Magnet

Sounds good. Worth getting a variety of sizes of shrink sleeving for future use. This can be slid over the cables to be joined - before joining - kept back from the join, then when the joint is completed, it is slid back over the bare wire section, and heated with an hair dryer - at which point it shrinks onto the joint. Lldls do boxed packs from time to time. Kind regards, Gareth.

How did you join the wires after Stephen? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Martin, We’ve established the car is still under warranty, but unfortunately I cannot see anyone on here will be able to answer your question without access to the terms and conditions of the actual warranty. Have you had a good look at the warranty? If so, and you are still unsure, then I would suggest you contact the seller and see what they say. If you are still dissatisfied, then you would do well to contact your local CAB office, armed with a copy of the warranty, and pay them a visit for advice. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Martin You don’t tell us how long the warranty period was with this car you bought 6 months ago. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stephen, We take it this damaged plug actually plugs into a counterpart, as opposed to just being open ended - for some other unused component. If as we would believe, it’s part of a ‘plug into something else’ then you might find it will be part of the loom, and not a separate part ( although the same type of connector may have been used elsewhere on the car). Just two wires associated with this plug? If so, why not simply join the two wires to their counterpart? I would certainly not use crimp type connectors, but solder the connections and run a length of shrink sleeving to cover and properly insulate the joins. Kind regards, Gareth.

Any feedback for us yet Liam?

Hello Dale from the homeland, There are healthy varying opinions on here about the full efficiency of aftermarket brake pads. My experience - for what it’s worth is that aftermarket pads ( Apec as I recall) just didn’t instil anything like the confidence that the Audi boxed ones did , but I do appreciate that is just my experience. Of course, Delphi have been about since I had hair ( Vauxhall associated if I remember correctly) but sorry Dale, I cannot offer any experience. I sense (understandably) that you are concerned about the desire of this customer to spend as little as possible on parts, but…. Why not suggest to the customer that he supplies the brake pads of his choice - for you to fit? He can then search EBay and find the cheapest he can find. As you rightly point out, saving pennies on brakes is not a good starting point - and certainly not a good stopping point!! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adam, Thanks for being in touch. I think you will need to give us far more information for anyone to be able to comment - i.e. wheel and tyre sizes on both vehicles. It’s also worth considering that your car is still under warranty, so it’s critical that any modifications fall within Audi’s original equipment specification. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gordon, Many thanks. In knowledge that fact that the rev. counter jumps about at the time of the loss of performance, now almost certainly points to a misfire, rather than a gearbox ‘hesitation’. Cause:- plug/s, leads, connections, coil or coil packs (if that arrangement then - but doubt it). Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Liam, The need to change the oil and filter a year on from when it was last changed, depends on what oil was used last year, and how many miles you have covered since. Apologies Davy, but as far as I’m aware, the two servicing options are:- Longlife, or annual - depending on the mileage covered. Just let us know what mileage you have added, and we can advise further, but I’m very much with Steve, when he recommends changing all filters:- oil, air, pollen and fuel - if diesel, ( use Mann or Bosch if not using VAG - which are likely to be by these anyway!) so you have a base point to correctly move forward from, in terms of your servicing plan. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Gordon When you say the oil was done a week go, were you referring to the engine oil or the - gearbox oil - as Steve was recommending? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Michael, Sounds good, but for 4 litres not 5, so 2 x 4 litres of this is going to be a little short of your 8.2 litres. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Michael, what was the cause? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, As I’ve said before, and I think as Steve has confirmed- Halfords battery testing may not be totally adequate in terms of assessing all of the parameters which assesses the total efficiency of the battery. I have certainly confirmed that with a just-out-of-warranty non-Audi. You could find that genuine VAG diagnostics may pick up some issue with the battery in some respect - say for example cold cranking current below par. I appreciate VAG diagnostics can be expensive, (independent?) but I would be asking, are you prepared to pay to replace any number of components before firmly establishing that these issues aren’t battery associated? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Gregg, Apologies, but would I fit a secondhand brake pipe instead of getting a new one professionally made up -?? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nikolay, It could be me, but I don’t get too hung up about what manufacturers claim in terms of grading the various categories - I tend to accept this information in the same light that I treat claimed manufacturer’s mpg claims. I appreciate everybody’s driving style is different, and for me, I don’t go driving around bends at speeds to the limit of grip, particularly in wet conditions where the grip can obviously be far less. I have a fairly simple requirement of most mileage from a set of reputable brand tyres, and I have found that Michelin provide me with the greatest mileage/£. As for Goodyear - a family member had a new car with these fitted, and his experience was that they didn’t last as long as would have been anticipated- now replaced by a set of Michelin. Not sure if any of this helps, and let’s hope you have other posts with varying recommendations. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gregg, Any reputable garage should be able to make and fit brake pipes to the correct pattern. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nickolay, As you may know, the A of AO signifies its recommendation for use on Audi cars - the M of MO for Mercedes. You are likely to find other similar/same size tyres by the same or other manufacturers which don’t show any such markings. Forright or for wrong (so please double check) I have always taken these markings to be desirable requirements, rather than must- have. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. just re-read your post, and I’m having indications that you are referring to secondhand tyres?? Apologies if I’ve misread your description.

