Magnet

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.

Just to get the logic in gear Raynor:- Repeating - you first have to get the battery efficiency checked, then let us know how you get on with that. Again as said, charge the battery for at least overnight before you get it tested. Only worry about one stage at a time! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Raynor, Thanks for being in touch. The first thing you need to do is to charge the battery for at least over night - ideally 24 hours. You then need to get the battery efficiency checked - Halfords (amongst others) can do that. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jemtam, To best advise on necessary servicing going forward, I wonder if you would be kind enough to let us know what the known service history is with the car from new - when serviced and at what mileage, and main dealer or other. Also what the current mileage is, how long you have owned it, and what you normal annual mileage is. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Martin, Sorry to hear of your issue. I’m certainly not trying to excuse the Audi dealer’s unhelpful response, but I would guess it’s the old risk of, if they tell you and you get it wrong, then there might be an element of come back. Normally garages have access to such systems as Autodata. which can give computer information on such things. Kind regards, Gareth,

I would have thought it will need coding Arron. What make of AGM battery did you get after? Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Paul. Fingers crossed it will be a simple bit of software intervention. I wonder if you would be kind enough to keep the forum informed as things progress. Many thanks again and kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Paul, Apologies Paul for suggesting what you have already tried - detail is king to avoid duplicating advice - so it’s not just me failing to reprogramme! The more ‘toys’ there are (and most seem to want as many toys as possible) then the more there is to go wrong! Folks were once content with just shoving a key in a door lock and turning it. Hey presto, the door locked or unlocked. Now we get frustrated when we press a little button and nothing consistently happens, and we need to try a dose of computer software in the hope that that works. Hopefully, someone on here may be able to suggest a ‘quick fix’, but if not, it’s sounds like option 2 in my above post. Sorry I can’t be any more helpful. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Have you tried the reprogramming sequences found via. a Google search. One of these might work for you, but unfortunately didn’t for me - you could be luckier. If not, you will first need to get the remote checked to find out if it is still signalling, and if so, it sounds as if you will have to get the fob reprogrammed via. the appropriate software. Kind regards, Gareth.

Last (temporary?) resort Ben, when all else fails - get a local graphics printer to design and print the size and outline you require and stick these on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Petrol or diesel Akhi? Can we take it the battery turns the engine over ‘enthusiastically’? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Arron, Just as Cliff says. It’s a bit like having toothache and being told the tooth needs attention, then asking why you have toothache. Apologies if this appears rather harsh, but you know what you have to do. You will obviously find you have choices when you come to renew the battery, and you can buy at the lowest price and be told you have a 3 year guarantee, or you can buy a good battery at the most competitive price - sometimes there isn’t an alarming difference between those two, if you do your homework. For me, I only buy Varta or Bosch, and choose their 5 year guarantee range rather than the slightly cheaper 3 year. On line suppliers with next day delivery include Tayna, Batterymegastore etc. - there are more. Just search EBay and the seller will advise the correct battery when you give them your registration number. Batteries work hard with modern vehicles, so worth buying once and wisely. Kind regards, Gareth.

