Leaderboard

Hello Simon, Many thanks for coming back on this, with some useful additional information. Not wishing to be critical, but your assumptions are simply that, until you prove it to be fact, and the pre-purchase time is the time to do all your homework - not once you’ve got it. Assumption:- It’s been a company car - explaining the mileage. It may well have initially been, hence high mileage - but it’s a simple assumption. High mileage = motorway driving - again an assumption. Steve Y on here, does similar mileages in his taxis. Companies seldom (never?) retain cars for 9 years, so where has it been since it’s assumed company ownership? If they have indeed retained it that long, then it might ( just might) have spent its latter years with them as a pool car - with a high number of careful/careless drivers. Have you carried out a DVLA Vehicle check on the car? This will tell you when the last V5 was issued - which tells you/ gives a clue into how long the last owner has owned it. Assumption- Full service history (is the be all and end all). It’s good, but the level of workmanship cannot be guaranteed - it should be, but sometimes isn’t. Positive - it’s a really good starting point. Engine -…’ is there a high risk of engine failure…?’ Apologies, but you seem to be hanging your hat-of-concern on this. Yes you are right that after 180k motorway (assumption) miles that the engine will still be fine, and you are probably right, but there are many other expensive components which can wear out and be costly to replace. Manual or automatic for example? Manual - clutch? Auto - gearbox oil services? All of the above is intended to reign you in from a dose of enthusiasm, and allow yourself to carryout all the checks you can before committing. Having said all that, I’ve had a couple of high mileage cars over too many decades to mention, and quite a few worn out low mileage - back and fore to Tesco cars. Good luck with the homework. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. The main dealer ( from whom your full service history print out will be obtained ) oowill probably be able to tell you from the service history when ownership changed.

Hi Gareth, you made me smile, some councils have no age limit on cabs but most its eight years, I can't think of any council that would licence an A3 as I don't believe the rear seat width would make the minimum requirement, the other give away would be the interior as that always gets hammered shredded carpets, holes in the plastic trim where data heads and coms have been fitted, holes around the rear bumper where the plate has been fixed, its easy enough to check through an insurance data base if its ever been insured for hire and reward, I suspect it probably was an ex fleet car but the price is very rich considering the amount of future parts you may have to buy because unless its had new suspension etc in the last nine years its not a cheap car, better to put another four grand to the money and get something with lower miles and longer legs.

just found this.

Hi Roy for someone who claimed to be useless you have turned out positively sparkling, well done the old tricks are the Best. Steve.

That’s perfect! Thanks for all your help RoyC 👍

If metalic paint, I was given a good tip once. If you put the base coat on and then the clear lacquer you end up with the touch up area standing proud of the rest of the bodywork and can't flatten it down. But if you mix the base coat and clear lacquer togeather it can be wet sanded so you cant notice it.

No such thing I'm afraid. I fitted LED bulbs in my A6 Avant and lived with the warning lights for years. The warning only came on when starting the car and stayed on until I turned the fogs on, then the warning lights go out. Just recently I have fitted a connector with a resister in it to stop the warning lights coming on. The resistors get very hot so best screwed to the metal bumper rail. I fitted these bulbs And these leads.

Hi Peter, I have, thankfully, not come across this snag yet - but this turned up in my feed a couple of weeks ago and may be of some use? Mike 😎

Hi I know what you meant its the lousy predictive spelling on the computer, its had me a few times, Ahhh the wonders of modern technology now you see why anybody who is informed is no fan of electric vehicles that have been rushed out to suit E.U. guidelines, the Butchers bill for the bank accounts has yet to be publicly realised. Steve.