Magnet

Many thanks Ann. We’re the quotes of £486 and now £510 both from the same source? If so, I guess that increase is due to the parts price increase between the 2 quote dates -? As a matter of interest, have you had a price from your local main dealer? I tend to check with them since it doesn’t always work out that independents are cheaper on all jobs - cambelts being one, due to main dealers often having offers on renewing these. One other thing I would point out is that I would be renewing the auxiliary belt ( sometimes called serpentine belt) at the same time, since it generally has to be removed anyway, and the increase will only be the cost of the belt. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dave, I have the 2006 version of the same car - been in the family since new. Very little to complain about with it so far. Your linkage? Can we take it you don’t want to buy a new one? When you say you have tried breakers on line, can we take it you’ve registered your want with the breaker link systems such as Partsfinder ( there are more)? I would expect there is nothing more complex in terms of availability about this particular model than any other 2004 A3. Availabilty new? Check with Audi Parts Direct at Cardiff ( part of Mon Motors who were Cardiff Audi). They tend to offer a bit of a discount. I’ve just bought a part for ours from a Midlands person who is breaking a 55 plate A3, and I think that maybe a Special Edition. I’ll let you have his number if you PM me. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jeremiah, Thanks for joining and welcome. It’s quite possible that your car was not built with fold in mirrors, and this would have been a not-ordered option. Any Audi dealer should be able to e-Mail you a print out of the build record if you ring them with your VIN. This will confirm whether the car was built with this option or not, and allow you to move forward from that point. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Looked in the handbook Vdm? I would have thought 95 should be fine, but handbook would need to confirm. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks, but it doesn’t make sense to me why an originally produced - same aged part - cannot be fitted to your car. Yes, Audi may have ‘replaced’ it with an updated unit, but…

Secondhand part available via. searches Giacomo? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, Thanks for joining, and welcome. When you say you need to renew the cambelt in 25K miles, when was it last done - date wise? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, I think you have answered your own question. You are considering a model with the suspension biased towards road holding and not comfort. I think the S Line attracts due to the additional features which come as the package, but the trade off is understandably a harsher ride. Don’t like a harsh ride? Best not to buy an S Line. As well as so called ‘sports suspension’ you will probably find it has low profile tyres, and maybe have the much harder sidewalls of run flats. If not, possibly XL. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Sounds typical of clutch ‘release bearing’ (slave cylinder) issues. Not at all uncommon unfortunately. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Lel, Unless the car’s interior is absolutely dry before you cover it, then you are creating the perfect environment for mould to grow - humidity, increased temperature, and lack of air flow. Kind regards, Gareth.

What offer would you consider reasonable then Matthew - to avoid being messed around? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Geraint, My first port of call would be to consult the owners handbook. If the recommended grade is indeed 5w/30 then I’ve used Quantum Longlife 3 (VAG recommended) to good effect for years. Although ‘Longlife’, I change it annually at around 7k covered. Perhaps an overkill, but… I buy this at most competitive price from reliable suppliers on EBay. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with Mannol with the correct specification - it just boils down to a personal choice. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Thanks for joining, and sorry to hear of your oil consumption issue of around 70 miles to the pint - in old English. I fear all the information you need will be in the earlier posts, and unfortunately it does not make good reading. Without reading back over the posts, my memory points to Audi now washing their hands of this issue where the vehicle is over 10years old ( please check) so any redress/ goodwill doesn’t exist any longer-? Let’s hope someone can answer your last question, but follow-ups can be rare on this, and other forums. Apologies for the pessimism, but it sounds as if you would be wise to cut your losses at this stage and dispose of the car without further loss. Almost certain to be too late now - 4 months on from purchase - but why did you buy a car with the EML on, and why has it taken you so long to discover it’s consuming oil at the rate of c70 miles/pint? If both these issues had been addressed much earlier, then you might have had some redress against the seller - particularly if bought from a trader. Kind regards, Gareth.