Well worth a clarifying ask to the seller then Ben. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Nathan, Disco or not, I still cannot follow your logic of why a partially blocked heater matrix ( without any other fault on the heating system) can give you roasting heat on the passenger side, and poor heating on the driver side - unless we have two separate matrixes - one for each side! Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Ben, I can’t come up with anything more than I suggested last time. Hopefully others might add some other tips. How are you getting on with progressing those leads? Enjoy the car. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nathan, Many thanks for being in touch, and sorry to hear of your problem. I would just sit back and give this another logical coat of thinking about - ‘passenger side roasting, driver side poor..’ Have a think about how that would equate to a partially blocked heater matrix - if it was, then the heating on both sides would be poor. I would be thinking about heater flaps/control etc. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Aimee, Many thanks for being in touch. Unfortunately, the original poster hasn’t returned to the forum since joining some three and a half years ago. You could sent him a PM in the hope that he will reply, and that indeed his noise was due to the same cause as yours. l’m sure you will appreciate that it is going to be something of a long shot for anyone to diagnose the cause without road testing and inspecting the car. If this were mine, I would be booking the car in to your trusted local garage, or Audi independent and getting the car checked with the minimum of delay - the car is trying to tell you something, and the origin of the noise should be traceable on inspection. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Aimee. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Eric, Apologies if this appears to come over as opinionated, but the strong vibe I’m getting here is that you think the seller is charging £500 too much for the car, and you are looking for advice on whether the car is worth the asking price. Unfortunately, I cannot see you are going to get sound advice on this since no one on here has seen the car to appreciate its true condition, and the ‘valve for money’ can only be judged by a thorough inspection. As Steve says, it’s now a seller’s market, so if it is what you want, and you can afford the asking price ( with some in reserve for yet undiscovered issues) then you either choose to buy it, or look for another one for sale at £3,500. Sorry Eric, but it really is as simple as that - unless the seller will offer you something off. To me, guide prices are just that, and for me, a cheap car is just that, and one in superior body and mechanical condition becomes far more attractive and worth a premium. Only you (and/or a paid-for independent inspection) can truly evaluate what the car is worth - to you (in caps). It is worth noting that condition is remembered long after the price has been forgotten! Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. My view with cambelts:- change every 5 years irrespective of mileage.

Hello Karl, Are you saying that the second remote won’t open the car, or the actual second key won’t open the lock? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ray, Suspension issues can be assessed on the ‘shaker’ set up on MOT ramps. This facility ‘shoots’ the car side to side, and is intended to indentify any wear or undue movement. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Ben, ’….support for older models….’ Could we’ll be right, but everything is worth a try. Stuck on is not such good news, and I guess yours were victims of trying to pull off. I would guess this is going to limit your chances of finding good used ones - off doors. With door, so that you can carefully remove them with heat? Perhaps a daft question, but are you sure your particular model (trim level?) was actually fitted with them when new? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ben, As you say, they could be called any of your suggestions. How were these originally fixed Ben? They could have been on plastic fixings back then ( you will obviously have spaced holes in the doors) or maybe even stuck on, although a bit early?? Apologies for being a little off putting, but you could find that any old ones you find, could come as part of a complete door, so worth searching ‘doors’ as well. I wouldn’t totally discount the worth of going in to you friendly local Audi dealer (don’t phone) and enquiring about their policy for old stock retention/availability/ searching. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sean, Thanks for being in touch. Can I be excused for thinking you are taking an unnecessary risk here by not simply replacing the relatively cheap offending component, before this reoccurs and expensively bites you in the bum? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ben, Sounds good, and I’m sure you will treat it to a full service inc. air and fuel filters, plugs etc. before delving further into any remaining lumpy running issues. Re. the missing trim:- worth advertising in the classic press - such as Modern Classics etc., as well as searching EBay -U.K. and Germany. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, I can certainly understand your frustration, but in reality (at least as I see it - and I’m open to contradiction) - any replacement vehicle component (including a main dealer part) will be guaranteed for 1 year, unless stated otherwise. Yes I know the original parts can last a decade plus, but that’s the reality. I would also agree that a genuine replacement VAG component would be expected (in caps) to last longer than 3 years, but you don’t even know if you have a genuine VAG alternator - my guess is you don’t, but……. I’m very much with Keith on the benefits of getting an original component reconditioned by a specialist, where possible, rather than dipping your toe into the comparative unknown of the aftermarket world. Yes, by all means, vent your frustration at the garage, if that is really what you want to do, but I would be prepared for disappointment, and let’s hope that I’m wrong. Of course, you have the alternative viewpoint of your wife who seems to be saying to put it down to bad experience and move on after 3 years. Only you know what is best for you, and I genuinely hope you will get something worthwhile out of it for your efforts. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Ian. Kind regards, Gareth.