I'm new here, a few questions.

I think Tom quoted that 80% of the FSi clusters he’d seen had the EML light fiddled with. A bit scary. But Darren and Boxy both rave about the engine and Steve B seemed pretty taken with it as well so I guess it can be great. Me, I like lots of torque and low revs so TDi suits me.


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I'll be taking my fault code reader with me just to make sure.
I just can't get on with the diesels, I know you can get good power and MPG out of them with a chip but the sound, smell, and feel of them reminds me of driving the van I used to drive for work, I don't really like diesel as a fuel anyway.

If I was going to go for a 1.4 I would probably just get one with a knackered engine and put the lupo 100bhp engine and ancillaries in it.

I really don't mind having to change sensors or engine parts if needed so will just make sure I check it as thoroughly as possible.
 
For what it's worth....
I have done 160k+ miles in FSIs since 2002. If you treat it as a hobby car, ie sort of ignore how much it costs to keep going, it's fine.
First one 2002 - 2015, 133k miles, owned from new, regularly serviced. Started to get costly at 10 years old/116k. An independent, even with the correct diagnostic kit, couldn't get to the bottom of it, so it took a bit of expense (& preventative maintenance while you're in there) before it was realised that a replacement injector was needed. Was running OK at 133k when I p/ex'ed it.
Replaced with one owner 60k miles FASH FSI - scanned clear, and all warning lights working correctly. Nevertheless this had already had problems, it was subsequently discovered!
Damaged inlet manifold (with the flaps) had to be replaced. Decided to go the whole hog with a top end overhaul (pipe of death, sensor/actuator replacements, injector cleaning etc.) and it's been running fine since (cross fingers!).
I obviously like the concept, engineering, versatility etc of the A2, plus remarkable average 48-52mpg, but the FSI is probably not the best choice if you are on a tight budget.

Mark
 
A brave man choosing to go for a FSI, I have two! Yes there are lots of old posts about expensive repair sagas with the FSI but I have half an idea that was from garages unfamiliar with the BAD engine, (BAD not an adjective, just the engine code and the butt of many jests from the majority TDI owners on here). There is not that much expertise in the average garage on this rare engine and I suspect the high cost of many repairs was basically down to unfamiliarity. There are some known competent garages, ask if in need, WOM are often championed and with the knowledge on here built up over the last decade I think the FSI is viable. But as Paul said be aware of history.

The main failing is the notorious inlet manifold flap problem, basically carbon build up leads to faults and it's a long old job, expensive on labour, to put right, fault code 17439 if I I remember correctly. See that on your code reader and knock at least £750, as a ball park figure, off the price but if previous bills show its been done then excellent. The fault occurs anywhere between 60k and 120k, again ball park figures, so much depends on fuel type and type of typical daily use. In fact I would recommend any FSI owner to have the inlet manifold cleaned at 80k as preventive maintence and then set good for another 80k. Your prospective purchase is 113k!!!!, about 2/3 of expected life.

I keep a keen eye on FSI prices and of late prices from dealers have gone up a lot, maybe a blip, and to me they all of a sudden seem to be getting the price right in unison, wierd, whereas for the last two years they were almost random. The price of your Bristol advert is about right from a dealer especially if you can barter £200 down, but it is so difficult without seeing the car in person and inspecting service history, but on the higher side of right.

Some trivial points about the car in question I noticed.
4 seater not 5 as advertised.
The blanking plate behind the ASR button is depressed.
The climate control buttons have been done, the darker black tends to show up with a camera picture and not as much to the eye.
Typical worn headlight switch.
Passenger air vent has missing slider.
The picture of the steering wheel with the engine running frustratingly just blocks out where the engine fault light would occur, probably just an accident and not devious!

Good luck with any purchase.

Andy
 
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We own the 1.4 Sport version and recently bought a 1.6 fsi se to tide us over as the 1.4 needs some work doing. The 1.4 is the best handler out of all of them, on sport suspension and 17" 40 profile rubber, it's considerably lighter over the front axle making it handle superbly and to say it feels like a go cart is not far from the truth. The 1.6 fsi se we have is a really nice example and being an se model, softer springing, with smaller wheels and taller rubber is very comfortable to me. The 1.6 engine is a gem in that it really makes the A2 feel like a bigger car with it's relaxing way it effortlessly wants to accelerate in any gear eagerly even at low revs due to the good dose of low down torque available. I wish the 1.4 had a little more flexibility in this manner but you can't have everything. Both of these engines are capable of just over 50mpg the fsi will give you even more on the same size tank so very impressive indeed. The 1.4 is the quickest to reach full temperature from cold in about a mile the fsi half a mile more and the diesel takes around 4 miles before its warm.

The fsi has it's foibles but there's some superb knowledge on this forum and if you understand the engine all the better! A member on here has only last week sorted his fsi for a little under £600 professionally and now has a pocket rocket with no eml light. That was inlet manifold off and walnut shell cleaned, injectors cleaned, new gaskets new "pipe of death" the plastic water pipe that can let go behind the inlet manifold not sure if i left anything out?

I'm like you in that i have driven an A2 diesel and just prefer the the petrol versions. I'm in the camp of preferring some refinement, so yes both the 1.4 (a reliable and very smooth unit) and the fsi are great engines that arn't too difficult to maintain properly. As has been mentioned find a specialist, there are a few really superb guys who know them inside out and well worth seeking, i think WOM is your nearest top specialist on the outskirts of Stoke on Trent and Tom (Timmus) is an interior and electrical Guru who's in Lancashire but gets about the country a lot on jobs.

All the best with whatever you buy and welcome to the forum.:)
 
Thanks for all the advice and information, this seems like a very friendly and knowledgeable forum, I'm not really put off by the prospect of any of the problems mentioned so far, Im pretty sure I can handle any of the work myself, I've been rebuilding gearboxes, engines and superchargers for years and was an auto electrician for 5 years so it shouldn't be too difficult for me.
I had noticed the interior issues on the one I mentioned but they all seem quite minor and the headlight switch is the same as the lupo so that's not a problem as I just fitted a new one on mine.
I might not end up getting that one but we'll see.
 
Glitter=stripper herpes! It never comes out of anything!

Maybe don’t avoid the car in the strength of that alone though.

If you have a history of gearbox building then maybe none of that is a problem. Good luck.


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Hmm it's nice to hear from a previous owner, I might look elsewhere for another one then lol, I sold a car years ago when a milk bottle exploded in the boot in the middle of summer, could never get rid of the smell, I ended up emptying a can of air freshener in the boot and sold it before the rancid milk smell came back lol.
 
The pepperpots are not to everyone's taste but I have had them on a high power mk 1 Octavia and now the a2 as they are so light. They used them on the ROC buggies and I believe boba motor sports crazy mk1 golf when it was running 800bhp as they are so strong
 
after being messed around by a few people and looking at a few badly abused examples I picked my A2 up tonight.

its a kobalt blue 1.6 fsi sport, its been really well looked after with full service history and drives like a new car, I absolutely love it, and so far it seems a lot better on fuel than my lupo, it averaged 45mpg on a 100m journey back from picking it up and I wasn't hanging around.

only fault is a dead temp gauge sender, but ive already ordered a new one.

will post more about it soon

thanks for all the help and advice on here.
 
Changed the temp sender on my lunch brake yesterday and cleared a couple of fault codes and it's all working perfectly now, getting the Aircon relubed and regassed tomorrow, and then going to dismantle and clean the inlet manifold flaps next weekend, it's not showing the fault but a bit of preventative maintainance could save me some money in the future.

I'm really enjoying driving it, it just feels so solid and we'll put together for a small car.

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