"Statler's A5 Sportback Anticipation and Build thread

Thx, I thought that would be the case. Is is beep on lock/unlock or can you just have beep on lock?
 
Sounds like something to do after the meet in Feb. apparently you can turn 'fog lights on cornering' on too... Shaun....! ;-)
 
Ok so I had the car back to Audi today. The Wheel Alignment Tech took a good drive in the car and pronounced it ok...
We discussed my thoughts and he mentioned checking tyre pressures. I asked him if the TPMS would have alerted me to a deflating tyre or misbalanced in the pressures from last Wednesday and he skirted round it.
Would they not have checked pressure before the alignment?
I then mentioned it to my service rep and he was sure they would have been checked before the alignment was done.

We left it that I'd run the car for another week. So got home and checked the tyres to find that the front passenger is 0.5 bar lower than the drivers side. So they didn't touch the pressures.

Question is, would a softer tyre have a significant effect on the wheel alignment procedure?

Anyone?

Thx
 
Steve, a softer tyre will have a greater surface area, a greater footprint on the road if you like. The softer tyre will more than likely tramline on the road, following every bump and curvature due to the big wheels thus the alignment feeling 'out'. It is important to have the tyres at the recommended manufacturer rating to prolong the life of the tyre.

If you know he is skirting around the issue then why not confront him? I certainly wouldn't be letting them pull the wool over my eyes.
 
Yep, fully aware of how tyre pressures affect the car, ta.
It's better with the tyre properly inflated now but not right, still nervous straight ahead, hard to get it to drive in a straight line without having to 'saw' at the wheel continually. Still the slightest camber on the road will have it drift to the left.

As you say, time to confront them with my findings and get it booked in again.
 
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Been a while, have been really busy with work. Time for a quick update.

Wheel Alignment
It was a bit of a saga but I took it to Central Tyres in Belfast. These guys used to do all Audi wheel alignments and still do Porsche and few other members of the Agnew Group.
The guys there put it through a full test and found that the froont left was out by a small amount. Adjusted and charged me the princly sum of £36.
Immediately it felt better but they said they had a small margin of adjustment if it didn't feel 100%
I then completed Audi's Customer Service survey which prompted Belfast Audi to contact me. I was less than complimentary...
I showed then the results of the independant alignment and after a bit of discussion, they took the car in for two days because 'Audi wanted them to make sure the alignment, suspension and front wheels were all sound'. As it turned out, everything was fine. Why shouldn't it be on a nearly new car?...
Anyway, reading between the lines I suspect they found an issue with their own alignment gear or procedure so I was thanked for my patience and helping them.
They then offered to refund the cost of the alignment, which went missing in the post, so hopefully I'll collect it's replacement on Monday coming.


Hard to believe the car has just hit 7200 miles, still doing 35mpg but it's getting better to drive as I get out of 'BMW' mode...
I managed to nick the edge of one of the back wheels a few weeks back. Fortunately a bit of 2000 wet and dry and some laquer has sorted it out. Not perfect but I can live with it for now.

I enquired about adding a CRDT+ unit but my lovely insurance company suggested that they would double my insurance in return. I'll rectifiy this when it comes to renewal time.... there are other companies would will be more reasonable.

Still have to fit the 034 transmission mount and get those rings printed on some vinyl.... and possibly the quattro logo for the front grille.!
 
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@Statler

Good to hear Belfast Audi are being helpful Steve, as they should be. Have they given you a courtesy car for the 2 days?

I suppose you are thinking of a Tuning box due to the remaining warranty on the car. I have heard good and bad reviews on them, more bad I'm afraid but I suppose it's luck of the draw.

I would always choose a remap over a box as it's much more thorough than a box fooling the ECU into overfueling. Will be getting the A4 mapped in the next few months.

Keep us updated on your saga :)
 
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Thx mate. Will do a bit more research before I commit to a remap

I got a Q3 1.4 for two days which actually drove very well. Lots of torque with the turbo. Just you wouldn't be able to keep front tyres on it ...

Still waiting on Audi to tell me the cheque is ready to collect....

