newbie- audi a3 1.8 t sports questions!

[poweller]

Hi
wish I had found this site before i put a deposit down on a 2000V a3 1.8t!!
oh well, have a few questions in hindsight!

Its got full SH and done 89k. I couldnt see anywhere in the SH book that the cambelt has been changed..I have no idea about these engines but from the SH book it looked like they need to be changed at 115k, but this sounds far too much..anyway, the trader said he would get it done at his local garage tomorrow- does this sound OK- or does it need to be by an audi dealer/specialist?

The car also had the airbag warning light on constantly..the dealer said he would get it sorted- but I am worried that he might just take the bulb out or something..Does anyone know what might cause this and is it a major headache?

Also how many keys should come with a 2nd hand a3- think this one only had 1 set..

Also I think it used to have a cd changer but has been taken out- are these easy to pick up? In the left hand boot compartment above wheel arch there is a box like thing with a fan on the back of it- any idea what this is!?


it felt awesome for an 89k 6 year old car, but is there anything I should be worrying about in the near future? it came with 3 month parts and labour warranty..

cheers for any help!

 

[madvw]

it doesn't really matter who does the cambelt change, but it's important to swap other weak components at the same time, like the tensioners and the waterpump. These are just as likely to fail as the cambelt, and can be just as destructive.

Airbag warning ight could be just as simple as a removed steering wheel or as serious as a knackered module or bag. Looking at the fault code should tell you though.

The car would have originally come with 3 keys. 2 normal keys, and a plastic wallet key or a valet ket.

CD changers are easy to come by, but original ones are overpriced and overrated. best get an mp3 solution if you want one, or a convertor and a sont changer if you really want a changer. The fan thing you describe is the subwoofer.

3 month waranty? sounds better than nothing.... as long as they'll warranty the work that they have performed on the car for longer.....

 

[poweller]

cheers madvw. Gonna ring guy in a bit and mention that the waterpump and tensioners need to be done. If I told him not to bother and that I will get it done myself would I need to do it straight away or leave it until interval at 115k? its an AGU engine.
cheers

 

[madvw]

I thought that the cambelt interval was 80k, but it varies according to who you speak to. I certainly wouldn't trust those tensioners or waterpump much over 80k.

 

[Tallpaul]

cheers madvw. Gonna ring guy in a bit and mention that the waterpump and tensioners need to be done. If I told him not to bother and that I will get it done myself would I need to do it straight away or leave it until interval at 115k? its an AGU engine.
cheers

It's not 115k on an AGU (unless that's the second belt change!). Mine was done by Audi (same car as you) at 79k. If you want to get it done yourself, budget £300 for an independant specialist or £500 for Audi to do it.

The cambelt should be inspected from 60k and changed at 80k. If i'd owned my car at 60k i'd have changed it then, plus the tensioners and water pump.

Make sure the new water pump has brass impellars as the original VAG one is plastic and generally rubbish.

 

[Tallpaul]

you say it's got a full SH... Is that an Audi service history? Personnaly i'd walk away if it wasn't. The fact it's got to 89k without a belt change is odd; makes you wonder what other routine servicing hasn't been carried out.

 

[poweller]

Yeah its audi up until 70k..in the book it says the belt doesnt need changing until 115k so maybe thats why they didnt do it? sounds ****** high tho for a cambelt! There was nothing saying it should have been changed at 80k..

 

[Tallpaul]

Yeah its audi up until 70k..in the book it says the belt doesnt need changing until 115k so maybe thats why they didnt do it? sounds ****** high tho for a cambelt! There was nothing saying it should have been changed at 80k..

hmmm, i'm 99% sure the service schedule on my '98 1.8T Sport says 80k. Same as on the SEAT leon cupra i had before (basically the same engine). The fact that Audi changed it at 79k on mine is a bit of clue too.

Either way, you need to get the belt changed on yours (if you buy it) ASAP. That includes the tensioners and water pump.

 

[poweller]

cheers, yeah its been done today!

