cliffcoggin

Gordon. Just to add, even if the wheels were balanced when the tyres were fitted, pot holes and kerb climbing can dislodge the weights. If balancing does not solve the problem we need to investigate elsewhere. Although I had a 2 litre diesel A3 2007 until three years ago I don't really remember what the fuel consumption was. I recall it was typical for its type and not unduly thirsty, but beyond that I do not know. In any case a car's consumption always depends on how it is driven and on what roads.

Gordon. The most likely cause is the wheels being unbalanced. Get this checked at a tyre shop before looking for other causes.

Why?

I imagine it is the same bonnet as the hybrid, but without the insulation. It's cheaper to make one bonnet that fits both models than it is to make two different ones.

This bizarre tale is becoming more and more convoluted and confusing, so shall we start again? How about you tell us what the symptoms of the problem are, rather than making false assumptions about the clutch and the need for a donor car. We can then perhaps home in on where the fault is located, and where to spend money wisely. And please, no more pictures of shiney bits of metal. They add nothing to the narrative.

I had a couple of Ohme Home Pro units for a while, but the IP rating did not concern me as I had them fitted inside a garage. I had to get them removed under guarantee for a couple of reasons. Firstly they rely on a mobile phone signal for scheduled charging, a signal that was too weak inside the garage with the door closed for them to work reliably. The second reason was my particular car model that I belatedly found was notorious for going to sleep and ignoring any wake up calls. That's why I have reverted to a portable dumb charge unit, albeit one with a built in delay timer so that I can use cheap overnight electricity.

Paul. It all hinges on the rating of your charge unit which you have not mentioned. That is what controls the power delivery. There should be label on it that tells you what the rating is. If it is rated for only 3 kW, then 3kW is all that can be extracted from it no matter what other equipment you install. If that charge unit is capable of delivering 7kW, then yes you could get 7kW charging if you also get an electrician to install a suitably rated cable from the fuseboard to to the outside wall, and install a suitably rated MCB in the fuseboard. However it does not end there. I have only a limited knowledge of electrical regulations so you will almost certainly find that a variety of earth and neutral leakage detectors and other equipment are required. The long and the short of the matter is that you need to consult an electrician in order to achieve 7 kW charging.

Paul. As you know, IP55 is inadequate for full weather protection, IP65 would be necessary for that. However a simple canopy over the unit that keeps the rain off yet allows good ventilation should be enough. My main concern is your expectation of drawing 7kW of power from ordinary domestic wiring. That is far too much and would trip the breaker instantly. The maximum load a normal 2.5 mm ring main can supply is 3kW, and even that is only sustainable for a short time. 3kW continuously for several hours may well overheat the wiring unless it is in top notch condition. There have been many instances of such loads melting the plug and coming close to igniting. Having said that, your charge unit likely is only rated for 3kW anyway so there is no chance of getting more out of it, however I would still be concerned about the heat generation. I have my own charge unit turned down to 10 Amps (2.3 kW) specifically to avoid this problem. Consequently my plug is warm but not hot after 8 hours charging. As an extra precaution I have a temperature indicting sticker on it that will show if it ever reaches 80 degrees.

It sounds like a worn bearing. Slacken the belt and feel for loose bearings on the alternator, idler pulley, and everything else the belt comes into contact with.

I do hope not. Such agreements violate the old principle of " justice should not only be done, it should be seen to be done".

Shelley. Now that the matter has been settled please let us know the identity of the dealer who caused so much grief.

In the absence of a service history everything becomes suspect, from battery to ECU to damaged wiring. I suggest you get it tested professionally, because we could be here for weeks trying to locate the problem with endless questions before coming up with a solution.

O dear indeed. Welding a spline bit into the socket head is the only option I can think of, short of mounting the car onto a giant milling machine and cutting the bolt out with a carbide tool. The high temperature involved in welding may help break the thread loose.

Thank you Mario. Can I assume from the little you have told us about the car that you have only recently bought it, and do not have the full service history in writing? Regards, Cliff.

We like to believe we are corresponding with real people, and real people have real names. So please amend your forum name with something plausible, and then tell us more about the condition of the car. Mileage, service history, fuel, engine size help to identify possible causes of the faults you have.

I sympathise, but solving that problem is beyond the scope of this forum. Just kidding.

Great minds think almost alike Gareth. I was about to suggest putting the kids in the boot: no mess, no noise, no cost.

If you have proved to yourself that the pump is not making pressure, your only choices are to renew it or repair it. I don't know if the pump is gear or piston or some other type, but why can it not be worn to the point of not sealing the moving parts?

That may well be so, but rarity does not equate to expensive. It still needs somebody who wants that particular model of 18 year old car, and I imagine such buyers are thin on the ground. I suggest you look at the likes of Autotrader etc. Be prepared for the shock of discovering how little your car is valued at on the open market.

Even official advice varies on when to change the belt. I suggest you change it in the very near future, or preferably yesterday? It's an expensive job but the consequences of belt failure will leave you little change from a small fortune.

It goes against the grain to say, but it's probably best to quit while you are ahead. You may well be entitled to some compensation but can you tolerate another three months of argument and stress etc. Bear in mind that you would still have spent out on insurance and tax and fuel if the car had been fine so you can not reasonably claim for those items. That leaves just the £275 roof bars. Sometimes we have to sacrifice principles for pragmatism.

I must be missing something here. You fitted a new throttle body to solve a clutch problem?

Good point Gareth. A new cap should not cost the earth.

Looks like another one for the blacklist.

My wife's Yeti does that so I daresay all modern VAG cars with DSGs do so as well. The car detects when road speed is increasing despite the application of brakes, so it shifts down a few gears to add engine braking. The additional retarding effect is small and the sound of the engine forced into running at up to 4000 rpm irritates me, but it isn't my car so I say nothing. There may be a switch that disables this function, look in the handbook.