Magnet

Hello John, - post still showing Neanderthal! Well done on the oil change. OK, the wishbone bushes would appear worn - not uncommon. Whether that is the actual cause of your noise?? - but if they need changing, then changed they must be. Incase it helps:- I would only use Lemforder wishbones if not using genuine VAG. There are other aftermarket brands available cheaper, but this brand is well respected. Search EBay for best deals on Lemforder. Kind regards, Gareth.

Good points Steve. Indeed any (in caps) over 20 year old Ford will be an investment and will be worthy of renovation. Unfortunately it cannot be claimed that any ( again in caps) Audi of similar vintage can currently claim the same status. In the future ? No doubt virtually any fossil fuel vehicle is likely to follow the same ‘investment’ route if (certainly in caps) we are allowed to keep them without wallet buckling tax penalties - just look at the volume of low mileage prestige cars currently coming into the country due to the Japanese owners considering the tax liabilities not worth supporting. We are talking a humble car here, and some of the opinions mentioned will be valid, but let’s hope someone does come along and take it on. If not, then the forum has provided the OP with some positive alternatives. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Charlotte, Wrong battery = your current battery is not an AGM type which is the norm for the stop/start function vehicles. This battery type requires the ‘intelligent charging’ alternator, and if you don’t have the correct one then it will wreck the correct battery and vice versa. How long have you had the car? Just wonder if someone had swopped the battery before sale, and then the original alternator gives issues because it’s dealing with charging an incorrect battery type - and that maybe where you came in! I think the parasitic drain may well be an additional issue, but it may be sorted via. fitting the correct battery and alternator. Note:- the battery ( and alternator?) may well have to be coded to the car when it is fitted. Wonder what your plan is now with the car Charlotte.? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, The wipers will not work unless the bonnet I’d fully closed - so there is a connection between the two. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Martin, You’ve now posted the same message 4 times! The last message being after my reply. Not sure what you are trying to achieve with these multiple posts. Perhaps you can let us know. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, You certainly have the right sentiment, but in reality, you may find it’s not that easy ‘to give it away’ as you think. You have to recognise that someone will have to invest money and time to restore the car, and the simple parts expenditure may render this as not such an economical proposition as may be expected. Add to this the cost of transportation and you could find the takers are limited. If this were mine, I would be approaching my local ethnics college ( who have a motor vehicle section) to see if they would take it for work demonstration purposes - they may. What better home than it being used to teach skills to a new generation. Of course, someone on here may well show interest. Hope some of this helps, Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Martin, If you search for commercial vehicle hydraulic specialists in your area then they may be able to get some made up to your pattern. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dominica, Your are very welcome to all the advice given on here, since no one wants to see anyone in difficulties. The MOT should provide you with acceptable evidence to be able to proceed with a claim on this since it represents a specified acceptable standard for any vehicle. As such, I cannot see any Small Claims judge questioning the validity of the test you are about to get done. If it were me, I would be notifying the seller ( by e-Mail will do) that you are going to take it for an MOT and you will forward them copy of the outcome. Since the date of sale and the mileage you have covered since purchase will be relatively close, I would consider it reasonable to claim that the condition of the car as bought will be close enough to the condition as tested. If the car fails on corrosion or any other major defects, I would beware of any desire the seller may express to have the car back to carryout their own assessment. If things get difficult then just tell them that you are referring the matter to Trading Standards. You may find yourself having to pay to get the car transported back to the seller, but…. Perhaps you would let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dan, Worth trying swopping back tyres to front - and vice versa? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dominica, Many thanks for the useful additional information. Point for point:- Great that you are not using it - that will aid your case. ‘Can’t present the car for MOT earlier than one month…….’ Not correct as I understand it. e.g. You get stopped by the police who suspect the car is unroadworthy, and you have to present it for MOT to prove whether it is or not. Are you confusing the ‘one month before…’ with the fact that if you present it for an MOT within one month of the expiry of the current MOT then the expiry of the new MOT is extended to the expiry date of the current one. Any MOT testers on here to confirm or refute that’s? Well worth you checking with VOSA. Advert description - ‘Excellent condition inside and out…’ = what it says, and that trade description must be proved to be correct. Do you have a V5 for the car yet? If so, check that it’s not endorsed as an insurance total loss. It would be worth you paying a modest cost to have the car ‘HPI’ checked, unless you did before buying. Boiling this down, I would seriously be going down the route of presenting the car for MOT. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Did you negotiate the price of the car down? If so, was there any chance that you were informed that you were then buying it on a trade or similar basis?

