cliffcoggin

John. You need to be aware that diesel fuel is the lubricant for the fuel pump and its absence can cause wear within the pump, because petrol has no lubricating properties. Furthermore petrol may have degraded seals at any point in the fuel system from the pump to the injectors. I am not saying these are definitely the causes of your problems, but they are distinct and very expensive possibilities.

Only one keyhole. What an odd arrangement. Was that how the car was made, or could it be another modification by the previous owner?

In that case the chances are that you have the wrong keys for the car, but one of the fobs has been re-programmed for remote operation as Gareth suggested.

Perhaps I did not make my question clear enough. Which door does the key fail to open? Driver's door? Passenger door? Boot? Or all three?

Davis. More details needed please. Q1. You said the keys won't open the door, Does that apply to just the driver's door, or to both doors and the boot? Q2 Have you renewed the battery in the second fob? Cliff.

Why not ask the seller as he clearly knows?

How much?

Stacey. I second what Gareth has told you. The most likely fault is either the slave cylinder or the master cylinder, depending on which one has not been changed. If that proves to be the case, then I question whether the clutch needed to be changed in the first place. A competent mechanic should be able to tell the difference between spongy hydraulics and a worn out clutch. If the clutch was old and near the end of its life then it was probably worthwhile as they don't last for ever, but I would object to paying out money for repairs before they become necessary because of a poor diagnosis. The trouble is that the life of a clutch is unpredictable because it depends very much on how it is used. A boy racer driving style, or riding the pedal at traffic lights, can ruin a clutch in 20000 miles; a sedate careful driver can get 5 times that distance. Do let us know the outcome.

Glad to hear the problem is, or might be, solved. Thanks also for the update. It's sometimes disheartening when respondents don't reply to suggestions, or even have the courtesy to thank those who have assisted.

I daresay if anybody had an idea he would have spoken up by now Stuart. Bear in mind there are precious few of us in this forum so it is no surprise there are no replies. See the recent history of the forum for proof. Personally I distrust any of the code reader results so I didn't even look at yours. If the problem can not be solved with a new fob battery my suggestion is to get a meter and start testing the relevant circuits.

Glen. Another possible cause of variable engine shaking is a weak fuel mixture, often caused by an air leak into the intake or turbo connections, but also possible from faulty injectors. A detailed examination by a competent mechanic should isolate the fault.

And slip a tenner into the box while you are at it.

Connor. Before buying any expensive, whether Audi or non-Audi, parts and trusting to luck that the problem will be solved, I would carry out some pressure tests to find where the problem really is. A compression test should reveal if there is an internal engine leak, though one or more low cylinder pressures could be the result of worn rings, defective valves, or damaged head gasket. A pressure test of the oil cooler with water at mains pressure together with a valve and a dial pressure gauge will reveal if it has a hole. Both tests can be done by the competent home mechanic with some ingenuity and cheap instruments.

One other risky technique I have used in the past is to put a bottle jack under the wrench and use hydraulic force to raise it. I stress again it is risky. The jack might slip or the socket may come off the bolt. You can imagine the consequences.

Josh. I hate to write this but I have a horrible feeling you have bought a wreck. I hope I am wrong, in fact I'd be glad to be proved wrong, but alarm bells ring for me when a friend of the seller says all is well, yet within three weeks all the brakes needed to be replaced and the DPF was blocked. And now the engine is giving problems? I too have a 2 litre diesel that has done 84000 miles, but there is no whistle from the turbo or puff of smoke when the throttle is stabbed. In your position, and assuming a refund is impossible because it was a private sale, I'd get the car professionally assessed before spending any more money on it.

Hello Brad. I've never done the job on an A3 so I can not visualise it, but I know suspension parts get covered in dirt and water causing severe rusting of the bolts. I have found these tips can sometimes be useful: - a socket extension may give you a bigger swing on the wrench, - extreme heat from a blowlamp may break the rust bond, but beware of nearby fuel lines, paint, brake lines, rubber components etc. - if all else fails I have sometimes resorted to splitting the nut with a hammer and cold chisel.

Glad to hear it. Like Gareth, I remember a time when dying batteries gave advance notice of their impending demise by turning the engine over slower than normal for a week or two before they completely expired. Then again cars had starting handles in case the battery was tired. (That dates me more than I want to admit.)

That's useful information Dirk. As it happens, a neighbour's A3 had enormous oil consumption that took a long time to get rectified. She was told by her non-Audi mechanic that there was an inherent fault in that particular engine model. I wasn't entirely convinced at the time but in retrospect it may well have been one of those mentioned in the article. I don't recall the details of the engine or the repair except to say it was petrol. By contrast my own 2 litre diesel never needs to be topped up between services.

Tony. I'm not sure if anybody can give useful advice as many of your questions come down to personal preference and the car's previous history. Fuel choice is a matter of economics versus ecology. Petrol is cleaner while diesel is cheaper. Engine size is again a matter of your desire for power versus economy. If maintenance has been thorough then all models will be reliable. Mileage cap depends how hard the car has been driven by previous owners. A well cared for car with 100000 miles on the clock will be a better buy than one with 50000 miles that has been abused. I am not aware of any endemic weaknesses in any particular model, however it's necessary to ensure that servicing has been thorough to avoid expensive repairs. For example if a cam belt has not been changed at the specified interval in order to save money there is a chance the engine will fail catastrophically. It all comes down to what you want from the car, how much you are prepared to pay, and how well it has been cared for, and only you can determine that.

I sympathise with your troubles Charlie, but ranting about them here will achieve nothing as this forum is not owned or run by Audi. If you can not get satisfaction from the dealer you really aught to take legal advice on the matter.

Glad to hear you have resolved the problem Vitalijus. How did the fuel lines come to be connected wrongly in the first place?

Do let us know the outcome.

If the battery is not holding a charge it probably needs to be renewed. A garage will be able to test it if you don't have the equipment.

I can't help with the diagnosis, but I would want an independent assessment of the fault before spending that much money. I would also want a money-back guarantee on any proposed solution, as I have been sceptical of Audi diagnoses in the past.

Perhaps these people could help? http://www.audiecu.com/ I know nothing about the company but it appears to offer much lower prices than Audi.