Magnet

Thanks Allan, Glad you have started to sort this out. 30 profile tyres - hope your back is in good shape, and the potholes are kind to you! An interesting take on budget tyres, and very true if the driving style is ‘to the limit’ - just don’t go there. As it happens, I have used Accelera tyres on earlier family cars and never had a worrying moment with them during ‘ordinary’ driving. All I can say is that if the budget only stretches to budget tyres, and your driving style isn’t ’to the limit’ then Accelera would be my brand of choice, based on earlier experience. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Have a read through the various posts on the subject, and continue to be concerned. Sorry I can’t help with a local independent, but have you tried a Google search. I would have thought that a trusted local garage should be able to do this for you. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello whoever you are - we haven’t a clue since you have chosen not to fill your profile in! Although your opinion is valid - it is just that, and some may agree with you, but I think that if you choose to read through the earlier posts, I think you will conclude that the consensus of opinion points to not too many members being content to dismiss a cambelt change on a timed basis, and risk the possibility of a catastrophic failure. Would you care to now fill in your profile properly, at which point you will be very welcome to opine further. Kind regards, Gareth.

Got any further yet Samuel?

Hello Tom, When did you buy it, and was it bought from a dealer? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Shelley, Not wanting to hijack a thread, but I very much agree with Steve, and now the course of action you have initiated. All I would add is to keep a comprehensive record of all calls ( and responses) and the same for e-mails, so that you have a one- sheet recorded timeline on all communication. I would at all times be careful not to fall into a trap of extended reviews and dealer book-ins which would run you out of your 30 days. Well worth endorsing any e-mails and agreements for second opinions ‘without prejudice to my recorded request (dated) to return the vehicle for full refund with 30 days of purchase’. Worth taking advice at local CAB? Worth an independent assessment at another dealership ?? Hope it all works out for you, and perhaps you could keep us posted on developments. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Tim, Welcome, thanks for joining, and sorry to hear of your issue. Could be as simple as siezed/broken level sensors, or as you say air leaks - which should be detectable with some soapy solution. Possibly compressor, but generally this results in slow lift all round. Whatever, your man for all air suspension parts - and advice I guess - is Bagpipingandy on EBay. He has been specialising in this for years. Well worth getting in touch with him. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Very enlightening and helpful to others - not!

Welcome Samuel, and sorry to hear of your plight. I take it the c£2,400 inc.VAT for parts must equate to changing the flywheel as well as the other ‘normal’ components - which would make good sense. It wouldn’t surprise me that the dual mass flywheel may well be a main dealer part only, and may account for around £1K of the parts prices, but I would want to confirm that if it were mine. Other clutch parts may (in caps) be main dealer only, but again I would want that confirmed too. Try Parts in Motion website and input to your registration number and search for clutch and see what comes up. Give them a ring if you have any points to clarify. If you have a choice, then the make you want will be LUK. Can’t get availability at P in M? Google search LUK contact number and try to speak with someone in their technical section - but be armed with your car’s VIN number ( in screen and on V5). Ask them about aftermarket availability. I think it’s well worth doing your homework on this. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. If it transpires all parts are main dealer only, then you might get a bit of discount at Audi Parts Direct - part of Mon Motors, previously Cardiff Audi. They should do mail order. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks James, glad you are sorted, but no one is any the wiser how this eventually panned out for you, and some of the answers may have been of help to others, who might find themselves in a similar position. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Detail is rather sketchy, so could you please fill in some background detail. Current mileage? Mileage covered to first MOT? Mileage at which the car was last serviced and recorded on the Audi database? Trying to set some logic to this, it would seem that the car was dealer serviced until the warranty expired in 2018, and then - as Cliff suggests. Servicing post 2021? I am not aware of any way you can retrieve any evidence of non-Audi recorded servicing- assuming there aren’t any invoices available to clarify that. Sorry about all the questions James, but is the car being sold locally, and have you actually seen copy of the service record? If you haven’t, then I would be treating any claim to service history as if it doesn’t exist - until you have actually viewed that record. Take it you have examined the on-line MOT history, and the DVLA Vehicle Check to establish when the last V5 was issued - sometimes an indicator of short term ownership. Perhaps you could come back to us James. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Anywhere near to the fantastic cafe in Ewenny?

Sorry to reinforce what Stevey Y has said about Lion batteries, and glad that we have a second independent opinion on them. I wouldn’t buy one if it was all I could buy! Sorry to come over as being critical Paul, but you do seem to be acting rather impulsively with this, and it’s costing you. We did give you sound advice to get your old battery tested, and if you had done that and it had been found to be substandard, there would have been ample advice on here on which brands to buy ( and in your case - what not to buy!) and where to buy at most competitive prices.

Wondering why have you - impulse bought? - a new battery Paul, without having the existing one tested first. What brand battery did you buy, as a matter of interest?

Hello Thomas, Certainly viable in my book! If it were mine, I would totally ignore the FSH, and irrespective of when the last service was clone, I would be getting a comprehensive service carried out by a trusted local garage before departing. Equip yourself with a reputable get-car-and-yourself- home-by direct-route breakdown cover, and relax and enjoy it. Having said that, driving the Amalfi coast would not be for me! I have an issue with heights. Look up an old film - ‘Chase a Crooked Shadow’ - enjoyable suspense and well worth a watch. Prepare for the journey and enjoy. Let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Martin, Welcome and thanks for joining. Can we take it you are addressing the issue with the garage that fitted the belt assembly for you? How long did the garage have the car while doing the belt? I ask since the stop/start problem maybe associated with a slightly below par battery - aggravated by remaining uncharged for a while. Is the battery on this 7 year old car it’s original one? If so, it would be worthwhile having its efficiency checked - Halfords stores will do that. It would be to your advantage to come back to us if found to be substandard, before committing to buy a new one. Kind regards, Gareth.

If the build record shows it was built in 2019 Jay, then it was built in 2019 - rather like anyone’s birth certificate. If there are any anomalies then they could be accounted for by component supply issues due to Covid. I think you should now take up any discontents with the selling dealer. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Jay, not understanding your last paragraph and question.

Thanks Brian, So would the job normally have cost him £600, or did the warranty cost him that amount? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sharon, Welcome and thanks for joining, and sorry to hear of your re-occurring issue. So it’s been proved that water ingress is the culprit here -? Is this current set still under the 1 year parts warranty? Kind regards, Gareth.

No Mathew, I don’t think that is the appropriate action. If you have only had the noise from a point where you have had ‘brake work done’, then why would you probably duplicate work already carried out. Can you itemise what ‘brake work’ was actually carried out? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jay, Hello Jay, London certainly isn’t unique in not having a Parts Dept ‘window’ at Audi dealerships - same here in the sticks - but if you pay a visit to the inevitable Reception desk, and say you want to buy, say a timing belt for your car, then a Parts person usually comes in sight. The example sheet you have posted, does appear to be a build record, and does give you a date of production. If this is the date which is important to you, then there you have it, and you should be able to get the appropriate sheet for your VIN - from your same source?? Perhaps you could keep us informed Jay. Kind regards, Gareth.

Heel Alan, I think I recall an issue with pressure switches. Worth a thread search across all models. Kind regards, Gareth.

‘For Sale’ section James. You must decide whether to advertise it now with ‘Available after September’, or leave it until September to actually advertise it. Kind regards, Gareth.

As has been said Paul - you must get the battery’s efficiency properly tested before being concerned about other causes. Also have the alternator output checked at the same time. Please come back to us with the results of these free tests. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks James, we know Kev is not shouting. Might be worth trying capital J for James, and capital S for Sussex - as is the normal convention.