Magnet

Hello Billy, Sorry to hear you are in difficulties with the car. Can we take it the clutch doesn’t slip? i.e. the revs. do not increase before the car gains speed. Difficult to diagnose at a distance, but could be anything within the clutch, from the flywheel (probably a dual mass unit), to the clutch plate friction material starting to break up, to an issue with the clutch release bearing. What mileage has this covered Billy, and do you have service history for this 4 year old car? Sorry to bring potentially bad news, but if this is indeed clutch associated, then it’s a gearbox out job to investigate. If it turns out the clutch (and possibly/probably) the flywheel did need to be replaced, then you will find Audi parts will be expensive, and you might be wise to consider good quality aftermarket parts. Please come back to us if so, for advice on what brand of parts to use. Is ‘the garage’ going to be an Audi dealer, an independent, or a trusted local garage? Incidentally, did you buy the car from a dealer? Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stewart, Perhaps being over cautious, but if it were mine, I would be getting a second independent diagnostic check on this before investing funds in replacing the ABS unit. You don’t say what warning lights are showing, but some of the lights can warn of fairly simple issues such as dirty/damaged wheel sensors, which are comparatively cheap to replace. Having said all of that, some earlier Audi models did suffer from premature issues with the ABS unit, and VAG were then supplying what is simply described as a part unit, containing the valve assemblies as I recall. On the simple things first principle:- When was the brake fluid last changed? Sometimes a good flush through of fresh fluid can help. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Phil, With all these electrical issues associated with the boot area, my first port of call would be examine the harness in the flexible section that runs from the body into the tailgate. This tends to get a hammering due to regular opening and closing of the boot, which leads to some of the cables actually snapping. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. If you suspect you have earth issues then just run a temporary lead from a good earth point in the luggage compartment to a similar good earthing point on the tailgate.

Hello Jonny, Thanks for coming back on this. Chain and belt? You could be right, but why both. - unless the belt is something to do with a VVC arrangement, otherwise that’s a new one on me. Sorry, but I cannot download your sound. Hydraulic tappets? In my book, these are generally noisy on first start up, and either the noise clears or it stays. Again new one on me for it to start when hot, but whoever has told you that may have different experience. If this car is fitted with a belt, and you do not have any evidence to suggest it has been changed in 12 years, then you have been on borrowed time for some time - particularly since the car has been telling you it’s got a head ache for 8k miles! Great that it’s booked in. Personally I be giving it a rest in a dark room until it sees the doctor. Thanks for offering to let us know what happens. It will be interesting to know what it is - more so now I can’t open your recording. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Lisa, Sorry to hear of your issues. I think you raise a good point, and in my opinion (despite your understandable frustrations) you need to give the dealer a reasonable chance of sorting this out in a reasonable time, and having to keep it for a couple of days would seem reasonable enough. Looking ahead. Can they sort it to your satisfaction? If so, everything is fine, if not, then is the time to consider rejecting the car. If it were mine, I would be keeping the dealer on my side, and allowing them whatever reasonable time they need to correct the issue (providing they give you a comparable courtesy car) and I would not be antagonising the situation by any mention of rejecting it - at this stage. A reasonable attitude with such things from the beginning is always best policy in my book. If it cannot be sorted reasonably within say a couple of weeks then indeed you might like to follow the line of formally rejecting the vehicle, but personally I would be using the time to seek professional advice on how you best go around that procedure. Citizens Advice should be able to help. Keeping it on a positive note, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Lesley, Sorry to hear of your problem. Are you actually saying you would prefer/be happier with the old run out model with the extras you want, rather than the new model which doesn’t have some of the said extras? If so, would you consider a possible middle ground by buying a virtually new old model? Surely the dealer would be able to source something along those lines. Deposit? Salesmen will take an order for whatever you specify, if it is available as an option at the time of ordering - a secured deal is a deal! Re. getting your deposit back:- as I see it, although deposits are essentially non refundable, in your case, they cannot supply what you ordered, so I believe they are legally obliged to refund your deposit. Citizens Advice should help you in this respect, but I would suggest simply visiting them and not leaving without a cheque or proof of a bank transfer. Could I ask Lesley, what do you now intend to do now that you know you can’t purchase a new example of the old model with the car with the coolant extras you want? Not sure if any of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jonny, Sorry to hear of your concerns, but I think you are right in being concerned when you hear any untoward new noises. I’m sure you will appreciate that it’s always difficult to comment on noises unheard, and all I can say is that if this were me in your situation, I would be booking the car in to your trusted local garage without delay, and getting their on the spot diagnosis. Not that this is going to help, but usually, noises are generally more apparent when the engine (and the oil) is cold. Are you sure this 1.6 is running on a timing chain rather than a belt? If so - a complete guess out of the blue for the about reasons - possibly a chain tensioner, but that’s no more than a guess. