Ex A2 owner now wants one again, after advice

C

carsen80

A2OC Donor
Hi All

It's been a while since I was one here but I'm now getting the A2 itch again and have started looking for one.

I want a FSi as I've owned only diesels for the last 5 years and fancy a nippy petrol, also I no longer do any mileage at all these days.

Obviously I'm looking for the best spec lowest mileage, newest one I can find (isn't everyone) and I have found this one on Autotrader. My budget is £2500 but I could stretch for teh right car.

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/adv...archad/used,nearlynew,new/make/audi?logcode=p

It has been on now for a couple of months and I went to see it on Saturday.
The condition isn't bad but its by no means mint.
I absolutely love the colour combo and the interior and the car really appeals to me.
BUT It seems to expensive considering the following

There are newer, less mileage FSIs cheaper
I could get a TDi for the same price and considering the unreliability of the FSi should I?
The Opensky is broken, clicking noise from motor area.
There is a slight noise when engine running, sounds like a belt type noise.
Its on a 52 plate
The forecourt price is £3500 and the dealer won't budge from 3K even though he has had it a while and wants shut of it (so he says).
When I viewed the car there was mould on one of the rear seatbelts suggesting damp, possibly the opensky is not shut properly. Its also give you an idea how half arsed the dealer is about selling it.

So I just wanted to know your thoughts.

Cheers
 
Im sure this one has popped up on a here on a thread by Murdo, if i recall rightly it has been on Auto Trader for a while and I belive he is not Nudging from the 3k mark.
maybe someone can dig up the thread as couldnt find it :confused:

Hopefully,someone will remember.

All the best on your A2 Quest :)
 
Hi,

the car looks a good spec. Headlamp washer jets and heated leather sports seats are sought after options.
The opensky relies on the drain channels to remove water. The rear ones which run under the edges of the back fixed pane to the tailgate are probably clogged which causes water to spill over and get into the car. Not sure how easy it would be to clear if you can't open the roof.

The thing to watch out for is that this car is getting to the age/mileage where the inlet manifold will be getting coked up with carbon deposits. This can impede and jam the airflow flaps. Once jammed the plastic actuator often breaks which means an expensive replacement. Even a strip down and clean is quite a big job.

The FSI engine should run smooth if everything is OK. If it doesn't sound right then something is a miss.

I would suggest you check the history of the car if there is one to see if a replacement has been done in the past. If not, its a risky bet (unless you're mechanically minded and like a challenge...)

regards

Andrew
 
It's an incredibly rare car. Excellent spec and a lifestyle colour. Kingfisher Blue. I've posted it on the spotted forum on 23 October when it was pitched at 3995.

That said - it all means nothing if it's got potentially expensive problems. Water leaks aren't reported often with open sky but if it is leaking then there's nothing worse with a car to demoralise.

It's definitely not expensive - I'd say the opposite - but if you pursue it get it carefully checked over. The seller's lacklustre approach could be a bonus if the car is generally Ok and the leak can be sorted.

Good luck.
 
leaks aren't difficult, but you'll end up having to open the roof to sort them, hence it's a massive problem and therefore worth dropping the price the value of a new roof. At this point, I'd also consider it :)

First one I've ever seen in this colour. Lovely.

- Bret
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I cannot quite go to the full £3K but I'll ring them in the morning and make them an offer I hope they don't refuse.

Wish Me luck

Cheers
 
ask them if they've worked out that they have a leak and understand where it's from... if it's under the roof, then they really can't deal with it without opening --> loadsadosh job.

- Bret
 
Bit of an update,

I rang the dealer this morning.

He tells me that the opensky can be opened manually using the emergency allen key thingy under the light pod. He has opened and cloesed it fine using a drill so it sounds like it is a worn motor gear.
He assures me there is not damp in the car.
There is no service history and no knowing if the timing belt has been done. What are the intervals for this?

Dispite my head saying walk away my heart got the better of me and I have put a deposit on it and will collect this Thursday. I got it for a smidge less than 3K.

All I need now is a rear parcel shelf as it is missing and a opensky motor with a good gear wheel.

