Magnet

Hello Rob, It’s probably me being rather old in the tooth, but it seems you have agreed to be committed to own a car for 3 years, which you haven’t actually test driven. Um? Now, understandably Rob, you are trying to get subjective opinion which might support that decision. Please ignore my interpretation is If is considered to be rather off the mark -or somewhat direct - which it indeed probably is. I would equate this to agreeing to remain married for 3 years to someone you have seen once, but really know nothing about - but she looks good, and is ‘cheap’. Hopefully you will get some experienced opinion from the forum - I really hope you do within the cooling off period - and this will put your mind at rest. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Robert, Wondered if you could be a bit more specific with the maths. Does 8 tyres in 34k miles equal 2 sets of tyres of which each set has lasted approx. 17k? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, I do appreciate where you are coming from, and if it were me, I would be breaking this down to simply one action at a time, and the first would be to get a good underbody evaluation. Just don’t worry about the next strep. Keep the ‘finding a good welder’ on the back burner for the moment. When you come to that stage, I would certainly be Googling for a local/ regional all-makes Classic Car club. Knowing about good local bodywork welders is always a must for classic car restoration, so I would be surprised if you don’t get a good lead via. that connection. Above all, it’s most likely to be sortable. Just let us know if there is anything we can advise on further. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks for coming back on this Alex. As I see it, if the car was last MOT’d in March 2019, then at best this MOT will expire in the next couple of days - even taking into account the ‘extra’ 6 months extension due to Covid. If this i so, it will need an MOT’d with some urgency, and it should receive a thorough inspection of the underside at that time, and you will be informed what else (if anything) will need weld repair. You should then be in a position to decide your next move. The MOT station should be able to advise on local weld repairers, if they don’t do this work themselves, and estimated costing will be available to you. Probable aggravation is that the carpet will need to be partially removed and that is likely to entail the seat/s having to come out. I’m not sure why you think no one will want to do a weld repair on this. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Toby, Re. your air suspension issues - Can we take it you have checked the compressor? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, This certainly appears excessive, and leads to questioning why it is as bad as it is in this area. When was it last MOT’d? - obviously it will need to be sorted before the next one. If this were mine, I would be getting the whole underside checked to assess whether this is just a localised section or if there are other sections which will also require attention in the near future. If localised, then it’s reasonable to get this professionally repaired. Repairers? I would be asking for recommendations at a couple of smaller MOT stations. These can usually advise who to go to in your locality. Another possibility for a good recommendation would be to contact a local classic car club. Again these chaps usually have their fingers on the pulse for such things. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Leanne, If everything was as it should be before someone replaced the wing mirror, then you must return to that person so that they can rectify the issue. Personally, I would not be attempting any DIY or getting anyone else to work on it before you return it, otherwise it could be said that you have induced the faults. Kind regards. Gareth.

Hello Joel, I would be investing in a pressure sensor first - I think one would have been fitted to yours. This cost of this sensor will be less than the cost of diagnostics - so worth a try in my book. I believe that fitting this is straightforward enough but is likely to require de gassing and re gassing the system. Kwickfit? I think I would be tempted to as around your locality to find a smaller garage who has the necessary equipment, but.... Just noticed your location. Now of more interest is the Morris 8 in your profile. Series 2? around 1935/6 but prior to the painted radiator model of 1938. 2 door I guess. Surviving 4 door over here are few and far between. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Connor, Thanks for being in touch and welcome to the forum. Sounds an interesting project. Sunroof and welding? Sunroofs are a pain and liability as the car gets older, and are known to be a premature rusting area. Don’t buy a car with a sunroof - out of choice! Anyway, welding in the roof area? Not an easy task due to potential for distortion and of course the high risk of setting fire to the headlining. Alternative? Read up about adhesive bonding. Parts availability? Wander into the motor factors in your locality. Unlike today’s system of order for delivery, when your car was in vogue, factors were stocking items for walk in demand, and they may still have stock remaining on shelves. Other sources? EBay is a good source, where motor factors again dispose of NOS. Other sources would include advertising your wants in specialist press such as ‘Modern Classics’ etc. - there are many more. On another topic - have you got the car insured on an agreed value classic car policy? Always worthwhile even if not yet on the road - particularly if you are going to be welding! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jennifer, Can we take it it has a manual handbrake rather than an electric one? Hope it is. If manual, is your partner slackening the bleed nipple as he winds back the piston? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Access?? Sometimes/often attacked from below - if you are blessed with/have access to a pit or hoist - but who has normally! Even taking the undershield off on your back on the floor takes some doing, leave alone then getting underneath to get up to components from under. I guess that’s why investing in an hour’s labour at a trusted local garage becomes worthwhile. Having said that Mark, it could well be worth changing the sensor at the same time if resorting to this. If so, I would suggest only using Bosch if not a genuine VAG one. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, From your description of the symptoms, it sounds more like a connection issue rather than a sensor fault. Generally sensors fail and don’t revive. I would be first be armed with a can of contact cleaner and starting there. Kind regards, Gareth.

