Magnet

Informative days Cliff, and of course problems were fixable then, as opposed to plugins it to a diagnostic system and trying to work out causes from effects! £40 paid for the first car eh? I bet you wish you had that in your garage now Cliff. Probably sell for a mall fortune now. Great days, and I could do something with the hair I had then! To return to somewhere near the theme of the original post, insurance is now comparatively cheap in relation to what it was 40/50 years ago, when taken a % of the weekly wage . Perhaps unbelievable but true. I hear tones of disbelief, but.... Good luck to Raith in finding what his teenager considers is ‘acceptable’! Kind regards, Gareth,

Hello Jon, Does this small local garage have to equipment to de gas, check, and re gas your air con system? I guess that may be a daft question - we must take it they do, otherwise why would you want to waste £75, rather than going to a local garage who has the equipment and expertise.

Hello Raith, Thanks Raith, Perhaps my brain isn’t switched on, but £1350 with insurance now comes to ‘roughly’ £2250 with insurance. Basics Raith, Have you had an independent insurance quote for this car - to establish how much you are actually paying for the car? Also, are you certain that this ‘with insurance’ deal does equate to covering your teenager insurance requirements? Some - many? understandably have age limits. If you want rather more chapter and verse re the A3 1.6 Special Edition then I can bore you with that, but obviously I don’t want to go to those lengths unless you are at the point of purchase. Not wishing this to sound critical, but changing a wheel doesn’t score very high in the mechanical knowledge scale, and it’s great to learn, but to me, what you need now above anything else is some on the spot expertise inspection back up, to look at whatever you are tempted to fancy. Personally, I think you are in ‘getting done’ territory without that back up, irrespective of what marque or age of car that will be of interest. Having said all that, my bet is your broader brush approach to what to buy will be governed by what your teenager is prepared to own! Sounds like Cliff has been there done it - along with myself to some extent! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Raith, Apologies - its probably me, but I’m still not absolutely clear re the specific detail and who is who in terms of the writing. It has been said that the car is for a teenager ( written by you, the dad?) yet the latest post appears to be written as if you are the teenager ...”I will be more caring with it....’ etc. Anyway Raith, whatever, as Cliff suggests, teenagers will only be interest in what is ‘cool’, or whatever the term is, and I guess any Audi will be considered to be that. Fact:- Most Audi’s will be in a higher insurance category than other smaller ‘less desirable’ marques, but you are probably in a better position than most to appreciate that when buying at the budget end of the market, the cost of insurance is likely to be on a par with the purchase price. If you spent more to buy, the insurance will still represent a fair proportion of the on the road cost. The first year formula is to buy an old low insurance category car such as Cliff suggests - or even better an ageing low mileage Metro or similar, simply to gain some claim free ground. Selling that idea to a teenager?? Good luck. Not being personal, but the best way to sell that idea is via.the teenager’s self financing (obviously by earning the funds). Aspirations are then generally governed! Now back to your 2005 A3 1.6 on Autotrader for £1350 with insurance. Is this seriously the case? Does it mean if you pay them £1350, you will be able to buy that car complete with a year’s free insurance for your teenager? Really? If so, just buy it, since I would be surprised if the insurance alone will cost you that. How mechanical savvy are you Raith? If not very much, then the first thing to concentrate on will be finding an adviser who will inspect for you. A3 special edition 1.6 in general? Ours has been in the family from new and is now just sub 160K and fair do s has done everything which is asked if it, but it has been well cared for mechanically. Beware Audi’s are favoured by - enthusiastic drivers - so at the other end of the scale you are going to come across thrashed examples as well. You need to be able to tell the difference. Think of a first car as simply a NCB earner, not a long term keeper, since the teenager will get fed up with it anyway. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Raith, Welcome to the forum. As Cliff says, we really do want more detail here, and the fundamental question I would ask is - what is your intended budget. As you can see from my profile, I might be able to pass on my experiences of a 1.6 A3, but it depends what end of the scale your wallet is dictating or will accommodate. Have you seen (on line or in the flesh) something which might be of interest? It would be great if you could give us a good bit more to go on Raith. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Do you have a proper brake hose clamp, as opposed to an often used ‘Molegrips’? I would guess you do, since you have worked on brakes. I think the answer lies there, with the use of the correct tool, used in the correct manner. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Since you have done the job many times and got away with simply pushing the pistons back and displacing the fluid ‘in reverse’ then chances are you might continue to get way with no ill effects. However, the proper way would be as Mr. Haynes states, and disperse the ‘rejected’ fluid out through the bleed nipple, thereby taking away any chance of ill-doings by reversing fluid back into the system. You know it makes sense as Del used to say! Kind regards, Gareth. (aka Anyone in your capitals)