Hello David, Yes you can. Worth investing in a premium brand filter if not using a genuine VAG one. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dominica, Thanks for being in touch, and sorry to hear of your issue with this car. I asked for the MOT date to see if it was tested within the last three months, which I understand to be the time limit within which you can challenge the validity of the test in terms of unacceptable structural corrosion. Unfortunately, it’s too late in this case. I would agree with your garage’s opinion of the car - based on your photos - but of course, anyone on here would need to have access to the car to fully assess the true extent and severity. I think you have done the right thing in taking advice from CAB, and acting on it, and yes, if the dealer is not prepared to take the car back and fully refund you, then yes, the small claims court is a way forward. However, this is not going to come cheap, since you will need to get a professional report on the car - and this is likely to cost in excess of £150, and you would need that assessor to be available at court to be questioned (again an added cost). If you win - and the chances are you would - then you still have to get your money off the seller, and as I understand it, that might not be as simple as it would seem. Sorry to be pessimistic, but as they say, plan for the worse, and hope for the best. Of course, a cheaper way forward in terms of assessing the car would be to present it for an MoT now, and use that as evidence. Downside:- if the car fails (as you would expect it to do) then you cannot continue to use it. So you have a difficult choice between these two courses of action, as I see it. Would you be able to do without use of the car if you go down the MOT route? On the Devil’s advocate approach, did you make any attempt to look underneath the car before you agreed to buy it? If you didn’t, then this could be considered as unusual, and somewhat remiss on your part, and it could be said that you are not blame free in terms of the situation you now find yourself in. Yes, harsh, but be prepared for this. For what it’s worth:- Did you buy the car locally? Did you look at it before agreeing to buy it? Exactly how did the seller word their advertisement? Is the seller a small or large car sales concern? Hope some of this helps, and perhaps you would be kind enough to colour in the additional bits of detail for us. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dominica, Excuse the lack of pleasantries at the moment. Could you please let us know the date the car was last MOT’d please? Kind regards, Gareth.

As Cliff points out, ‘choc blocks’ as I call them are used (where absolutely necessary) on domestic electrical installations , so are capable of handling voltages and currents beyond what would be encountered on auto electrics. So in my book, they are fine to use - if space allows. Taking Keith’s point about strands of wires straying away from the actual terminal bore, then I overcome this by first soldering the stub end which then fits nicely into the terminal, and provides a good gripping area for the terminal screw to bite into. Crimp terminals? Now there’s a different story, and personally I don’t like them, based on too many becoming detached, despite using the correct crimping tool. If it turns out it is a must to use them, then again I solder the ends of the wires to improve the bite. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Michael, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. I think you need to be more specific with your description of the panels you need, and let us know what searches you have made so far. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks John, Success in part! No quotes now, but still the attached photos I’m afraid. Can you delete the photos from wherever you have filed them? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello………….? I need to break this down into logical steps:- Audi say this work needs to be done - to effectively see if these deficiencies are the cause of your flapping noise. If it were mine, I would not go forward with this major expense based on that logic. Repeating:- I would get the car inspected by a trusted local garage so that they can decide whether (a) what Audi are saying is wrong, is indeed completely justified, and (b) If it is, is this necessary work likely to be associated with the source of your noise. I would not put money on it, but I don’t have the car and I’m not privy to the noise. If you are asking whether this work can be undertaken by yourself, then in my opinion it would be no - if only because you are asking and presumably don’t appreciate what or how to do it! Perhaps you could let us know how you get on with this inspection. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. We still don’t know what your name is, because you don’t tell us. I wonder if you would be kind enough not to quote my reply in yours, since it just keeps repeating photos of your car again and again.

