Magnet

Hello High, Thanks for the additional details. I cannot see that there would be any warranty implications if the car has been serviced in accordance with the dashboard alerts, but it would be useful to talk with the dealer now that they have experience of your usage. Things like brake fluid will need to be changed on a time (irrespective of mileage) basis anyway. I guess it will be worth considering how long you are likely to be keeping the car for, before discussing service schedules in more detail, since if it isn’t your intention to keep it beyond a couple of years, then obviously the cheapest route to adequate but minimal servicing, may be the way to go. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. re servicing costs, I would suggest shopping around dealers within a 20 mile radius to get the best price. Costs are rarely absolutely fixed, and often open to negotiation, but be specific in what will be renewed - e.g. pollen filter changed or not?

Hello Hugh, Has the car been serviced once already? If not, I would guess it’s on a Longlife schedule which normally extends the servicing interval to around 18k miles or x months, whichever comes first. Guessing again - no longer than 2 years? If indeed it is on a Longlife service schedule then this is probably not the best schedule for your low mileage use - a normal timed schedule would probably ensure the car is better maintained. On PCP or direct purchase? If PCP - perhaps not to be too worried about, provided you have had it serviced according to what you are instructed to do. Service cost? Sorry cannot help there. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Carl, The coolant temperature sensor will not affect the actually running temperature of the coolant i.e. the cooling system works as it should do and the operating temperature will stay at normal when up to the operating temperature. What this sensor does is to simply monitor this temperature and signal it’s varying resistance value to control the fuel mixture. Coil packs? I would expect the that if these were suspect, you would was experience missing associated with the black smoke. Injector issues?? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello CJ, OK, but couriers now leave signed-for packages at you door if you are not in. I don’t automatically go ECP’s x% off and assume it’s a good deal - it often isn’t. Re. other on line motor factors:- EBay is awash with them - all competing with each other on competitive prices. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Carl, I’m not saying this is the offending component with your car, but faulty coolant temperature sensors can give similar issues. They work on the principle that they sense the coolant temperature and signal the ECU to set the correct mixture for that temperature - rich when cold, lean when hot. If they fail, they do so to an arbitrary resistance value which can result in over rich mixtures when hot, and indeed too weak when cold. Does the car start instantly from cold? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Ian, We ran Michelin on the ordinary A3, since as with your car, they were original fitment. There is little doubt that they are likely to give you the greatest mileage, although the downside we noticed was that they tended to get a bit noisy when they were fairly worn. What I would say is that the original factory tyres appeared to give a greater mileage than the replacement set. Rather like replacement batteries when you fit a like for like brand. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, In the absence of any other replies to date, I would say it’s likely your 15K tyres are about 3/4 worn,( if originals) but that will be a guess, and to estimate average tyre wear is rather like ‘....how long is a piece of string...?’. This will depend on brand, driving style, how often the tyre pressures are corrected, and particularly the typical journey. Long motorway runs will result in tyres lasting over far more mileage than running it back and fo to Tesco. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello CJ, Just wondering why you are restricting you search to ECP. There are many more on line factors who can usually supply at more competitive prices irrespective of ECP’s apparent discounts off ‘original’ prices. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dennis, As Cliff says, but with the caveat that the repeat alignment check is carried out by another recommended tyre retailer /garage. Altimax sounds like a budget brand to me, unless this is a tyre pattern name used by a well recognised manufacturer. If your rear tyres were (also) budget and started with ‘A’ , they could have been Accelera. These are budget, and I have used this brand on non-Audi cars for some time without issue, and has been my budget tyre choice brand. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mustafa, If you didn’t buy it at the registered address, how do you know you bought it off the registered owner? Unless of course you know that person. Personally, I wouldn’t take it to the small claims court if I were in your situation. I would just swallow my pride and move on. ‘Such people should be punished..’. Well perhaps, but they survive via. dealing with buyers who may not have had their eyes wide open when buying. An unfortunate experience for you. I would be thinking carefully about what you expect from this car before spending, particularly bearing in mind it’s value/appeal will always be reduced my its Category N history.