Hello Steve, Well the Omega is going to take some beating. I bet you will miss it. Re. towbar - I wouldn’t anticipate any significant problems with getting a tow bar fitted. Sat. nav? Once a must-have accessory, but now reasonably redundant with the advent of the smart phone. Personally I would be too bothered about the built- in lack of it. DAB radio? Sorry can’t help with this, but no doubt someone will come along who can. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adam, Many thanks for coming back on this. Blinking heck as we would say here -21 inch. Despite the tyres being fairly wide, 30 profile is not leaving you very much of a sidewall, and I can understand the adverse effect on ride quality. In theory, to retain the 30 profile and achieve a deeper sidewall then you will need to increase the width of the tyre, but I’m sure you will appreciate that that could cause issues even if the rims would accommodate wider tyres. If if this would be possible, you will still be increasing the outside dia. of the combined wheel + tyre with likely consequences of inaccurate speedo readings and effects on gearing. I can appreciate the desire to save money on alternative tyre sizes for these rims, but being pessimistic, this non standard arrangement is likely to impact on your insurance. I guess an alternative would be to fit smaller dia. wheels, to be able to achieve a higher profile, but even then you will be left with the sports type suspension. Sorry I couldn’t be any more helpful and positive, but perhaps someone else will come along and offer their experiences. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sameer, Unfortunately the original poster posted and last visited on the same day, so it’s unlikely you will receive a response from him. Have you had someone to check if it has an adequate fuel supply? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jon, Obviously your (DIY?) call, but having a general distrust for garages of all ‘sizes’ isn’t really healthy. Trust is always two way, and as you say you have to start somewhere, and simply asking around friends and acquaintances usually leads you towards making a good start. May sound daft, but enquire about recommendations at local small car sales sites. These chaps remain in business by knowing where to get good work done at competitive rates - so always worth an ask. Now don’t tell us you you don’t really trust some of these as well! I’m sure you do. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jack, I feel for your predicament, but this isn’t altogether making sense. Bursting a water pump seal on fitting? Just doesn’t happen, since the seal is internal, although if you are talking the gasket O ring that seals the pump to the engine block, then that does make sense. If that is what you mean, then getting this wrong is just plain incompetence. Your pal fitting a belt (and new water pump?) and setting the tension at what it appears? Again - sorry, but complete incompetence once more. If (in caps) you’ve got away with this, then it would really be worth thinking carefully about who you are choosing to work on this car going forward. A reputable and trusted local garage may be your best bet. If it were mine, and you’ve got away with the incompetence so far, then I would also be thinking about the quality of parts which are going to be used in this very critical application. I would be renewing the belt and it’s associated tensioner, together with a quality water pump - since goodness knows what has been fitted so far. If you are not using genuine dealer parts (at discount) then I would use a cambelt and water pump kit by Gates ( no exceptions). Hope some of this helps you Jack. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jon, I’m not really sure how much these Amazon kits are, but you should find quite a few smaller garages even, will top up the gas for a modest charge, so I wonder about the overall economics vs. the unknown any-good? factor. Nor wishing to be pessimistic, but Audi air con. systems can be somewhat troublesome and it may not simply be a case of topping up the gas. It would be worth searching the forum for recent issues with air con pressure sensors for example. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jamie, Batteries covered by your guarantee?? In any case, the Numax one fitted is at the cheap end of the market, and if the guarantee does cover its replacement then it could well be on a like for like basis. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adam, My first port of call would to establish what diameter wheels were standard on your model. 21 inch seem extremely large, but I’m not familiar with what was standard fitment. If indeed they are oversize then you will find that fitting smaller wheels should allow you to fit tyres of a deeper profile. Kind regards, Gareth.

