Magnet

Hello Lee, Couple of important points:- What damage has been caused to this vehicle to render it a Category C "write off" (beyond economical repair) by the insurers? If there isn't any apparent body damage, has it been flood damaged for example and just cleaned up? Who is selling it and why? Have they acquired it simply to sell it on, or are they now selling it on because they now know it's damage history and just want to get rid of it? So, you need its claim history, and an assessment of the current state of the car and whether it is driveable/able to be tested and assessed. Also (important) - what year is it? Hope this helps a bit, but it's really doing your homework time, and if you cannot get the honest answers then I guess you walk away, or perhaps take a brave chance. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mac, Would you be kind enough to let me know what make the bars are. Kind regards, Gareth

Well Ormie, I suspect this is going to sound rather negative, but here goes anyway. Your A3 and mine are opposite ends of the sale performance-wise, but in my our considerable mileage assessment of this car, the brakes are superb in comparison with other makes and models driven over the same period. But, I must say that this opinion is based on using only VAG group discs and pads as replacements have been needed - with one exception at a point where aftermarket pads were used for a short time, but found to be nowhere near as good as Audi and were changed months later. Appreciate that there are probably even better pads available, but there are most certainly much poorer performing aftermarket ones. I say this since if you are not really happy with your current braking performance then are you sure you now have genuine or better performing brake components on your car? If not, reverting to original without modification may be the simple answer. Now I know all this upgrading of brakes etc. may be considered desirable and even fashionable, and yes, your car is a performance car for which Audi would have taken account and designed the brakes to be more than adequate for the way in which the car was designed to be used. After all, you are restricted to driving to the same limits as every other motorist and if brakes are considered not be up to that driving style ( even though the manufacturer designed them to be so) then perhaps that style of driving does demand more. Of course, if your driving includes on-track events then the question becomes of importance. Not sure if this approach was what was wanted, but it may just concentrate the mind on.... why? Kind reagrds, Gareth.

Really sorry to disagree Trevor, but if this logic is followed, if you are lucky you could end up blowing a fuse. If you are not, you might just run a risk of burning a section of harness. You can weld with the current out of a car battery! If it were mine I would tend to let an auto electrician loose on it for half an hour. Electrical diagrams on modern cars are at best difficult to follow, and trial and error is not a recommended practice. Kind regards, Gareth

Best advertised under "Marketplace" or whatever they call it Tom? Kind regards, Gareth.

This car really is doing its best to alert you to the fact that something is wrong and it should be looked at - just like a noise- it will get worse if left unattended to. I think Bengi's advise is sound, and a visit to a reputable auto electrician is needed. Or do you have a good independent within travelling distance? Not sure if these have a body control unit which controls most non engine- management (ECU) functions. This might, again just might, be at fault. Specialist inspection is the order of the day I think. Good luck with sorting it. Gareth.

Hello Perry, Not sure I'm understanding this, but am I right in thinking someone, or youself have disturbed the original radio and its connections. If so, I would not agree with your thinking that it cannot be anything to do with that because it has new connections. Crimp connections (if that is what you have) are a real pain unless done properly with the correct crimping tool- and they very often aren't. If these connections have been fiddled with behind the radio and then the radio refitted, it's quite possible that the movement of the wires when fitting it back in, has stressed a connection and that MAY be where your problem lies. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Matt, My money would be on an internal slave cylinder , but let's hope I'm wrong. A quick way to find out would be to ring the parts department at the main dealer and ask for a price and they will confirm whether internal or external for you. Kind regards, Gareth

Hello Benji, Glad you are now pleased with it. All I would add is that £450 would buy you not that far off 100 gallons of petrol. You would need a lot of improvement in mpg to recoup that. A bit of added performance as well though, which it could be tempting to try out - at additional petrol costs!

Seems like it is 16 valve. 16 valve, chain not belt! - still disappointed with it, and the deal Bengi?

So it's possibly an 8 valve rather than a 16 valve then.

Hello Benj, Appreciating your disappointment, but I would have thought that if enough research had been done then it would be reasonable to expect that cambelt changes and confirmation that it had been attended to would have been a topic covered. My experience points to the general car buyer being tuned into cambelts and the effects of them not having been changed - even with cars that are found to be running on chains rather than belts! I do feel for you if you think you have paid too much, but you don't tell us whether the car has given you problems that disappoints or if it's the anticipated expenditure which has to be paid to get -what is a routine maintenance job- done. An extra £500 allowance in part exchange for your old car is attractive to some, but the hard and simple economics is that it is easy to inflate the outgoing car so a more generous allowance is able to be given for the incoming. It's as old as the hills and will always be the acceptable ethics of the motortrade. Experience is great, but the only figure that matters is what is called the "cost to change" which is the difference in the buying and part exchange price. Any trader will be happy to pay you £1000 more than your car is worth, if he is able to convince the buyer to pay £1000 more for the outgoing car. If you think you paid too much, did you actually check the "list price" of the car against its condition, mileage and service history? Not sure if any of this helps, but routine service items such as cambelt changes are no different from having to buy tyres when they need renewing. Good luck with it. Gareth.

Hello Bengi, Whoever the dealer was who sold it to you and said the belt would not need changing until 160K is not only talking a load of nonsense, but potentially putting you in a very vulnerable situation if you follow this advice. The car is now 8 years old and I would suggest the belt is now due for change if only on an age basis. Not wishing to appear critical of Trevor's link, I would have thought that £455 ( plus VAT?! and without water pump) to renew the belt assembly is not a very good deal. I would be tempted to shop around dealers near your area and see what comes up. An alternative would be to use a reputable independent and enquiry whether you might be able to supply the Audi parts for them to fit. If so, you should be able to get a good discount on parts at Skoda Parts Shop. If you do decide to go to an independent and you get a competitive price, ask what make of parts they are going to use - very important. If not genuine VAG then I would only go for Gates as an aftermarket supplier. If the water pump is to be replaced then do not, just do not, use any aftermarket pump in preference to a genuine VAG. Hope some of this helps. Good luck. Gareth.