Are you replacing g both Shaun? Do you need part numbers to be able to buy aftermarket ones on-line? If so, and there is doubt then it might be worth considering buying genuine parts at discount from the likes of TPS or Audi Parts Direct at Cardiff. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Clive, Thanks for being in touch. If I’m understanding it correctly, the car is 2020 registered, but probably (late?) 2019 manufactured. As such, the as-supplied Sat. Nav. information is unlikely to be much over 1 year old. It’s possibly me, but I would have thought that this was about as much up to date as would be reasonably expected, and probably not unexpected that should you want to bring it bang up to date (like as of today), then a charge would apply. Logic points to asking - when you would want it updated again after that - every year? Of course, road systems do change slightly, but I would have thought even a 3 year old data system would be unlikely to lead you into too much difficulty. Kind regards, Gareth.

Informative days Cliff, and of course problems were fixable then, as opposed to plugins it to a diagnostic system and trying to work out causes from effects! £40 paid for the first car eh? I bet you wish you had that in your garage now Cliff. Probably sell for a mall fortune now. Great days, and I could do something with the hair I had then! To return to somewhere near the theme of the original post, insurance is now comparatively cheap in relation to what it was 40/50 years ago, when taken a % of the weekly wage . Perhaps unbelievable but true. I hear tones of disbelief, but.... Good luck to Raith in finding what his teenager considers is ‘acceptable’! Kind regards, Gareth,

Hello Jon, Does this small local garage have to equipment to de gas, check, and re gas your air con system? I guess that may be a daft question - we must take it they do, otherwise why would you want to waste £75, rather than going to a local garage who has the equipment and expertise.