Hello Harry, I fully understand your desire to have a Quattro, and pardon my cynicism, but I wonder if you are just trying to justify your desire. OK, snow ice and mud, but in reality for how many days in comparison with the number of fine days in the year? Please pardon my direct opinion, but if you add on the possibility/probability that a Quattro will have been driven ‘more enthusiastically’ - again being polite! is a Quattro a realistic would like to have? I would repeat, Harry - if I were in your position, I would not be buying anything without paying for a professional inspection before purchase. Kind regards, Gareth.

As Cliff raised earlier - do you really need a Quattro Harry? My aim has alway been:- select the model (shape) which appeals to your looks and requirements. Then look for the best example which falls into that category. Trade off toys etc. as necessary to find the best example with the best pedigree that ticks as many boxes as possible, but do not pass over examples which don’t tick all or most of the boxes. You are buying a secondhand car at a fraction of its original costs, so ticking all the boxes and being in prime condition is a very vey tall order. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Harry, Not for me to influence what you do about this, but all I can say is that if I was in the market for such a car, then I would cross this one off my interested- list. Good luck with your quest. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Harry, A 3 month MOT will be an off put for many people, so the request to have it re MoT’d would not be unreasonable, unless the price is reduced accordingly. Cliff raises a good point about the servicing records of this car, and it would be important to establish what it has in evidence of maintenance and repair. How far from you is this car? Can you view it, and decide whether it is attractive to you subject to a reasonable inspection and re Mot? Not being personal, but can you afford to gamble c£4? If not, view the car, and be aware that you ‘buy into’ your gut feeling about the seller - ‘nice cars should be bought from nice people over a nice cup of tea’. If after doing your homework, everything stacks up, then invest a couple of hundred pounds in a professional inspection before purchase. How long has current owner owned it? Private or trade seller? - as asked. Cambelt renewed:- OK 37k ago, but what year was that done, and is there a receipt from a VAT registered garage. The belt should ideally be renewed every 5 years. Kind regards, Gareth. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Harry, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. To try to minimise over thinking this, is it really wise to spend your hard earned on any car which only has a couple to three months MOT?? Why not ask the seller (private or trade?) to get the car re - MOT’d if you have an interest in it. Genuine sellers should not be too averse to this - let’s say, if you were prepared to fund the test cost. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andy, I’m sure you will appreciate that it’s virtually impossible for the forum to explain the precise noise you are experiencing, but we will try to help you. Was the noise there before the new tyres were fitted? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Amit, OK, but what comes over to me is that the examples suggest that they are talking go about products bought new. I think you would need to take legal advice regarding your redress in terms of an 11 year old product, six months after you bought it. Let’s hope you are right in applying this to your car. Kind regards, Gareth.