Magnet

Hello Jim, Glad the car has found a new home. Simple add a ‘reply’ with NOW SOLD. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Laurence, If it were mine, I would be prepared to consider Sachs as the only alternative to LUK if it’s worth having a second string to the bow. It seems you are tuned in with the knowledge of which ones to avoid. Looks a very nice and well cared for example Laurence - obviously with a good home! Kind regards, Gareth.

No, don’t spray it on a board. Do as Kev suggests, but spray some paint into the removed lid of the spray can, and use that paint to dip your brush in. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Lawrence, Kev has come up trumps as usual. The only thing I can add is:- You are saving a vast amount by doing this job yourself, so invest once and wisely in good quality parts, otherwise all your efforts will be to little avail. I notice you say you have access to trade accounts, and in many respects, that’s great, but I would be avoiding buying on price, but just go for good quality parts - at best prices. If this were mine, I would only be using an LUK clutch kit, if not using main dealer parts ( which even at discount, are seldom worth spending the vast amount extra on, with Audi). Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Luke, Sounds and looks interesting, and obviously attracts your interest - which of course is the main thing here. To me, this is quite simple - If you like it, and can afford the £2,500 asked - just buy, enjoy it, keep it, and get value for your expenditure. If, on the other hand, you might be considering buying it, and selling it on for a profit to someone else, then.....? Different situation, and you will obviously be canvassing for opinion on whether you might get a profit from it - we don’t know your reason for asking. If it’s the latter, then making money is obviously a gamble. It sounds like the vehicle which might generate interest at classic car shows, and might well yield a profit when seen. I don’t think it needs to be said that it’s unlikely to be many/any such shows within the next 3 months. Perhaps you could let us know where your interest lies here Luke. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello, If you search on EBay, then you should find quite a member of suppliers who will deliver touch up paint to your door. If you want it today then you will have to search for local automotive paint suppliers. Of course, Halfords may well have your particular colour in an off-the-shelf aerosol or simple touch up. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Iain, Many thanks for being in touch with the forum, and sorry to hear that the car is now not starting at all. Although of course, this is totally unacceptable, compared with your previously simply inconvenient erratic issues, this does mean that whoever will be working on the car will now have a positive cause to home in to, rather than having to suspect a variety of components which could cause the intermittent problems - this will be a ‘bonus’! Apologies for being negative and unhelpful to you with this Iain, but to try to diagnose the cause of the car not starting, without having access to it, and simply with knowledge that there is fuel in the tank, it’s going to be virtually impossible to isolate the actual cause from dozens of potential reasons. It can be relatively simple (but potentially dangerous unless you know exactly what you are doing) to confirm that fuel is getting to where it needs to, and/or you have a spark at the plugs - sorry, assuming it’s not a diesel, but from that point on, you simply aren’t going to get any further without the necessary experience, knowledge and equipment. Apologies, Iain, but I think this is where you will be in need of trusted local hands-on assistance with this. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Martyn, What you describe sounds very much like clutch judder, and is experienced in first gear only, since you understandably only start off in first. Test:- worse if starting off on a hill? Less severe (almost disappears) when starting off down hill? If so, this is not an uncommon issue, as clutch parts wear - particularly the potentially problematic slave cylinder/release bearing. Perhaps you could let us have the additional information requested, and we can comment further. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Sorry to hear you too have had your, and other road user’s safety compromised by the ongoing saga with these tyres, and good for you, for taking up the cause with Watchdog etc. To me, the impetuous for taking up the cause should not rest with any financial bias, but with the possible catastrophic affects on safety. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Erika, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. As I understand it - and I could well be wrong, so this will need confirmation from someone who has been-there-done-that, - but the timing belt system varies depending on the actual engine output, so we would need to know what that output is (see V5). I think the lower output one has a chain which is driven by the crankshaft, and this (shortish) chain drives the oil pump. The oil pump then drives the camshafts via. a conventional tensioned belt, so I guess that is what you had changed. The difference between this set up and the ‘normal’ cambelt driven set up is that the water pump is not driven by this belt. I believe the water pump is on the opposite end of the engine and has a direct drive off one of the camshafts, so is not directly driven via. a belt. To correct what you were told:- The car does have a water pump (it has to), but it is not driven in the same circuit as a normal cambelt engine, so would not need changing by that normal convention. The caveat at the start applies, but I think I’m right - please satisfy yourself that I am/aren’t! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Thanks for being in touch. No such thing as a daft question. Sounds like it’s simply! stuck on, but the double sided tape used to stick it can secure it very (in caps) firmly, as you have found. To aid its removal, use a hair dryer to heat the outside face of the plate and to soften the adhesive. Try to start from one end and carefully but firmly apply heat and pulling power. Once it starts to come away, then you are usually winning. Removing the remaining double sided tape? Very difficult, so generally better to simply add new tape in the gaps, and leave the old remnants there. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Thanks for being in touch. Probably a daft question, but we take it you’ve had the battery efficiency checked and it’s been proved to be serviceable? Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Will, ‘..........revved it and nothing....’ interpreted as -doesn’t rev! Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. As said - Accurately (in caps) check the coolant level. ‘Seems not to be losing coolant’ isn’t enough in my book. Be thorough and check to a level (after standing for a few hours) and report back. Sorry to be pedantic Will, but don’t like seems!