Hello Raith, Thanks Raith, Perhaps my brain isn’t switched on, but £1350 with insurance now comes to ‘roughly’ £2250 with insurance. Basics Raith, Have you had an independent insurance quote for this car - to establish how much you are actually paying for the car? Also, are you certain that this ‘with insurance’ deal does equate to covering your teenager insurance requirements? Some - many? understandably have age limits. If you want rather more chapter and verse re the A3 1.6 Special Edition then I can bore you with that, but obviously I don’t want to go to those lengths unless you are at the point of purchase. Not wishing this to sound critical, but changing a wheel doesn’t score very high in the mechanical knowledge scale, and it’s great to learn, but to me, what you need now above anything else is some on the spot expertise inspection back up, to look at whatever you are tempted to fancy. Personally, I think you are in ‘getting done’ territory without that back up, irrespective of what marque or age of car that will be of interest. Having said all that, my bet is your broader brush approach to what to buy will be governed by what your teenager is prepared to own! Sounds like Cliff has been there done it - along with myself to some extent! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Raith, Apologies - its probably me, but I’m still not absolutely clear re the specific detail and who is who in terms of the writing. It has been said that the car is for a teenager ( written by you, the dad?) yet the latest post appears to be written as if you are the teenager ...”I will be more caring with it....’ etc. Anyway Raith, whatever, as Cliff suggests, teenagers will only be interest in what is ‘cool’, or whatever the term is, and I guess any Audi will be considered to be that. Fact:- Most Audi’s will be in a higher insurance category than other smaller ‘less desirable’ marques, but you are probably in a better position than most to appreciate that when buying at the budget end of the market, the cost of insurance is likely to be on a par with the purchase price. If you spent more to buy, the insurance will still represent a fair proportion of the on the road cost. The first year formula is to buy an old low insurance category car such as Cliff suggests - or even better an ageing low mileage Metro or similar, simply to gain some claim free ground. Selling that idea to a teenager?? Good luck. Not being personal, but the best way to sell that idea is via.the teenager’s self financing (obviously by earning the funds). Aspirations are then generally governed! Now back to your 2005 A3 1.6 on Autotrader for £1350 with insurance. Is this seriously the case? Does it mean if you pay them £1350, you will be able to buy that car complete with a year’s free insurance for your teenager? Really? If so, just buy it, since I would be surprised if the insurance alone will cost you that. How mechanical savvy are you Raith? If not very much, then the first thing to concentrate on will be finding an adviser who will inspect for you. A3 special edition 1.6 in general? Ours has been in the family from new and is now just sub 160K and fair do s has done everything which is asked if it, but it has been well cared for mechanically. Beware Audi’s are favoured by - enthusiastic drivers - so at the other end of the scale you are going to come across thrashed examples as well. You need to be able to tell the difference. Think of a first car as simply a NCB earner, not a long term keeper, since the teenager will get fed up with it anyway. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Raith, Welcome to the forum. As Cliff says, we really do want more detail here, and the fundamental question I would ask is - what is your intended budget. As you can see from my profile, I might be able to pass on my experiences of a 1.6 A3, but it depends what end of the scale your wallet is dictating or will accommodate. Have you seen (on line or in the flesh) something which might be of interest? It would be great if you could give us a good bit more to go on Raith. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Do you have a proper brake hose clamp, as opposed to an often used ‘Molegrips’? I would guess you do, since you have worked on brakes. I think the answer lies there, with the use of the correct tool, used in the correct manner. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Since you have done the job many times and got away with simply pushing the pistons back and displacing the fluid ‘in reverse’ then chances are you might continue to get way with no ill effects. However, the proper way would be as Mr. Haynes states, and disperse the ‘rejected’ fluid out through the bleed nipple, thereby taking away any chance of ill-doings by reversing fluid back into the system. You know it makes sense as Del used to say! Kind regards, Gareth. (aka Anyone in your capitals)

Hello Steve, Well the Omega is going to take some beating. I bet you will miss it. Re. towbar - I wouldn’t anticipate any significant problems with getting a tow bar fitted. Sat. nav? Once a must-have accessory, but now reasonably redundant with the advent of the smart phone. Personally I would be too bothered about the built- in lack of it. DAB radio? Sorry can’t help with this, but no doubt someone will come along who can. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adam, Many thanks for coming back on this. Blinking heck as we would say here -21 inch. Despite the tyres being fairly wide, 30 profile is not leaving you very much of a sidewall, and I can understand the adverse effect on ride quality. In theory, to retain the 30 profile and achieve a deeper sidewall then you will need to increase the width of the tyre, but I’m sure you will appreciate that that could cause issues even if the rims would accommodate wider tyres. If if this would be possible, you will still be increasing the outside dia. of the combined wheel + tyre with likely consequences of inaccurate speedo readings and effects on gearing. I can appreciate the desire to save money on alternative tyre sizes for these rims, but being pessimistic, this non standard arrangement is likely to impact on your insurance. I guess an alternative would be to fit smaller dia. wheels, to be able to achieve a higher profile, but even then you will be left with the sports type suspension. Sorry I couldn’t be any more helpful and positive, but perhaps someone else will come along and offer their experiences. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sameer, Unfortunately the original poster posted and last visited on the same day, so it’s unlikely you will receive a response from him. Have you had someone to check if it has an adequate fuel supply? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jon, Obviously your (DIY?) call, but having a general distrust for garages of all ‘sizes’ isn’t really healthy. Trust is always two way, and as you say you have to start somewhere, and simply asking around friends and acquaintances usually leads you towards making a good start. May sound daft, but enquire about recommendations at local small car sales sites. These chaps remain in business by knowing where to get good work done at competitive rates - so always worth an ask. Now don’t tell us you you don’t really trust some of these as well! I’m sure you do. Kind regards, Gareth.