Just bought an A3!

[Adeel43]

Going to go and see Audi Retrofits next week to get the rear lights fitted and coded to the car. Seems like a smart move given how many looms are available and I don't have coding software

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[Peto Pedro]

I bet! My current A3 is only 100bhp but still feels fairly torquey and 'capable' in the low end, 1st and 2nd gears etc. 200 is powerful for 'an A3' imo, only 28bhp off the BHP of the first 99-03 8L S3, which I reckon has aged pretty well in terms of their power for a hatchback... As I said, would settle for the 2.0T A3! I guess it's just missing the Quattro, never experienced that so no idea of the difference it makes...

Quattro drinks a lot

 

[Adeel43]

Well this might be the end for the A3. We were out and luckily my neighbour heard the collision and took the license plate of a motor home that hit our car. They did not stop and just drove off....

I'm hopig it's not a write off but it can't be worth more than £4k at the top end and two panels and paint will mount up quickly.

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[maxpayne]

Well this might be the end for the A3. We were out and luckily my neighbour heard the collision and took the license plate of a motor home that hit our car. They did not stop and just drove off....

I'm hopig it's not a write off but it can't be worth more than £4k at the top end and two panels and paint will mount up quickly.

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Oh no! That’s terrible. Hope you get to track down the hit and run perpetrator and get their insurance to pay up and it won’t have to be a write off.

 

[Adeel43]

I've been doen to the body shop today and the panel beater reckons he can get it 99% by repairing the damaged panel. If they have to well a new one in its touch and go if it's a write off so have asked them to repair it. If its not 99% I can reject the repair so it's a win win for me.

Waitig for a date to take it in now.

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[aqibi2000]

Will definitely be as good as before can vouch for it

I've been doen to the body shop today and the panel beater reckons he can get it 99% by repairing the damaged panel. If they have to well a new one in its touch and go if it's a write off so have asked them to repair it. If its not 99% I can reject the repair so it's a win win for me.

Waitig for a date to take it in now.

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[ch1z64]

Would it not be better to price up a new panel and let the insurance company know the price and see if it works out cheaper than getting the old repaired plus its a back up incase the repair looks sh*t .

 

[aqibi2000]

Would it not be better to price up a new panel and let the insurance company know the price and see if it works out cheaper than getting the old repaired plus its a back up incase the repair looks sh*t .

It’s not quite a body panel that’s available off the shelf. It would have to be literally cut off of a donor car and then welded at the seams and joints

 

[Adeel43]

It’s not quite a body panel that’s available off the shelf. It would have to be literally cut off of a donor car and then welded at the seams and joints

The assessor asked me if I wanted to keep the car. He said replacing the panel would cost more than 65% which is the regular threshold for a write off.

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[Adeel43]

Not to be put off by the damage I took the car down to Ash at Audi Retrofits and boy does he know his stuff.

Rear facelift lights now fitted along with led sidelight bulbs. Cannot recommend him highly enough and will be going back next month for a few more bits. Good news is the car is going in to the body shop on Saturday to get fixed so should be as good as new in a few weeks.

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[ch1z64]

Not to be put off by the damage I took the car down to Ash at Audi Retrofits and boy does he know his stuff.

Rear facelift lights now fitted along with led sidelight bulbs. Cannot recommend him highly enough and will be going back next month for a few more bits. Good news is the car is going in to the body shop on Saturday to get fixed so should be as good as new in a few weeks.

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What i keep telling people pay the guys who know there Sh*t cause it is money well spent in the long run and i am glad you took the correct advice and once its out off the body hospital it will look as good as gold

 

[Ash187]

Cheers! Good to meet you today.
The rear quarter damage isn’t too bad... I pulled the bottom part and it just popped out... bit of t-cut and it will be just like new

 

[Adeel43]

I need help from you guys in the know. I've had he car a year and the aircon has never worked great if at all. I've had it in to a specialist and they levels have dropped a bit 440 vs 525 capacity but given it was last charged a year ago maybe not a surprise. They can't find a leak or anything wrong at all so there must be something else. What else can I look at?

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[Daveyonthemove]

Didn't the specialist give you an idea of potential causes?

 

[ab1702]

I need help from you guys in the know. I've had he car a year and the aircon has never worked great if at all. I've had it in to a specialist and they levels have dropped a bit 440 vs 525 capacity but given it was last charged a year ago maybe not a surprise. They can't find a leak or anything wrong at all so there must be something else. What else can I look at?

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Were it a vw sepecialist or a specialist in air con.
If there’s no leaks then the air con compressor might not be kicking in if you had it topped up and didn’t really notice a difference. I would hope it isn’t that though as they aren’t cheap to replace.

 

[Adeel43]

It's an aircon specialist and he is stumped. Suggested it might be a pinhole leak somewhere and the air is cool just not as cold as other cars I've been in.

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[Adeel43]

Just picked the car up and he said everything is working as it should and the system is full. He said come back in a few weeks and let's see if a leak appears but he has no ideas on this one.

