Envy

Not a problem Paul, 

I went for the Montblanc ones but only because a friend sold his A6 and brought an A7.

The roof rail system on the A6 Avant has loads of options but I would not shell out for the Audi ones when there are cheaper ones out there that are as secure. I would recommend locking feet though. If aero style bars are affordable I am certain these will reduce wind noise and drag but these can be a tad more expensive. 

It is so nice not having to be so precise when loading up for a camping trip but be mindful of the loaded weight of the car. you may exceed full up weight limits that are not normally a problem but in the event of an incident may be questioned by authorities.https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/overloading-your-car

Hi Paul, 

I was a bit lucky when I bought mine 2 years ago as used a family discount card at halfords to by discounted vouchers which then qualified for additional discount in store. I recall it being around £219 (299£ online at the moment. I waited an age to try and get a decent 2nd hand one on eBay but they hold their value well. The box is not that heavy but its size makes it a 2 person job to lift into place without risk to car paint and box finishes. I only have it on the car when I need it - Wind noise is not bad but is noticeable and mpg will be lowered when the box is on the car. 

I store mine in the shed and wrap it in an old duvet cover when not in use. 

https://www.halfords.com/camping-leisure/roof-bars-roof-boxes/roof-boxes/exodus-470l-black-roof-box

Lots of options out there - I went for the 480 Litre Halfords option and purchased some second hand roof bars. Fairly low wind noise at motorway speeds and lots of room. I advise putting the lighter options up top to keep car centre of gravity lower and the only bind is reaching the far side fixings that are turn and lock but a bit of a stretch. 

Otherwise a must if you go camping and don't want a trailer and the speed limitations they bring. 

many of this type of fault relates back to how the loom enters the door from the body of the car. repetitive opening and closing over near 19 years may have caused a breakdown in the loom. 

The hard part will be identifying the errant wire (if any) and repairing it. The interior light flashing could be a symptom of this loom breakdown. 

Injector out Fuel coming from injector? (put in a pop bottle when testing)

Check earthing - earth straps from block to body - common issue on Q7 

Immobilizer circuitry? Appreciate it should not crank but have you experienced a partial fail?

Check all critical loom connections - jump starting is harsh on ECU etc - any faults logged in the system?

With everything that you have said about the history of the regen it sounds to me like a sensor or wire fault. 

AdBlu does not last as long as Audi would leave you to believe but I have found my A6 drinks around 10 litres every 8k miles. 

I buy mine form Amazon - just paid under £13 for 20 litres. Always deals around but this is the best so far. 

Battery drain and slow starter motor speed can be down to earthing straps between engine and body. Check / clean all earthing points on the loom, Also keep an eye on drains from sunroof (If fitted) can cause damp related electrical issues. Lots of tips on here.

Left / right selection arrow buttons by left thumb on steering wheel. 

How much AdBlue did you top up with? there is a minimum quantity (around 5.7 litres) before it will register replenishment. If you say you have filled yours then I would say the sensor that detects the fluid threshold has not seen the adblue pass the limit so the car believes no AdBlue has been topped up. Check the sensor and connector too. 

If it has the Tech Pack it will have the Google Maps installed- you just need a SIM card to put in the MMI console. These MMI units will also have the enhanced driver display. Have to say the SAT NAV view between the clocks is a great feature. 

Looked at the car and must say it has a lot of option boxes ticked including the Bose and advanced MMI 

Worth a test drive of a few to get an idea of the drive but I know you will not be dissapointed.

I will emphasise the FSH though-  

S-Line and Black are Trim Levels 

Ultra is the Engine version of the 2.0 TDi - Lower emissions than standard 2.0 TDi

Not a lot of difference in performance.

S-Line has the lower stiffer performance and the "Black" is the trim aspect.

I have the S-Tronic box and MMI advanced with larger Screen and display between clocks. 

S-Tronic gearbox service cost every 40K miles will up the running costs but the gearbox is sublime and no dual mass flywheel (DMF) to fret about. 

Some say the S-Line is a hard ride but mine on 18" wheels is as smooth as you like. 

Heart over head moment - if you can reach the price of the 3 litre then go for it - running costs similar to 2 litre models but the engine is silky and pulls like a train (especially the high output one) 

Find one that has been loved and cared for with FSH 

Interesting that a Martin Lewis poll for the same topic came out in favour (only just) on Farcebook. 

Might indicate that the majority of those that voted in favour of speed control probably use public transport or drive minimal miles each year.

I do not condone speeding in any way but the perception of speed and an archaic speed limit should not detract away from accidents happening due to poor driving standards and that speed only increases the severity of the accident. Drive in a manner that suits ability and road conditions. Teach drivers that it remains there responsibility to avoid accidents through perception and we should all get around in a safe yet punctual manner. 

I am thinking the same way as you Gareth. Having scoped out a few quotes including Warranty Direct who I have used in the past the Audi Scheme seems best value for money considering the milage I do +15K / annum but to keep it affordable the excess would need to be pushed up. My main concern is more for the high cost repairs that could arise such as Turbo and Gearbox so a comprehensive policy is a nice to have but at an expense. 