Thanks to everyone who replied.

Cheers
 
carsen80,

Sorry to be a bit of a party pooper, but don't waste your money on a new/second-hand motor for the opensky, because you'll be disappointed.

The issue will not be the gears on the motor, more likely to be the cables themselves that aren't being driven.

You might want to drop Hotstuff (Tony) on here a PM as he has years of experience with sunroofs in general, and I think is/will be offering a refurb/repair/replacement/retrofit option for those who have cars that fall outside of the "Audi 10 year goodwill".

Anyway - regardless of a fully working OSS or not, it looks to be a really nice car, so enjoy it to the full.

Cheers

Jeff
 
carsen80 said:
He assures me there is not damp in the car. There is no service history and no knowing if the timing belt has been done. What are the intervals for this?
Click to expand...

The cambelt is 5 years or 60k for the petrol I think. If the car has no service history it's worth ringing Audi UK to see if they have records of servicing within the dealer network. If there has been, you can get a duplicate book from a dealer and have it stamped accordingly. That enquiry you can do from the comfort of your armchair before you commit to buy if you quote the registration number or preferably the VIN number as it may have had some work done whilst on a cherished plate in the past.

If there was mould on the seatbelts, then there has been moisture or perhaps the car has been lying unused for a time, that could also account for it. Either way, I'd try to get that roof opened manually and clean everything out for peace of mind.

I really hope this is a good news decision for you, and I'm also pleased that such a rare car is going to be in the hands of a forum member. It has to be one of the rarest A2's in the UK. The very best of luck with everything.
 
Mustang-owner said:
carsen80,

Sorry to be a bit of a party pooper, but don't waste your money on a new/second-hand motor for the opensky, because you'll be disappointed.

The issue will not be the gears on the motor, more likely to be the cables themselves that aren't being driven.

You might want to drop Hotstuff (Tony) on here a PM as he has years of experience with sunroofs in general, and I think is/will be offering a refurb/repair/replacement/retrofit option for those who have cars that fall outside of the "Audi 10 year goodwill".

Anyway - regardless of a fully working OSS or not, it looks to be a really nice car, so enjoy it to the full.

Cheers

Jeff
Click to expand...

Hi Jeff,

If the cables are broken would the roof still open manually using the key?
Not ever having "brokensky" I am not sure?

Steve B
 
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My thoughts exactly Jeff, although I am not getting my hopes up at all that it can be repaired.

To be fair my Last A2 had a working opensky and like many others I was to scared to ever use it and when I did I didn't like the wind noise.

But in my mind because of the additional light and openness it brings to the A2 I wouldn't have an A2 without one.
 
I agree, this looks a really nice car. It's not too far from me and I slightly wish I'd been to see it. I'd have liked to put those seats in mine and I'd probably have fallen in love with the colour and kept it. So good luck with it, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Re. OpenSky, I have it and like you said, I rarely use it because of the noise when it's open. But I'm glad to have it. I keep the blind slid back all the time and love the amount of light that floods into the car. So even a non-working OpenSky is a bonus for me. On the rear seat belt mould, mould can form even if there is not a lot of damp. If the belts are dirty in any way (e.g. human sweat) and there is not much air circulation, mould will eventually form just in a damp atmosphere even without an actual water leak. If the vendor has left the air con/ventilation 'on', i.e. the flaps are left open, then in the wet weather we've had there will be a very gentle flow of moist air in the car. Enough to trigger mould without enough to truly ventilate the space. When you get it, I'd check the door seals before worrying about OpenSky leaks, but it may be there is nothing wrong that a bit of use and cleaning won't cure.

On the FSI engine and the manifold flaps - I am sure the explanation above is correct and personally I have little to worry about because the last owner of my car had to pay for the manifold flap and actuator repair - but does anyone know if there is any preventive maintenance that can be done to keep the carbon deposits away? Can the inlet be dismantled for cleaning, say once a year? Thanks.
 
Yes, check below the battery for water or dampness. That could mean the vents behind the rear bumper could have perished letting in water causing the dampness. I viewed an A2 and this had happened and the rear seat was also damp causing misted windows.
 
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