I must say tho. Belfast Audi should go and have a look at how Bavarian BMW do this customer service thing. They have a huge way to go in order to beat them. I'd even go as far as saying that great Customer Service could drag me back to BMW in a year or two....
 
Cosmetic update this time.
I spent Sunday changing the discs and pads on Mrs Statlers Jag XF. Cleaned and tarted the calipers while I was at it. Also took the chance to give the wheels their first proper clean in 4 years as I'd never had them off the car due to the lack of a proper jack. So 20 mins work with a couple of Ice Hockey pucks and I was set. End result
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1430867167018971


Having done all that I got stuck into the A5 on Monday
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1430867224426894

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1430867240919324

And a little addition to the fronts
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1430867267665221


More subtle than the rings on the door Aaron?

:)

Hard to believe the deterioration of the alloy backplates in just eight months. They're better protected now.
Paint was Halfords brush on silver. From what I can tell its cellulose based with a similar makeup and application method to Hammerite.

Wheels got a thorough cleaning as well
 
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My back plates are the same and love the quattro badges, have you lacquered over them so the diary doesn't destroy the decals?
 
Not yet. Was recommended to let the glue cure on the letters. They've had two weeks so I'll get it done over the weekend Wouldn't want the pressure washer destroying my efforts :)
 
10k Day...
11 months in and the boundary has been crossed. First time I've seen over 50mpg as well!

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1436593714662233
 
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Nice to hear things are running smoothly Steve :) and good to see you back too, thought you had forgot about us lol.
 
Thx Aaron
I've been neglectful due to work. Have been watching and reading the forums when I can :)
 
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No worries Steve, your lad was chatting to me over Facebook, was telling him about the upcoming meets, did he mention anything to you?
 
Not yet. He's been in England for the last week. Ive not mastered Faceache yet!...
 
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Well, it's not been a very active topic for the last few months, the A5 has just been a workhorse, shifting the kids and myself about, doing what it does best.

I had the first oil service and inspection done last month.
Louise at Belfast Audi looked after me very well on the cost side. Audi-Sport.net discount was generously applied, I thank them for that, and the forum for having a nice relationship with the dealer.

So, as is tradition in our family, now that the car is serviced, it's with a twinge of sadness that I must pass her on to a new owner.

After 20 months I've decided that it is time to leave Audi A5 ownership and move on.
Thanks to all in the A5 section for your help and support, both at the time of ordering and the whole way through my ownership.
I've enjoyed sharing my experience with you all.

Steve
 
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Just as this topic comes to a close, a few stats for your enjoyment.

First Registered : 13/08/2014
Mileage : 19621
Fuel used: 2,369L
Avg cost per Litre : £1.129
Total Fuel cost : £2673
Average MPG: 37.57

Running cost per day (including insurance and service) : £5.70
Average cost per mile : 17.8p
 
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Sad to see you leave the A5 fold, but I do like the A7 and would consider it in future. Have fun! ;)
 
Just as this topic comes to a close, a few stats for your enjoyment.

First Registered : 13/08/2014
Mileage : 19621
Fuel used: 2,369L
Avg cost per Litre : £1.129
Total Fuel cost : £2673
Average MPG: 37.57

Running cost per day (including insurance and service) : £5.70
Average cost per mile : 17.8p
Love the way you're so precise with your figures Steve. Haha brilliant.

Your A5 is a lovely car though, I would have considered it if I was looking a Sportback
 
I am sad to see you leaving the A5 section @Statler, but I am also glad to hear you are sticking with Audi! :) .. Really looking forward to seeing your A7!
 
Well it's done. The A7 has landed. To say I'm impressed with it would be a massive understatement.... I'm trying to put some pics up on my A7 thread.

I was quite sad to see the A5 driving off to the compound but someone will get a beautiful car.

It's been a strange day. Had to run my father-in-law to the Royal Hospital this afternoon for a checkup and ended up parked beside my last BMW 320d Coupe. Still in good shape at 7 but in need of good clean and some polish.

Head on over for a look.
 

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