Hello Dennis, I’m sure you will appreciate that information and detail are of vital importance to be able to offer sensible advice. We now know far more than we did. So to get this right, was the rear (budget?) tyre nearly new and evenly worn when you acquired the car? i.e. confirming the uneven wear has occurred during its use with you - only on the rear of the car. Just an observation, but if this is indeed a budget tyre and its lasted 20k miles and would still have ample wear left if it was even, then that’s some budget tyre. Kind regards, Gareth.

Did you buy it directly off the registered owner who’s name was on V5 ? Did you buy it at the address shown as the registered address on the V5? Did you buy it at a price less than £895? I guess you did appreciate it was an insurance damaged vehicle before you bought it. OK, it’s in a category of good condition, but note that the seller only refers to any judgement of condition in terms of the inside. No EM light showing? I can’t see you would expect it to be showing, since I take it it as the when you road tested it. Only you can judge whether it’s worth taking this to the Small Claims court. I would think that if you do, you will need a written report from whoever diagnosed the problem for you (cost for that report?) and it is likely whoever writes the report will need to attend the court to answer any questions (costs?). Is it really worth it? As Cliff says, winning the case is no guarantee of getting your money back. If it were mine Mustafa, I would either be getting it repaired on the basis that even if it costs you as much as you paid for it, it’s still not a great amount of funds for buying a (then decent?) car. The alternative is to part with it an accept the loss, but obviously it’s your call. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Shaun, I wouldn’t hold your breath about Audi renewing this under your warranty. I could well be taken as ‘damage’ and therefore unlikely to be covered. Your quote of c£170 for renewing one? spring at a local garage - not that cheap/competitive I would have thought, so why not get a couple more quotes before deciding. Kind regards, Gareth.

I’m still with my suggestion of getting the alignment checked at another establishment.

Hello Dennis, Going back to basics, have you considered having the alignment checked at another ‘garage’? In my experience, the capabilities and sophistications of the equipment is sometimes not matched by the knowledge of the operators. ’Rear tyres wearing...’ It is not uncommon for owners to transfer unevenly wearing front tyres to the rear - suggesting to the uninitiated that the rear alignment is out of specification, when indeed it isn’t. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello CJ, By diameter, I take it you are talking the diameter of the main shaft that links into the bottom suspension system? If so, why not just take the wheel off and measure it, or indeed just jack it up a bit and measure without taking the wheel off? Are you proposing to fit some aftermarket shock absorbers and the (on-line?) retailer lists two? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gareth, Make of replacement battery, and as Steve suggests, have you had it tested? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mustafa, Why don’t you post a copy of the advert (blanking out the seller’s contact details) so that contributors on here can see how the car was described, and perhaps then offer you advice on how strong a case you would have? Cliff makes a good point about about actually getting any reimbursement even if you win the case. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Robert, The best advice I can give you is as I’ve mentioned to others looking for parts for their classic cars:- place wanted ads. in the specialist classic car publications. Examples - Classic Car Weekly, Classic Car Buyer, Classic Car Mart, Modern Classics, and others. An alternative would be to get a (localish) stainless steel exhaust specialist to fabricate a system for you, but that is likely to cost you much more. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ken, Almost certain it’s a typo. Has the car always been in NI or has it come into NI at any time in its lifetime? Have you challenged this with DVLA? Swansea? Am I right in thinking there isn’t any licensing office in NI anymore. I’m pretty sure there are on line enquiry systems where you can input your VIN - no doubt someone on here will advise, or just Google Audi VIN Checker or similar. Failing all of that, your Audi dealer ( if yet open) should be able to give you a build record print out. If they can, ensure they stamp it or letter head it to show authenticity. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Armani, Dan joined the forum and last visited it a day later on the 29th January. Probably much better to send him a personal message. Kind regards, Gareth.

Have you checked your V5 document Ken? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mustafa, Even if you bought it off a private seller, then it must be as described in the advert. If it isn’t, then you have redress. You will find sellers simply describe vehicles as ‘Runs, drives, stops’ to avoid any comebacks, but you will know how the car you bought was described. Incidentally, how long had the seller owned it? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Barry, Many thanks for the very useful post. Looks like a great job done safely and with the right equipment. Re. not changing springs in pairs:- I would still go with my view that it’s better to change springs in pairs to guarantee equal ride heights and comparable spring tensions. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Pip, Audi dealers should be open shortly, so that would be my best advice, to ensure you have the correct ones as quickly as possible. Kind regards, Gareth.