Magnet

Hello Steve, I echo Karl’s reaction to your post. Appreciating ‘ unsuspecting dealers’ may not go down well, and yes no doubt, we all have horror stories to tell, but I think if all dealers could buy all their stock ‘dirt cheap’ then there would be far more of them about. Cars are usually bought within the trade at competitive prices in comparison with what their competitor are prepared to pay for the same vehicles. Appreciating that not all stock is bought at auction, but the same buying principle applies where vehicles are bought as ‘unwanted’ part exchange through main dealers etc - highest price gets it- complete with all its faults! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ryan, Many thanks for being in touch with the forum. Labour costs will vary from region to region, and obviously whether you propose to get this done at a main dealer, independent, or your local garage. I guess you won’t be considering a main dealer for a car of this age, but they will obviously be able to give you a cost which can be used for comparison, so it worth you just ringing /calling in at the other two alternatives, to obtain a costing in your area. Quality of parts? Cheap is usually just that, and although you might get a 1 year warranty, you will still have to meet the labour costs. Personally, I would not buy an electrical item on a cost-is-king basis, but you will need to make your own decision on this. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Are you sure it is the starter which is at fault, rather than electrical connections/ earths / battery?

No offence taken at all Allan. I think folks in here have been as helpful as they can be, and I can only apologise where suggestions have been made, which - unknown to forum members - you have already tried. It alway helps to list all avenues which have been tried. Back to your problem - as I see it main dealers are highly unlikely to be able to advise on any model to model - model to engine - modifications made to these subframes, and it’s highly unlikely that even if you were able to get the original part number, that you be able to gain knowledge of the slight? difference which would result in different numbered sub frames for the same model. Having outlined the negatives, it might be worth a trip to your nearest TPS outlet, and lay your cards on the table, and see if they might be able to advise how many frames are differently numbered for your model year. Tall ask? - but little to lose by asking, but I would not attempt this over the phone. Other possibility? If there are differences for the same model year, to accommodate the different engines, then can these differences be accommodated by modification by someone capable with say welding facilities? Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Were any of Kev’s links of any use to you?

Being rational, calm, but assertive is the answer here Karl. I would also e-Mail him after the discussion and clearly outline what was said/agreed/disagreed - this is equally important in my book, so that everything is recorded. Being realistic, we are all critical of selling dealers, and the faults that result as a consequence of their sales. We want to barter and buy the vehicle as cheap as we can, and deprive the seller of the margins they want, and we don’t bat an eyelid when we are successful at that principle. We buy vehicles which are ‘aged’ in relation to their realistic anticipated economical service life, yet expect them to perform as they did when near new. Although I don’t have any connection with the motor trade, or car sales in particular, I am realistic in terms of what these dealers acquire and sell. In Karl’s case, it is highly likely that the previous owner of the vehicle would have know it had issues, and of course, when he traded it in, he would have informed the receiving garage of all the faults he knew about!! Wouldn’t he?? No one criticises the previous owner, but everyone criticises the unsuspecting selling dealer who acquires the property of those who are economical with the truth. Perhaps you would let us know how you get on Karl. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Very much with Steve.- clicking CV joints obviously equates to wear, and indeed such wear can account for vibrations. Possibly a daft suggestion, but from basic principles, do not ignore tyre inspections, and any uneven tread wear, and indeed comparable remaining tread on all tyres - with 4 wheel drive set ups. Worth a coat of thinking about as a first consideration. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Too much grease can cause issues, where the centrifugal forces exert too much pressure on the boots as it fights for space to be thrown about in. I would be sticking with just using all that you are provided with.

Hello Allan, Kev has given you some very useful leads here which you seem to have missed. Re. same for different engines - you will need to do your own research on this, and it’s quite possible the sellers - breakers? will be able to help. Worth popping into your local main dealer and having a friendly chat with the nice chap in the parts department and see what you can find out. It’s now down to a bit of homework Allan. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Allan, Always good to post where you have already tried, to avoid unnecessary repeat advice. You obviously need one to save a car, so I guess cost becomes less relevant. Scrapyard which has one with engine attached - how much would you be prepared to pay to induce them to remove the engine and sell you the subframe? There has to be a point at which you make it attractive for them to do that. So OK - tried EBay U.K. Continent? There are magazines specialising in ‘Modern classics’. Worth a try advertising your want in these? Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks for being in touch with the forum Alan. Guess you have tried EBay under a search for ‘A6 breaking’. You can also register your ‘want’ on one or two of the on-line breaker link sites into which link to all associated breaker yards in the country. A breaker yard will contact you directly if they have one. Partsfinder ( or something like that) is one. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Andy. Febi are a well respected aftermarket alternative. I guess lesson learnt - buy once and wisely. Cheapest is seldom so in the long run. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ciaran, Seems like a straightforward leak from the Adblue system. I would just add say 250mls. of Adblue at a time if you fine you are running out of miles. Kind regards, Gareth.

