OK, I’ve finally fallen out of love with my A2

Cloth Ears

A2OC Donor
We’ve been together since early 2006, my September 2004 tdi90 Sport in Mauritius Blue, and me. It had 3000 miles up when I bought it, and now has 95000 pretty well-cared for miles under its belt.

It has just celebrated its 10th birthday by lunching its engine.

I’d taken it to Awesome for a cambelt, service and MOT. While changing the sump seal, they found the crankshaft thrust washers sitting in the bottom of the sump.

On closer inspection, the engine is toast. I’m gutted. There was absolutely no indication of a problem, no noise, no smoke, it was running as well as it ever had when I drove it to Awesome on Wednesday. There was a tiny bit of chatter from the clutch, which I put down to a worn thrust bearing. I was planning to put in a new clutch at 100k miles (it’s still on the original) anyway, so wasn’t concerned.

It’s always been well cared-for, annual service irrespective of the longlife schedule, for the first 4 years by a main dealer, thereafter by Awesome. Always used VAG longlife spec fully synthetic oil, and quality parts.

It has repaid me by lunching its turbo at 48,000 miles (a leaky intercooler hose is suspected), the aircon compressor, numerous front wheel bearings, the front anti-roll bar, and various other bits and bobs.

So, it has to go. I'll miss it, but for me it is BER. I’m looking to replace it with something cheap to run and reliable. Maybe a TVR…

Any comments or suggestions, I’m in Manchester. It’s cosmetically perfect apart from a minor car park door ding and scuff on one of the doors, and a small scuff on the front bumper; interior is still very tidy and, until this happened, it still drove as well as the day I collected it, 8 ½ years ago. I'm actually very loathe to part with it but can't see an alternative right now; to all intents and purposes this is a very nice, well cared-for example with lower than average miles for its age and a shedload of history. I thought we'd be together forever.
 
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Sorry to hear about this, it's a shame when you've obviously looked after the car.

Have Awesome indicated whether the engine can be repaired and if so the likely cost?, this may help you to sell the car if that's what you decide to do. I'm sure someone will be willing to take this on.

The alternative is to look for a replacement engine, they occasionally come up on ebay, or one of the club guys currently breaking a car might be able to help.

Steve
 
I've decided on having the engine rebuilt. Having searched, Awesome couldn't find a used tdi90 unit to drop in, and the bottom end is apparently different to the tdi75 so couldn't be used. Thanks to those who PM'ed me, but I had no takers at what I'd need to have sold the car for, which made the repair the better option in the short term. I may still sell-on once I have it back, depending on whether it's just a tiff, or whether I really have fallen out of love. Or whether I need to recover the repair costs sooner, rather than amortise them over a couple more years' use.

Decisions, decisions...
 
Hi,

Sorry to hear your woes about your a2.

I've had mine from new since 2005 now on 110k. I appreciate you've had to replace some parts - some more expensive than others.

One thing that has come apparent over the last few years is this - ( something that may be obvious to some, but is easily forgotten, when you are not paying the monthly)

My wife has an audi s3 - finished paying for it 6 months ago and will be replaced in 6 months with a q3 ( February 2015) cost ?? £400+'per month

The a2 - finished paying for it in 2008 - hasn't cost more than 2k since (guess)!.....

That includes services, a cam belt and a throttle valve.

I've had plenty of cars as company cars - none have been as reliable or as cheap as the a2.

I've looked each and every year since 2008 for a car that could replace the a2..... Every year I decide to repair and forget

All I can say is repair it - If you change you'll regret it !

This year I've decided to add to it. Just purchased the wheels I've always wanted - the option list from new was always "full on" buy hey always remember - want something better - "400" every month.........no Thankyou.

I'll stick with the legendary a2

So -all I can recommend is repair it

Decided the other night that if the a2 is still running when my son is 17 - it will be his first car, he is 11 !

The car cost well over 22k in 2005 - why the hell would we sell it.

Repair ! Is the best option.
 
ATL's are hard to find.
I dont know much about the specifics of block etc but they were only fitted to TDI 90 A2's and VW polos and I havent seen one for sale ever.

Hopefully a rebuild will sort you out.
 
I've looked each and every year since 2008 for a car that could replace the a2..... Every year I decide to repair and forget

All I can say is repair it - If you change you'll regret it !

This year I've decided to add to it. Just purchased the wheels I've always wanted - the option list from new was always "full on" buy hey always remember - want something better - "400" every month.........no Thankyou.

I'll stick with the legendary a2

So -all I can recommend is repair it

Decided the other night that if the a2 is still running when my son is 17 - it will be his first car, he is 11 !

The car cost well over 22k in 2005 - why the hell would we sell it.

Repair ! Is the best option.

That's been pretty much my own feeling until now. I did some back of a fag packet maths and it turns out that the unscheduled repair costs I've incurred over the years adds to my running costs to the equivalent of 10mpg over the 95k miles I've done in the car. That sort of makes a mockery of the A2 being economical to run, and makes the Nissan Almera I changed it for look positively miserly (38mpg, but flawless, mechanically, for over 130k miles).