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[Adeel43]

For the sake of £250 I'm going to fit a new compressor. If that does not fix it then I give up!

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[aqibi2000]

For the sake of £250 I'm going to fit a new compressor. If that does not fix it then I give up!

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Air filter clean? (Is the actual air flow from the vents the same as other A3s)

 

[Daveyonthemove]

Pollen filter is the cheapest starting point.

 

[Adeel43]

Air flow is really strong so confident that's not an issue. Was only serviced about 3 months ago.

Pollen filter is a good shout!

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[Adeel43]

Aircon watch! By chance I saw a vehicle aircon engineer yesterday and took the car to him this morning. He showed me all the pipes are getting cold like they should and even he was stumped. He reckons there a switch/valve that might be blocked or it's the compressor. If it's the valve its £280 or the compressor is £650 using OEM parts. He won't fit a cheap compressor as it will fail in his opinion. Does that sound about right?

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[samuelh_888]

Could it be the Aircon sensor (G65 sensor)? If that’s not working then the AC won’t. I believe it’s 1k0959126D but double check.

At circa £50 May be worth a try. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/131561388077

 

[ab1702]

Could it be the Aircon sensor (G65 sensor)? If that’s not working then the AC won’t. I believe it’s 1k0959126D but double check.

At circa £50 May be worth a try. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/131561388077

This guy has got a point, if you or any experts don’t not know what it is, as a process of elimination then you need to start with the cheapest thing first. This item has to be a place to start. I’m no expert in this matter at all, but surely if the compressor wasn’t working then most of the pipes wouldn’t get cold?!?
I know I said before it could be the compressor, but if nobody knows, then starting with the compressor is an expensive place to start.

 

[Adeel43]

That is a fair shout and something I'll probably try. Car goes in to the body shop Monday morning so will chat with the aircon guy when I get it back

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[aqibi2000]

That is a fair shout and something I'll probably try. Car goes in to the body shop Monday morning so will chat with the aircon guy when I get it back

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See if you can swap parts over from a working car to rule out parts

 

[Adeel43]

Got the car back today as I rejected the first repair. Cheeky buggers painted the arch which was fine and did a good job but only polished the marks out of the rear bumper which needless to say was unacceptable! They then said they would only paint the corner and not the whole bumper... I must say I'm pretty impressed as to how good the repair is. Only problem is that it has highlighted how dull the rest of the paintwork is in comparison will have to set some time aside to detail it properly now to bring it all back to life and get the whole rear bumper painted.

We had a 2016 Skoda Fabia as a hire car and I must say its made me realise how dated the Audi is so all in might be looking to move it on for a newer sportback. Love the A3 and deffo want another one.

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[Adeel43]

Some pics of the repair

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[Adeel43]

Booked in next week for air con compressor replacement. If not fixed the car will have to go

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[Adeel43]

More woe today. Car not been driven in a week so go out this morning to take it to the garage to get the aircon sorted and it won't open. Door lock was going to get fixed at the same time so now have to call the AA out AGAIN.

Surely can't be another duff battery can it?

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[Adeel43]

Looks like a battery drain according to the AA. Have left it with my mechanic for a week while we are on holiday. Hopefully will be fixed by the time we get back

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[Daveyonthemove]

Thats bad luck, hope he manages to rectify it for you.

 

[Peto Pedro]

Refund

 

[Adeel43]

Just had this pic from my mechanic after the compressor change. I've told him I'll pick the car up Saturday when I'm back from holiday so he has the rest of the week to fix it properly! Seriously though should be getting colder than that

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[Adeel43]

New Compressor changed for another new one and now reading 7 at the vents. Would changing the receiver drier be a good idea for a belt and braces approach?

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[Adeel43]

Picked up the car last night and glad to say aircon is ice cold now so was the compressor all along even though the old one was operating on was clearly knackered inside.

Just need to get the door lock replaced and the rough idle when cold looked at properly and she will be close to 100% again (unless the battery drain issue crops again!)

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[Adeel43]

Another day another problem but might solve the cold idle issues. Pulled off a local A road and car was not happy rev counter bouncing about all over the place and no power so pulled over and called the AA. The patrol chap went around quite methodically taking the codes as a guide.

Had a look at the MAF and even after cleaning it was throwing codes so he suggested replacing with new. He disconnected it and I took a quick drive down the road and still a loud noise from under the car so he jacked it up to have a look. The front intercooler hose has popped off the car so after getting it back in we limped the car home.

New MAF and Intercooler house being fitted Wednesday and hopefully that is the last of the problems for now. Really hoping this cures the lumpy rough idle when cold and we can use the car for longer than a day without there being an issue!

 

[Daveyonthemove]

You are due some good luck soon with it.

 

[Adeel43]

You are due some good luck soon with it.

I will persevere. I guess some of it is to be expected at 105k and 13 years old and when she runs it is such a sweet ride

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[aqibi2000]

I will persevere. I guess some of it is to be expected at 105k and 13 years old and when she runs it is such a sweet ride

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13 years ain't old in my opinion. Especially with the facelift tail lights