Magnet

Many thanks Richard, Your cleaning regime is text book how to do it, and a mile from the £5 jet wash with potentially harmful chemicals - which are the normal offenders. Warning to others - just don’t go there. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Pete, I feel for your plight, and if anything good come from this, then your situation may spell out to others, the totally impractical implications of buying vehicles (on line) at a considerable distance from your home. Effectively, you can kiss goodbye to a guarantee - in practical terms. Having said that, this is where I see you are:- You have an Audi dealer who wants you to spend a lot of money to perhaps (in caps) minimise the oil usage, and to confirm its oil consumption. You have a very vague hope that Audi UK may (in caps) part fund the potentially high cost of any rectification work. You don’t have any knowledge of whether the previous owner had attempted to make a similar claim from Audi UK, and either had given up on the idea, or indeed had failed. This needs to be investigated. You have a seller who understandably wants the car back to evaluate it, and presumably attempt to repair it, and it is legal requirement that you allow him that option, before formally rejecting the car, (if he fails) and then claiming your money back. Practically, he has you over a barrel, since that option is not really viable due to the distance involved - and of course, you know you will be at his mercy if you do. Sorry to put this bluntly, but despite no fault on your part, you are effectively stuck with a vehicle which is not fit for purpose, but legal redress is going to be dependent on you handing the car back to the seller with all the impractical implications that follow. It isn’t on your doorstep, and progress chasing will be severely hampered. Options going forward:- Check with Audi UK as to whether there is any history of claim of high oil consumption with this vehicle. Contact a recommended local Audi independent and seek their specialist advice on how to proceed, and how to gather and present the necessary evidence to the seller. Get a price from We Buy Any Car. If it were mine, I would not be throwing good money after bad, unless I had some positive proof that the oil consumption was going to be significantly reduced as a result. My eventual bottom line would be to take the hit and part with it, if you don’t get any positive vibes from an independent. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Zak, Thanks for coming back on this, but the point I was trying to make was that (unfortunately) whatever you now advise will be just too late, and the decision would have been made more than 2 years ago! Sorry, but I’m still at a loss to understand why you resurrected this, and indeed how you found the post. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Wayne, ‘No change in cleaning products....’ Wondering how you regularly clean the car. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sherif, Sorry I don’t know what the part is called, but there are two ways around this:- if driveable by some botch repair, then simply take the car to the parts department of your local main dealer and seek their advice. Be aware, the part may not actually be available due to the age of the car. Second option if not drirveable, woot be to take your photo along, together with reg. and VIN details and enquire at the main dealer. I both cases, I would not be attempting to try to do this via. phone or e-mail. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, I don’t see an issue in getting your mechanic mate to agree to rectify this - as he has agreed to do that. Two points I see moving forward are:- when is he actually going to rectify this for you? Have a agreed a start and importantly, a finish time for this to be carried out? It seems the car isn’t useable - or at least, you simply shouldn’t use it until it’s fixed. Second point:- since he knew he damaged the oil seal, why on earth didn’t he simply replace it then? How much confidence would the average person be expected to have in relation to this person’s ability to carry out such work? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sherif, If you fail to find a replacement, then it should be possible to effect a repair by sleeving between the cylinder and the off take pipe, and bonding them together with quality 2-part Araldite glue. These clips are known as hog ring clips and are single use, having been compressed with a special pliers which crimps the clip by creating the ‘loop’. They are removed destructively - by cutting or hacksawing through the loop. Replace with new like for like ( by buying the special pliers) if originality is meaningful. If not, replace with conventional jubilee clips. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, OK, re retaining and not being able to claim for that tyre. So, does one pass all the hard evidence over for judgement - and seldom or ever get any reimbursement anyway, or keep one typical affected tyre as evidence for independent assessment? Obviously, no tyre, no evidence, no claim, no independent assessment. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, I can understand their request to have the tyres back for inspection. However, if it were mine, I would still retain one as evidence of the issue. Kind regards, Gareth.

Post is over 2 years old Zak! How did you chance on this one to reply to?

Hello Pete, In my book, you must inform the seller of the Audi dealer’s findings and seek their advice regarding payment. They may reasonably request you return the car to them for their examination - believe this has been discussed and the distance involved renders this impractical. Engine mount leaking?? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jamie, Apologies, but I’m not sure exactly what you are referring to within your circled area. Since whatever it is, sounds like it will be a VAG only fixing, may I suggest you take the car along to the Parts section of your local dealer for them to help you with the fixings you need. Kind regards, Gareth,