Hello Robert, Is it CPiM who have the flywheel? For peace of mind, can you get a Sachs clutch kit from some other supplier, even if you pay a little more? Whatever, personally I would not be too concerned about mixing the brand names used by the same manufacturer. As a matter of interest, do you intend doing this work yourself or entrusting it to a garage? If a garage, you may find that will not be too keen on giving you a guarantee for the job, if you are supplying the parts, so worth checking. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks….., Sounds like wishbone bushes etc.etc. No mention of the cause of your flapping noise. Are they saying that noise is caused by their findings? If this were mine, I would be getting this car inspected by a trusted local garage and obtain a quote from them for what they consider actually needs doing. Audi’s quote for £252 for wheel alignment beggars belief!, so you need to get a more detailed estimate of what does warrant renewing here - and of course, what is the cause of your flapping noise! If wishbones have to be renewed then beware of what aftermarket parts will be used at your local garage. I would recommend Lemforder. Let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Apologies for being grumpy, but why are you filling up my computer memory with all these photos?

Many thanks Derek, and particularly Keith. Now I understand it! It seems pretty simple to work out how much length off the 160cm wide roll, will be needed, by measuring the size of each panel, and allowing say 10% for overage. If you are in difficulties Derek, you can always Google a local upholster and ask him to measure how much material will be needed. Following a quick glance at the website you refer to, it seems they will not (currently) supply to the U.K. and probably won’t in the near future, but you can send them a contact message, and I’m sure they will have a good idea of the material quantity you will need from the car’s description and attached photos. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Derek, Many thanks for joining the forum. It’s probably me, but I’m confused by the 160-50cm lengths bit so I cannot help you. To me, I would simply be measuring the length and width of each panel of the same pattern and adding say 2.5cms for overlaps. You can then pass this information on to you material supplier - in a sketch if easier - and I’m sure they will be able to advise on the quantity you will need to buy. Apologies if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on - or if I have! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello? (that isn’t your name surely, and it’s just polite to alway address someone by their name) Thanks for joining in and posting. Unfortunately your/your ‘Audi’s’ description of ‘most of my suspension’ is too vague to be able to offer any advice. If this were mine, I would be contacting the ‘local Audi’ and asking if they can give you a report of exactly what needs changing, and if they are reluctant to do this, then go to your local trusted garage - for the same. You can then come back to us for advice. In terms of the rear tyres - well this need should be self evident, and you will obviously need to seek local quotes for the brands you want to buy. Flapping noise? Often associated with a loose plastic undertray, but it may or may not be that. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks for posting Iain, Price? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Peter, Well I must say ( non critically) that you have a far more gracious attitude than I, and probably most others would, towards the reliability of service you have received following payment of a significant amount of hard earned. Let’s take the tyre situation to start:- ‘…..probably had the wrong tyre data listed for my car….’. 36% worn = 36% of the tyre tread has worn away due to use. Since all new tyres start life as having c8mm of tread, then 36% wear applies all vehicles and would not have anything to do with ‘….wrong tyre data for MY car…’. First day back after New Year (shurbuts) or not! This ‘excuse’ would immediately lead me to distrust their opinion on anything else more technical, and my feeling is that they just didn’t bother to road test the car to see what operating temperature it reached. OK plugging it in to diagnostics just isn’t going to show up this sort of fault. My judgement of the fault is exactly in line with Keith’s, and this fault needs to be attended to. They may be nice people and the ‘free’ car wash is good, but…….! If this were mine:- I would be booking this in for road testing in relation to the temperature issue, but before taking it in, I would be taking a trip to my local tyre retailer and asking them to measure the tyre depth on each tyre - you should be looking for near to 8mm of remaining tread. If not? - alarm bells. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Peter. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Namesake from the Homeland. I feel for you, and I fear that the ‘faster solution’ you seek is going to be an ask too far. I take it you have the NOVA document, and that you have an original SA registration certificate that specifies the vehicle’s details and obviuosly dates it. If DVLA genuinely want a Cert. of Conformity against this particular vehicle ( as opposed to the model year build) then I think you are going to have to stick with your pressure on Audi U.K. and /or get your brother to do the same with the Audi representation in SA. DVLA appear to be in operating difficulties, and I ask if I can be excused for believing that the current modus operandi is to keep putting the pressure back on the applicant, so that their case resolution time is judged by ‘we are waiting for the applicant’. Urgency:- This is unfortunately real time experience, but with another hat on, I deal with them for some classic cars issues. Current case has now exceeded 12 months and is still awaiting solution! We live in hope. Let us know how things go Gareth. Kind regards, Gareth.