New A2 owner. Lots of jobs to do....

A2Si

Member
Hi just bought a 2001 A2. 1.4tdi
think I might have bought with rose tinted glasses .
It needs a really good clean and then a list of jobs.

—roof console light cover does not hold in.
—fuel switch on door pillar pushed down inside trim - first drive had to use the manual control under RHS rear light cover . Thank goodness for that.
—Service hatch on bonnet not latching.
—Horrible wear to soft covering on various switches.
—Sunroof doesn’t work— only a motor sound.
—Service light on.
—Wrong wheels.
—Bit of bodywork tidying a scratch on a door and dented bonnet. Interior leather need a clean and feed.
—Radio been taken out leaving a double DIN size hole.
—No towbar!
Broken rear light . Now sorted .
Speaker grilles both rear doors damaged. NS still to do. OS replaced.
Two holes drilled in rear bumper alloy trim.

So why did I buy it ... thought it was a cool older car. I like a challenge and know the 1.4tdi engine from other cars.
it should be reasonable cost to run £30 tax , insurance was ok , fuel ...let’s see.

would appreciate help with locating a towbar.
also thinking to change to 15” pepperpots.

most urgently I need to sort a water leak which I’ve got to trace.
doesn’t smoke either white or black so I’m guessing not the head gasket . Also seems to pull like the turbo works and no plumes of black smoke so hoping the turbo etc are ok..

I’m in Cheshire so happy to chat and take any advice from the more knowledgeable.
 
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Welcome aboard. Lots of great help and support from this family orientated community.

Where is the water ingress, roof-lining or carpet/boot?
 
hi thanks for the reply.
I didn’t write very clearly it’s a cooling system leak . I’ve only driven a short distance so far so haven’t seen it happen but the previous owner I think had reached the limit of his mech experience and was just ditching the car. It has a strong smell of neglect ! So will be changing the oil and filters within the week.
Just dropped the car at a garage for them to test where the leak is and then I’m guessing water pump, and cam belt.
 
Also puzzled as the registration records 1390cc .
shouldn’t it be 1422cc for a diesel ?
 
With any A2 that hasn't been in A2oc it is usual to need to replace a lot of smaller parts - on all of mine there was a need for antiroll-bar bushes, strut bearings (both done as part of a complete suspension refresh in each case), caps for the fuel tank, oil filler (on rocker cover) and coolant expansion tank. On two cars that resolved the coolant leak because there was coolant being pushed past the o-ring in the lid which was hard and no longer sealing. Spring supports on the rear etc., - you get to know the Febi-Bilstein parts catalogue pretty well. On the Tdi, thermostat and coolant temp sensor are quite often needing to be done. Most of these are DIY jobs.




I use the above a lot to work out what the part numbers are to search for them.

Febi Bilstein online catalogue to identify their versions of the above - https://partsfinder.bilsteingroup.com/en

Bonnet catch - unscrew the end, and clean it up - there is usually a load of filth at the end causing the cable to not catch properly - or possibly you need to adjust the hook so that it engages properly. Could be a 5 minute job.

Opensky (glass roof), soft-touch buttons - A2oc have @Kleynie , @depronman ,for OSS and @jp.oog for soft touch refurbs.
Spare parts - @A2Steve and @Clackers are ethical A2 breakers, while many others have bits and pieces.

Fuel tank switch - can buy new ones 8Z2 959 833 is the part number or ask the breakers.

At least one of my A2 Tdi is cited as 1390cc on the V5 from day 1 when it is clearly 1422 .. I don't know if this makes any difference for emissions zones..
 
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Welcome to the mad house. We are all mad about our aluminium mates. Nothing too drastic on the list and you are doing the correct thing by making a list - no doubt it will grow.
Many parts can be obtained as our resident recyclers strip end of life cars. Steve, Andy and Ami to only name a few.
I would recommend three things to you.... Get a second key and make sure it also works both the remote and manually in the drivers door. Get an electrical test meter as that is the only real way to check especially fuses. Get yourself at the very minimum VCDS Lite and a KKL cable from ebay as that is the best for the money diagnostic software that is VERY similar to that used by Audi.

If your car did not come with the owners manual I also strongly suggest you find one of those.

Yes many many 1.4 tdi are V5'd as 1390cc which is the petrol 1.4 size. Guess DVLA did not have the correct 1422cc box available when many were registered.

Hopefully the water loss is due to a failed expansion tank cap.
 
The previous owner claimed that a new expansion tank had been fitted and also Thermostat .
but also said car was insured ... which it wasn’t . Even for them !
there is a lot of residue under the expansion tank so maybe I will start with a new cap and see if that helps.
im just not convinced anything has actually been done on the car and the absence of history makes me dubious.
 
it drove fine which was great. I think as I said it’s got the wrong wheels and tyres that are past their best so that didn’t inspire confidence.
right about the list growing .
add tyres , tracking , wheel balance .
brake check .
rear hatch lock and poss struts ....
not even looked underneath properly yet !
 
Bad servicing using the wrong coolant or mixing incompatible coolants is very bad. The A2 coolant is either G12, G12+, G12++ or G13 ONLY. If it looks like a brown goo then the coolant has been compromised. If it is blue or green again wrong coolant. Should be reds to pink or purple.
 
It’s mostly water at the moment and it strikes me they have managed like that for a while!
 
From your growing list break it down into 3 categories.
1. Urgent or safety related.
2. Correction of previous bodges unless in above category.
3. The return to stock/ wish list/ upgrades.
 
Hi, your in the right place, lots of very helpful and knowledgeable people her and far less (around zero) snarking that I see on some other car forums.
 
Hi and welcome, you have already been given plenty of good info so should point you in the right direction. Your thermostat housing is prone to becoming brittle as I've just found out, if it is anything to do with that then it's a replacement, for a 1.4 petrol it cost me £91 from Audi.
Have faith you have bought a wonderful little car with a great following, nothing is impossible when you have the full support of A2OC's members.

Regards, Mark
 
Thanks everyone for the encouragement and helpful info.
like Audifan says it’s a list to divide into three groups .
im starting with the basics of making sure it’s safe and not going to fail dramatically.

so it’s the coolant leak/potential overheating . Brakes . tyres, anything else I spot related to MOT fails.
ive checked the previous history so I know the advisories from last year
anyone else do that ? I always do it before I think about looking at a car.
Bonnet cover latch.
Serious clean inside and out.
all the other bits I can live with for the moment.
would like a Towbar though.
is there a place to advertise parts wanted on the forum ?
 
is there a place to advertise parts wanted on the forum ?
There is. For access to the marketplace you need to upgrade your membership, which costs a one-off fee of £2.

Click on your username on the menu bar at the top of the screen, select 'Account upgrades' from the list that drops down, and take it from there.
 
Welcome, good luck with finding a towbar, I have been looking for 3 years. I am also in the NW England, maybe our paths will cross soon.
Be prepared to get so attached and possibly buying another as they very addictive little cars. ?
 
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