I wouldn't take as read that the engine is damaged if it's only 3 teeth out. It could well be, but that would need to be checked, by removing and inspecting the old belt, and all associated components and resetting the timing. You can then 'safely' attempt to restart the car on the basis that if any damage had been done, then it isn't going to start, but if not, it probably will. Always worth a try. Goid luck, Gareth.

See post 21st May. Sold Carl, sorry.

What make were the parts as a matter of interests? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stephen, When you say you replaced your clutch with a standard flywheel to replace your dual mass one can I take it you replaced all three parts of the clutch? What comes to mind here, and I could be wrong, is whether you now have the correct clutch parts for the total new set up, or parts which are listed for the dmf set up - of course, if different. It might all be down to a thickness measurement (now not possible!) of say the smf in comparison with the dmf. It is quite feasible that your pedal bite position would be influenced by any difference in this set up. Not sure if this helps, but.... Kind regards, Gareth.

Point taken Clifford, but if my logic is followed, I cannot see that much of a gamble about it. It will not resort to "could be x or y", but a fault code will point you in the right direction and an estimated cost made. Seems quite simple to me - decision is made when knowelgeable of the facts, not ifs and maybes. Question remains :- to view or not to view. Only Stephen can decide that, and he seems to have gone quiet on the subject! Kind regards, Gareth

Hello Ben, Good question in my book, and one which suggests - and I'm pretty certain confirms- that the car is fitted with non standard wheels. You really need to have this confirmed or refuted and if they are non standard then you would need to inform your insurers of this fact, otherwise you run the risk of possibly being declared uninsured - not a place you want to be. If it were mine, meanwhile I would go with a reasonable compromise pressure as if they were 17s. Trevor's suggestions seem helpful, but I am surprised about the higher than expected unloaded figure of 36psi for the front if I'm reading it correctly.

Depends on how far the car is from you and what attracts you to that particular car as opposed to other examples of the same model. OK, say engine light on but car is in prime example of first class order in all other respects. My suggestion :- obtain the registration number and run an MOT history to check for any previous emission issues etc. Agree to view the car ( private or trade sale?) but obtain agreement to have the car plugged into a diagnostic check before you decide. You will need to coordinate this in the seller's area. If the car is what you want in all other respects and you have an estimate for rectifying the fault and it's all then within budget and a fair price then you can decide if it is what you want. Alternative would be to look for another example which does not have the light on - but of course there may be other faults which lights don't point you to! If I was buying I would ensure I have the knowledge to thoroughly inspect the vehicle and if not, buy in that expertise by paying someone to come with you. Not sure if this helps. Goid luck with whatever you buy.

Hello Simon, Do you have something rather out of the ordinary that you need attending to on the car? I ask since you may want to consider finding a good local garage with whom you can build up a trust. Shouldn't be anything too difficult for a well experienced garage. Kind regards.

As above for 2006 A3 1.6 Sportback. Not originally fitted, but its appears the fixing positions are built into the front bumper. Will need the black plastic surrounds to go with them. Many thanks, Gareth

Hello Kirk, Impressive mileage, and as you say, they wear it well. Regarding oil :- I guess it depends on whether it's using any appreciable amount of oil or not, when using the recommended grade. Do you know what grade was used at the last oil change? If it was the recommended specification then I would suggest sticking with it. Give the engine its best chance by using only quality filters such as dealer part or perhaps Mann etc. I would not buy filters on price. Brakes:- Inspection and /or diagnostics should point you in the right direction re any brake issues. Again, having been there done it, I would only now go with dealer pads. OK a bit more expensive but these brakes are very good, but in my experience nowhere near as good with factor pads. I think there were issues with a valve in the ABS unit causing the traction control light to come on. You should be able to googe that. Faulty-part ( about half of ABS unit) was available from VAG. Timing belt :- always good insurance to change it and the tensioners etc. Yes, boring! but again dealer part only for this critical application in my book. As an exception you could use Gates, but that would be my only alternative choice. Changing water pump? If you do avoid any factor make. Believe VAG actual do/did reconditioned pumps at a fairly reasonable price. Hope some of this helps. Good lick with it.

I really do admire the "it's nothing much" attitude to this, and I think it's great that the VW and Audi specialists are able to say there isn't anything amiss with the pistons and bottom end by manually spinning the crankshaft ( and one guesses, banging the pistons into the bent valves). Nice. You mention 20 mph so it's unlikely that there would be much internal damage. I just wonder if you have thought about - say 2000rpm. ,which equals about 33 revolutions per second. The bottom end of this engine would have continued to have been "driven" by the gearbox even after the belt had snapped. How many seconds would you think the previous owner would have taken to realise something had gone wrong and brake to a halt. However many you would guess it is, just multiply that be 33 and you will have an idea of how many times the pistons came in contact with the valves. Let's say his reactions were fairly good - 10 secs. = over 300 times! - and that is without your specialists cranking it over again! I really hope all works out fine for you, and you will be pleased with the end result and the long term service the car will give you. Good luck.

Well, car sales doesn't do this anymore, so back to square one. Wondered if anyone might have some other ideas. Many thanks, Magnet.