Magnet

Hello Michal, Apologies, but I’ve only just picked up this thread, but iI had picked it up earlier, I would have suggested giving this purchase a good second coat of thinking about. Car a year old, and being sold - presumably at unbelievable depreciated loss - why?? Problems and dissatisfaction? Of course, the Covid restrictions may have delayed its sale as ‘an ex demonstrator’ type vehicle, but I would have wanted to know chapter and verse on it. Fast forward to now, and already ‘2 scary moments in 2 weeks’, and trying different modes and ‘think I’ll just have to get used to it’. I would consider you don’t have to do that in preference to following Steve’s route of rejecting the car if you have reasonable grounds to do so - and it sounds like you symptoms border safety implications. If it were mine, I would be writing to the dealer principal (I take it you did buy it from a main dealer), and requesting you return the car for a full refund if they cannot sort it, but you are registering the fact that the rejection notice starts from the day of the letter - irrespective of how much longer than 30 days it might take them to try to rectify the issue. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Without going back on old ground, I’ve often found that VAG parts prices at discount (in caps) are generally in line other manufacturers, with the exception of brake discs, and most certainly clutches. The need for these parts has always driven me down the road of good quality aftermarket, and I too would have gone for LUK. I’m sorry you have failed there, and wondered if you had tried Sachs - who may (also?) have been the OE supplier. Failing that, and if you do have to go down the VAG parts route, it could be worth getting a quote on the discount prices from Audi Parts Direct -Cardiff ( part of Mon Motors - the old Cardiff Audi) - Phil was the contact there, or Malcolm at Aberdeen Audi. An interesting point which I’m well out of touch with the current facts was that I understood a couple of decades ago that unlike the U.K. where we can walk into our local motor factors, our European friends were not blessed with such establishments, and had to go for main dealer parts. Probably all changed now, with on-line outlets, but it would be interested to have an update. Perhaps you could let us know Steve, if the Sachs route comes up favourable, or it’s worth trying Continental on-line parts suppliers. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks James, I don’t have a budget to buy this plate, since it doesn’t interest me personally, but as a moderator I just feel that to generate an interest in an advertisement then the advert should have a ‘guide price’ around which offers would be considered. Not to have any idea of what price you have in mind, will either put people off, or generate dealings via. ‘silly’ offers. At least, anyone interested now knows what the price you have in mind actually is. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jodie, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. Sorry to be a pain, but I’m having difficulty in understanding the symptoms. Is the starter motor turning the engine over enthusiastically, but I still won’t start, or is the starter motor turning the engine over sluggishly? Kind regards, Gareth.

‘......what were you thinking?’ I was thinking you haven’t put a price on it - and I’m still thinking the same James! Kind regards, Gareth.

Price James? Kind regards, Gareth.

Might be worth you seeking advice at the Citizens Advice Bureau Miroslaw. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Harry, I think this purchase should be given a good coat of thinking about, since obviously the previous owner believes in driving ‘enthusiastically’ - well that may be a kind word to describe the car as potentially being thrashed! I can understand that you consider this saves you a lot of money in modifying the car, but without being disrespectful, it sounds as if you will also be driving it in a similar style, and you wonder whether it will last to 200K miles! Service history may be considered to be king, and yes it is important, but can simply equate to having spent half a day in a garage every 18 months, the rest of the time it’s been driven with all due disrespect. Obviously it wouldn’t be for me, but I can understand it could be attractive to you. I wish you luck. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Taking it back to the garage sounds to be your best option, since you have faith in them. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Bard, I think that you will find that the sensors receive their signal from the hub, which has a weak type of magnet imbedded in them. With the right diagnostic equipment, it should be possible to determine which wheel is at fault. Once you have established that, then you may find you will have to change the complete hub assembly, if you have already renewed the sensor with a good quality one without success. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Charlie. You now have some tracing back to do then. If this were mine, I would now be investing in an hour’s time with a trusted local auto electrician. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Paul, Apologies for being pedantic, but please confirm it is the whirring noise which you are enquiring about. Please also confirm what engine is in this car. Sounds like a rather noisy diesel to my poor hearing but obviously not! If we are indeed talking the whirring noise, then it sounds rather like a belt or tensioner. My advice would be to find another garage to diagnose this, and perhaps taking the auxiliary belt off and checking if the noise disappears. I guess your garage is going to refit your old starter motor. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Charlie, Have you done a voltage and earth check at the headlight connection? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Many thanks for being in touch with the forum. My hearing is pretty shot, so it’s difficult for me to diagnose, but are you talking about the whirring noise immediately on starting, or any background noise once running. If the whirring noise then it sounds like a belt or bearing noise, but.....? I take it it’s diesel - could you please confirm? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stuart, If this were mine, I would not be jumping to conclusions, but getting the necessary simple checks done to confirm or refute the assumptions. Can I suggest you first get your garage to carryout a pressure measurement on the coolant pressure when the engine is up to temperature. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Justin, Have a look a the wiring in the flexible section of the harness which links the body to the tailgate. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Clive, Sounds like you are going to have to cobble up a length of wiring to link both sides, if no such wiring exists. Will that interfere with any warning messages?? I must say, it surprises me that these are only fitted with one high intensity fog light as standard. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Emil, Everything depends on your personal situation, the use to which the car will put, your ‘insurance record’ etc. Please read my basic principles of classic car insurance if ( in caps) it would be applicable to you. Just let the forum know if you think it may, and we can give you some contacts. If it doesn’t, then just follow Shytot’s advice and pass everything through the comparison sites as most people do. As he says, ensure you add on the extras you require for your particular needs, rather than just going for the cheapest.

