Just adding to the chorus of approval here. Spent a "blink and you miss it" four hours at Ian
@Proghound 's pad in Leighton Buzzard as
@timmus did the business to my most recent A2, an '03 plated FSI.
On the list was:
- Cruise control install.
- xcarlink install, including microphone for hands-free calls
- USB charging to central cubby hole beneath ashtray
- Aux cable install.
- Correctly remove/install 1.6 FSI ECU and create "How-to" tutorial for 1.6. FSI owners like me wanting to swap out an ECU
- Restore Immobilizer function to ECU (Proboost/@A2Steve 1.6 FSI remap).
The chaps made me feel very welcome and Ian's hospitality was second to none, as the weather Gods' goodwill held firm. Another Ian's slot came to an end and he was on his way; a bit of car Tetris followed, then it was my turn.
After some discussion, and an interior teardown you have to see to believe, we agreed to forego the Aux installation this time, as much for reasons of efficiency as anything (maybe next time!).
Tom was good enough to provide a few extra fettling tweaks and features (anti hijack and audible doors closed and locked confirmation) and took the time to back up my ECU using "GIZMO the MAGIC BOX®™" having got immobilizer functionality back up and running on the Proboost ECU (Woop!).
Finally, as if I hadn't already been smiled on enough already,
@Proghound kindly demoed the front door card removal and installation, which I am shortly to undertake on my original 1.4 SE of X plated vintage.
Concurrently,
@timmus was troubleshooting a non-functional lumbar seat adjuster, quickly establishing the problem was either a wire within the chair itself, or a kaput motor. A project for another time, there, but the efficiency with which it was analysed was glorious to behold as I also learned the right way to do the door or card.
My cup runneth over, but it didn't stop there.
The handbrake on the car was almost at 70° and hadn't been picked up by my very decent (but generalist) garage in Byfleet. The specialist that is
@timmus couldn't let that pass under his nose, so having established I was not up against the clock, he adjusted that to perfection, so it's now tightly engaged at about 30°.
Once a quick on-drive tutorial was delivered and undersood on the cruise and xcarlink, and a plethora of discussions about mountains, ecology, the morality of climbing Everest, Annapurna circuit, PayPal's founders, childhood nicknames, and Marmalade in the Dolomites were parked until next time, I was Surrey-bound, using the M-ways to get the hang of driving-by-hand controls, using xcarlink to pipe the sweet sounds of
Sasha live at The Barbican through the Bose system.
Oh yes, "Death pipe" was mentioned too and I will be getting that part replaced as a precaution next service. The Proboost ECU should mitigate any catastrophic failure now, due to its lower operating temperature, and I hope maybe we might finally see some movement on a "group buy" project approach to getting that pipe specified and fettled. I understand it's the same part for the 1.4 petrol too (part 30 on the parts diagram), so I'm in for two, even though it's perhaps over-engineered for the cooler-running 1.4's coolant system.
My FSI is lusty and has 69k on it, so it and the 1.4 I've owned since 2003 are keepers, right now, so maintenance is still the keyword here (and I don't have no stinking PCP plan, bleeding me dry! ?).
My heartfelt and sincere thanks to both Tom/
@timmus and Ian/
@Proghound for your patience, friendliness, passion and expertise. Long may you remain associated with the A2 fellowship!
If you're new to the forum, I commend the South East chapter's
@timmus roadshow.
James/
@jaffa_jim signing out.
P.S. One final thing; anyone on here in the South East confident about a repair to the part of the air con system directly behind the front bumper on the FSI? It's got a leak and I'd like to get it sorted ASAP, but not for 400 quid the mobile air con technician told me it'd cost.