Magnet

Hello Nath, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. Were the Audi dealership able to confirm that the windscreen in the car, is the one originally fitted when new - and in fact did they check for that? I seem to recall that some replacement screens have been criticised for being far more prone to marking than the original build ones were. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ron, The answer to your in-bold question is a qualified yes. Qualified, since by the mileage you were doing, the service indicator should be set at an annual service. The alternative (if it’s still the same) is based on a higher annual mileage and is/was termed a Longlife service schedule, which often ran to 18k miles, or c18 months, whichever came first. If you swapped to this schedule, you would obviously save one service in 3 years. I would ask the question - why do you want to be governed by having this 6 year old car serviced at a main dealer, and if that is so important, why would you want to save the cost of one service in that 3 year period - by which time the car will be 9 years old? Short journeys are not good for vehicles, since they are seldom operating under optimum conditions, so getting the oil changed once a year is a sort of investment. If this were mine, I would be untrusting future servicing to a local trusted garage and insisting they use good quality parts. This should be cheaper than operating via. an 18 month schedule at Audi, and give you the same level of servicing as you have now. Some will insist that main dealer service history enhances the future value, but at 6 year old and more, the respective values will not cover your servicing costs. Perhaps you would let us know what you decide to do going forward. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Graeme, So independent professional -technical, and separately legal - advice is now essential. Everything will need to be recorded in writing. Kind regards, Gareth,

Hello Milan, If the car restarts instantly by turning the ignition off and back on again, then it would be well worth investigating/ changing the ignition switch. No more than a guess, if comprehensive diagnostics hasn’t shown anything. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Graeme, Many thanks for being in touch with the forum, and sorry to hear of your understandable discontent. If this were mine, I would be formally rejecting the car, after a sensible short time span to allow them to rectify the fault. It sounds like you may have been ‘informally’ attempting to reject it, via. a chat with ‘someone’ at the dealership. You really do need at take professional advice - CAB will assist, and possibly may draft a formal letter for you. This rejection should be initiated in writing to the dealer principal, and anyone else who has a financial interest in the car - without delay. Not meaning to be personal Graeme, but this isn’t a cheap car! It sounds as if you possibly now need to spend some funds on good professional advice, otherwise you will be putting up with living with a super model who has a stroppy attitude! Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.m

The original poster - Noel - hasn’t been on the forum for over 3 years, but it could be well worth sending him a PM. Perhaps you would be kind enough to let the forum know if you do have a positive outcome. Many thanks and kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Saj, It’s alway wise to seek advice, but generally the advice the person who is asking (alway?) wants to hear is that they are doing the right thing, even when they might not be. If convenience warrants the increased premium payable to a main dealer then that’s great, but it’s likely to prove be a long way from the earlier requirement of ‘ideally wishing to spend a lot less’. Peace of mind and minimal hassle may well be worth that premium. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sajid, I’m sure you realise that you are living in a high labour rate area for any main dealer. To me, the costings seem about ball park, although I thought that with your age A4 the whole front might not have needed to come off as with earlier ones - but I could be wrong. I’m not sure why you would be putting the car in for a health check. Might that be because it’s free? If it were mine, I would be searching a recommended independent and asking for quotes there, but some on here have mentioned that their rates are sometimes not a lot cheaper than the main dealer, but it doesn’t cost anything to ask. In my opinion Sajid the critical application, Cambelt and water pump renewal should never be treated as a cost-is-King job - it’s too important for that. Not wishing to rub salt in, but it’s not uncommon for owners to sell cars just before the point where the expensive service items become necessary. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Philip, Sorry to hear of your issue. In theory, the warranty might hold, but in reality, they have the upper hand, since the car has been modified - although the mapping is unlikely to have had any bearing over these issues. Of course, you could get assistance in arguing the case, but will you win?? If it were mine, I would be having the car back from them as quickly as possible, and getting the work done at a trusted local garage. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks John, Yuasa YBX 2019? You would need to double check that this is the correct specified battery for the car - I haven’t checked. It’s also possible (in caps) that the new battery would need coding to the car, otherwise the battery condition monitor (if fitted back in 2013?) may be treating the battery as it was ‘conditioned’ to do with the old battery. Whether this has anything to do with your loss of power?? - but I would certainly not be wanting to ignore confirmation of both the above. Yuasa battery ?? Would not have been my first choice, but….. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gavin, Many thanks for being in touch. Run flats can, and do, what they were intended to do - save lives in event of serious damage/ blow-out situations. The trade off, as you are suggesting, is that due to the reinforced sidewalls, the ride comfort is compromised, and has to be be ‘suffered’ at all times. Please check my view with your local tyre retailer, but I don’t think you can fit non run flats on run-flat rims. If I’m right, then you don’t have a choice, except via. changing the wheels as well. It seems that fitting run-flats as original equipment has become more of the norm than it was. Of course, if you have low profile tyre sizes as well, then you will have a double whammy adverse ride affect. Kind regards, Gareth.

