Magnet

Well Chris, all I can wish you is good luck and a trust in the opinion that the rear is currently riding high and your wallet dieting will sort it out. As you know, I believe the rear ride height is as you would expect it, but as you will appreciate, all opinions on here are given without an opportunity to to actually assess the vehicle in question. Logically, I cannot see why replacing springs at the rear where the rear height is within expectations, is going to raise the front height - which is currently riding low! It's your money Chris, and obviously your call, but if it were me, and I wanted to throw money at this, then I would be first replacing the front springs with ones purchased from Audi, but as I keep repeating (sorry to bore) I would most certainly be attempting to talk with the previous keeper first to gain any prior knowledge of the history of this thing before even opening my wallet. Good luck. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Jay. I didn't make my reply clear, but it was meant to be addressed to Dan. Any response Dan? Kind regards, Gareth.

As a matter of interest and understanding, could this not- quoting for cover be anything to do with NI perhaps? Kind regards, Gareth.

Very interesting Steve. I have here (somewhere!?) a 1928 supplement from a daily newspaper which predicts that by the year 2000 we would all be flying around in mini helicopters rather than cars. One guessed that close proximity control systems would be in place - as they now are with adaptive cruise control etc. As I see it, we spent billions of pounds on roadway structures and maintenance, so we can wear out our tyres in record time, yet we have virtually unlimited air space which does not cost us anything! Daft isn't it?

MAGIC Trevor. Spot on. The initial president of the AA back in 1905?? (or there abouts) was a keen sportsman, and attempted to "tidy up" boxing from its previous bare knuckle affair. He dedicated a still-contested boxing belt to this sport. Now parts 2 of question:- What is the name of the belt? What is the connection with the AA's livery yellow colour and this first president? By what I understand the choice of yellow had nothing to do with standing out/visibility as we now associate the colour being good for. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nathan, As with all intermittent electrical problems, the first post of call should alway be eliminating poor battery performance, and indeed ensuring the alternator is giving sufficient output. I would take it for at least a 10 mile run and get the battery efficiency checked by say Halfords. Buying replacement batteries at Halfords? Would need to leave that for you to check. Flickering xenons? Might be worth checking all light associated earths. In fact, I would be tending to check the main earth onto the engine/chassis to make sure it is serviceable. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Carl, Others with more specific model information will no doubt advise you, but cambelts are normally recommend to be changed at mileage intervals or a certain number of years- whichever comes first. My feeling would be that it would now be advisable to change the belt on this 6 year old vehicle despite its low mileage. 5 year intervals come to mind. I take it you will not be buying the car from a main dealer (too old?). Independent car sales can sometimes arrange to get this done for you, but to me this is one if the most critical applications on a car, and it's important that good quality parts - main dealer - are used, rather than aftermarket. Who are you buying it from as a matter if interest? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, A couple of points:- is this 2015 car still within its 36 months warranty? Was the clutch first replaced less than 12 months ago? Hope you are not fitting the bill! Kind regard, Gareth.

Now just have to think about sport sports, not vehicle sports. Dont fail to get this one Steve. I'll give you another clue tomorrow if you don't get it from the earlier clue! Well, have another one today - don't think team sports. Good luck, Gareth

Hello Jay, Peter Best? - believe they may only have a sub 20 year concession for MGs. Could also try:- Lancaster, Haggerty, Carole Nash, Heritage, Gotte & Wynne, RH; etc. Also, any insurers linked to this forum? Some 'everyday' car insurers will also consider doing an additional 'classic' vehicle as an add on you your policy, particular if you have owner-driver (just policy holder covered) on the basis that you can only drive one car at a time! Only other suggestion is to try the performance VW websites and forums and magazines, since some of these cars may come under the sub 20year old category. Good luck with it, and thanks for being able to update this forum - always useful. Kind regards, Gareth.

Got the gist of the clue Steve, but nothing to do with vehicles.

Hello Jay, I sympathise with your plight of not being able to insure a 15 year old occasional-use car under a classic cover. I too have found that most of the volume classic car brokers will not insure vehicles under 20 years old, and it seems they can be selective on what they will cover at 20 anyway! My long standing broker recently refused to insure a 15 year old MG TF for me, but I did find Peter Best would insure it as part of a deal with the MG clubs. As you are aware, classic policies do not require, or earn a NCB, and I can only suggest you try all the brokers you can think of to see if any might do you a limited mileage agreed value policy on the car. Adrian Flux comes to mind as worth a try. There will be others. Re. your previously earned NCB, again you are no doubt aware that if this is not used against a policy for two years then it elapses. Insurers used to give so called introductory discounts for such cases, and say for ex company car drivers, but not so any longer I believe. Your car may just come under the heading of a Modern Classic, and there is a magazine published with that title. Could be worth getting a copy and checking with the insurance companies who advertise with them. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Alal, but if you see my second paragraph you will see I couldn't even begin! to haggle with the AA. Savvy - yes, had many years at that! I've now realised that Southampton Graham's Autoaid is no longer the pay and reclaim organisation I thought it was, so this seems to be an unbeatable deal. Kind regards, Gareth.

