Anyone know of any cheap Audi Breakers / garage in the Swansea/Port Talbot Area?

**jonnycraig** · 4th February 2012

My B5 probs are ongoing, usual thing cash is a very tight and things then gather up and fail all at once! I need my car to travel the 70 mile round trip to work every day. So any suggestions on the best way or order to get the following fixed, or do I put the money into a cheap runner with the risk of inheriting new probs.

Last night ice has burst the radiator, hole must be too big for radweld to fix (not that I hold much hope in it anyway) thought I had enough antifreeze in there but obviously not!
There is a water leak where coolant pipe comes from the top of the rad and enters the block between the injectors, gasket gone?
Indicators do hazard lights up or down - Stalk or hazard switch
Fanbelt is starting to fray so should I do timing belt, waterpump and thermostat too?
152000 miles on the clock, so timing belt due soon anyway? 160k is it?
Oil temperature gage has never shown a reading is that dangerous?
and finally.... water temperature usually displays about 60-70 degrees according to the gage and climate code 51 display trick (lazy/faulty thermostat?)

Thanks for reading my probs

Cheers Jonny

**audiv6quattro** · 4th February 2012

Hi mate, to be honest if apart from the faults you've mentioned and if the head gasket hasn't gone it's probably worth fixing, because as you say you will only end up buying a cheap run-around and inherit more problems. All the things you've listed shouldn't really come up to more than a couple of hundred quid and where are you going to get a decent car for that?? Entirely your choice but I would fix it if I was you. If the head gasket hasn't gone anyway.

**audiv6quattro** · 4th February 2012

They do have a couple of rads on eBay for £30 not to sure if it makes a difference if you cars auto or not though audi a4 1.9 tdi radiator | eBay

**Alsie** · 4th February 2012

I'm breaking a B5 at the moment, in the south Wales area, if you need parts cheap, I'm your man lol!

**ScottB5** · 4th February 2012

Originally Posted by jonnycraig

Last night ice has burst the radiator, hole must be too big for radweld to fix (not that I hold much hope in it anyway) thought I had enough antifreeze in there but obviously not!

Did you put radweld in to your rad? If not, please don't. But a new rad off ebay or if money is a bit tight, talk to a couple of the B5 lads thats breaking their motor.
Originally Posted by jonnycraig

There is a water leak where coolant pipe comes from the top of the rad and enters the block between the injectors, gasket gone?

Thats possible the same thing as I just sold. Its plastic flange that splits. its bout £10-£15 off ebay or again, talk to one of the breakers and see they can supply you with the one off of theirs as a temp fix but I would deffo look in to a new one.
Originally Posted by jonnycraig

Indicators do hazard lights up or down - Stalk or hazard switch

They do what up and down? You indicate left and all indicator fault? Possible relay fault. Again Talk to a breakers and ask for the Hazard switch.
Originally Posted by jonnycraig

Fanbelt is starting to fray so should I do timing belt, waterpump and thermostat too?
Originally Posted by jonnycraig

152000 miles on the clock, so timing belt due soon anyway? 160k is it?

I'll answer 4 and 5 here. Yes do it. Fan belt is every 60k or 4 years (I think) but its at 152k and no sign of replacement then do the two belts, waterpump, thermo and adjusters.
Originally Posted by jonnycraig

Oil temperature gage has never shown a reading is that dangerous?

Not really. Most cars don't have a oil temp.
Originally Posted by jonnycraig

and finally.... water temperature usually displays about 60-70 degrees according to the gage and climate code 51 display trick (lazy/faulty thermostat?)

Could be thermo. get that replaced but if you order the part for fault #2, ask them to keep the coolant sensor in.

**Nessy** · 5th February 2012

To get the real-time coolant temp it is code 49 on the climate control panel!
I replaced my thermostat the other day as I was also getting a low gauge temp (it has always sat bang on 90 degrees once warmed up) and this cured it totally.
A Genuine Audi 'stat cost less than 20 quid , so don't try and get a cheaper/pattern one, by all accounts they are crap!
Having said that, the thermostat I took out was also Genuine , and had 'only' lasted since Feb '09 and approx 40k miles!

**jonnycraig** · 5th February 2012

Cheers for all the replies and advice guys, to top things off my battery died this morning and with no neighbours around to jump start me I had to ring the AA Grrr!!