Magnet

Hello Branden, Well done. Let’s hope the ‘intelligent’ charging system doesn’t fail its exams. Sure it won’t, but just keep in touch if anything else misbehaves. Good choice of battery by the way. I’ve also dealt with Battery Megastore a number of times, and found them to be reasonable on the one occasion things went a little wrong. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Could you confirm you are talking of needing a wishbone here? If so, my recent choice were Lemforder brand, - obtained via. an EBay search and enquiry. These appear to be good quality, and more expensive than the cheapest, but I try to buy good quality at best prices, rather than buying the cheapest available. Buy once and wisely. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Branden, Um. So now we most definitely need to know if the original equipment battery was specified as being an AGM. What have you ordered as a Bosch? Have you taken advice on the correct battery type ( as apposed to just Ah and cold current capabilities)? As I understood it - still applies? - AGM batteries were specified where the vehicle was equipped with an ‘intelligent charging system’ , and failure to use this type could/can result in adverse affects on the charging system, so it may not be so important that you damage a wrong battery, but more to do with damaging the charging system. I think it’s well worth doing some homework on what is actually required here, and what you have ordered. Where did you order from as a matter of interest, and did they confirm correct fitment via, your registration number? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Branden, Was the Yuasa battery an AGM battery? Is the recommended battery for your car an AGM type? Failure to use an AGM battery where specified can cause longer term issues with the ‘intelligent’ charging system. Kind regards, Gareth.

Don’t worry too much about what you can’t control Steve. One thing is for sure, they are going to need some pretty good salesmen to sell electric cars to those in terraced houses up the valleys with us - unless they come with exceptionally long extension leads! Mind, the same will apply in the suburbs where you are lucky to find a parking space within 100 yds of your front door. All good stuff. Kind regards, Gareth.

I would be buying them and getting your local garage to fit them for you. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Anthony, £120 to regas the system would seem rather expensive to me, but charges in your area may be higher. £445 to fit a cheap ECP compressor would be a no go area for me, but obviously fitting a reasonable quality one - by anyone - is going to be even more expensive. If it were mine, I would be asking myself if our unpredictable climate justifies spending half the value of the car +, on sorting out air conditioning for the comparatively few times it will be really necessary. When it would be good to have it, I would be resorting to opening all the windows, or staying in the house in the cool! Having said that, if you (in caps) consider the expense is justified than I very much follow your logic of spend once and wisely. Of course, getting the system checked by a specialist may be quite cheap, and I would certainly be more inclined to take their advice, rather than the garage would recharged the system. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, First port of call is to check if you have 12 volts supplied to the solenoid when the car is unlocked. If not report back. Kind regards, Gareth.

Better than £600 o.n.o. then!

Hello Anthony. Thanks for being in touch. Can I ask what is wrong with your compressor, and/or, are you sure it is at fault at all? There are numerous posts on here regarding failure of pressure sensor issues on later cars, so it may be of interest to look these up. If your compressor has confirmed issues then if the problem is clutch associated, then this component can be replaced. Replacement compressors? Yes, ECP sell compressors much cheaper than most, but lasting quality?? Have you searched air con. specialists in your area? If not, that is worth a try. There was one specialist supplier in the Gloucester area ( name evades me now) and I believe they did reconditioned ones. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Clive, Not at all surprised. Bargain for someone. Kind regards, Gareth.

Access made it a pig of a job on the 2006 model as I recall Richard. Yours?. Kind regards, Gareth.

Great Richard. I have a sponsorship deal with Osram! - only joking. The only deal I have is that they have given me good service. Kind regards, Gareth.

But it was your spilt gaitor you were talking about wasn’t it Ken!? Please Ken, I’m too old for this confusion. Forum name Geoffrey - actual name Ken. Blinking heck Ken, you are superb at confusing. All in good jest, and I’ve now gone and liked your last thread and now can’t ‘unlike’ it. I’m reduced to a blithering idiot here! Anyway, it all makes the world go around. Kind regards, Gareth.

Apologies Richard - not sure why my last post has been duplicated! Anyway, you will have gathered where my money would be from a choice between Phillips and Osram, and regrettably, I’m not sponsored! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, Yes, lasted about 10 years, but of course they were bought some 13 years ago. Quite possible that marketing and sales may now influence quality! I like trials and reviews, but being an old (very!) cynical being, I tend to think who is sponsoring the trials - a little akin to sugar producers claiming sugar is good for you. I would not claim any bias here, but does advertising possibly, just possibly have any influence on the outcome. For me, I generally take more interest in reviews by users. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Steve, I was just being over polite! Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Ken, it’s probably me, but I’ve lost the logic of your first post on 2nd Aug., and this one. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stephen, If it were mine, I would be getting the battery checked as the first port of call, if only to eliminate it from a list of suspected components. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, Yes, lasted about 10 years, but of course they were bought some 13 years ago. Quite possible that marketing and sales may now influence quality! I like trials and reviews, but being an old (very!) cynical being, I tend to think who is sponsoring the trials - a little akin to sugar producers claiming sugar is good for you. I would not claim any bias here, but does advertising possibly, just possibly have any influence on the outcome. For me, I generally take more interest in reviews by users. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Kevin, and I too feel for your plight in this economically difficult time. Repeating ( because I think it’s a worthwhile route) - try your local classic car club/s. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, Sorry to hear of your issue. I’m sure you will understand that it can be an almost impossible task to correctly ‘guess’ what the actual problem is without examining the car. The car is obviously trying to tell you something, so my recommendation would be to return it to the seller for investigation and repair. If you are unable to do that for any reason, then you would need to depend on your trusted local garage to identify the cause. Apologies, that this may not be that helpful, but I fear any responses on here can only be via. guesswork, and in effect, a car that makes any noise over bumps would warrant inspecting for your own safety. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, Interesting that the OE lights are still considered not to be that bright on the later A3s. We had similar discontents back in 2006, and replaced them with Night Breakers - to good effect - a couple of years later. These lasted well, until one failed a couple of years ago, so they would come with my recommendation. I could be wrong, but I think I recall it written that there could well have been fakes about in more recent times, so I guess you will need to be careful where you buy them. Kind regards, Gareth.m

Hello Kevin, I think the forum now has a better idea of what your limitations and expectations are, and from your searches for the cambelt alone, it’s clear that whoever carries out this work for you, the total bill is going to be quite substantial - it would be worth seeking an idea for the labour charge for the clutch alone. I don’t want this to come over as being unhelpful, but the labour time is soon going to mount up, and even at ‘mate’s rates’, I think you I’ll need to brace yourself for spending a fair amount of money. Yes there will be enthusiasts who do ‘hobbles’ but even they will expect around half of what your local garage would charge you. I just wonder if you feel all these jobs are totally outside your capabilities - since obviously, this is your cheapest option. I you feel they are, then another cheapest-option route would be to join a local classic car club ( your car is 20 years old) and there, you usually find enthusiasts who actively work on older vehicles, and may be prepared to take these jobs on to supplement an income, and provide some funds for their restoration. This could be a positive route. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Pete, In this day and age of buying cars remotely rather than in your locality, it becomes increasing important that whatever warranty comes with the car, allows work to be carried out in your locality, rather than having to return it to the seller - which of course in impractical if the car was bought some miles away. I’m sure you will get to grips with finding ‘leaks’ in any warranty. Kind regards, Gareth.