There are far more Gregg. Vintage Supplies ( Paul Beck) being just one of them. I wouldn’t restrict my search to just Woolies. Also search ‘ Rubber extrusions’ or similar. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gregg, ‘Perished’ probably means beyond salvage, but just incase not, I have seen rubber/polythene tubing being fed down the rubbers to boost them back to shape. Possible suppliers:- Google ‘classic car trimming supplies’. You will come up with Woolies and a few others, and they may just have something that might be of similar profile. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks for the additional detail Adam. I can see the impracticality of returning to the retailing dealer in this case. Visiting your local dealership and 90 day warranty items dealt with?? Don’t see why not, but obviously you would need to check. Follow up service poor? Perhaps not surprising if they retailed a car with tyres worn to near the limit . Not a good start for you. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, I’m not sure why you think Brian? works for Audi, but… The hard knocks fact is you are right, that ‘the car should not have engine failure to this extent if looked after correctly’. Indeed such engines should be capable of 200K miles and more. The problem here isn’t to do with sub standard build quality, but all to do with the servicing dealer not alerting you to the (essential) need to get the belt assembly renewed when the car became 5 years old. If they had done that, and they had indeed renewed it, then the engine would have sailed on for the next 5 years. So again the hard knock fact is - it hasn’t been looked after correctly. Your fault? No. As I see it, your ‘claim’ rests fairly and squarely with the servicing dealer, and not actually with ‘Audi’. Audi set up the servicing schedule requirements that the dealers need to adhere to, and alert owners of ( as they did with Brian) and as I see it from what you tell us, the servicing dealer has fallen short in your case. You have no blame in this (from the facts you tell us). Belts actually going in the 5th year? Not common, but modern stop/start functions ( you have s/s?) put a far greater strain on belts than they used to - particularly in cold weather. Hope some of this helps you and your case John. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adam, Sorry to hear of your plight. A couple of points as I see it:- ‘…tyres almost worn to the limit…..’. It used to be that car retailers had to ensure any (non-trade) vehicles retailed had to have a minimum of 3 mm of tread remaining at the point of sale. Still is? If it had been mine, once the locking wheel bolt became over difficult to remove, then I would have returned the vehicle to the retailer under the 90 day warranty, and requested that they remove the locking wheel bolts. If they ( the retail dealer?) have pointed you to a specialist, then why not entrust the car back to the dealer, and request they arrange with the specialist. I’m not sure why you should feel wary of the recommended specialist -? Mc.Gard? Well proven supplier. Why not look up their contact details and give them a ring? Alternative:- it wouldn’t surprise me that the specialist would be well versed in the availability of replacements. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Adam. Kind regards, Gareth.

Yes, it does sound a reasonable ‘investment’. Sorry to be pessimistic, but have a read of the recent topic ‘Q5 engine failure’ - or similar. Not sure what engine you have, so well worth a check. Servicing plans at main dealers can leave you open to wear items such as brake pads and discs etc. needing renewing - at Audi prices! Breakdown cover is roadside assistance only, I think - rather than get you and the car transported home? but…. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks John, So no one at the Audi dealership advised you to get the belt replaced prior to, or indeed just after, it’s 5th birthday -irrespective of the mileage? Sorry about all the questions, but when did you actually buy the car, and was that from the dealer who did the last or earlier services? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks John, Is this engine running on a belt rather than a chain then? Pardon my ignorance, but I thought they ran on a chain. I could be wrong -? If (in caps) it is a belted engine then the rule of thumb is that it’s changed at a time interval of every 5 years, and as such the Audi dealer should have advised you of this when the vehicle reached 5 years old, at some point during 2022. Did they? Are there any positive indications to date that the engine work will be carried out under your extended warranty - or indeed indications that it won’t be? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Still under warranty I guess -? If so, I would not be bothering to enquire whether anyone else has had a similar issue, but simply booking it into Audi to get the problem resolved. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Thanks for joining, and very sorry to hear of your plight. Could you let us know what happened immediately before and at the point of breakdown. What does the Audi dealer say is actually wrong with the engine? Could you let us know the service history of the car, and when ( at what mileage) it was last serviced, and whether at a main dealer or not. Have you owned it from new, and if not, how long you have owned it? Kind regards, Gareth.

What part of S. Wales, James? - unless you have now found someone and had it done. If so, perhaps you could let us know by who. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, Worth checking the wires in the flexible harness section that runs from the body to the tailgate. Wires can become brittle in colder weather and fracture and possibly contact other partly fractured wires. Always worth an initial elimination of this being the cause. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.