Magnet

Hello Dan, Thanks for being g in touch with the forum. Genuine wheels are aimed such that their load bearing is through the centre of the hub bearing. Displacing that loading by using spacers can be bad news for bearings. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Aaron, Many thanks for joining the forum and posting your plea for help. As has been said, you really need to give us more information to work with. Also, since the issue of the battery has been mentioned, has this 6 year old car had its battery replaced? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Clinton, Only you can decide whether any car is going to interest you and your budget, and there’s no doubt with the research you have already carried out, and intend to carry out, you will be better versed on relative prices on the island of Ireland than any of us on the mainland. Sod’s law will dictate that you will either buy a car then continue to search and find ‘a better buy’, or dither over relative prices and miss a good car at a reasonable price. Another point to bear in mind Clinton would the perhaps frightening to you thought of paying say even £2000 over the odds, make much difference over the 10 year period you are likely to keep it - £200 a year - not terribly frightening motoring-cost wise. As I say - good luck with deciding what you are going to buy. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Clinton - makes more sense now. Apologies and not wishing to offend, but you appear to be very keen on knowing how much the dealer would have paid for the car. That shouldn’t be your primary concern, and it really shouldn’t affect your decision to buy or not to buy. If the price is comparable with other similar condition, specification and mileage ones advertised, and you have an overall satisfaction with it, then buy it. If you really like the car but don’t like the price, then search for another one. Dealers are in business to make a profit, just as any other employing business is, and if making that profit is easy, then why aren’t we all scouting for financial backers and joining in ourselves? I don’t have any allegiance to main dealers or car retailers, but if anyone thinks buying a car in at £16K and selling it at £19 is a rip off, then it’s worth considering that the £3 k mark up attracts 20% Vat = £600, then a c25% tax on the ‘profit’ of £3K = £750, which totals £1350, and leaving £1650 to pay for wages, rates, utilities etc. etc. A potential buyer comes in and requests let’s say a ‘modest’ £500 off leaving £1150 in the pot to fund all the overheads and provide a guarantee that the car will operate as the buyer expects. Not sure what currently happens over with you Clinton, but most dealers over here state the selling price, and if you want it you pay that price ( as you would in Tesco for tin of beans). If the buyer doesn’t want to pay that pice then fair enough, he doesn’t buy it. If this were me ( and cards on table I have been there a couple of months ago):- Model I want? within budget? Competitive price? Condition as wanted? Yes to all of those - buy. How much profit did the seller make on the deal? Don’t know, and not really bothered. Good luck with your purchase. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Cambelt ( if belted engine) should be changed when the car becomes 5 year old, irrespective of mileage.

Hello Clinton, Is the car you are interested in buying, a 2015 as your profile suggests? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Tony, Thanks for joining the forum and advertising your number plate. Could you please let members know what price you want for it please. Kind regards, Gareth.

Well Steve, your mention of decency to respond, sums it up in a couple of words. It doesn’t add any on-cost to the already free! - and welcoming- service, yet some must think that attribute is an unnecessary skill to acquire these days. I find myself thinking ‘nice car, pity you didn’t order it with the optional manners pack!’ , but there again, I’m old fashioned - well old anyway! It’s interesting to hear that you too get a well deserved satisfaction from helping others, and that Steve Q does as well. That’s great, now we have at least three guaranteed, and I sure a few others too. Keep enjoying that Steve. There must be very few forums which can benefit from such experience gained from almost galaxial mileage usage, and the necessary problem solving which goes with it - and all to try to earn a living. Many thanks again and kind regards, Gareth.

Automatic or manual?

