Magnet

Hello Mark, Apologies that this isn’t going to equip you with experiences of the 2.0 litre diesel vs 1.4 petrol hybrid, but some back to basics economics might hopefully shed some light on what you are about to consider. As I see it you are considering parting company with your year old diesel due to the economics of the extra cost of diesel fuel, and adding some (considerable?) funds to buy another car. The economics should be simple:- Obtain a ‘cost to change’ ,calculate the amount of saving you are going to make/annum by running a hybrid, and work out how many years you are going to have to run the new car just to become cost neutral. Of course, you may also be influenced by the environmental advantages, or indeed just fancy a change, and you can’t knock either if the funds are there to support it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ehsham, The battery is always the first suspect in such cases. If this were mine, I would be getting it checked using professional equipment. Kind regards, Gareth.

He’ll Paul, Thanks for being in touch. Basics:- retaining a vehicle which you don’t need, simply because it’s considered to have more ‘value’ that its actual, really is false economy, and will cost you considerably in road legal expenses alone. The space taking logistics of retaining it will also become a nuisance. As has been said buying a battery for £20/30 was something which disappeared with main line steam trains? The real world - search EBay for the believed correct battery for your car, and buy on line from specialist suppliers such as Battery Megastore, Tayna etc. I try to buy once and wisely, and buy Varta or Bosch ( their 5 year warranty grade). I can’t now recall whether you have an ‘intelligent’ charger, but if so, simply connect it up every couple of weeks - assuming you can get it near to an electrical point! Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andrew.

Thanks Paul, Finding the cause is always refreshing for the mind, if not the wallet! Cambelts:- Ignore mileages unless high annual, and change them at no longer than 5 year intervals. Water pumps - get a good make one. VAG now seem to be far more reasonably priced than they were, so… I would also get the auxiliary belt changed at the same time. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andrew, I’m a little unsure from your description whether this is a ‘misfire’ - engine momentarily loosing power, or whether it is indeed associated with clutch issues. The latter sounding more likely. No offence meant, but it appears you drive this car ‘enthusiastically’ ( polite), and accelerating after 3000/4000 rpm and continuing to rev. it to the limit. Even if the clutch ‘was done’ - exactly what? - in the last 12k miles, it’s life will depend on what was done, the quality of components used, and the way in which the car has been driven. On a brighter note, this puts me in mind of the great, late Welsh comedian - Tommy Copper, who went to the doctor, and said his arm hurt when he bent it, to which the doctor replied ‘ Well don’t bend it then’! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Loosing coolant is not normal, but you don’t tell us what volume you have to top up over this 2 to 3 week interval. Some degree of ‘mayo’ under the oil filler cap is quite normal on vehicles which are used on relatively short trips, and even some small amount on the dipstick can often be mistaken for head gasket issues, when indeed it’s simply due to condensation. If you have definitely elimited any visible external leak, then my first and simple task would be to replace the coolant reservoir cap, with a good quality new one. Another test worth carrying out is to take the car on at least a 10 mile run, and immediately on return, get an assistant to rev the engine to a steady 2000 rpm and hold it there for 2 minutes, while you observe the exhaust, looking for any undue smoke. Perhaps you can let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andrew, Manual? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Warren, Thanks for being in touch. Worth peeling back the covering of the flexible harness section between the body and the tailgate, and inspecting the wires. Favourite spot for wires to break due to flexing when opening and closing the tailgate - particularly following cold weather. Perhaps you would let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Apologies, but my experience echoes that of Steve Y, and even if you can find someone to make you a pair of one-offs, I fear the cost will be prohibitive, and you are not going to know how good they will fit, until you’ve paid your hard earned. Couple that with the probable reluctance of Bodyshops to want to be involved in painting them - without premium and probable reluctance to guarantee the finish and its lasting capabilities. As Steve Y says , the best option is to do the best to pre treat the arches of the best available ones you can buy, and this will usually include thoroughly ( but gently) sandblasting any affected areas as a starting point for paint and rust ‘proofing’ procedure. Sorry Steve and not sure that this will be what you want to hear, but fibreglass would not be for me - personal opinion of course. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Shane, Hopefully someone more experienced than me will give you some positive guides, but I wonder if these are (‘built in’) LED strips, and may not be available as separate items?? Let’s hope not. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, In my experience via. classic cars, once you have rust, you are unlikely to prevent its return except via. cutting out beyond the rusted area, and letting in new metal. Even then, you have welded, or part welded joins to contend with. Fibreglass wings? - that’s a blast from the past when they were readily available for cars in the 60s and 70s - often with questionable fit, and a fair degree of preparation. I guess you have exhausted the possibility of better-than- yours secondhand ones both via the U.K. and the Continent? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Steve Q has a good point, but I would be seriously surprised if this 7 year old car would be suffering this issue simply from using E10 - older vehicles possibly. As I understand it E10 has been in use on the continent for years, and we don’t seem to have had our attention drawn to major issues, even on older vehicles. If this were mine, I would be entrusting a diagnosis to a local trusted independent, before believing the issue is just fuel associated - with this modern vehicle. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Steve. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gordon, Sorry to hear you are still having problems with this car, and that this (unacceptable if it were mine) problem seems to have manifested itself from very early in your ownership, and the dealer has failed to resolve it to your satisfaction. As I understand it, the dealer is now prepared to talk with you regarding returning the car for a refund, but you still attracted to this unreliable car 5 year old car - which you indicate you might have paid up to £25k for-? Apologies for stating it as I (in caps) see it Gordon, but that’s some love affair to consider hanging on to it! Of course, this is a only personal view, and it’s not my money, but a bold call on your part. Warrantees are fine, but they cannot reimburse inconvenience. All I can do is to really wish you good luck with it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mathew, Many thanks for joining, and sorry to hear of your issue. When you say the ‘battery is giving the correct voltage’ , can we take it that the voltage has been measured on an on-load situation i.e when you are try to operate the starter? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, As a non participating, but non-enthusiastic ‘modern car’ show attendee, unfortunately, all I can do is to sympathise with you in respect of your sterling efforts vs. number actually turning up from the - ‘I could be interested’ - participants who actually do turn up. As I see it, it’s not uncommon for enthusiasts to want someone to go engage themselves in considerable effort, so they can join in - if they might want to on the day! ( all in caps). Damned if you don’t organise anything, but not supported if you do. I’ve been around classic car shows since I had hair, and it’s surprising how much pre-show enthusiasm there is, which does not translate into cars on the ground on the day. We can now blame daft fuel prices, but the truth is that many so-called enthusiasts are simply not so enthusiastic as they could be. Apologies for rambling on Steve, but I genuinely sympathise with you for the fact that your efforts appear reap little interest - but certainly not due to any inadequacies of your organising. Come on you lot with fancy wheels on your jet black edition, boring grey, SSS Line, lowered, backside on the ground mapped to atlas levels models - please get out there and support Steve for a change, rather than just filling other forum member’s computer memories with pictures which satisfy the above descriptions. Sunday morning rant over! Enjoy. Kind regards, Gareth. Just enthusiastically join in.

