Decisions, decisions...

[cuke2u]

Thanks, not had the startup issue, just when accelerating, however paranoia is creeping in now and I can't work out if I am feeling other issues or not. Trouble is the engine is so quiet, plus the controls being devoid of much feedback it's difficult to tell. Plus since my operation I now have tinnitus it seems, which isn't helping. I have removed the tuning box today and will see how it is tomorrow morning..

 

[cuke2u]

Removed the tuning box yesterday and this morning the car drove normally. Will get my code reader connected today and see if there are any fault codes, if it stops raining...

 

[Andy-1878]

Thanks, not had the startup issue, just when accelerating, however paranoia is creeping in now and I can't work out if I am feeling other issues or not. Trouble is the engine is so quiet, plus the controls being devoid of much feedback it's difficult to tell. Plus since my operation I now have tinnitus it seems, which isn't helping. I have removed the tuning box today and will see how it is tomorrow morning..

I know what you mean, when there's been an issue you're never totally convinced and any noise you think it's related or something else. Never experienced so many issues until they started throwing so much tech and the need for sensors for everything. A technician told me they had so many call outs now which were due to sensors being dirty/failing/faulty which then sends a signal to drop or cut power or stop something from functioning how it should. There's not actually a problem but because of the sensors the car "thinks" there is so goes into a sort of self protection mode.

 

[cuke2u]

Agreed, now heightened senses listening and feeling for any signs of an issue. Still seems ok so far though, fingers crossed.

 

[cuke2u]

No engine related codes found, as listed the ones ODB11 found:
B163002 - predictive route data Signal error
B131D29 - Sirens / alarm horn for anti-theft warning system Implausible
U140600 - Static current too high

Car still driving fine...

 

[cuke2u]

Despite this scare I have now contacted the Mercedes dealer to cancel my order of the CLA, I have also setup the extended warranty for my A4 with all components covered. Next I'll be looking at service plans, although I'm expecting quite an increase from my current monthly cost of £9.56...

 

[NevMan]

Fair enough cuke2u, probably makes sense for you at this time

 

[Andy-1878]

Despite this scare I have now contacted the Mercedes dealer to cancel my order of the CLA, I have also setup the extended warranty for my A4 with all components covered. Next I'll be looking at service plans, although I'm expecting quite an increase from my current monthly cost of £9.56...

Who have you done the warranty extension with? That could be another option for me, I at least know the history of this car having it from day one.

 

[cuke2u]

I have purchased the full component cover, with £100 excess, but monthly. Total cost £411 for one year..

 

[Andy-1878]

I have purchased the full component cover, with £100 excess, but monthly. Total cost £411 for one year..

Is that with Audi or a third party company? I thought the extended warranty with Audi had to be done from new. I could be wrong.

 

[cuke2u]

No with Audi, sorry perhaps my wording is confusing but this is what Audi are calling it:
"Audi Extended Warranty Cover is designed to give you peace of mind when you need it most. Should the unexpected happen, we'll make sure warranty repairs are completed at an Audi Centre by Audi Trained Technicians, using Audi Genuine Parts.

Your Confirmation of Cover is attached and your Direct Debit details are listed below. Please let us know if any information needs changing and we will update this for you."

 

[Andy-1878]

No with Audi, sorry perhaps my wording is confusing but this is what Audi are calling it:
"Audi Extended Warranty Cover is designed to give you peace of mind when you need it most. Should the unexpected happen, we'll make sure warranty repairs are completed at an Audi Centre by Audi Trained Technicians, using Audi Genuine Parts.

Your Confirmation of Cover is attached and your Direct Debit details are listed below. Please let us know if any information needs changing and we will update this for you."

I'll ask the question and see what they say. Meant to be test driving a Superb soon so we shall see...

 

[wideboybloke]

Belated sympathy cuke2u on your redundancy news. It happened to me completely out of the blue in 1996 and scared me stiff for a while. However, I found another job quite quickly and things turned out very well, so the redundancy did me a favour - although I could never have foreseen that outcome at the time. I hope you’ll find a resolution that suits you as it’s hard not to see redundancy as personal. I think you’ll be glad you kept your A4 if it continues to behave itself. If you bought the car second hand right now you’d hardly believe your luck with the low mileage.

 

[cuke2u]

Thanks wideboybloke and yes you are probably right, for a preowned car mine is probably very attractive. I am not really bothered by this particular redundancy as the decrease in my hours have been offset by an increase in the same amount with another academy I work for, plus I am eventually heading toward retirement anyway. But the purchase was based on being, almost, full time.

I think the decision is the sensible one, it's just difficult to convince the devil in me, if you know what I mean..

 

[NevMan]

I'll ask the question and see what they say. Meant to be test driving a Superb soon so we shall see...

Can take out Audi extended warranty at any time, but ideally before current warranty expires

 

[Andy-1878]

Can take out Audi extended warranty at any time, but ideally before current warranty expires

Oh, well the 3 years expired in March. In a way I'd like a new car but in others I think keeping this would just be cheaper. All options have their merits as well as negatives.

