Magnet

Hello Alex, Thanks for the update. Cutting to the chase:- Your have two quotes from non Audi approved bodyshops for £210 and £190 - both have good reviews. It could be me but why would you want to entrust the repair to ‘a mate who knows someone’ for ‘no more than £200’ with an option of losing a friendship if you are not happy with the work!? These things are best kept independent to my mind. Notifying your insurers:- too late now, you obviously cannot do a U turn on this. The stock question for premiums is ‘have you been involved in an accident?’. So your insurers know the answer. Re. the Audi approved repair shop. If you consider Audi charge north of £110/ hr + VAT for labour, and then add on the average panel spray cost of c £350 + the cost of the wing, then the quote becomes at least ‘understandable’. My long time ago school economics taught me that if something like this is so exaggerated, why aren’t we all rushing out and borrowing millions and setting up our owner golden egg producing profit making facilities? There’s always two sides to the coin Alex, and if nothing go else, seeking advice has resulted in a phenomenal saving - well done you for seeking it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Eric, Advice is often asked for to confirm a preferred path of action is correct - advising against this is not often favoured! Since you changing your mind, mine is definitely to follow your gut feeling and walk away and don’t look back unless you want to involve yourself in finding out how many loopholes guarantees have. Again my advice, do not (in caps) fall in love with the look (in caps) of this car. Something else will turn up, but don’t rush. Sometimes, you don’t get quite what you want, but you will eventually get what you need. Happy hunting . Kind regards, Gareth,

Thanks Mike, Shame Alex, the original poster hasn’t been back to the forum to see the asked-for advice, since 2 hrs. after he joined - probably a very busy period. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Cameron, Wondered what you did about this after. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Thanks for being in touch with the forum, and sorry to hear of your (not too uncommon) issue. The Audi ‘recommended’ garage quote seems unacceptably high to me - excessively? - and must include the supply, fit and spray of a new wing. I would seriously question this need, and if it were mine, I would hawk this around a couple of local body shops and obtain estimates there. You could also try a couple of ‘smart repair’ specialists and see what becomes most attractive to you. Claiming on insurance would be my last resort, since I would anticipate a local repair is likely to cost little more than an average excess - we would hope. Of course, if you claim off your insurance, then bang goes your NCB, and even if this is protected, your next premium will be hiked - as it will be, even if you just notify your insurers you have been involved in this accident - even if you decide not to claim. All of this boils down to not informing your insurers, and simply getting quotes to get it done yourself. Very unfortunate, but….. Car is on lease? - I’m probably out of touch, but a little surprised that a 5 year old car is still under lease. Hope some of the above is of some help. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. For recommendations on good value Bodyshops in your area - call in at a couple of smaller volume used car sites and ask for recommendations there. These boys usually know where good jobs are done at reasonable prices.

Hello Simon, Thanks for letting the forum know about this. Just a couple of constructive points:- Personally, I wouldn’t publish an e-Mail address on an open forum. You can be contacted via. a PM. If I want us to remove the advert so that you can then resist it, then just let us know. It would probably aid your sale if you gave some more detail e.g. mileage, any servicing details, MOT date, photo if possible, and probably, most important, what price you want for it. Trusting the above may be of help. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Susan, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. Not sure why the ABS module was suspected - a bit like going for the most complex issue first! Most ABS issues on cars of that age are due either to one of the individual ABS sensors, or the signalling to the sensors. You say ‘wheel sensors all OK’. Could you let us know how you have confirmed that. Although I’m not a fan of diagnostics, in this case plugging it in should identify which ‘wheel’ is the offending one. This will obviously allow you to further investigate where the issue is with that wheel. Personally I would change the sensor on that wheel (using Bosch or Febi if not genuine VAG). If the situation persists then the fault is likely to be with the hub ‘magnetic’ signalling. Not sure on yours, but if you cannot see any tooth wheel or collar arrangement on the shaft, then it’s most likely to be a weak magnet in the hub. If so, this is built into the hub and the offending hub will need to be replaced - I would fit a complete hub and bearing assembly, rather than swopping old bearings into a new hub. Hope this helps. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

I’ll try not to drive behind you then Kev - if I visit Shropshire! Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Kev. What type of roof bars do you currently have? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Kev, Unless things have changed with the A3, they don’t come with pre-drilled fixing points for fitting the front to back roof rails, on which the roof bars sit on/connect to, so if you haven’t specified roof rails within your build, then effectively you wont practically be able to retro fit them, without drilling the roof! If you are talking about fitting the clamp-under- door-frame type roof cross bars then yours might fit. Personally, I’m not a fan of this type of fixing, but…. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stevie, As I understand it, the ABS sensor set up fundamentally gauges the wheel speed, and if this is correct, you can understand why you were getting so many false indications. Dare I say, your symptoms would have been a good reason to have plugged the car in to diagnostics which should have identified which wheel was at actually at fault. Anyway, all fixed now. Many thanks for letting us know. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Magid, The logic of increasing wheel dia. ia simple:- the more you increase the diameter the less rubber you are going to end up with between you and the road - lower profile tyres will be necessary to retain the same outside diameter. Of course, the lower the profile of the tyre, the more the ride quality will be compromised. I think the decision will rest with you - do you want to car to ‘look more attractive’, ( bearing in mind you can’t see the wheels when you are driving and can only admire them ‘in passing’!), or do you want to retain the ride quality you have now? Also, do you want to benefit from ‘better cornering’? One other thing to think about is whether the new tyres sizes you will need will be XL or not. XL = extra road = more rigid, or indeed run-flat, which will be more so. Hopefully you will have some real-time advice from actual owners, which may come with alternative views. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dale from the Homeland, You must depend upon what is specified in the owners handbook in terms of grade. In terms of brand, then no doubt you will get a selection of recommendations. I have always stuck with Quantum Longlife 3 for our 2006 A3 petrol, which now has 165K miles behind it, so I see absolutely no reason to try anything else. You mention Castrol and sponsorship? - as I understand it, Quantum is a manufactured by Castrol, but you would need to confirm that, if it is important to you. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Sometimes available relatively cheaply at some Audi dealers, or try EBay, Amazon etc.

