Magnet

Hello John, I’ve tended to stick with Gates, but ideally buying a genuine VAG. water pump. Some might suggest Dayco to good effect. You’ve now got other options, such as SKF ( once a very well respected manufacturer of bearings), and INA - also bearing manufacturers. Whichever you use, I would recommend you renew the auxiliary belt at the same time. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello again Alex, So are you going to share with us whether you intend buying from a dealer - where you have the security associated with the purchase - or are you concentrating only on purchases from private individuals. The latter wouldn’t make sense since you would see the V5 at the address the vehicle is registered to and you would know who owns it, and you could then spend your money on a HPI check if/when (in caps) you decide to buy it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Please help us out with more detail of who you are going to buy from, and why you are checking for outstanding finance on vehicles which you haven’t specifically decided to buy? Kind regards, Gareth.

Are you going to come back to us Rickie?

Hello again David, What part of the U.K. are you living? Once you read the numerous posts, you will see that the recommendation has change from what ‘Audi U.K.’ told you. When and who exactly, told you this David? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, Have you read the dialogue on this subject on recent threads? Have a read and come back to us on how you feel about it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Rob, Sorry to hear of your problem. ‘No valves etc. damaged….’. The best way to confirm that is to get a compression test carried out on that bank to hopefully confirm your belief. That has to be your starting point for considering the car’s future. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Paul, Homework and evidence presenting is key to how these things pan out. Kind regards, Gareth.

Without wishing to be patronising, well done you. It seems you have done everything you can ‘to the book’, thus reducing Audi’s wiggle room. You obviously see the importance of a structured approach - quite a few don’t! Perhaps you could keep us posted Paul, since I think everyone on here would be very sympathetic to your valid claim. You certainly seem to be tuned into doing this correctly, and doubt if you need the forum’s advice, but please let us know if we can help further at any stage. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Why doesn’t your mechanic find it and replace it then?

Many thanks for the additional information Paul. If you expect (and plan for) Audi using any means of getting under a snakes belly with a top hat on, in an attempt to avoid paying any contribution, you won’t be disappointed. Based on the above, I’ve attempted to summarise as follows - warts and all - some of this results in more questions, but:- You bought the car new from Audi Yeovil, but they haven’t subsequently seen the car for regular servicing. You have used an independent to service the car, even during its 3 year warranty period. That independent has only used genuine Audi service parts, and only oils that can be proved to meet Audi specification -? Has the independent registered these services on Audi’s computer service record? If not, do you have itemised copies of all services carried out? When was it last serviced and at what mileage, and when did the cambelt fail in relation to both service mileage and date? Can you confirm the independent is VAT registered? Have your dealings with Audi Customer Services been recorded in writing? A detached viewpoint:- Due to the car having covered only short trip mileages over the last couple of years, coupled with the fact that the S/S has always been deployed, this belt has had a hammering over its short journeys and regular s/s restarts, compared with if it had been used for regular long distance use. Having said that, it should have been capable of withstanding this use. I hope all of this doesn’t present too gloomy a picture, but as I see it, you have lost valuable browny points by not having a ‘genuine’ Audi servicing history. I think your mechanic is absolutely right in not touching it at the moment, but you have to consider how long it’s likely to take you to reach a situation of receiving any contribution from Audi, while the vehicle remains dormant. I genuinely wish you good luck with this since it should not have happened. Perhaps you could come back to us Paul with the answers to the above. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, I’m very sorry to hear you have encountered this totally unacceptable failure, but I feel you are into the battlefield in respect of getting contributions from Audi. It will require a great deal of support from your best pal Percy Verance, and as Steve say, the battle is likely to be protracted, but you have to keep at it. Perhaps you could let us know:- How many (main dealer?) services the car has had from new and at what mileages? Are most of your journeys short. Do you isolate the stop/start, or do you just leave it to operate? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Denzil, Possibly a substandard earth connection, leading to a high contact resistance. Check earth onto the offending light.

Thanks Huw. So although you have access to motorfactors, you are saying they don’t stock much for your car-? If you are looking at U.K. motor factors, then you could try Parts in Motion in the West Country of U.K. I’ve used them to good avail in the past. Do they export? Worth searching UK EBay and you will find many more. Continental suppliers? Kind regards, Gareth.

The only way you are going to know is to get it on a lift and see what the behind- grille access is like when the front undertrays are removed.

Hello Jamie, Thanks for coming back and filling in the detail. At a time where most part exchanges are usually traded out direct to local traders, I ask why is this car at an auction site. I know some large warehouses do trade only via. auction, but….so do WBAC. Remember, you buy at auction without any trial, and very very limited access to history chases etc, and you get it with all faults - whether disclosed or not. You simply buy on price. If it need work, can you afford to be without it while it gets repaired? Have you done a DVLA Vehicle check on the reg. no. to see when the last V5 was issued - can give useful information on length of previous ownership. Also MOT history check? Kind regards, Gareth.

What mileage has it done?

Welcome Vernon, Do you feel much resistance when you pull the bonnet cable, or does it seems ‘dead’ - with free play? Whatever, always worth a try to get an assistant to quickly press up and down on the centre front of the bonnet, while you attempt to pull the cable. Kind regards, Gareth.

Any of this any good to you Gareth?

Sorry I can’t be more helpful Andy, but remain positive - there are vast areas of the country not yet subjected to ULEZ so there will be a market for it. I’ve amended the title for you, so members can see it is for sale. Good luck, Gareth.

Many thanks for being in touch Andrew. Trying to be helpful yet realistic, as I see it, regrettably there isn’t really anything outstanding about the car - such as low mileage, rare model etc.- so it is likely to only realise a run of the mill price, whatever that is, and as you say, you are seriously hampered by the non-ULEZ compliance. Where to advertise? EBay, Autotrader etc. Price? Start off on EBay with WBAC’s daft valuation, and see where it goes. Kind regards, Gareth.

Welcome Hugh, and thanks for joining. Apologies in advance for the probable negative response, but I think it’s going to be difficult for the (predominantly U.K.) forum to come up with suggestions for you. We have motor factors in the U.K., who supply aftermarket parts at substantially lower prices than the main dealer. Do you have such outlets in Australia, and if so, are they accessible to non-trade individuals? If so, obviously use those. I buy most of my parts through EBay sellers, and I guess you will also have access to those suppliers -? Secondhand parts:- we have car breakers, and have linked on-line searches where you can input your ‘want’ and breakers who have the part, contact you direct. Do you have similar systems there? Perhaps you could come back to us Hugh. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Sam, Please keep us up to date on the outcome. Kind regards, Gareth.

Welcome Dev, 13 to 13.7v is too low. Should be nearer to 14.5v. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Lynn, If you have a search for air bag light, you will find suggestions in a recent - last week?- post on that topic. Resistors for seat belts? Why? Kind regards, Gareth.