Hello Ken, I would guess - and we can only guess from the poster’s description - that Steve has the right answer. I think we have all seen examples of clouded plastic headlight lenses, and have wondered why owners just carry on using the cars in this condition. This obviously becomes a visible-to-all issue, and personally, I wouldn’t question the tester’s decision, since the headlight intensity may be well below what they could/ should be, and this can create an hazard with night driving. Of course, this may not be a cloudy lens issue, but perhaps a poor earth issue ( again at a guess). Carey really does need to give us more to go on, if meaningful advice is to be given, but meanwhile, my stab at is is with Steve. ‘…not giving a good beam..’ could also mean someone has replaced the bulb and it’s not seated properly in its holder. Seen that many times too. But there we go, guessing again! Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks indeed Trevor, It’s interesting to hear that this is being actively looked into behind the scenes, and without labouring the negative side of it, I do think anything which can encourage new posters to become more proactive, from the point of registering, to posting, and to react and follow up to advice given, would be a great step ahead. I guess we are into an era of ‘text message’ approach to question asking where posters dismiss any attempts at pleases or thank you s, and simply adopt the briefest of ‘I want, you know, you help me’ - and perhaps that’s the way it’s going to be for many. My suggestions ( in tandem with what you already have in mind):- Amend the Forum Rules to include words to the effect of ‘ please provide follow up on advice given…’ Have a mandatory tick box to agree to Forum Rules before registering. ( Yes, I appreciate horses-to-water, but at worse, it isn’t a retrograde step.) Can the system automatically e-Mail, alert first time posters, say after a week, if they do not respond? Again, better than nothing -? If that system is practical, is there any benefit in extending it to all posters who cut and run? Above all, forums should be a means of following alerted problems from point of asking to confirmed resolution, so members joining can search and hopefully find the possible causes. Let’s hope that raising and discussing this topic can only be beneficial - I’m confident it will be. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello, You don’t tell us whether your auto electrician confirmed that the battery was serviceable via. his test. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mike and Steve, Well at least the post has given an opportunity to air the topic of the benefit to the club/ forum of the membership of the first-post-for-help-and-run member, and perhaps I should make it clear that I simply ask the question about paying to be become a supporter if the first post is going to be a plea for free help - I don’t suggest it should happen, and doubt whether I would support such a proposal - I simply raise the topic. Your question Mike - ‘ …..I wonder if you ( take it that’s me?) have an accurate idea of what your membership is looking for? My honest answer would be I don’t know, but what I do know is that member’s requirements are highly likely to be very much diverse - as demonstrated by Steve’s wish to have face to face contact, and your own Mike ( as the only other one to take the time to post a response) being of an opposite requirement. It remains a good question, and perhaps that question should be included in the member’s profile at the time of registering. I just wonder if an analysis was carried out of the number of new members joining and posting, say over the last year, and assess what % return to the forum and have further involvement in any capacity. This post inevitably will indicate an air of pessimism, but I just wonder if the first post, free advice, and run posters, appreciate that the forum administration cannot run as a automatic cost free facility - folks at the helm no doubt have to work hard to maintain the service we enjoy for nothing. Sometimes a simple please and thank you will be an adequate price to pay, and it would be nice if that could somehow be encouraged - via. the Forum Rules? I really hope that simply raising this topic will be seen as a constructive move, and follow-up posts in relation to advice offered will be on the increase, and first time posters will return and participate - either face to face to support Steve’s efforts, or simply to offer their experiences to others. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, If this were mine, I would be wanting to spend time to thoroughly de-rust and clean, the hub to disc contact face before fitting new discs. Would main dealers spend the necessary amount of time to do a proper jog of that? Probably not at their labour charges. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Matt, Broken springs can sometimes be difficult to spot, particularly if they break near the end/ within the spring cup. Now calls for another look on the offending side. Kind regards, Gareth.

Since this section sees little activity,I thought I would wake it up and possibly raise a topic which might cause some controversy - so apologies in advance if it offends, but hopefully it will allow views to be aired. The forum appears to be experiencing an increasing number of ‘members’ joining the forum, to seek help via. their first post, and again simply saying it as it is, then some disappear without any acknowledgement or even feedback, never to return to contribute towards helping others at some point in the future. Steve Q generously welcomes new members who join simply to advise the forum of their interest in Audi, and without wishing to appear patronising, I think Steve’s welcoming attitude is to be applauded, as is the the time taken by some of the new members who don’t immediately want anything, other than joining a like minded community. I just ask- where does this welcoming attitude become taken for granted, and folks just join to seek a free - of charge, and future exchange - consultation? I believe some forums exercise a procedure, whereby new members must make a number of posts before say, advertising, and even requesting help, based on ensuring a participation, rather than a simple ‘I’m joining to pick your brains free of charge’. Just a thought - If new members wish to post a plea for help at a stage where they haven’t posted x number of earlier participating posts, then should they join and post a plea only as paid ‘Supporting members’? Apologies if any of this offends, or is considered non-welcoming, and indeed if any of the above is not shared by others. As usual - Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Matt, You don’t say whether it was bought from a dealer or privately. Even if bought privately, it must meet the seller’s description. Still…… Whoever, is correct in saying you are taking incorrect measurement points. To correctly measure:- Check and correctly adjust tyre pressures, and park the vehicle on as flat an area as you can find (important). Take measurements from wheel centres to under wheel arch, and compare these. Conventional sprung suspension - not air? If so, first suspect would be a broken spring - can be a common issue. Perhaps you could come back to us and let us know how you get on Matt. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Unfortunately the test carried out is largely meaningless ( except for the when-running voltage) since it is not an on-load test. You are correct in saying that any garage will have a battery tester, but things have moved on, and battery testers which were once adequate, may no longer be, and may not/unlikely to be able to evaluate all of the battery’s characteristics that the car’s battery condition monitor assesses on going. In other words, the testing equipment may not longer be adequate and meaningful, but obviously far more go/no go that a simple multimeter. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ehtsham, Great that you have found the battery, and you say you have checked the voltage, and indications are that you consider the battery to be OK on your test. The problem is that your battery test is about as effective as fitting an ashtray to a motorbike. Your battery test equates to testing its capacity to deliver a current load in terms of milliamperes, whereas the car’s starting current demand is measured in hundreds of amps - so the test is ( generally) meaningless. If you have another peep at the earlier post, you will see ‘….get it checked using professional equipment’. If this were mine, I would be taking the car on at least a 10 mile run and getting the battery tested - Halfords can do it, but their equipment may not test all the parameters that the car’s battery condition monitor ( if fitted) monitors. So one step at a time. Get it checked and if they say it’s below par, then happy days for you, but not for your wallet. Halfords can sell you batteries at a price. Personal view - I always buy my batteries online from specialist retailers such as Battery Megastote, Tayna etc ( there are more, and I don’t have any connection with any). I buy Varta or Bosch and only choose their 5 year warranty grade. That way, I get good batteries generally cheaper than Halfords. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. If Halfords declare your battery to be serviceable then please come back to us.