 

[NevMan]

Oh, well the 3 years expired in March. In a way I'd like a new car but in others I think keeping this would just be cheaper. All options have their merits as well as negatives.

worth getting a quote anyway, and weigh that up with cost of getting new car. Think I know what will be cheaper, it is more down to whether you really need/want a new car or not

 

[Andy-1878]

worth getting a quote anyway, and weigh that up with cost of getting new car. Think I know what will be cheaper, it is more down to whether you really need/want a new car or not

One thing I need to consider. If I am able to take out the extended warranty and keep the A4 for another year. When I change cars in 2021 they would be taxed on the WLTP emissions, not the NEDC. I think I'm correct in thinking that any car registered before April 6th 2020 will have the tax based on the NEDC figures, anything after will be WLTP. So I'd save personally for a year but then I'd get stung from 2021, if I change in March 2020 I'd then have 3/4 years of tax based on NEDC figures.

Just not straight forward is it?!

 

[Andy-1878]

Appears that whilst I can do the extended warranty, I likely can't extend my contract on the car as I had already done a 12 month extension to take it from the original 3 to 4 years. May just be better off getting a new car.

 

[Fozzie1960]

I have decided to keep my car when the PCP ends next month. I have had a look around, but nothing I've looked at has convinced me enough to give up the A4. I have purchased the full component cover, with an excess of £100 for £372.

 

[NevMan]

Appears that whilst I can do the extended warranty, I likely can't extend my contract on the car as I had already done a 12 month extension to take it from the original 3 to 4 years. May just be better off getting a new car.

Fair enough, thought you had purchased at end of PCP as many do. That or they start again with new car

 

[Andy-1878]

I have decided to keep my car when the PCP ends next month. I have had a look around, but nothing I've looked at has convinced me enough to give up the A4. I have purchased the full component cover, with an excess of £100 for £372.

That sounds like a good deal.

 

[Andy-1878]

Fair enough, thought you had purchased at end of PCP as many do. That or they start again with new car

Business contract hire, I could get a settlement figure but I don't have that money lying around to buy it as have some big jobs in the house coming up. Annoying as anything I get isn't going to be up to the performance, well unless I got a 330d which would be quicker and more powerful but not really sold on it. Superb would be fully loaded but almost 2 seconds slower 0-62.

 

[cuke2u]

However

 

[Andy-1878]

However

Manual seats in what appears, from the grille to be the top of the range? Also, that is not a pretty ****. I really like that guys reviews though, easy to watch.

 

[NevMan]

However

 

[/dev/null]

Business contract hire, I could get a settlement figure but I don't have that money lying around to buy it as have some big jobs in the house coming up. Annoying as anything I get isn't going to be up to the performance, well unless I got a 330d which would be quicker and more powerful but not really sold on it. Superb would be fully loaded but almost 2 seconds slower 0-62.

A friend of mine in the leasing business reckons there are some very good deals on the 330e around at the moment...

 

[Andy-1878]

A friend of mine in the leasing business reckons there are some very good deals on the 330e around at the moment...

Not got any interest in electric/hybrid. I'd assume not many others have if there are very good deals on them. Hybrid seems a little counter productive as I'd run on the petrol most of the time. I'll embrace it when it becomes the right choice, range, price, charging times etc.

 

[/dev/null]

Not got any interest in electric/hybrid. I'd assume not many others have if there are very good deals on them. Hybrid seems a little counter productive as I'd run on the petrol most of the time. I'll embrace it when it becomes the right choice, range, price, charging times etc.

Yep, same to be honest, he tried getting me to have one, but I went for the Merc instead.

 

[Jonnie]

Manual seats in what appears, from the grille to be the top of the range? Also, that is not a pretty ****. I really like that guys reviews though, easy to watch.

iirc electric seats are a £650 option in the RS3 so it’s not just BMW that’s guilty of it.

 

[NevMan]

A friend of mine in the leasing business reckons there are some very good deals on the 330e around at the moment...

There are, posters this on another thread:


https://leasing.com/independent-brokers/bestcarfinder/bmw/3-series/413968967/

 

[NevMan]

*posted

 

[Andy-1878]

Yep, same to be honest, he tried getting me to have one, but I went for the Merc instead.

Better choice I think.

 

[Andy-1878]

iirc electric seats are a £650 option in the RS3 so it’s not just BMW that’s guilty of it.

At least they are an option. Not an option on the A4 now. BMW 3 series have to be part of a package which means having a sunroof. Makes no sense and I don't want a sunroof so if I go with BMW I'm having manual seats.

 

[cuke2u]

You appear to have stolen my thread ;-)

 

[Jonnie]

At least they are an option. Not an option on the A4 now. BMW 3 series have to be part of a package which means having a sunroof. Makes no sense and I don't want a sunroof so if I go with BMW I'm having manual seats.

That is peculiar but I see it from both sides. It’s a pain not being able to select individual options on a car but then come to the second hand market it’s a pain trying to find a car in the right spec when it’s like that.

Porsche are the worst for that, trying to find a used one in the spec you want is almost impossible.

 

[Andy-1878]

You appear to have stolen my thread ;-)

Sorry. I do apologise, you just started a very apt thread

 

[Andy-1878]

That is peculiar but I see it from both sides. It’s a pain not being able to select individual options on a car but then come to the second hand market it’s a pain trying to find a car in the right spec when it’s like that.

Porsche are the worst for that, trying to find a used one in the spec you want is almost impossible.

Packs just need to have logic behind them. All they are doing is reducing the options people will likely add as a result. Especially when the standard equipment usually includes things you don't need/want/use.

 

[cuke2u]

Manual seats in what appears, from the grille to be the top of

Sorry. I do apologise, you just started a very apt thread

No problem really, why I put it a wink..

 

[Andy-1878]

No problem really, why I put it a wink..

Oh yes, do you did! Haha