I do agree, though, that I'd struggle to find something to replace it with which I'd enjoy as much and which would be so practical in so many other ways. My original plan had been to keep it until it earned 'modern classic' status, and use the funds I'd earmark for itsreplacement for something less practical, like a 5 year old Cayman, to run for high days and holidays. I guess that little plan went out the window now though.

I'd like to keep it, for all the reasons you mention, but my wife feels just as strongly that it's had its chips and this is one unexpected and enormous bill too many. It's not worth falling out with my wife over this, so it may yet find its way into the classifieds in the next few months. We'll just have to see how things pan out.
 
All machines wear out. All cars go wrong, all built things fail. It's related to a fundamental law of thermodynamics - entropy!
Accept entropy and fix it, that's my view. At least with the A2 you're not paying for depreciation, or car loans.
 
I think my concern is that my car has had more than its fair share of entropy. I've had two big and expensive failures which lots of people have told me were each very rare events.

All told, they've cost me as much in unscheduled bills as a much less economical, or much faster depreciating, car would have done in fuel or depreciation.
 
I think my concern is that my car has had more than its fair share of entropy. I've had two big and expensive failures which lots of people have told me were each very rare events.

All told, they've cost me as much in unscheduled bills as a much less economical, or much faster depreciating, car would have done in fuel or depreciation.

So...I guess what your suggesting is, in hindsight, if you'd have bought something else all those years ago you'd have more cash in your wallet.

Well hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the odds would be against this being true......sods law comes into play whenever you think this way!

The vast majority of owners on here have a relativley economical annual outlay, but as the cars get older, annual garage bills in the thousands will be the norm to keep these little cars running the way they were when new.

If you're going to the trouble and outlay of an engine repair (with a good warranty), then keeping it for a decent time would be the most ecconomical option.....After all....would you shell out top dollar on an old car with a rebuilt engine shortly after it's been done?? Most buyers would be asking themselves.......what's next....!

I guess you're asking yourself the same question right now, but I'd say either have faith and plan to keep it long-term, or get shot as-is.
At some point the front/rear suspension/axle beam and all bushes will need to be repalced to have it drive as it was intended, and if you're paying to have this done you'll have another mega bill to contend with.

Not an easy decision to make unless your passionate about the A2......but thems the facts.

Good luck in whatever you choose, but the TDi90 running sweet is an enjoyable car to drive.

Cheers

Jeff
 
I wouldn't cast judgement until the engine is out and on the work bench - it seems very odd that it would just "go" - a petrol one quite possibly but there are almost always associated vibration and pre failure noises and loss of oil pressure, increase in oil temperature pre failure.

Why was the sump seal off in the first place?

It won't take long to check crank alignment, bearing play. If the engine rotates it's not terminal.
 
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I fall out with mine on a regular basis.
To me it's a frustrating car to own. Amazingly versatile, better to drive than you'd ever expect, still pretty good on fuel etc etc.
This is tempered by the fact there is always something needing fixed or replaced, and it's never ever cheap.
As far as being a cheap car to run, well it would be if it would stop breaking!
My Lotus had less problems in the two and a bit years I had it, go figure that one out.

It's not an A2 problem though, it's an Audi problem. Everyone I know with an Audi, and that is quite a long list, have similar stories to tell. My brother has an S4. Always something wrong with it, currently running rough and lots of lights on the dash, regularly in the repair shop. My colleague at work has just managed to get Audi to agree to replace his spanking new A6 Ultra with another car as it has spent most of the four months he's had it in the workshop. Breaking down as he drove it out the workshop after yet another repair was the final straw. £30k for four months of trouble.
The majority of Audi faults are electronic, so not much you can do yourself.

I have the same problem as a previous post said, every time I decide to get rid of the A2 I can never find anything I want to replace it.

I hope you get your A2 back on the road without too much cost and grief but now that it's getting on a bit you'd better get used to never ending problems.
I've done 45k miles in mine over the last three years. The repair/replace costs for all the problems is currently sitting just North of £2k. I've just replaced the ABS module, now it looks like the convenience unit is on it's way out, hopefully I can get one out of the same scrap car I got the ABS module from.

Moan over :)
 
I've a cautionary tale of a love nearly lost ! I recently " fell out of love " with my A2. No particular reason, I ( and the wife ) fancied a change. I traded in the A2 for something completely different ( a 3.0 diesel Grand Cherokee !!!?? ) and was quite happy with my new purchase. There then followed 10 days of melancholy / sleepless nights until I realised what was wrong. I was missing my A2, and I felt like I had betrayed an old friend. We had had the car for 7 years and it had not put a foot wrong, just routine servicing and consumables. I know the dealer, and I thought the car would be long gone ( plus I didn't want to look a fool ) so I didn't contact him straight away, but eventually made contact. Thank ( insert deity)he still had my car and took it off sale straight away, and sold it back to me for trade in price. All is good in the world again, and I will NEVER sell my A2 again. It has gotten under my skin like no other car I've ever owned, and is now considered a family member( the kids cheered when I said I'd bought it back !!).
Cheers Andy
 
AndyT, I know exactly what you mean. I'm also torn between being afraid of the next big bill, and not being able to bear parting with the car.

Still undecided.
 
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