Magnet

Hello Steve,

As it happens, I also have a Brilliant Red Sportback and have recently done some aerosol spray work on the car - in my case the front bumper- but I also have to do the rear bumper due to lacquer peel. Before we go on, I believe this lacquer peel is aggravated by the now very popular cheap car wash systems which use pressure washers. Cheap they may be , and they do a good job of making the car look good, but the trade off can be the adverse effect on the paintwork. If it doesn't actually lift the lacquer, it can cause it to go milky after sometime. I was surprised to learn that the undiluted cleaner used can literally take the skin off your hands, so if the dilution is worked out by the bucket and shovel method! then it's possible the paintwork is going to suffer. Not saying they are all bad, but for me it's the old bucket, good wax shampoo and hose job.

Anyway Steve, back to reds and matches. Red is notoriously difficult to match and it is worth keeping in mind that small volume aerosol mixes will be very susceptible to minute (drop) differences in the tinters used in the mix. Perhaps stating the obvious, but if you are mixing say a litre then a small difference in tinter volume will not be so noticeable. Mix an egg cup full and minute differences are very much noticeable. It's down to the mixer and the accuracy of the equipment. Yes they will tell you red fades and they may admit to red being difficult to match, but....

I obtained my larger aerosol from a local paint supplier ( try googling your area for car paint suppliers) and although not perfect, is pretty good and you would not stop a galloping horse to find where the new and old meet. As it happens mine was a little darker, whereas yours is a bit lighter. Matching car paint is an art, and you will find that most body shops will spray into the next panel to take your eye off where you would expect the mis-match to be. 

You need (and they should be able) to get it fairly close, but if you look at any car - even brand new- you will find colour mis-matches between main bodies and bumpers, which I think is due to the bumpers being sprayed in volume, separated from the main bodywork.

Not sure how much if this helps Steve.

Goid lovk and kind regards,

Gareth.

Hello, 

The black plastic clip arrangement on the lid of the centre arm rest on a 2006 A3 has broken (common-ish problem?). I notice they are available for the A6 for next to nothing on eBay. Does anyone know if they are the same by any chance - before I go to the main dealer? 

Many thanks and kind regards,

Gareth.

Hello Joel,

Can I take it you are referring to the "bulb-out" warning light being still illuminated?

If so, appreciating you may have known that one brake light wasn't working and thought that was the only bulb which had failed, it could, and is most likely to be , that you have another bulb which has actually failed as well.

You really need to do a full lighting check on the car - at dusk is easiest- to make sure all bulbs are lit when they should be. Be careful with rear (tail) light bulbs and don't assume because the light is lit that all is well. Some back lights actually have two tail light bulbs as a fail safe and if one has failed and only one works ( but still lights up the back light) then the warning light will stay on. 

Hope some of this helps,

Kind regards, 

Gareth.

Hello Sam,

5th gear problems can be associated with the gearbox itself rather than selectors or linkages etc. On some makes it is possible to effect repsire to 5th gear issues without actually removing the box - dealt with by removing the end cover. 

What part of Wales are you?

You have "John the Box" near Swansea who has a good reputation. Not sure the actual trading name but should be Googleable under gearbox repairs Swansea.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Hello Victori,

Probably of not much interest to your impending sale, but the TH series of registration letters was originally issued by Carmarthen, but later used by Swansea ( the city, not DVLA!). Of course the first 25 - or as it 24? - of any prefixed number was not originally released by DVLA but were retained for later sale under the cherished number scheme, so your V10 would have originally been sold via. the DVLA. 

In case it helps interested buyers, the number appears to be also listed with Registration Transfers.

Good luck with its sale Victori,

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Hello, Bella Eli,

Notice you are located in Wales (appreciating a big area, but...). You could try Pick up Spares at Swansea who are a large player in dismantling later cars. I guess you are trying the normal on- line dismantler enquiry sites. 

Can I take it your box is damaged, since it is only just out of warranty. If not externally damaged or not too internally knocked about , you could try John the Box (should be Googleable under gearbox reconditioning). He is on the outskirts of Swansea.

Good luck,

Gareth.

I was thinking about putting roof bars on the 2006 1.6 Special (sort of basic) Sportback, but there aren't any apparent anchor points. Would someone be able to clarify whether this is something to do with it being the base model or normal for most Spirtbacks of that period? 

Many thanks,

Gareth.

Hello Sindre,

Many thanks for the reply. I'm not sure if I am really helping you very much - might be more of a question of adding more confusion! 

