue’ for buyers in the future, as the baby is passed on as the purchaser’s responsibility. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Cheran, I’m sure Steve Y will be able to make more sensible additional suggestions, but worth checking engine mountings. Kind regards, Gareth.

Now done all that for you Andrew. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Kev, Seems Mat didn’t buy it then, and Richard has taken on board my view that it was indeed worth more than the £750 being asked, and it turns out that the quick ‘disposal price’ has already been exceeded. What happened then Mat? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andrew, but we don’t encourage ‘offers’ against adverts, so could you please list the prices you want for each of the plates. Of course, it your choice, but I wouldn’t put my phone number on an open forum - interested buyers can contact you by PM. Just let me know if you want to remove it, and I’ll do it for you. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, If this were mine, I wouldn’t be opening my wallet until I had checked prices at Battery Magastore, Tayna and other on-line suppliers - delivered to your door, usually within two days. If you search them on EBay you will get free delivery. I would go with Varta/Bosch or Exide, with their minimum of 4 year warranty grade. Perhaps you could let us know how their prices compare with Halfords. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Adrian, Sounds all good and progressive to me. Many thanks for the good wishes. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adrian, Again this is repeating, but I think you are over thinking and over worrying about this issue. To try to boil this down:- You want another 4 years out of this, and trying to judge your apparent low annual mileage, the objective to me would be to get as many of these years out of it as you can by adding oil. Seems eminently doable to me, without catastrophy along the way. It isn’t likely to go bang along the line. Yes, you can view photos of internals of engines and elevate the concern factor, but this engine will continue to propel this car with drinks of oil as it goes along. Having said that, I get the impression that you no longer want to ‘take a chance’ with it, and want to get rid of it, and perhaps you are now looking for someone to agree with that concern. It’s obviously your choice Adrian, but it might be well to think on, and whatever you replace it with is likely to come with unknown issues which could end costing you far more than a few litres of oil. Can’t really say anymore. Kind regards, Gareth.

You are now a victim of throwing money at it in the hope that you may solve it Liam. Even a cheap code reader may not find it, but worth a try I suppose. Where abouts in S.Wales are you? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Liam, Thanks for joining, and sorry to hear of your issue. I don’t see any viable alternative to getting fault codes read. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Matt, Have you searched EBay for a copy of the sales brochure for your model year. That should tell you all standard and optional equipment. Kind regards, Gareth.

Braided brake hose suppliers then Jacqui ??

Hello Jacqui, Google ‘ commercial vehicle hydraulic specialists’ in your area. They should be able to assist to resolution. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Good morning Adrian, Much of this will be a repeat - so apologies in advance. Again, if this were mine:- I would not be worrying about it. It won’t have any beneficial affect on the car, but will have an adverse affect on you. I would not be wasting money with Audi by ‘asking to put it on their diagnostic machine’. ’Just my luck to buy a car with a problem’. All cars come with problems (that’s why people sell them), so you could indeed swop this car, damage your wallet, and end up with some other unknown problem. Oil burning will not result in the car going bang. Monitoring the oil consumption would be good, so at least you know how much it uses in say 1K miles. I guess you don’t do a large annual mileage. I would buy myself a 20ltr drum of oil to make its consumption affect as economical as possible., but before hand, I would experiment with 5w/40 Incase that reduces the consumption. Finally, be wary of making any rash decision, and just give the issue some coats of thinking about over a month or so, otherwise you will probably end up making a decision you might later regret. Just be positive and think it only boils down to the convenience of having to add some oil every now and then. Everything else can work out positive. Definite repeat! - do not worry about it. Just as an aside:- I clocked 80 last month, and that was great, and I can assure you I’ve ‘worried for Wales’ on occasions during my lifetime, but take a bit from my experience - it’s never changed anything, and the likelihood is something else will come along that needs worrying about!, and this problem will merge into the background. As well as the inevitable car issues, I’ve got a bit of a recent major issue to now worry about, but when I see some poor folks at the treatment centre then I think -how lucky am I? It’s a minor hiccup you have with the car Adrian, and it’s likely to give you continued good service. Good luck with it and kind regards, Gareth.

Hell Adrian, I’ll come back to you in the morning. I sense you are understandably concerned/worried about it, but just sleep on the fact that it’s no worse today than it was a month ago, and hopefully a lot of much nicer things have happened in the last month. Kind regards, Gareth.