Magnet

Hello Simon, Just an afterthought:- A nine year old ‘company car’. If (in caps) this car has been retained by a one owner then is there a possibility that it is an ex taxi? Is/was the age limit for taxis set at 10 years? Probably not an ex taxi, but…. Steve Y is your expert on age limit, and whether the seller has to declare if it has been used as a taxi. You will need to eliminate that possibility . Kind regards, Gareth.

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.

Hello Simon, Thanks for joining the forum and posting your plea. ‘Full service history’. Have you obtained a copy of the print out of how many services the car has had, and what work and repairs it has had during its 9 year life? Has it been in the same ownership from new? If not - very important- how long has the last owner owned it? Cambelt and water pump renewed at 107K miles, and now on 180K. On an average of 20k/ annum, that work could have been carried out around 4 years ago, and based on the normal recommendation of change every 5 years (irrespective of mileage) it could be due again within the next year. Cost? If the MOT history references tyres ( near limit?) then its only fair to question how well the car has been cared for, if the owners are not fussy on ensuring the car has a good set of tyres at MOT time. Just some thoughts to ponder on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Kev, Dealing with such small and conspicuous areas is alway difficult, since to do the job properly, you will need to considerably enlarge the area to ensure you are back to non-rusting metal. I wouldn’t suggest you do that in this case, since the repair is likely to stand out. Yes, you will most certainly need to treat the rust, and you will find an array of products available. I have used Vatcan to reasonable avail, but there are many more. How rusty is this stone chip? Has it been left untreated for some time to allow it to get to its current state? Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Steve, It really is ‘good’ isn’t it. Timing chains:- a family member has a JLR Ingenium diesel and has just paid out in excess of £2K to have the 2019 uprated chain fitted to the 2016 49K mile vehicle. It was starting to rattle on start up, despite annual oil changes rather than ‘Longlife servicing. All you can say is ‘cheaper than a new engine if the chain lets loose! Steve Q. - do I recall your good lady has a Jaguar XE. Diesel and pre 2019? Let’s hope not, but if so, I can give you the full SP if you want. Steve Q - Good to hear your experience of Rates Ford. This certainly echos my experience with buying parts from them for Ford owning family members - always a great mail order discounted service via. EBay purchases. Am I right in thinking Rates places the orders on the Ford warehouse, and the parts are dispatched from there? Audi parts at discount. I now have two sources ( which I’ve mentioned on here a few times). So do I need TPS (if they would deal with me)? No, I don’t. I have also fostered good relations with a JLR dealer, who again gives a nice little discount and normally delivers free of charge, the following day. The service is both efficient and very friendly. Apologies for rambling on, but I’ve also used Car Parts in Motion for ‘quality’ aftermarket parts at best prices. I think you’ve mentioned them before Steve Y, and I think you’ve also benefited from their good services. Perhaps some of this may be of benefit to others. I don’t have any connection with any of the companies mentioned - apart from experiencing good service from them. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Sorry to hear of your problem, and about TPS’ reaction. It could just be me, but it seems they may be heading for choppy waters, since it seems they won’t even talk with you if you aren’t an account holder. I now have a couple of main dealer contacts who will offer discounts and do mail order, so for me, TPS or no TPS - it really doesn’t matter at all. But as you say, when branch sales figures start to go the wrong way, they might just realise that it can be a difficult road to go back along. One thing will never change - the buyer will always retain their right to vote with their feet. Kind regards, Gareth.

BHP or Kw rating Graham? Kind regards, Gareth.

Photos and particularly price, Bryan? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mike, It’s not just me then! In danger of getting into non-Audi-personal-view territory, I’ll chance this one! Another minority group. Add this together with all the other so- called minority groups, and all of a sudden, we have a majority group managed under one umbrella. Worrying? Apologies Admin., but with a promise of no further response to this. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Daniel, How much is 2 days out with a technician likely to cost I wonder? Followed with sorting out antenna to antenna wiring?? I have to make a conscious act to turn off my stop/start on our non-Audi every time I jump in it. Totally engineering averse system. Maximum wear on any engine and it’s ancillaries is at start up. If mine fails to work, it would be ‘thank you very much’. Just as well we are all different. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks for the update Steve, Can I be excused for offering ‘no comment’?

