Back in an 8P3

[dave_ph]

Hi all,

After a brief stint away from Audi (wholey due to the horrendous customer service from Taunton Audi and then reinforced by the horrendous customer service from Audi UK), I find myself back in an A3!

Sob story however, I'm a self employed contractor in the IT world and pre-covid it was all rosey and I took out PCP and got a brand new Merc E300DE estate which was a really beautiful car and loved it to bits, however Covid19 dried the work load up and I haven't worked for 2 months now so first thing to go is the car to keep a roof over the family's head! Had to get rid of my R1200GS as well

So anyway, here we are again back in my 3rd A3. Its a 2011 2.0TDI 170 DSG (sorry....STronic!) with 90k miles on it. Its in very good condition considering. Its a Cat N write off due to some damage to the O/S wing however this was repaired by the previous owner who had a garage and you couldn't tell now.

As always with cars this age, there is always something that needs sorting/improving so my little list of things to do are as follows (I've had the car 2 days and already hardwired a dash cam in):

Sorting:
- DSG Oil service (hasn't been done since 54k which may lead onto next point)
- There is a bit of a rattle when pulling away at low revs in 2/3rd gear (around 1200rpm) briefly. It clears quickly as the revs increase, however not sure if its gearbox related or a bit of trim in the engine bay vibrating? (will start another thread on this)
- Rattles!! There are a couple really annoying rattles, one in the centre console area which sounds like something sliding around, and I believe one in the boot lid. My mission over the next week is to take it apart and find the causes
- The parcel shelf has a broken mounting point on it which needs repairing

Improving:
- As I don't really want to change the HU, I am going to run an aux cable from the aux port, under the centre console into the glovebox. I'm also going to put a 12v socket in the glovebox and use one of those iphone 2 into 1 (lightning and headphone into lightning) adapter, then have a little lightning extension lead so just one cable comes out the corner of the glovebox, straight into my phone which will be mounted on a magnetic mount on the passenger side centre air vent. This way I can play DAB radio through my phone, use WAZE for sat nav etc without having the expense of a new HU. Will post some pics up once that's done

- Cruise Control retrofit
- Auto Lights retrofit (although I don't believe I have the mounting points on my windscreen for the necessary rear view mirror)
- Retrofit rear parking sensors - its amazing how much you get used to them!

Think that's enough for now!

Dave

 

[henkkeumus]

Clean looking A3!

Autolights can only be done with a rain/light sensor in your windscreen. I see you don't have one so you need to replace the whole frontwindow for one with a piece for the sensor and then get a new auto dim mirror with the sensor attached and wire the mirror onto your BCM (the car main electronic unit that regulates all modules in the car etc.)

To retrofit the CC stalk, I write alot of retrofits on this forum, did one for the CC stalk too: https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/how-to-mfsw-cruisecontrol-retrofit.410631/

And I'm currently writing up a how-to for the parkingsensors + autoparking (the car park itself without you steering) for the front. But it's basicly the same on the back (if you want to do it OEM). The only difference is the PINS that you need to wire up in the parkmodule. But you can open a topic about it or ask it in mine as some users have alot of experience with it https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threa...distance-control-pla-park-lane-assist.417456/

 

[dave_ph]

Thanks

Yeah the auto-lights could be a bit of a pipe dream at the mo as was expecting I'd need a new windscreen if the mounting points weren't there. Need a stone to pop up and crack my screen so I can get a new one under insurance!

The cruise control I've retrofitted a couple times before (once on an A3 and once on an A4) so that's easy enough to do. The parking sensors however will be a different kettle of fish and probably a lot more expensive. I'd be happy with just rear sensors though to be honest as I don't have the RNS-E either so can't have the fancy display side of things anyway. Will check that thread out though as looks interesting, thanks for linking

 

[dave_ph]

I've already undertaken one of my to do's and gone after the really annoying rattle in the centre console that sounded like a marble rolling around. A little bit of digging (and frowning at the dirt) revealed....



(its an old style £1 as well so must have been there quite a while!)

Anyway a bit more digging and found half a purse under there!


A little bit disgusted as well with the grime, I gave it a good clean out before putting it back together



Just another rattle to find in the boot area next which I'm not so sure will be quite so straight forward. I've also got more info about the possible DSG rattle but will post that in the specific thread I created

 

[henkkeumus]

I've already undertaken one of my to do's and gone after the really annoying rattle in the centre console that sounded like a marble rolling around. A little bit of digging (and frowning at the dirt) revealed....

View attachment 206444

(its an old style £1 as well so must have been there quite a while!)