Lion?? Good luck Jamie. Just my opinion, but if asked which brand not to buy..... Kind regards, Gareth.

Blinking heck Conal - that’s cheap. Guestimafe:- VAG timing belt kit - c£140 ish. Waterpump £70 ish. So labour about £140. Wondered if they actually subsequently did it for you for that price ,or just give you that as a quote. Kind regards, Gareth.

Oh Jamie! Another one stricken with the apparent benefits of the ECP ‘weekend discount codes’. 3 year warranty batteries are about the base line for quality, so I avoid them and buy 4 or 5 year ones at competitive prices. What make did ECP sell you at their fantastic discount off so called retail price? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jack, You thread title says the car won’t start. Do you mean it did when you took the video, but it doesn’t now? Who fitted the water pump, and was the belt and tensioner renewed at the same time? What was the history regarding the need to change the water pump, and what make pump was fitted. If this were mine, I would be following Cliff’s advice to the T, and treating that advice as if it was written in all capitals - but if indeed it now won’t start - as your thread title says- is it already too late? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Daryl, Valeo as opposed to LUK - why?. Price? Spend once, spend wisely, particularly since you enjoy ‘spirited’ driving. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Daryl, Perhaps a word of warning to those who may be tempted to follow your advice- specialist breathing mask equipment should be worn when using normal 2K products. It is designed for professional and not DIY use. Unlike DIY acrylic/cellulose products which dry with exposure to air, 2K dries by a hardening chemical reaction ( a la body fillers), so if you don’t want to have fine hardening mist in your lungs, then don’t use it without the appropriate equipment. And that’s before you consider the effects of the chemicals used in the hardening process. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jamie, Thanks for coming back. Well, it may be worth getting the battery efficiency checked. Halfords used to do it. Buying a Halfords battery?? I always buy quality batteries from Varta/Bosch - buying on line with free delivery from on line sellers such as Battery Megastore, Tanya etc. Personally I would go for the above , but ensure it’s their grade which has a minimum of 4 years warranty. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jamie, As a matter of interest/possible connection - Do you know when the battery was last changed and what make it is? Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Take it your model has electric power steering?

Hello Daryl, Of course Cliff is right - you must claim against the seller. If they don’t respond, say by the end of the week, then I’d be tempted to issue them with a Small Claims court claim. Clutches and costs? Main dealer clutch components are expensive/uneconomical, so resorting to an aftermarket one makes sense in this case. Personally, I would only go for a LUK make. You could then ask for a labour cost from a trusted local garage. ‘Just switched from a Scooby’. Would you describe your driving style as being ‘enthusiastic’ by any chance? Kind regards, Gareth.

That’s Steve, It is there somewhere - complete with a photo as I recall. Silicates and lifespan of the engine? So we have gone from glycol, the whole OAT coolant spectrum and now into ‘coolant for life?? OK it was initially recommended that AOT coolant was replaced every 5 years, but in reality it seldom was, and still did service up to 10 years later. Now we are into silicate additives eh? My simple brain points me to ask:- is this little bag (or canister) of tricks adds silicate over time, why not simply increase the silicate level from day one to accommodate the so called loss over time? Hopefully someone will explain the technicalities! OK, apparently plus side to this. Downside - the ‘container’ breaks up and deposits crystals throughout the system. Bit of a bummer?? Its supposedly called progress. Kind regards, Gareth.