 

[AndyMac]

Isn't the 115k reference in km's

 

[Tallpaul]

Isn't the 115k reference in km's

Bingo!

 

[AndyMac]

Also you can check if he's just removed the airbag light bulb as the car flashes up all warning lights when you first start the engine to show if any of the bulbs are blown.

 

[poweller]

that will be it! that would mean 70k miles then! its a wonder its still alive!
cheers for the tip on the airbag!

 

[poweller]

just found this on the VW forum tho! I am confused!

When to change the cam belt depends on the type of engine you have. I have a W reg Golf GTi Turbo (AGU engine), and having asked a VW dealer, they said it needed changing at 120k miles, but obviously you'd change it before then.

VW checks the cambelt when you take in for a major service from 60K miles (i think) to see if it's loose or damaged. I've done 91K in mine and had it changed at a VW dealer in Aylesbury (for peace of mind and guarantee) for £280 (inc parts including the tensioners, labour and VAT). It does pay to ring around VW dealers to see what they are charging.

I'm sure independent garages are ok as long as they are reliable. Go for ones through word of mouth. Let me know how you get on.

 

[Nigma]

The car would have originally come with 3 keys. 2 normal keys, and a plastic wallet key or a valet ket.

It should come with 2 regular keys, a valet key (only access to the doors) and a plastic template key.

The plastic key is very important, as it is what they use to make coppies from. This will also have a tag attached to it, which is the programming code for the immobiliser. If you don't have this, getting additional keys made will be a complete ball ache.

I have heard that some peoples water pumps have failed at between 80k-100k (before the cambelt will fail). So it makes sense to have the cambelt done at the same time as its pretty much the same job. I think my specialist didn't charge me any extra labour for the waterpump.

Anand

 

[matt5594]

The plastic key is very important, as it is what they use to make coppies from. This will also have a tag attached to it, which is the programming code for the immobiliser. If you don't have this, getting additional keys made will be a complete ball ache.

i got a plastic key but never brought it to the dealers (audi docklands) when having a new flip key cut. i just left my main key with them to copy/program.

 

[madvw]

It should come with 2 regular keys, a valet key (only access to the doors) and a plastic template key.

The plastic key is very important, as it is what they use to make coppies from. This will also have a tag attached to it, which is the programming code for the immobiliser. If you don't have this, getting additional keys made will be a complete ball ache.

It really does depend on when you bought your car. I have a facelift and it came with 2 remote flip-keys, and a plastic wallet key. The plastic wallet key serves the same purpose as the valet key - it will only open the doors and start the car. The manual doesn't even mention the seperate metal valet key anymore. However, I don't think the plastic key imposes the same rev-limiting that the valet key used to.

The preferred method to cut new keys would always be from a key number, there are people out there on ebay though that claim to be able to cut new kets from a photocopy though....

The SKC is also only any good if you're lucky enough to have a 4 digit SKC. IMMO3 7 digit SKC's are pretty useless without the help of a friendly dealer now unfortunately.

 

[matt5594]

It really does depend on when you bought your car. I have a facelift and it came with 2 remote flip-keys, and a plastic wallet key. The plastic wallet key serves the same purpose as the valet key - it will only open the doors and start the car. The manual doesn't even mention the seperate metal valet key anymore. However, I don't think the plastic key imposes the same rev-limiting that the valet key used to.

its a 2nd hand pre-facelift model, 99 a3 t sport.

i dont think my plastic wallet key is right, i'm not at home to take a picture of what i've got but it looks like a regtangular piece of clear plastic that opens on a hinge with some numbers printed on a white sticker.

that opens doors? or am i missing a bit there as well as it doesnt look like it could start the car or open any doors..

*confused*

 

[madvw]

nope thats not the wallet key. That just contains the SKC and other codes.

 

[poweller]

picked her up, the guy had the old parts from the cambelt change- water pump looked like it was on its last legs- there was this pinky build up on one part of it and another part looked burnt out!