Just resurrecting this since it’s still sitting on the shelf. Genuine VAG kit - application listed on earlier post. Is anyone interested at all in this? If so, please PM me. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Asad, ABS and Traction Control warnings are usually associated with either the ABS sensors, or the signal from the hub itself. Not sure why you are associating the issue with wiring faults before eliminating -at least - the simple sensors. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Cormac. Thanks for being in touch. I think, suffice to say your concerns are highly likely to be meaningful, judging by the advice given by Steve, and what appears to be splattered about any enquiry you are likely to find on a search. If it were me, I would be taking this as read, and making your decision based on this. If it happens to schedule, then you will have made the right decision. If it doesn’t materialise according to any important-to-you timescales, then at least you won’t have made an irrecoverable decision. No such thing as a stupid question:- I can recall a quote some decades ago by a then Technical manager at VW - ‘I wish I understood everything I know!’ So true - we may often have the right answer, but perhaps seldom the in-depth understanding and logic of the explanation. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jon, I think it’s unfortunately a case of wishing your wallet well. It’s sounds highly likely that Cliff and I are from the same school of logical mechanical thought:- always change one component and test. Never change two at one time, since you will never know ( without subsequent dismantling), which of the original components was the culprit. Kind regards, Gareth.

Careful now Steve. I thought a lack of judgement was the prerogative of the elderly! Stay young. I’m desperately trying to grow up tomorrow. Kind regards, Gareth.

Is that 11.4v (effectively at the battery) with the engine running then? If the alternator is putting out 14.8 to 15v then little to worry about there. Poor connections twixt the two?? Break in the cable = no continuity = no charge/ no current through cable. Test:- Measure the static voltage at the battery and make a note of it. Charge the battery overnight and measure the voltage again and make a note of that. Leave the battery connected ( with the car unused) for the rest of the day, and measure the voltage again. Should be as near as damn it to the early morning just-off -charge voltage. If not - problem! Test this system for a parasitic drain, once you are sure all cable and earth connections are sound and serviceable. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Mark. Do you know if your model is on an ‘intelligent’ charging system which needs an AGM battery? Sorry, I’m not sure. The fact that the battery is in the boot, should not practically affect the enthusiastic nature of how the car ‘turns over’. Audi would obviously not have designed the car with that issue. If this were mine, I would be double checking that the battery is of the correct type, and not simply the biggest that fits, and as you say, carefully inspect all wiring ( and earths) associated with the starting and charging systems. Although 14.0 volts is slightly below the mid 14s I would expect, it should be adequate - all else being as it should be. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Steve, and indeed a happy Easter to you and yours, and to those who look after this forum for the benefit of us all. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry A - whoever you are - personally I’m not too happy about the lack of detail with you profile, but obviously, I will leave it to Admin to decide whether they consider it to be adequate or not. I guess you know you can PM the seller for further details and a contact number, rather than ask him to show his phone number on an open forum.