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on if no one else on here has experienced the same noise and had it diagnosed. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello J, Please do not get the impression that this forum doesn’t want to offer reasonable advice, but I would defend anyone’s opinion that it is virtually impossible to precisely value a specific c£15K car to within a +/- £500. In my experience, cars are seldom bought absolutely on price, and there will be situations where where a potential buyer would not be interested in a specifically spec’d example - if they were to ‘give it away’ so to speak. Alternatively, there will be vehicles which would entice a buyer to ‘pay over the odds’. Anyway, you seem well equipped - in terms of figures- to enter into price negotiations on a specific vehicle of interest, and all I can suggest is that you do that at the time you actually find the car you simply want to own. The negotiations will depend on the way you intend to finance this purchase, and that has more influence over minor price reductions than might be thought. Cash is no longer king, but finance (with salesman’s commission) is. Only you will discover what will be an acceptable ‘discount’ when you are sealing the deal, and that discount will vary from example to example, and indeed other factors for the same example at another time - e.g. how long it’s been on stock etc. Good luck with your intended purchase J, but it might be worth remembering the saying that quality remains long after the price has been forgotten. Also, there’s far more to be concerned about with the purchase of a secondhand vehicle that the absolute price itself. Good luck in concluding a good deal. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Jon, Now we need to do some maths relating to larger diameter wheels and lower profiles - thanks for that! I will get back to you. Wider tyres and not fouling anything? Sorry cannot help on that. I guess you are aware that you are going to lose some ride comfort in moving to a lower profile tyre. Are you happy to compromise that for some fancier looking wheels? I guess yes. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Rhys, OK - whatever. Back to where we came in - perhaps better described:- (1) Ask someone to follow you and observe any smoke when you accelerate from say 50mph. (2) Let the car idle for at least a couple of minutes, then get your observer to assess any smoke when you rev the engine to no more than 2500 rpm. (3). Hold revs. at a steady 2000 rpm for at least 2 minutes and again observe any smoke. All the above should be carried out following a run of at least 5 miles (10 if possible) to ensure the oil is up to operating temperature. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello J, Not sure how you can assume anything about anything you don’t know. It just seems strange to me that you are seriously contemplating spending a considerable amount of money to buy this car - effectively sight unseen - and are concerned about a very small % of that outlay as a reduction. Sorry J, it’s possibly me, but in excess of £14,000 to buy something which you have only seen a photo of and a very brief description, seems a bit of a gamble too far. Well for me anyway. Other may have different views. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gary, We take it you have examined the brake pad thicknesss on all all wheels. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jon, What profile are you intending to fit instead of the current 55? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello J, Have you actually viewed the car and all it’s documentation, and are satisfied with its service history, number of owners, accident damage checks etc. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Rhys, Sorry about more questions, but does the car use any coolant? You don’t mention whether you inherited the car with this high oil consumption, or if has developed it during your ...? ...time of ownership. ’........bouncing it on and off the rev. limiter...’! Not surprised it’s burning oil Rhys. That is what we used to call .. revving the guts out of it! I think you will find a steady 2000 rpm is about right for most exhaust smoke testing. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Rhys, As a matter of interest, what engine does your car have? Does it exhibit any blue smoke under acceleration, or if left to idle for a few minutes and then revved? 300miles to the litre is about 120 miles to the pint in my old English. Yes, excessive in anyone’s book, and expensive too. Did you inherit the car with this issue, or is it something which has occurred during your ownership? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Bob, Sorry to hear you are dissatisfied with the car. Are you going to formally reject it? