cliffcoggin

Nicola. I agree the problem is a poor repair, though it may have been to cover rust rather than crash damage. Either way the only solution is to hack it off, treat the metal, and fill again. Don't be tempted to paint over the top of the existing filler as the cracks will re-appear rapidly. I suggest you test unmarked areas of the body with a small weak magnet for the presence of filler elsewhere, though crafty body shops have been known to add iron filings to the filler in order to defeat the test. Wrap the magnet in a piece of thin rag to avoid damaging the paint.

Please do. It will save an awful lot of fruitless questions and answers, which could easily send everyone on wild goose chases. I am reminded of the old joke about the motorist who complained of the whining from the back of the car and was told to cure it by leaving the mother-in-law at home.

What sort of noise? Knock? Bang? Whine? Rattle? Buzz? Whistle? Groan? A good description or recording would be useful.

A couple of days ago an advertisement for car leasing appeared as a topic in the forum which I can neither block nor report as spam. Has there been a change to the forum rules that permits this?

I don't understand your question.

Barton hardly comes into the far north category.

Personally I recommend the same tyres you use in the summer. In this country we don't have the extreme winter conditions that would justify fitting a different grade of tyre.

Thanks for that David, which has taught me something about ABS operation. Given that your problem only occurred during extreme braking when the ABS became active, I reckon it was probably the current drawn by the solenoid valves that tripped the system, rather than the pump which runs during normal, non ABS braking to maintain servo pressure.

Congratulations on resolving a difficult problem. Would the pump really draw extra current during ABS operation? I assumed those motors were either on or off, and therefore drew a constant current when running. I guess there is no need to learn cascade braking nowadays with ABS so widespread. I doubt I would be alert enough to use the technique after such a long time.

Sorry Harry, but to my ears that sounds quite different to the first recording you posted. However you are the only one who can hear it for real so you will have to make your own mind up. Ultimately the only way to be sure what is causing the noise is to dismantle and examine. The only certainty is that it will be expensive.

Shaun. If your engine is like mine it will have a cam belt not a chain. Belts can fail without warning (unlike a chain,) so it is recommended to renew every 70000 miles. It is usual to renew the water pump at the same time because of the difficulty of getting to it.

Harry thanks for the update, few bother to do so after the initial question. Do let us know the outcome of the repair.

Bob. What are you trying to remove? The trim or the spray?

It's hard to imagine how removing the rear wiper could cause your problem unless the feed wire is flapping onto an earth. Beyond that I have no idea.

Ben. Is the battery in good condition? If not it would be worth renewing it before doing anything else because a dodgy battery can cause apparently unrelated and mysterious electrical problems.

A few questions first Harry. What do you mean by PCV? Which engine is it? How many miles has it done? Does it have a service history? It's impossible to be definitive about the rattle without getting close to the engine to locate the source of the noise. It could indeed be the timing chain (has it and its tensioner been renewed,) or it might be excessive valve gap (depending on which engine it is). I think it is unlikely to be the turbo. In your place I would use a stethoscope on each part of the engine to locate where the sound was loudest. (That's not a medical stethoscope, it's a mechanic's equivalent. They look similar but the mechanic's version has a rigid steel probe instead a rubber cup.)

Leanne. As Gareth said, take it back to the man that caused the problem, assuming of course that the instruments were functioning properly beforehand. It may be simply a plug that has not been reconnected or it could be more serious.

O yes, albeit half a century ago. My father was a motor mechanic and taught me much of what I know. The first car I bought cost £40, and after some fettling I drove it to Greece and back! It blew a core plug going over the Alps, and the dynamo (remember them?) also failed, but we sorted it and carried on. Happy days.

Railthe. If you can find 15 year A3 in good condition and within your budget snap it up. The important point there is good condition, meaning well maintained and with a full service history. Anything less will likely land you with some expensive repair bills in the near future, and believe me Audi repairs are very expensive. Of course if you can do your own maintenance that will help a lot in keeping costs down. Gareth in particular can advise on that aspect. Having said that, I do feel that a Nissan Micra would be a better first choice. It would be cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, cheaper to insure, and cheaper to maintain. I do appreciate that a Micra has just about zero appeal compared to an Audi. It's up to you to decide on the balance between practicality and appeal.

To the best of my knowledge auto headlights turn on in the dark, not in the rain.

John. I suggest you start a new topic to avoid any confusion between an egr cooler and a loose cambelt. Or maybe one of our administrators can move your question.

A first car for whom? A teenager that has just passed his test has a high chance of smashing the car within a year so it makes sense to get the cheapest car available until the adrenaline levels have dropped. On the other hand an older experienced driver needs to decide what he intends to use the car for, whether that be a shopping trolley, a commuter vehicle, a school taxi etc. It's all a matter of personal choice.

Kyle. If your A3 has a rain sensor for the wipers, as mine has, I assume it can be linked to other electrical devices. What I don't understand is why you want to link it to the headlights.

Friend or not, I'm sorry to say that he has not fitted the belt correctly, and my advice stands. You have not answered Gareth's questions about whether the belt and tensioner were also renewed. The curious thing is that the water pump is normally changed as a pre-emptive measure when the cam belt is changed because of the difficulty, and hence cost, of access to the belt.

You're not giving much information away Chris. What obvious stuff are you referring to? Did you look at the prop shaft bearing and rubber mounting? Are the tyres matched?