Well it’s still on the shelf here, rather than rightfully being on someone’s car. Are we all really certain that no one wants this genuine Audi full kit? Such a shame that it sits unused when it likely that owners are paying far more for cheap aftermarket ones. Would the very daft price of £25 +p&p now entice anyone, before it goes on EBay? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Derek, Many thanks again for coming back on this. The only thing I would question in your response is ‘……as long as I don’t get stuck in a queue, whatever the issue it should be manageable’ . By your logic, the conserves of this that if you do get stuck in a queue then it isn’t manageable! But of course, it is manageable at zero cost, by simply reading the temperature gauge (which - no criticism meant - you didn’t do last time, at your cost) and switching off the engine. ‘Thimple’ as our little stand up friends say. If you want to take that on a step, then under the modern stop/start technology, you simply would not have an issue. Yes, Derek, you can indeed take complete control of this issue. Re. part numbers:- I still revert to my posted understanding that Yes, the last letter is indeed significant, and although I bow to Steve’s broader experience, and a knowledge that Ford and even Jaguar have used the last letters as simply ‘updates’ of the same part , my belief is that Audi don’t. If it were mine, I would be giving this a good coat of research before dipping my toe into the buying market. Kind regards, Gareth.m

Thanks for coming back on this Derek. If it were mine, I would not be in a rush to get a new module, based on ‘……..suspects it’s the module…’ I would be wanting something much more concrete than that before spending the best part of £400 on a bit for a 19 year old car. Possibly considered as a daft suggestion, but is it really worth spending this sort of money -if (in caps) it is that - to cater for a situation where you are stuck in traffic for an unreasonable period of time, particularly as winter is not that far away. There are two things which come to your aid here:- You have a fully functioning temperature gauge which you can keep a close eye on (this time!) when stuck in traffic; you also have an ignition key by which you can switch off the engine if the temperature starts to rise. A combination of use of both, should result in a cost free solution to your issue. If you and your mechanic are confident that this module is indeed at fault, then you could go through the various breaker yard search systems and enquire about a used one. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Derek, As I understand it, the last letter is indeed the (in caps) critical identifier of the correct part, so yes, it is very meaningful. Of course, your garage will know that it is definitely this part which is at fault, but generally the common cause is a faulty thermo switch which completes it’s circuit when the temperature gets to a critical point above normal, and this circuit completion activates the fan. Probably Audi has devised a far more complicated design!, but worth a bit of research before committing this component to the faulty bin? Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. TPS should be able to confirm the current part number of the module, and this may have been superseded over the last 19 years.

Hello Andy, Apologies for jumping in on Steve’s reply - if WD40 does easy the issue and, and the bushes are still sound, then a more permanent cure might be to dose them in ATF fluid after the application of WD40. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Thanks for being in touch with the forum, and for attempting to break the record for the number of expletives in one short post! - please read the forum rules. Anyway, back to your issue:- The car is new to you, and it’s handling characteristics will be different, unknown, but should be acceptable under reasonable driving styles. Looking at where you live, you too may have (uncharacteristically!) had a recent extended dry spell, followed by some heavy rain, and the roads will be more greasy than normal. You say you have confirmed the tyre pressures are correct - which is great - and the tyres are fine. Could I ask if you have matching brands on both axle, and what brands they are, and let us know if the wear pattern across all tyres is indeed even? All things being acceptable there, then my next port of call would be to get all steering and suspension joints thoroughly inspected on a lift. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sounds good Karl. Please check/search the 30day ‘norm’, just to be sure of what footing you are on. Sorry to be a pain, but if it were me, ‘constant dialogue’ would also be followed by e-mails outlining that dialogue, and what had been agreed. Having said all that, I think it’s realistic to keep reasonable expectations for any 14 year old car. Kind regards, Gareth.m

Thanks John, Good news indeed. And a guaranteed purchase price on the new car? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Karl, Back to your reply explaining how you bought it:- whatever you say, you still have a guarantee (for a minimum of 30 days I believe), so my earlier suggestion to seek professional legal advice is paramount - and urgent. Meanwhile, at a minimum, you would be advised to notify the seller by e-mail what your issue is - not using too many words. A silly point perhaps, but why do you feel inclined to ‘floor’ this car as you call it? Is that a driving style you like to adopt from time to time? Sounds as if you bought the car some distance from home - is this correct? Sorry to generate pressure Karl, but you really do need to be assertive with this (in a hurry), or be prepared to damage your wallet - whichever best suits. Perhaps you could let us know what you decide. Kind regards, Gareth.

OK Henry. So you bought like for like against a non original battery then? As said, it would now be progressive if can confirm you have the correct specification against the original equipment battery. Well worth going through this process of elimination first. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Henry, Sorry to be pedantic, but was defunct battery on the car, the original battery when the car was built? It sounds as if you matched the new Bosch battery to that which you found on the car, which isn’t necessarily good news, since people can put any old battery on a car when trading it in. All of this may be meaningless, but I always eliminate the basic things first, so if it were mine, I would be double checking the original specification for the car’s battery, to ensure you have the correct one. This doesn’t cost anything! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Karl, Although the dealer can initially refuse to take it back, he cannot refuse to put into ‘fit for purpose’ condition at his expense. When you say it was your fault for not getting a proper warranty, what exactly do you mean Karl - by being your fault? Did you by any chance haggle and get a discount, and then your haggle price was accepted on a trade basis - condition as seen, tried and accepted - without warranty? Sorry for more questions, but was this bought outside your locality, and did you test it before agreeing to buy it? Sounds like you are going to need legal advice in a hurry. CAB should be able to assist. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Henry, I guess it would be a daft question to ask if you made sure the replacement battery was an exact specification replacement for the original supplied new with the car, rather than a like for like replacement for the one that you just replaced - assuming of course that the battery you just replaced was not the original? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Karl, I guess you have this on hold while you debate about the issue with the car. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Henry, Many thanks for being in touch, and apologies, since I’m not sure I can answer your question with a convincing explanation, but since no one else has been able to help so far, perhaps the following may be worth considering as a first point of searching:- I have concerns that your car is too old for this to apply, but certainly with later cars, the new battery has to be coded to the car, to ensure it recognises it is new, and does not treat it as it did with the old one. Long shot, but worth investigating? Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.