Many thanks Steve, I think most of us with no in-trade connections can only expect to pay retail prices for parts at our main dealers. In my experience, TPS will only quote/ sell to account holders, so no use there to your average DIYer. Again, I can only report from personal experience, but Audi Parts Cardiff, and Aberdeen Audi have provided me with genuine VAG parts mail order and at a discount - which is great in my book. I must say that the the service and welcoming attitude over the phone, has been what I had hoped for, and I have been pleased to deal with them - being of an age where I only want to do business with friendly retailers, and have an increasing lack of respect for anything short of good and friendly manners. Not sure what Graham’s experience has been like -? Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. No connection with either business.

Hello Katherine, Interesting, and it sounds reasonable that the chain may have jumped a tooth, which could result in bent valves, but highly unusual to simply affect one cylinder. My logic did originally lead me to question whether we now have a simple valve timing error which results in a situation where both valves on No.1 cylinder are never in a combined two-closed -at-the-same-time situation, and hence lack of compression. Follow on logic may question if this would then only affect one cylinder. Longer story cut shorter:- I think I would be changing the chain, which includes resetting the valve timing, and testing the compressions again, rather than diving in straight away and taking the cylinder head off. If indeed the valves have hit the piston, then I would not necessarily write off the engine. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Graham, I too applaud your method of establishing a sound maintenance basing point from where to go forward from, and since the gearbox oil change has been termed ‘ discretionary’ then the fact the earlier owner decided not to get it done, would not -in my book- eliminate the car from a justifiable claim to ‘full service history’. To be fair to the owner who decided not to get it done, that decision may not necessarily been his, but could have rested with a leasing company for example. Again, the decision may well have been his, and he decided not to get it done since he was not keeping it longer term - not necessarily a cheapskate decision. Parts? Can we take it your Wales contact for discount Audi parts was Audi Parts Cardiff? ( part of Cardiff Audi/ Mon Motors). I’ve bought from them, and have been pleased with their discount and service. I’ve also bought from Aberdeen Audi, and been equally happy with the same service. Enjoy the car. Kind regards, Gareth.

Interesting points Graham, but to be realistic, I think both possible causes would have to be to the extreme on the severity scale to result in a total lack of compression on one cylinder. Hello Katherine, Just wondered if any of the comments you have received so far have been of any help to you, and what your next move might be. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Katherine, Thanks for being in touch with the forum, and sorry to hear on your first post with us, that you are in difficulties with your car. A couple of points which may help you:- Even with no compression on one cylinder, it would be expected that the car’s performance would exceed 20mph - unless it’s gone into limp mode. Stuck valve? Uncommon in my book, and it must be asked that if this is correct - why? Has the car un low on oil, when was the oil and filter last change etc? If this is a belt driven engine, has the belt jumped a tooth, and you’ve been lucky enough to just bend the valves on one cylinder? Do you know when the belt was changed? I think I understand that the 6 to 7 hours labour is to just strip the engine to confirm / assess what is wrong, and does not include correcting the fault, and reassembly. If so, then the labour to fix and reassemble is likely to exceed 15 hours -? What is their VAT inclusive labour rate? If all the above is correct, then their reference to ‘reconditioned engine’ may make economic sense, but as I understand it, there are very few engine reconditioners left now, so where would you get a ‘reconditioned engine’?, and if such a thing was readily available, then what would be the total cost to purchase, remove yours and refit the ‘new’ one. Compare this with the option of repairing yours. By reconditioned - they could well mean simply secondhand. If this were mine, I would be getting a second opinion on this car . Try a local independent in your area, and get the car transported there if you feel you have confidence in their reputation. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Dennis. Great point Steve. As has been said before, it worth retaining one (typical) tyre as actual evidence - although sending the rest and photos of all - including the one you are restraining as evidence. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dennis, Thanks for updating us on what actions you have taken. Apologies, since this is going to sound critical, but you start your latest post by saying it’s unfair on people’s pockets, then as the second point of importance , you reference the safety aspect. To me, the importance is absolutely reversed, and I fear that you will not get the response from Dunlop that you need if you follow these two points in that order. It wouldn’t surprise me that Trading Standards will ask you for all your personal data, and record the incident on their data base. Whether you will ever get a follow on response Is highly debatable - but we’ll worth a try I guess. Kind regards, Gareth.