I would certainly agree with Steve, and this would have been my first port of call. Don’t assume because it starts that the car, that the battery is serviceable in the eyes of the battery condition monitor - it certainly may not be, even at only 4 years old. You would need a comprehensive test on all the parameters which the BCM monitors - including the cold cranking amperage efficiency. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Stop/start not working can be, and usually is, associated with a failing battery, and this is what I would first be wanting to check. The fact that the car still starts reasonably well, is not indicative of a serviceable battery, since the battery’s serviceability is continually monitored, and functions will start shut down as certain parameters are not met. The loss of power may (in caps) also be linked to this, but that would be a guess. If the battery needs to be replaced then I would only buy one by Varta/Bosch in their 5 year warranty range. These are available mail order from specialist suppliers at competitive prices. Buy once and wisely. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks indeed Kevin, Unfortunately the original poster has not returned to the forum since late May. Hopefully, he resolved the supply difficulty. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, I’m sorry you haven’t had replies which might have pointed you in the right direction, despite your post now being more than 4 months ago. Just to clarify that you have not experienced any such noise since you first posted ( temperature not fallen below 4 degrees since early May?). Kind regards, Gareth.

Tom’s experience is very valid, and you cannot dismiss the additional risk of using the car while waiting for the main dealer to inspect it. if it were mine, I would be nipping it around to my local non-National-chain? tyre retailer, and getting them to inspect the offending side. This can usually be done while you wait. Tom indicates that his garage is a VAG Independent, and that would be a great alternative to a main dealer, but you would need to check the respective VAT inclusive labour rates at both. It has been mentioned that sometimes the difference in rates is not as significant as it might have once been. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jackie, Many thanks for being in touch with the forum. It is highly unlikely that the issue of the car not sitting correctly is as a result of a shock absorber failure. The most likely cause would be a broken spring - which is not at all uncommon. If this proves to be correct, then this raises the question about the whether it is wise to also renew the spring on the opposite side at the same time. In my opinion, yes, it is, Now the other question is - why are you arranging for any repairs on this 5 year of car to be undertaken by a main dealer? Logic points to asking this question, when you were prepared to take ownership of the car without even checking that the VAG dealer it was bought off, had serviced it before sale to you. If you couple these questions, with knowledge that an Audi main dealer labour rate is likely to be north of £100/hr plus VAT - £120/hr. may result in you considering getting this car serviced and repaired at a trusted local garage. Since you have the main dealer cambelt cost, you can now easily obtain local garage costs - using Audi parts, which you can buy mail order at discount ( I would be able to suggest a couple of sources if (in caps) you are serious about embarking on this alternative route. Main dealer cost to renew a spring - and/or shock absorber can easily be obtained in advance from the dealer where the car is booked in to. Hope some of this helps to address a sensible resolution to your issues. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ram, Looks nice, and a comprehensive description - except price Ram? Also current mileage? (unless I’ve missed it in the description) - to save having to look it up. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andy, Soldering good, crimping isn’t fo me. I take it you are aware of heat shrink sleeving, which is a great way of insulation covering the joint. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello, Basics first - I would advise getting the battery efficient checked. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks David. Sounds nice. One vital thing missing - price? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steven, If you look back to my reply to Vivian some 2 years plus ago. You will see that this isn’t uncommon. Why change both? Not uncommon, equates to a likelihood that the driver side rear will also break in the longer/shorter even, term. Couple this with the fact that these settle, you could end up with a vehicle which is sitting slightly off level. Obviously your call Steven. It sounds as as if this work is being done at a main dealer ( your reference to ‘health check’). If so, I would question why not get a pair of new springs fitted at a trusted local garage, probably cheaper than the main dealer will charge for fitting one - I guess the main dealer labour rates are north of £100/hr plus VAT = £120 minimum. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Mark and Keith. I found 1 litre of Fabsil was more than enough, and served well if repeated every couple of years. I’ve not tried Renovo’s more expensive products, but no doubt they would be expected to be superior. Not absolutely sure about what has come unstuck at the corners Mark (could you have a glance at your thread). If you are suggesting something needs ‘re-gluing’, then obviously any silicone based proofer is going to creat an issue. Probably well worth doing a search on adhesives which may accommodate such problems. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. Reverse sensors? Diagnosing this will require half an hour with a meter to check if you have 12v at the sensor point etc. - having first checked that the fuse is intact and is making good contact. Don’t simply look at the fuse and decide it looks OK, but also spray some contact cleaner in the holder and give the fuse a wiggle to ensure it has a good contact. Are the reserve lights working? Re stop/start not working - could be a classic symptom of a failing battery, so it’s worth getting that checked as the first port of call. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks for coming back on this John. We take it it’s a manual gearbox. You mention changing the gearbox oil - daft question, but does this box actually have a drain plug? If not, you will have to resort to sucking the oil out. If it does indeed have a drain plug, make sure you can undo the filler plug before opening the drain plug. Rather serious when you’ve drained the oil off, and find the filler plug doesn’t want to be undone! Kind regards, Gareth.