Welcome to the forum Randolph. Answer obvious? - unless you can prove the image is wrong. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Maroua, Thanks for posting, but I wouldn’t hold your breath on getting a reply from this 2.5 year old thread. The poster joined, and last visited the forum 3 days later - over two years ago. We’ll ignore the fact that he was in the U.K. and you are in Canada! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steven, Is this trim finished in a chrome-look finish? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Thomas, I don’t think I can help you very much with this, but here goes, pending other replies:- Our owned-from-new modest A3 came with Michelin tyres, and were replaced with the same over many miles, before being replaced with a couple of Continentals a couple of years ago. These didn’t last as long as the Michelin, and have just been replaced - back to Michelin. For us, we simply need quality tyres which give the highest mileage, and are not into the finer balance of trading off wear for ability to corner at speed. Michelin fits the bill - for us. One thing I would say is that they tend to get noisier as they wear. Most tyres do? It’s interesting to note that you are considering changing Michelin for Bridgestone on an expectation of them lasting longer. Bridgestone will last longer than Michelin? Don’t know, but I think such claims are best dealt with via. personal experience rather than any manufacturer’s claim. No doubt someone will come along and offer you specific advice. Of course, another consideration is actual cost vs. anticipated life. If Bridgestone do tend to last longer than Michelins - how do the prices compare, but it’s not always all about money. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Christian, Pardon my ignorance, but what is that? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Pete, Complete engine rebuild FOC on a 12 year old car?? Leicester on lockdown - so legally allowed to go there? Sorry to put it as I see it, but buying a 12 year old car (sight unseen?) a 3 hour drive, away does very little to satisfy the logistics of any kind of warranty. Yes, I must agree, I too would not envisage this being an easy road to resolution, but... To take some positives:- You should get some meaningful advice from CAB, and I would be asking the Audi dealer to give you a comprehensive report (on payment?) on their investigation. This should stand you in good stead with the seller - particularly in these troubled and restrictive times. Good luck with this. Kind regards, Gareth. Just to stress:- I would go down the route of the Audi dealer’s comprehensive written report of the oil consumption, together with an estimated cost of repair. I think it would be reasonable to argue that due to these troubled times and restrictions into lockdowned areas, that this should suffice as a reasonable alternative to allowing the seller to inspect/rectify the issue. If the dealer wishes to spend the estimated money on repairs, then I guess you have to accept that, but I’d be very surprised if it proves to be an economical proposition.

Hello Pete, Thanks for coming back. If the car has consumed 3 litres of oil in 500 miles then this is ridiculously high and totally unacceptable, and renders the car unfit for purpose. I would definitely be making an appointment with the Citizens Advice Bureau without delay. I guess you have informed the dealer - in writing (an e-mail will do) - of your dissatisfaction with the car. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Pete, Sorry to hear of your issue. What mileage have you covered in the month - which have resulted in the consumption of 3 litres of oil? Dealer saying ‘they will have a look at it’ can equate to just that. Rectifying the problem may be another thing, and the potential resolution of its high oil consumption is likely to extend beyond your guarantee period, at which point you are most probably going to be stuck with it - like it or not. Dependent on the mileage you have covered in it, I would be seeking professional guidance towards getting the car rejected and having your money back. CAB should be able to advise you on how you go about it, but I would suggest you don’t ‘go it alone’, if that is what you decide to do. Re. the dealer not telling you about it - you have to be realistic and understand that they were unlikely to have known, and if they did, they would not have bought it in via. the previous owner - who did know! There are dodgy dealers, but fewer than dodgy owners who offload their troublesome vehicles. Hope some of the above helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Amanda, Sorry to hear of this issue. It would seem irrelevant whether anyone else has had issues, and your best course of action would be to return to the supplying dealer and get them to resolve the issue. Personally I would not delay this any longer than is essential, since you have already owned the car for a week. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Josh, Many thanks for keeping us up to date. Its very surprising that your insurers will only agree to agreed-value when the car is >35 years old. Odd - it’s usually over 20 years old. My feeling is that you may not be insured with one of the numerous specialist classic car insurance brokers, but simply an insurer who deals in the general market. Classic car brokers will usually dictate that the vehicle is not your sole means of transport and that the mileage is limited to say 3 to 6K/a. They insure such vehicles without the need for you to have a ‘spare NCB’ - an these policies don’t generate a NCB. They will provide you with a condition form which you (in caps) can complete, together with a set of photos, and you decide the (reasonable) agreed valuation. If it’s reasonable, they will accept it. Such specialist broker inc. Peter James Insurance, Lancaster, Carole Nash, Hagetty etc. - and there are many more, but I would restrict my enquiries to specialists in this field, rather than general insurers who might also do agreed value. Breakdown cover is normally included, and premiums are generally very attractive. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Michael from the Homeland, Sounds interesting, and let’s hope it might be of interest to someone on the forum. If it were me, I would be advertising this (usually for free) in classic car publications such as Classic Car Weekly, Classic Car Buyer, Classic Car Mart, Classic Cars for Sale, and even Modern Classics - there are more - but there again, as a classic car enthusiast, all of this will be known to you, and apologies if so. I think you will then be targeting the car at the appropriate market. Personally, I would be deciding on an asking price to deter any daft offers, and let the market decide the interest. You might also consider EBay which always lists a good selection of available classic cars. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Patrick. Have you checked with a meter to ensure that you have an adequate earth on the passenger side light unit? Also confirmed you don’t have a 12 volt supply to it. If the earth measures fine, then it’s worth peeling back the flexible rubber covering where the harness feeds from the body into the tailgate. This is often a source of problems due to wires flexing over a long period of time, and eventually breaking. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ben, Really no need to be confused in trying to work out logic of this. It’s simply a case of returning the car to supplying dealer and requesting them to resolve the issue for you. Sounds like a simple bit of reprogramming should solve this for you. Kind regards, Gareth.