Thankyou everyone for your great feedback!
@PlasticMac and
@Jeetesh being as you sounded well clued up on the FSI what would your opions be on a "good condition" 158k FSI? On a 2004 plate obviously it in the low side for its age but is that too much of a gamble/risk milage wise for a FSI?
I’m 3 months in and have learned a lot so my checks and balances would be as follows:
1. Check for misfiring, if there is any hint I’m not sure I’d touch it as there could be a fair amount of cost to come.
2. Check EML light turns on and then off of again after startup. I understand there have been some occasions where an unscrupulous had masked it.
3. Service history is essential - it demonstrates a well cared for car.
4. Timing belt and water pump - make sure it’s been done recently or you’ll have to budget for it.
5. At 158k miles I’d suspect that the carbon build up on valves/intake would be quite high. Typically this seems to occur at between 60-80k+ (On all FSI’s not just A2’s) miles however also depends on how it’s been looked after. Check whether something has been done to get it cleaned and when.
6. You may also want to get someone with VCDS lite to see what error codes are thrown up, it may indicate problems (if any) that there may be.
7. When you say ‘good condition’ is that the cars body work and interior or does that include mechanicals?
8. Mot history, check what it’s passed/failed on previously so you know what’s been done. I’d expect there to be a receipt for where there was a fail which is proof of works completed to ensure there isn’t a botch job.
9. Check whether it’s been run on super-unleaded, including however many previous owners. If the seller doesn’t know, they didn’t care to ask and a potential red flag.
10. Check how frequent the oil changes are and what grade of oil, this will give you an idea of how considerate the owner was.
Those as the FSI specific things I can think of and others may be able to add more. You’ll still need to do all the normal checks you’d do when buying any car.
Personally unless the FSI was in rude health, that mileage might scare me having never owned a car with that many miles as a £1000 FSI which has potentially £1000 of work to do is not for me, I’d rather go and buy a TDI 75.
I love my FSI and clearly previous owners loved it too before me so mine is a pristine example. If anything from the above seems on the ropey side the you might be better walking away. Alternatively when you’ve viewed send me a PM if you want a further opinion.
Hope that helps, and others may be able to add more to the list of FSI specific checks.