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello, Would suggest advertising it in Modern Classics or similar publications. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Simon, Without wishing to appear patronising, I think you are very wise to question when the belt should be changed, and particularly what parts to use. Owners sometimes fall into the trap of simply looking for parts as cheaply as possible for this most critical application. 100% peace of mind? Use genuine VAG parts but be careful about buying on line where belts may be aged stock and you could be buying a belt already older than it’s time limit change! If you are not using VAG parts then the only aftermarket kit I would buy would be Gates - no exceptions in my book. They are a volume supplier to many motor manufacturers. But, and a big and most important but, I would not use their kit which includes the water pump. Water pump? Yes change it, but I would never (in caps) use any aftermarket pump - only a main dealer one. No exceptions. You will probably have to pay a surcharge until you return the old unit, but as I understand it, the logic is that it removes old pumps from the substandard reconditioning chain. ECP? Any particular reason why? Seldom the cheapest even with their discount codes. There are many others, but again beware of aged stock. Hope some of this helps, Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Louise, Sorry, cannot open the link at present, but is the starter spinning the engine over enthusiastically? I would guess so, but.. Hot starting issues should be easier to diagnose than cold starting, but the offending component could be one of many, so I would certainly not be jumping to action any suggested possibilities. If it were mine ( and apologies to those who have to continue to read this) I would be seeking out a trusted local diesel specialist - not Audi independents- and entrusting the diagnosis to them. Local taxi drivers are a good source of who to take it to and who to avoid. The taxi boys depend on diesels, so they should know their way around specialists. Clutch, starter motor etc. renewed? Surely, not in an attempt to sort the problem? One last point. When the car does eventually, do you have any excessive exhaust smoke, and if so, what colour? Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Karl. Perhaps you could keep the forum updated on how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Karl, It is possible to have the moisture content of the brake fluid checked quite easily, but in my experience it has to be on the high side of high to cause your problem. Still well worth checking/ renewing the fluid. Personally, I’ve found standard Audi brakes more than adequate, and the reason for asking what pads you were using stems from fitting aftermarket ones to our A3 and finding then inadequate. Returning to Audi pads proved everything was fine. In my experience Brembo should be amongst the best after market pads to suit normal driving requirements. How can I put this Karl? Decided I cannot be as diplomatic as may be required, but brake fluid moisture being within spec. what you are experiencing is the result of braking too late (from too high a speed?) and in quick succession. Speed, and particularly braking should be equally matched to road conditions and both treated with an ‘anticipating’ driving skill. Let’s hope it’s you fluid is the culprit here! If it proves to be OK and you would prefer not to drive with anticipation in mind, and to leave on a positive note, have you had a look at the products of EBC? Kind regards, Gareth:

Hello Mark, Simple things first:- Have you had the battery efficiency checked? So much depends on its efficiency these days, and warning lights etc. can do strange things when the battery becomes below par. Stop/start technology monitors the battery condition and is often the first thing to play up. Could you let us know if the battery has been checked - particularly for its cold cranking efficiency. Incidentally, our daughter’s 3.5 year old non Audi has been found to be below par in this context, and (would you believe??) it’s been stated that the battery age is being monitored and the s/s will fail on s simple battery âge situation. True?? - but an interesting concept: Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Karl, In the absence of any other replies, I wonder if any of the following may be of a little help:- I take it you have had the brake fluid renewed recently to ensure it’s moisture content is acceptable since the fluid absorbs water over time and can increase the possibility of brake fade in the event of rapid and severe braking being applied. Again, I take it you have examined the currently fitted pads to establish whether they are of reputable manufacture. Could you confirm that your brake fade is being experienced on-track rather than on the road. If on the road, then indeed it is worrying, and something needs to be attended to. Perhaps you could let us know, so some recommendations can be made. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello, If the handbook recommends 5w30 then personally I would not see any reason to use any other grade. Using 40 would in no way aid better fuel economy. Brand? I have always used Quantum oils in our petrol Audi - reputed to be manufactured by Castrol. I use their Longlife 3 even though I change it annually. This brand was/is recommended by Audi, and you will find it mail order on the famous auction site. Kind regards, Gareth.