Anyway a bit more digging and found half a purse under there!
View attachment 206445

A little bit disgusted as well with the grime, I gave it a good clean out before putting it back together

View attachment 206446

Just another rattle to find in the boot area next which I'm not so sure will be quite so straight forward. I've also got more info about the possible DSG rattle but will post that in the specific thread I created

Easy money mate. Discount gehehe.

Yeah, you prob better of sourcing a bumper with the holes already in them with brackets. Then get some sensors and purchase a Kufatec loom from Kufatec.com

You can either buy a new or used parkingaid module and place it on it's position (rights side in the boot). You can also do it non-OEM and buy some Chinese aftermarket sensors.

When doing it OEM you need to wire the sensors to the parkingaid module and then 2 looms with around 10/12 wires to the BCM and buzzer etc. If you def. want to fit it OEM follow my topic I've sent you above and I will try to source you the pins you need to wire and terminals you need to use etc.

 

[dave_ph]

Okey cool thanks mate I do like the OEM route, however will have to see what it costs

 

[henkkeumus]

You can buy a full package at Kufatec: https://www.kufatec.com/en/audi/a3/...retrofit-for-audi-a3-8p-8pa-convertible-36045

I you want to source everything cheaper and by yourself;
- I have an 4K Parkhilfe module (supports back sensors) which you can take from me, I can ship to UK. I'm sure we'll sort it out about prices .
- PDC Loom for rear sensors: https://www.kufatec.com/en/audi/a3/...ors-rear-bumper-for-audi-a3-8p-8p-sport-34478
- The only thing you need to wire is
-- Powerline (OEM this comes from your BCM but you can take any 12v triggered by reversegear)
-- Groundline (Mass, ground, earth)
-- CAN HIGH (to your CAN-Gateway, drivetrain CAN)
-- CAN LOW (to your CAN-Gateway, drivetrain CAN)
-- Buzzer (live and groundfeed, this beeps when you drive to an object obviously)

 

[Sandra]

@dave_ph welcome back Dave. Nice car, hope you enjoy.

 

[dave_ph]

@dave_ph welcome back Dave. Nice car, hope you enjoy.

Thanks Sandra

 

[dave_ph]

This afternoon a couple cables arrived so I started my little alternative to DAB radio an Sat Nav (aka using my phone!)

I got a flat 3.5mm aux cable with a right angled plug at one end and ran that through the centre console into the back of the glove box. I had to drill a little hole by the aux port so the cable plug would feed through:


The little cover goes over the top no problems



Once in the glove box, I plugged it into a headphone + charger to lightning port adapter. I then used a lightning extension so the adapter stays hidden away:


(I’ve got a 12v accessory port coming tomorrow which I will install in the glove box to charge my phone at the same time via that adapter)

I’ve then got a magnetic mount for my phone. I think it looks neat. Not sure I’m fully happy with the cable coming out the glovebox but not sure where else I can route it yet which I can easily hide.



Thoughts?

Dave

 

[Retroman]

The 170HP engine is a lovely drive in the little A3. I recently test drove a much newer Merc A200D with lots of extras but there was no comparison in performance - I was disappointed.

 

[henkkeumus]

This afternoon a couple cables arrived so I started my little alternative to DAB radio an Sat Nav (aka using my phone!)

I got a flat 3.5mm aux cable with a right angled plug at one end and ran that through the centre console into the back of the glove box. I had to drill a little hole by the aux port so the cable plug would feed through:
View attachment 206471

The little cover goes over the top no problems

View attachment 206472

Once in the glove box, I plugged it into a headphone + charger to lightning port adapter. I then used a lightning extension so the adapter stays hidden away:

View attachment 206473
(I’ve got a 12v accessory port coming tomorrow which I will install in the glove box to charge my phone at the same time via that adapter)

I’ve then got a magnetic mount for my phone. I think it looks neat. Not sure I’m fully happy with the cable coming out the glovebox but not sure where else I can route it yet which I can easily hide.

View attachment 206474

Thoughts?

Dave

Route it trough the airvent? It comes out behind the radio mate.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 with Tapatalk

 

[dave_ph]

The 170HP engine is a lovely drive in the little A3. I recently test drove a much newer Merc A200D with lots of extras but there was no comparison in performance - I was disappointed.

I had the hybrid merc so it had a 190bhp 2.0 tdi and 120bhp electric. It was under 6 seconds to 60 and accelerated really strong, was very good for a small engine. Not sure what their big diesels are like, I’m a sucker for the Audi BiTDI

 

[dave_ph]

Route it trough the airvent? It comes out behind the radio mate.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 with Tapatalk

I’ll have a look at that then, need to get some radio keys anyway