Selling dealers may just suggest that the cambelt does not need changing when selling a car, since the buyer may try to negotiate this into the sale if it has not been done or will need doing in the near future. Experience does show that sometimes an owner will sell a car at the time of an expensive service (say including belt changes) and the dealer takes the car in and does a less major service at the time of resale.

If it were mine Sindre, I would be ringing around some main dealers ( not where you bought it or have it service) and asking their advice on the change intervals. 

We have a 2006 1.6 which is now on 137,000 miles and the first belt was changed at around 70K ( when I  think the specified time was then 7 years) - from memory and the second change a couple of years ago at around 110K, so this has had two belts in 10 years.

It is best to talk with the service manager if possible rather than the service receptionist.

Good luck

Gareth.

Hello Sindre,

Not sure where you obtained the recommendation for changing the timing belt at 120,000 kms, but it is of interest, since I have also taken it as this (75Kmiles). 

However, the important additional recommendation is that's it now needs to be changed more frequently so I believe on the time basis, at lower intervals of 5 years, so it's 75K miles or 5 years whichever comes FIRST and that is the important bit!  If yours hasn't been changed then it is overdue on time by what I understand, and I certainly would not delay its renewal.

Of course Sindre, my suggestion of removing the auxiliary belt will only work if you are hands on and equipped to be able to do this when the noise is present. If not, I think I would go for a cambelt and associated bits change as a matter of course and see what happens. If it helps, and you have a stethoscope, it would be worth checking the alternator and other externally driven components when you have the noise.

Hope some of this might help.

Good luck

Gareth.

Hello Tom,

As you probably know, LUK clutches are probably the best aftermarket kits you can buy. There are cheaper alternatives, but......

Not sure what you would have paid for this , but could I be right in thinking the DMF alone would exceed the price you are asking? 

Good luck in finding it a good home.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Hello Sindre,

My hearing is poor, so I'm not much use to you in terms of identifying the noise. If it were mine, ( and I have the same engine) then  I would remove the auxiliary belt and run it up through the revs. to see if the noise is still there. If no, them obviously it's something driven by that belt - alternator, PS pump etc. 

If it's still there, I would be thoroughly inspecting the timing belt and the tensioner and water pump as a matter of urgency,

What mileage has the car done, and do you know if the belt has been changed? If it hadn't been changed, I would be thinking seriously of changing it on an age basis. Of course, you will need to change the tensioner as well and inspect the water pump. Water pumps (strangely) are available on an exchange basis over here. If you are going to change the belt then my recommendation over here would be using - preferably an Audi kit- or only Gates as an alternative. 

Hope this may be of some help.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Hello Lee, 

Couple of important points:- What damage has been caused to this vehicle to render it a Category C "write off" (beyond economical repair) by the insurers? 

If there isn't any apparent body damage, has it been flood damaged for example and just cleaned up? Who is selling it and why? 

Have they acquired it simply to sell it on, or are they now selling it on because they now know it's damage history and just want to get rid of it?

So, you need its claim history, and an assessment of the current state of the car and whether it is driveable/able to be tested and assessed. Also (important) - what year is it? 

Hope this helps a bit, but it's really doing your homework time, and if you cannot get the honest answers then I guess you walk away, or perhaps take a brave chance.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Hello Mac,

Would you be kind enough to let me know what make the bars are.

Kind regards, Gareth

Well Ormie, I suspect this is going to sound rather negative, but here goes anyway.

Your A3 and mine are opposite ends of the sale performance-wise, but in my our considerable mileage assessment of this car, the brakes are superb in comparison with other makes and models driven over the same period. But, I must say that this opinion is based on using only VAG group discs and pads as replacements have been needed - with one exception at a point where aftermarket pads were used for a short time, but found to be nowhere near as good as Audi and were changed months later. Appreciate that there are probably even better pads available, but there are most certainly much poorer performing aftermarket ones.

I say this since if you are not really happy with your current braking performance then are you sure you now have genuine or better performing brake components on your car? If not, reverting to original without modification may be the simple answer.

Now I know all this upgrading of brakes etc. may be considered desirable and even fashionable, and yes, your car is a performance car for which Audi would have taken account and designed the brakes to be more than adequate for the way in which the car was designed to be used. After all, you are restricted to driving to the same limits as every other motorist and if brakes are considered not be up to that driving style ( even though the manufacturer designed them to be so) then perhaps that style of driving does demand more. Of course, if your driving includes on-track events then the question becomes of importance.

Not sure if this approach was what was wanted, but it may just concentrate the mind on.... why?

Kind reagrds,

Gareth. 