Hello Daniel, Thanks for joining and posting your plea. Stop/start issues with a 5 year old vehicle? Typical battery issue, and possibly below par on the cold cranking current parameter. You could get the battery’s efficiency checked, but that check would need to be ‘sophisticated’ as opposed to a simple ‘% efficient’ test. If you are going to replace it:- I always buy Varta/Bosch (original equipment suppliers) but only to their 5 year warranty grade. I buy on line from specialists such as Battery Megastore, Tayna - and there are more. The battery will need to be coded to the car once fitted. Kind regards, Gareth, p.s. All above, assumes the battery is the original.

Hello Kev, Welcome to the forum, and your new acquisition. When you say you will be looking for bits and bobs - can you be more specific in what you will be looking for, and no doubt we will then be able to advise. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Richard, Certainly brings a smile! Kind regards, Gareth.

Exactly as Steve says - but in capitals! Don’t go nearer it, and beware of anytime your car goes into a main dealer they may well do it even if you have instructed them not to! Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Why has your name been !Removed!? Have you perhaps entered something objectionable instead of your real name?

Thanks Allen, Mid December 2016 for your 2017 vehicle - so that’s fine. In my book, these should not be exhibiting sidewall cracking - but we don’t know the severity. Tread 14mm! ? They are only 8 to 9 mm when new. You wouldn’t have missed a decimal point out, and they are 1.4mm? - but 1.4 would be illegal, so can’t be that. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Steve. I always thought that it was Trade Parts Supplies, but looked it up and it seemed to say ….Specialists - anyway TPS will find it! Definitely account holders only now? Appreciating what you say about on line/ local factors having access to all the data, I still come across examples where they want part nos., and getting that information isn’t easy. As you rightly say- of course we can understand main dealers simply not wanting to provide owners with part numbers, so they can go and buy them elsewhere - I wouldn’t if I was a dealer - but cannot argue with the OP’s views re customer service. …. Kind regards, Gareth.

Not the way to test the battery efficiency Danny. Alternator perhaps - which seems far too low an output, but you first need to get the battery’s efficiency tested under load. If the alternator output is indeed low, then you will need to recharge the battery on an ‘intelligent ‘ charger ( your battery is an AGM one I would have thought). Once it has been charged overnight, you can then get its efficiency check by someone like Halfords. You could recheck the alternator efficiency once the battery is recharged - by the same method as you have already carried out - Incase it makes any difference. You should be looking for a running voltage of somewhere near to 14.5volts. Kind regards, Gareth.

How are you testing it Danny? When you say with the ignition on - do you mean with the engine running?

Many thanks Allen, I currently have Primacy 4, but never had trouble with sidewall cracking on Michelin, even though the car sits out 24/7 and one side gets direct sunlight through the day. Yes, it would be reasonable to assume that the tyres are only as old as the car, but not necessarily so. You should find the date code in on oval/rounded end recessed box with a date such as 3016 for example - which translates into week 30 of 2016. Usually on sidewall near to the rim, rather than nearer to the tread area. It would be interesting to know what dates yours are - they could be a year or so older than the car. Tyre pressures usually kept within limit?? How much tread have you got left on these 14k mikes tyres Allen? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jordan, Thanks for joining the forum and posting your plea. I seriously doubt we are going to get a response from the original poster after 4 years. It sounds as if you are going to need a new ignition barrel, and this will probably be best left to your local independent or trusted garage, unless you feel confident to do it yourself. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Danny, Thanks for joining the forum and posting your plea. Simple things first:- Worth getting a sophisticated battery check. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks James, Trade Parts Supplies (Specialists?) - specialists in VAG parts. Still dealing with non account holders?? Possibly not. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Pippy, Yet more questions I’m afraid:- Are you certain that the Audi website states that the timing belt lasts 5 years or 75,000 miles? If so you are home and dry! However, if ( as I think it may do) it states that the timing belt should be changed at 5 years or 75,000 miles, then unfortunately that is a completely different interpretation and offers no guarantee that it will last ( in caps) 5 years or 75,000 miles. Since you don’t have copy of the extended PCP agreement that you signed, you don’t have any evidence of what servicing responsibilities you accepted and signed for at that time. You say that at no time were you advised that you needed to be up to date with service history. This surprises, since I would have thought that that would have formed part of at least the initial PCP agreement that you would have signed. Surely, it would not be expected that Audi would have leased you a car and dismissed your responsibility to have it serviced to schedule. I still revert to my original recommended, that I think you need professional legal representation to minimise the risk of being landed with a £10K+ bill. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry, but daft, tasting coolant residue.