Sorry Will, ‘..........revved it and nothing....’ interpreted as -doesn’t rev! Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. As said - Accurately (in caps) check the coolant level. ‘Seems not to be losing coolant’ isn’t enough in my book. Be thorough and check to a level (after standing for a few hours) and report back. Sorry to be pedantic Will, but don’t like seems!

Hello Will, Short video competition! From the little I saw, it seems typical of condensation due to moisture condensing in a warm exhaust and being pushed out on start up. Is this car running again now then? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Julian, Could you please post some information about this car. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nellie, Thanks for being in touch. The simple advice here is to notify your main dealer without delay, and arrange to get this under-warranty car inspected and the fault rectified. Fortunately, you don’t need to concern yourself with the whys and wherefores, but just have a responsibility to place it in the hands of the dealer to sort out. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Carl, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. Keeping my advice short, just simply, and totally, discount this car, walk away, and find something else. Even if was given to you, it has ( particularly in terms of the oil light) the potential of emptying your wallet, to a degree which would out weigh it’s worth. Take a detached view, and don’t fall in love with the look of the car. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Will, It’s possible (likely?) that the non-start is not associated with the vapour from the exhaust, but of course you now first have to establish why it’s not starting, and it would seem to me that you are first going to need some local hands-on assistance to diagnose why. Pretty impossible from this forum. Back to the vapour:- any continuous white smoke would lead you to consider whether coolant is entering a cylinder/s and being burnt off and emitted with the exhaust. For this to be the case, the car would have to consume some coolant, so no (in caps) coolant loss would eliminate that possibility, and point to straightforward condensation as being the issue. In summary, it is vitally important here to be certain that the car isn’t consuming any (in caps) coolant, and to do that, you would need to ensure the coolant level when cold - first thing in the morning - is exactly (topped up) to a predetermined level - say the max. mark. Check again in a couple of days to assess where this level is. If you let us know how you get on with that Will, then we should be able to recommend the next test you will need to carryout. Of course, if the non-start is indeed diagnosed as being associated with the exhaust vapour issue then please let us know on that as well. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Feon, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. Wondered if you are considering buying from a main dealer or not? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Luke, I would discount the water pump in favour of suspecting the thermostat. If it were mine, I would be getting the thermostat renewed - preferably with a main dealer one ( at discount), but if that is considered too expensive, then only a very good quality aftermarket one. As they say ‘ a poor man ends up paying twice’. In other words ‘buy once and wisely’. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Will, Thanks for being in touch. Can we take it this is a diesel? If so, any smell of diesel? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adam, I seem to recall you posted on this earlier in the week, and it was suggested you DIY it. A reasonable suggestion if you are capable and know what you are doing, but obviously can lead to problems if you are not competent with such things. Unfortunately, I cannot help you with recommendations in your area, but the quotes would not seem to be unreasonable to me for the amount of fiddly work involved. If it boils down to simple economics then it might be worth reconsidering whether you really want to go ahead with this, since the 3 quotes are reasonably consistent, and it might simply be a case of deciding which of the three instils you with the greatest confidence. A couple of points which might help:- Ask for bodyshop recommendations at local car sales sites (when open). These chaps are usually knowledgeable about who to use or not to use. Also, regional classic car clubs can again be knowledgeable on this subject. One further point I would add Adam. The de-chroming might suit your taste, but possibly not everyone’s. Might be worth bearing this in mind, since the economics of possible de-valuation plus the cost of getting it done, might be worth a coat of thinking about. I would say that this process would not be reversible. It won’t simply be a case of removing the paint! If all these downsides are of no consequence, then great. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Tom, I think the primary important bit here is your statement ‘.....worth the risk to buy to save £1k’. An important piece of information in one respect, but of little meaning in terms of the potential saving over the capital outlay. Without checking out prices, it’s difficult to answer your ‘economics’ question, but I would guess that you are going to find variances of that amount simply from example to example. If the car suits your requirements and budget, then why not get this car inspected at another independent, and satisfy yourself that the mechanical aspects are as they would expect them to be. They should also be able to give you a better feel for the actual value of the car. Let’s say everything adds up there, then my next move, before committing, would be to see if you can get a local bodyshop to access the quality of the repair. As a simple starter, have a look at the rear driver side door gap to the rear wing - and compare it with the other side. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Darren, Thanks for being in touch. Not sure if you have looked on EBay, but there are a couple of aftermarket barrels listed on there with delivery by next Tuesday. Kind regards, Gareth.