Really sorry to disagree Trevor, but if this logic is followed, if you are lucky you could end up blowing a fuse. If you are not, you might just run a risk of burning a section of harness.

You can weld with the current out of a car battery!

If it were mine I would tend to let an auto electrician loose on it for half an hour. Electrical diagrams on modern cars are at best difficult to follow, and trial and error is not a recommended practice.

Kind regards,

Gareth

Best advertised under "Marketplace" or whatever they call it Tom?

Kind regards,

Gareth.

This car really is doing its best to alert you to the fact that something is wrong and it should be looked at - just like a noise- it will get worse if left unattended to. 

I think Bengi's advise is sound, and a visit to a reputable auto electrician is needed. Or do you have a good independent within travelling distance?

Not sure if these have a body control unit which controls most non engine- management (ECU) functions. This might, again just might, be at fault. Specialist inspection is the order of the day I think.

Good luck with sorting it.

Gareth.

Hello Perry,

Not sure I'm understanding this, but am I right in thinking someone, or youself have disturbed the original radio and its connections. If so, I would not agree with your thinking that it cannot be anything to do with that because it has new connections.

Crimp connections (if that is what you have) are a real pain unless done properly with the correct crimping tool- and they very often aren't. If these connections have been fiddled with behind the radio and then the radio refitted, it's quite possible that the movement of the wires when fitting it back in, has stressed a connection and that MAY be where your problem lies.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Hello Matt,

My money would be on an internal slave cylinder , but let's hope I'm wrong. A quick way to find out would be to ring the parts department at the main dealer and ask for a price and they will confirm whether internal or external for you.

Kind regards,

Gareth

Hello Benji,

Glad you are now pleased with it. All I would add is that £450 would buy you not that far off 100 gallons of petrol. You would need a lot of improvement in mpg to recoup that. A bit of added performance as well though, which it could be tempting to try out - at additional petrol costs!    

Seems like it is 16 valve. 

16 valve, chain not belt! - still disappointed with it, and the deal Bengi? 

So it's possibly an 8 valve rather than a 16 valve then. 

Hello Benj,

Appreciating your disappointment, but I would have thought that if enough research had been done then it would be reasonable to expect that cambelt changes and confirmation that it had been attended to would have been a topic covered. My experience points to the general car buyer being tuned into cambelts and the effects of them not having been changed - even with cars that are found to be running on chains rather than belts! 

I do feel for you if you think you have paid too much, but you don't tell us whether the car has given you problems that disappoints or if it's the anticipated expenditure which has to be paid to get -what is a routine maintenance job- done. 

An extra £500 allowance in part exchange for your old car is attractive to some, but the hard and simple economics is that it is easy to inflate the outgoing car so a more generous allowance is able to be given for the incoming. It's as old as the hills and will always be the acceptable ethics of the motortrade. Experience is great, but the only figure that matters is what is called the "cost to change" which is the difference in the buying and part exchange price. Any trader will be happy to pay you £1000 more than your car is worth, if he is able to convince the buyer to pay £1000 more for the outgoing car.

If you think you paid too much, did you actually check the "list price" of the car against its condition, mileage and service history?

Not sure if any of this helps, but routine service items such as cambelt changes are no different from having to buy tyres when they need renewing.

Good luck with it.

Gareth.

Hello Bengi,

Whoever the dealer was who sold it to you and said the belt would not need changing until 160K is not only talking a load of nonsense, but potentially putting you in a very vulnerable situation if you follow this advice.

The car is now 8 years old and I would suggest the belt is now due for change if only on an age basis. Not wishing to appear critical of Trevor's link, I would have thought that £455 ( plus VAT?! and without water pump) to renew the belt assembly is not a very good deal. I would be tempted to shop around dealers near your area and see what comes up. An alternative would be to use a reputable independent and enquiry whether you might be able to supply the Audi parts for them to fit. If so, you should be able to get a good discount on parts at Skoda Parts Shop. 

If you do decide to go to an independent and you get a competitive price, ask what make of parts they are going to use - very important. If not genuine VAG then I would only go for Gates as an aftermarket supplier. If the water pump is to be replaced then do not, just do not, use any aftermarket pump in preference to a genuine VAG.

Hope some of this helps.

Good luck.

Gareth.

I wouldn't take as read that the engine is damaged if it's only 3 teeth out. It could well be, but that would need to be checked, by removing and inspecting the old belt, and all associated components and resetting the timing. You can then 'safely' attempt to restart the car on the basis that if any damage had been done, then it isn't going to start, but if not, it probably will. 

Always worth a try.

Goid luck,

Gareth.