With all Warranty policies there will be the quibble and wriggling and I would hope opting for the Audi one would remove that element. at ~£40/ Month could putting £480 / year away cover any unfortunate failure. It would go some way to covering the cost. 

So Car is 3 at the end of the Month so time to consider Warranty options. Audi have conveniently reminded me that it i an option to extent the original  but does anyone out there in cyber land have any experience of warranty post New car warranties? Thanks muchly. 

Warning should come up on the dash - although 2011 is early for AdBlu to be a feature. 

https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-adblue-and-does-your-diesel-car-need-it/n16545

The DMF could have gone prematurely - whilst in the heart of the car the clutch will have been done at the same time and any other minor refurb partslike thrust bearing etc. 

If the Clutch has been done properly and the car has service history then I can see no reason to keep clear.  Were the previous owners clutch riders or did they rag the poor thing? If the car has been on sale for a while it could be ripe for discount and with any second hand purchase I would go through it with the fine tooth comb. If in doubt get a test drive in a few of the same model - get a feel for how they drive then you have something to judge on. I frequently drive the other halfs Pug 307. When I get back in the A6 all feels tight and smooth as expected. 

My first look would be at the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve returning high quantities of crud back to the intake side of the engine. 

If it is the EGR the next question is why is so much crud getting passed back to induction side. Does it use a lot of engine oil? Does it do a lot of pottering around?

1st tip would be to qualify every journey - do you really need to go out?

If you do have to venture out then do you have a shovel, blanket, tow rope, flask etc. You may be able to drive in snow but many cannot resulting in roads getting blocked and drivers stranded. 

WRT the actual driving of the car - keep speed low, steering and braking smooth and remember 4x4 will get you going better than 2WD but we are all 4 wheel braking when the need arises. ABS is great but when there is minimal traction then you will end up with a buzzy glide into the hedgerow. 

13 hours ago, Magnet said:

Hello Tom,

I won't bother to comment on the health check recommendations! 

Washers? - general, i.e. Including windscreen:- I too buy the neat fluid and tend to mix it 2:1 water to fluid, which is more than adequate to cover most of our bad weather requirements without freezing in the system. The problem I find is that the mixed fluid deteriorates fairly quickly and tend to form a 'goo' in the bottom of the reservoir which is really an algae , and this can partly clog up the jets. 

My belief as that the neat solution had additives which prevented this, but not so. It you mix this solution in a container and leave that container for a couple of weeks, you will find it smells like stagnant water. Of course, modern cars have their reservoirs fitted down in the wheel arch, making it impossible to see the condition of the fluid. Such is my concern, that I now resort to filling the reservoir to no more than half full, so fresh top ups are more frequent.

Any effect on your issue? 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Hi Gareth, 

I have seen the gelling effect you have experienced but not for a few years now the last time being in my 740 Volvo that seldomly got used. I have always ran the washers to empty recently and have not used tap water to dilute concentrate buying premixed. 5 litres of screenwash does not last long when the headlights also get a periodic shower too. I have experienced the "algae" buildup in diesel tanks in Africa too and the only option with them is to empty and steam clean them before replenishing, traces of the contaminant will only spawn more gloop. If I had the issue with screen washers now I would use a mild milton solution and flush the system through. 

So Audi Bristol had the car yesterday. Turns out it was grime in the mechanism. It's a fairly complex  assembly just to spray fluid on headlamps and this is possibly its downfall. 

In my defense and answering the question - I always use concentrated screen wash with "claimed" protection down to -15 Deg C. This is not only for antifreeze properties but also for an effective non streaking clean.

While it was in Audi they also gave it the inspection treatment. Front tyres down to 3.6mm, Front brakes 70% worn and all three wiper blades needing replacing. I am beginning to think they think I am a lottery winner. £98 for wiper replacement. Near £600 for front brake renewal and around £450 for 2 new front tyres that do not need changing. I suppose grand surroundings require grand invoices. 

At least the car got a wash. Every cloud and all that

The A7 is fully prepped for towing. With The correct towbar fitment the car will consider the trailed load and also interact with trailer stability aids. Look at the A7 as an A6 with fancy clothes on and I can see no reason why it should be viewed as unsuitable. 

I myself would have reservations buying a second hand car with a towbar on from any manufacturer due to probable additional wear and tear on drivetrain Although I would consider owning a car with a towbar. 

So fault is persistent even during milder weather. Drove back from Reading Sunday evening - outside temperature was around 10 deg C, pulled up at home and there it was sticking out again. 

Have booked the car into Audi Bristol on Monday for investigation. When they told me the soonest they could see my car was Feb 15th I did raise an eyebrow. Did mention Car was last serviced by them and this is a warranty fault and the wait time reduced from 1 month to 1 week. 

Will let you know the outcome.

13 hours ago, Steve Q said:

You've done right. Pushing them in could damage them. It's all because the water freezes in abd around the washers.

Cheers

Steve

Note I did not push the washer back in - as soon as i prodded it - it popped back in.