Hello Arthur, Many thanks for being in touch. Most appropriate place would be under ‘Audi Parts and Accessories for Sale’. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Cameron, I’m sure you are right about Arnold Clark not changing the tyres. However, I think you are wrong about ‘ keeping on eye on them……’ There is sufficient evidence to point to one/more/all of these tyres failing prematurely, whether you keep an eye in them or not. Apologies if this sounds rather critical and pessimistic, but are you confident that you are going to get sufficient in-journey warning that a tyre is about to become dangerous? To me, the question is:- do you bite the bullet and change the tyres now ( by negotiation with Arnold Clark or not), or do you take a chance with something as important as this in full knowledge of sufficient evidence from those who have gone before you? Appreciating this decision can have an adverse affect on your wallet, but………you did ask for advice. Of course, my advice may be out of sync. with that of others, but I’d stand by mine as being based on sound logic. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Cameron, Based on what has been written on here over the last years, this significant issue does not boil down to a few isolated cases. Would I risk my life, and the life of others with a car with these tyres? No I certainly wouldn’t - prior inspection or not. Please check, but I believe the availability of alternative brands in these sizes is restricted. If it were me, I would be checking that availability and price, and making your decision whether to buy the car as is, or fit an alternative make at your/dealer shared cost. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Gary, but you are succeeding in confusing me something terrible! I’m now getting the impression that that list refers to what was fitted, as opposed to what you now intend to have fitted - but that’s a guess! Anyway, whatever, my earlier comments apply to what I would fit now. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Gary, If the needle goes up to 120/ 130 on the gauge then it’s overheating. Re. Your? Your garage? - order with ECP, then personally, I would not buy, or fit that brand of thermostat. If you insist on buying from ECP then you will find a selection of other more expensive brands of thermostats to the right of the screen which shows the chosen (cheapest?) one on the left. Just in passing - I see they are (correctly) pointing you to changing the oil filter as well. Again you will find that they will promote you to buy a Crossland brand - their ‘own’ brand name of a once respected filter manufacturer - now just another bought-out brand name. Would I use one? No. I would only use Mann or Bosch at marginally more expense. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Omar, CAB = Citizens Advice Bureau. You should find one in your locality via. a Google search. They will no doubt advise you to do everything in writing ( e-mail should do, but check), and equally important, keep a log of all conversations ( record them if possible) you have with seller and finance - Date, time, who spoken to, outcome. Sorry to be pedantic, but ‘Urgently ASAP’ sounds a bit like ‘ - ‘as soon as I can get around to it’. If this was me, it would be a drop-everything-job, and start the ball rolling now. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on.

Hello Gary, OK, sorry, I’ll give up asking if it’s overheating - you told us it was, now you tell us it doesn’t. A new thermostat sounds a good try, but if this were mine, I would be investing in a good make ( probably unlike the one which Halfords apparently fitted). If I’ve got this right, your mechanic is going to supply and fit? - a new thermostat for £75. If so, I would think that would mean fitting a cheap thermostat, and wouldn’t be for me. Buy once and wisely - you are already ‘paying twice’ for the same job! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Omar, If I was in your situation, I would urgently and formally, reject the car - that rejection being made against the seller. your local CAB should be able to assist with this formal procedure. I thought I had read in one of your posts that you had started a rejection with the finance company - but I might have been confused, since can’t spot it now! If you haven’t, then again if it were mine, I would be doing this in tandem without delay. I feel it is totally unacceptable that you are in this situation Omar. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gary, I too am confused when you say the car overheated, yet the temperature gauge stayed at 90. So how do you know it overheated?? Have you got a receipt for the work carried out by Halfords two weeks ago? Was this done at a Halfords near to you? If so, return it there. If not, visit your local Halfords service centre armed with your receipt, and talk with them. My stab at this is that either the fitted thermostat is faulty, and/or the coolant system wasn’t bled properly. Of course, this assumption may be way off the mark, if the car has been used without problem in the two weeks following the thermostat being fitted. How far did you drive this car from where you bought it, to where you live? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Omar, I certainly agree with Steve’s advice in relation to pulling all the stops out to formally reject this vehicle. I would be taking advice from your local CAB on how best to do this. Having said that, it concerns me that you agree to purchase a vehicle in October which you knew ( or could have found out) was overdue a Haldex service by 2 months, and you continue to drive it and presumably have not arranged to get it done during your ownership. I wonder who you bought it from, and if this just out of warranty vehicle has full main dealer service history, and that you checked that before purchase. Perhaps you could colour in a bit more information on this. Kind regards, Gareth.

Who is ‘he’ Gary? Trade or private sale? Did the car overheat (on the gauge) before the coolant disappeared? ‘Thermostat.….can’t be the issue’. I wouldn’t be so sure until you let us know if it overheated or not? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gary, Thanks for being in touch, and sorry to hear of your issue. If this car is emptying its reservoir then there is something (probably seriously) wrong with it. Exactly what? - the car would need inspecting to find out. Any evidence of external leaks? You video is not telling me very much, since the camera is moving about too much! My first port of call would be to get in touch with the seller. Kind regards, Gareth.