Magnet

Hello Rob, Thanks for coming back. Yes, 3 hrs away sounds simply impractical to benefit from any warranty. Its unlikely that you will find any over 5 year old model for sale at a main dealer. Air suspension? The main problem area is generally the compressor (at least with non-Audi’s) and is seldom difficult to sort out. I’m probably suggesting keeping an open mind and doing some homework, rather than being too frightened - full stop. Good luck with whatever you decide to buy, but my (old fashioned) approach is to attempt to spend your money in your locality, and only part with your hard-earned to nice people. Kind regards, Gareth.

But surely, good diagnostic equipment will detect which is the offending wheel, and save you removing all (in caps) the sensors - with a high risk of breakage.

I think Nigel makes a good point, particularly since manufactures seldom suggest service intervals for this, and leasing companies (I guess it was originally a lease car) being leasing companies, are averse to spending on any non scheduled maintenance. A couple of general questions/ suggestions:- High mileage is fine in my book too, but what do you know about the history of ownership of this car? Ex lease (direct) are generally OK (except expect to find a mix of tyres on the tyre) - they just don’t care about such things, but 5 years on lease sounds unlikely, unless it has also been used as a pool car via lease extension. To me, it’s history (as seen rather than what you are told) would be all important to me. Are you buying this within reasonable distance of your home? If not, then in practical terms you can generally kiss good bye to the practicalities of the seller arranging any warranty work. Kind regards, Gareth.

Even more strange now that the poster has not reacted or returned to the forum since joining under this name!

All wheels Kev? Very often, ABS rings as such are not used. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dan, Many thanks for being in touch. A week or so ago, I would have suggested that the simple resolution would be to take a trip to you local/supplying? dealer, and get them to set it up for you. Quickest option now to due your lockdown:- you might have to attempt to do this via. someone at the main dealer talking you through the point from which you cannot proceed. Kind regards, Gareth.

So, OK Graham. Which wheel/s has your diagnostic equipment identified as being the offender/s in the last - as opposed to having the capability of masking the fault by extinguishing the warning light? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve C, Not sure about the set up on the front, but the rear (ABS) is often signalled by a weak magnet built into the hub, and it is this rather than the sensor itself which can be at fault. Similar set up with speed sensor? Kind regards, Gareth.

Strange, I think we have had a recent poster with a similar, but not same, recently. Wonder why you haven’t taken the trouble to fill in anything on your profile. As I say, strange.

Hello Kevin, You will certainly need a hair dryer to remove the old plate, and judging by Derek’s experience -to remove the tape remnants. You will usually find that the plates are stuck on by 3 strips of pads, and as I said, you can attempt to remove as much of the old pads as possible, but with the potential to damaging paintwork. I tend to leave the old sticky pads where they are, since they tend to retain some of their adhesion, and I cannot really see much advantage in removing all of that. Again as said, I simply stick the new pads alongside the old and all is well, without extra effort, no damage and no great downside. Its probably worth getting your new pads from the plate suppliers to ensure they are the correct external useable type. Worth cleaning the body area where the pad goes with meths - also the corresponding section of the plate. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Graham, It could depend on the professional level of your diagnostic equipment. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Kevin, Thanks for being in touch. I take it you want to renew the current number plate, rather than take it off and put it back on again. No screws = stuck on, and they do stick well! To get them off entails the use of a hair dryer and carefully pulling (not levering). Getting the remnants of the patches off? Take it as not worth the effort - just reposition the new patches so they don’t overlap the old. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Neil, Come on Neil - catch up! Percy Verance’s contact details are @ perseverance! Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Mike. It’s always been Bosch Aerotwins for me. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Thanks for being in touch. I just wonder exactly what is actually wrong/unserviceable about your engine, which now leaves you considering an engine transplant. I’m sure you will of course appreciate that the cost and work involved would obviously exceed the value of the car, and the cost is likely to go a long way to buying a replacement oven-ready car which may better suit your needs. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sounds like it’s game-on in the battle against Audi then Neil ! Since Audi has sold you wheel insurance (with a nice commission) then you have a zero cost (Audi) route to rectifying the problem. To many/most? that would be the all important and minimum hassle consideration, and it would be job done. Of course, if it’s important to spank Audi’s bum, (but with the same visual end result as far as your wheels are concerned), then that is a totally different consideration, and it is indeed ‘let battle commence’. Percy’s contact details? Of course, just let me know - he’s a good chap to have on your side. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Neil, Well, it has to be said that yes, you are indeed a text book car cleaner! Way forward? If you are determined to peruse this with VAG on a warranty basis - and why not?- then I think you are going to need the assistance of my good friend Percy Verance, but if that is your quest, then again why not. The final resolution may be via. the Small Claims Court, backed by reports and court visits from your expert friends, and my guess is that VAG may back down at that stage, take the car off you for a couple of days, and get the offending wheels refinished. It probably boils down to the the worth of the hassle factor vs. the potential gain, and only you can decide if the battle is worth fighting - compared with getting your friends (or their contacts) to do a paint rectification job for you at preferential rates. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Graham, Many thanks for being in touch. Although I am not a fan of putting my dependence on plug in diagnostics, then you might have to resort to this in this case. This should diagnose which is the offending wheel, and you might find it’s an ABS sensor or an inferior signal to the sensor - from the hub. Of course this would be a guess (not what I like doing!) Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mike, I guess you are looking at aftermarket on line factors - nothing wrong with that, but sometimes these sites can be wrong. Having said that, the previous owner may have taken notice of another website and bought one which was shorter than should be! If the sites are recommending 26in rather than your current 24in, then you could try taping small 1 inch protruding pieces of cardboard to your existing wiper blades to test if they can be accommodated without issue. This can be considered a trial pending someone coming along on here to help you out with what theirs are. In terms of makes of replacement blades, if not using genuine VAG, then the only ones I would use would be Bosch Aerotwin. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks for the additional helpful detail Neil. I guess your answer points to the car having always been cleaned by yourself, and never by commercial vehicle cleaners - correct? The only other questions I can ask is:- is the car washed by the old fashioned bucket and hose method, or is it sometimes supplemented by the use of pressure washers? And - do you use alloy wheel cleaner as part of your cleaning regime. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Marcia, Have you tried on-line car breakers link sites such as Partsfinder ( there are more) where you post your ‘want’, and breakers who have what you want, make direct contact with you? Kind regards, Gareth.

Right then Mo - Many thanks for the short reply. ‘Fuses good...’ Does that equal you have removed/wiggled the fuse to check it? If so, this act may well have re-established good contacts. If this were mine, then I would be buying some contact cleaner and giving the fuse box a good spray followed by wiggling each fuse to ensure there are good contacts. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Neil, Many thanks for being in touch and sharing your experiences. Could I ask:- Have you owned the car from new, and how is it cleaned? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mo, You just filled up my computer memory with all this detail! With respect to your heading of ‘Wipers not working’. Daft question, but was the bonnet properly shut? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Danny, Many thanks for getting in touch. The poster Phil, has not returned to the forum since this post at least 18 months ago. Not wishing to judge the legitimacy of any arrangement with ‘non -authorised’ adverts for services on this or any other forum ( sure Incarexpert will understand) but it’s probably wise to proceed with caution with any arrangements you make with such contacts. Kind regards, Gareth.