Like the pic. Steve. Good attempt, but nothing to do with motorsport, where contact is not what you want! - good clue.

Hello folks, Another not-for-Googling question:- The origins of the AA were linked to a sport. What was the sport and what was the connection? Clues:- Nothing to do with sponsorship as we know it. The AA's livery colour might be another clue. Will leave this run until the end of the week. Good luck, Gareth.

Hello Lyndon, If you are buying a vehicle around 1year old, then yes, the majority are going to be available at the main dealer, and personally I would suggest extreme caution on buying one of these from anywhere else. If one is available elsewhere, you would need to ask yourself why an owner would suffer the initial depreciation and move away from the marque - smacks of dissatisfaction. Vehicles available at main dealers:- may well be ex VAG management cars returned before a year old or X miles, some models be ex hire vehicles ( beware since these are seldom registered to company names which point to this). As always, I recommend - at boredom- to always check with the recorded keeper before purchasing. HPI will be not be necessary if you by at a main dealer, but such checks do not guarantee the vehicle has not been accident damaged - just not to the extent of being a total loss, which would show up on HPI. Discounts:- I'm with Steve on this, since dealers enjoy a healthy commission on encouraging buyers to take up finance. Cash is certainly no longer king. Seasonal variations? Not so sure about this, and others may have alternative experience, but based on few of these vehicles being purchased expressly to deal with their designed capabilities, I doubt if delaying purchase is going to make a significant difference. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Hazard flasher button:- Have you checked if this is still illuminated after about 5mins? Hopefully not. I would still check for contact resistance across the fuse which feeds the blower. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, As I understand it, you have a fuse failing to complete the circuit rather than a fuse which blows (pointing to a short circuit). In effect, you have an open circuit situation. These are often head scratching situations! What I would do:- Remove the fuse from its position in the fuse board and examine it. Does it have any white corrosion on it? Even if it doesn't, replace it with a new fuse of the same rating - 10 or 15 amps. I guess- but give it a squirt of WD 40 or similar before inserting it and then give itba good waggling once in place. If you then have power to the circuit great. If not, let us know. Even when the circuit is complete fed, blowers often suffer from blown resistors on positions 1&2 - the most common used. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adrian, Sorry to hear of your issues. I can only boil this down as follows:- Car was serviced at this main dealer some 5 weeks ago, and this service included a 'scheduled' brake fluid change. This fluid change in itself is confusing since my belief is that the schedule is for the brake fluid to be changed every two years - so it would not need changing at 3 year old! - unless they didn't change it last year. Did they change it then? The car was returned to the same dealer to simply have a MOT. As I understand it, the 'consistency' of the brake fluid doesn't currently form part of an MOT assessment, and the brake efficiency is assessed as either being within specification for the vehicle (pass) or not (fail) . It might warrant an advisory for visually 'dirty' fluid, but I believe they are not currently permitted to even test that fluid. In efect, any recommendation to change the fluid (irrespective of them having changed it 5 weeks earlier) should simply be via. a recommendation. So called 'contaminated' oil? Again of no consequence to the passing or failing of the MOT, although it might be suggested that this could aggravate out-of-limits emissions - if the emissions were indeed outside the acceptable limits. As it stands Adrian, are they providing you with a MOT pass or refusal at this stage? Or are they giving you indications that they are going to issue you with a fail if you don't get the oil changed etc? If it were mine:- I would simply request a MOT pass or fail certificate without further debate. It is reasonable to consider that they are trying to get you to spend money that you have already spent at the service, and something just doesn't add up. I would write to (or e-mail) the dealer principal, outlining your experiences in relation to the service and inform him that if this is not amicably and economically resolved, that you will be taking legal action, and ask whether he would prefer to elect for a charge of incompetence or fraud! Finally, I would find yourself a trusty independent and entrust your car to them in the future - but get them to change the oil and filter now. Hope you have a favourable outcome. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mike, "Has anyone who got their car recalled had any issues since?" I would strongly advise you to read owners comments under Recalls before going near this one. This one may? be OK but could be part of a reason why its ended up "out of the way?' over your side of the water. If it were me :- I would read all the posts, and then contact the previous owner to check with them what their experiences were with this car at the point they sold it. Sorry if this is an off put, but personally I wouldn't touch it without covering both of those points and being satisfied that it all stacks up. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello folks, One correct and some tantalisingly close answers. Boot:- Back to the pioneering days of motoring where additional boots may have been necessary to deal with adverse conditions along the journey. Stored in a box, and this box became known as the Boot. Never been substantiated that I know of but...... So full marks Steve. Go Faster Stripes:- Yes, it was to do with colour, and yes, it was connected with racing, and the good clue was how cars were constructed then and now. Up to I would say the early 1920s, the chassis (frame for the younger element!!) was visible and the body work was built up on this (most cars continued this method of construction until the late 1940s). Cars used for racing generally had lightweight non streamlined bodies and the chassis was painted in the manufacturer's chosen colour, and of course the chassis and its colour was visible. As bodies became more streamlined, they covered the chassis, so the racing (chassis) colour had to be replicated along the length of the body to identify the manufacturer from a distance. So there you had it - the birth of the "go faster" stripes. Now that will earn you a pint from anyone who drives a current car with these stripes! Beer barrel and traffic control:- The clue was in the shape of the barrel - round - add about and you've got the answer. Many towns and villages claim to be the first to use a barrel at a crossroads to better control vehicles turning in varying directions. Generally reputed to have been used where there was an inn at the crossroads, and a barrel was put to good use where there was a high number of accidents at this crossroad. Again never substantiated, but the village next to where I was born claimed to be the first to use a barrel for this purpose, but I've heard quite a few others making similar claim! Will probably pose another question next week if you think it will provide some exchange between members. There's a pint for you Steve if you are ever passing through - and a half for Paul and Trevor. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Trevor, Temptingly close. Yes, they were there to aid indentification, but why stripes? I'll let you have the answers tomorrow at the end of school! Thanks for all the attempts. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Just measured our 2006 A3 5 door at approx. 375mm. front and back. Approx. due to not being guaranteed level, but close enough for comparison. So yours is 35mm (1.5in) too low at the front, and effectively correct at the rear ( slightly high due to front being too low). I would ignore any possibility of the back being at fault - your problems are front associated - and indeed visually shows this. Not sure about your table of figures, since I don't know (but guess) if they are talking spring lengths rather than wheel centre to arch measurements. Back to my original question:- Where did you source your parts from - main dealer or aftermarket? Perhaps being simplistic, but this could be as simple as incorrect length springs being supplied, and the only way you are going to assess this is to find out who the spring supplier was (if aftermarket) and contact their technical department to see if there was an alternative length for this model. If purchased from VAG then same applies via. part numbers and alternatives. Be interested to know how you get on. Personally, I would not ignore the potential benefits of contacting the previous owner ( since you say it was like this when you bought it) to see if there is any valuable information available there. Good luck Chris. Keep us posted. Kind regards, Gareth.