Hello Richard, You could try a new switch, but try will be the operative word, since you don’t know that there isn’t any stored information that the oil pressure was actually low when last used. If it were mine, I wouldn’t now be just changing the sensor (programming-in part?) but first getting the actual running pressure assessed. That way, there is unlikely to be any assumption associated with your issue. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Aiden, You sent me a ‘report’ - to action? - but there isn’t any text with it. Perhaps you would be kind enough to let the forum know what the perceived issue is. Kind regards, Gareth.

Try Malcolm at Aberdeen Audi, Robert - they are usually quite accommodating on discounts - appreciating Audi discs are not cheap, but at least you will have a discount marker price if you do find an aftermarket supplier. Kind regards, Gareth.

The come-back against a private seller will depend on how the advert description compares with the vehicle. That’s why some adverts just say ‘Starts, stops, runs’! etc.

Hello Chris, My primary concern would be to know how much oil this car is actually burning, since it appears that it is sufficient to oil up the plugs. What is its oil consumption Chris? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Thanks for the additional information. No criticism intended, but it’s yet another case of the disadvantages of buying any vehicle (ex internet search?) and the comparative impracticalities for any offered warranty. The theory is that the seller must be allowed to correct any faults, and the warranty may (in caps) dictate that faults found within period x of the sale date, must be financed by the seller. Some (many?) warranties allow the buyer to get the car repaired at a garage of their choice, but it’s not uncommon for garages to not want to be involved due to the potential wait for payment. Anyway, and hour with the small print will tell you where you stand. In my experience, noises are not characteristic of a model. The car is trying to tell you something. Possible clutch issues? Carefully check your warranty for any ‘wear and tear’ exclusions. Temperature gauge fluctuations? Not normal and quite likely to be what I said. Your call John, but if it were me, I would still be following my earlier advice regarding notifying the seller. You can specifically ask that you get the car inspected at your local Audi dealer, but again, I would get that done with the minimum of delay if they agree. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Many thanks for being in touch. ‘Metallic high pitched rattle’ :- It is always very difficult/ impossible? , to diagnose such issues without test driving and examining the car, so unfortunately you boil down guesses, like timing chain ( if chain driven) and/or a result of the timing being advanced enough to cause the engine to pink under load. ‘...felt through the clutch pedal...’ guessing again - possibly DMF issues would tie in with this. Variable coolant temperature? My first port of call would be defective thermostat. Right, having said all that, you should not have to be concerned with the causes, but certainly concerned about their rectification, and you should be informing the seller (in writing) of what the issues are. Taking it to an Audi dealer? I certainly wouldn’t, without the consent and agreement of the seller, otherwise they could rightly claim that a third party had been interfering with the car. To me, time would be of the essence in terms of notifying the seller - I would be doing this as a matter of urgency, rather than Googling the symptoms to death! Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.