Stripes - Well Steve, if you follow Paul's idea about racing then you will be on the right track - pardon the pun. A clue would be that this goes back to around the 1920s (no I wasn't about then!) Think about how cars are built now and how they were built then. Very good clue there. Barrel - well off the mark folks. Like everything, if you know the answer then it's simple, and I'm simple and I know the answer! I'll give you a good clue, think about what shape the barrel is. It's all useless information, but might be worth a pint in a quiz sometime. Shall I leave this run for a couple of days incase anyone else wants to join in? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Many thanks for the additional detail. What I can do tomorrow is the measure our 2006 5 door A3 whenI can get it on level ground and let you know what that comes out at. To me, it seems as if the front is decidedly low, rather than the back being too high. Has the work you have done increased the front height at all from what it was? Wishbones being modified to lower the ride height? Could be I suppose, but would have thought the back would have had some lowering modifications as well. Like the drawing, but wonder if it might just be thought of as breeching the forum etiquette! One point that comes to mind Chris is whether the top suspension mountings are as intact as they should be, resulting in the legs moving up in the mounts. If they are OK, it's easy to question if the new springs are the correct for the model and year, and indeed if the old ones were too. Re previous ownership - was it low at the front when you bought it? If so would it be worthwhile contacting the previous owner to see if he knows if any modifications were carried out on the ride height? Will be back to you tomorrow with some measurements. Kind regards, Gareth.