Project Commuter

Today I began the process of swapping the slightly dented drivers side doors off my TDI with the clean doors off my FSI. Really shouldn't have started with the rears, it's a lot more labour intensive moving the electric windows across. I also noticed that it seems that cars with Bose from factory have sound deadening installed on the door skin, whereas the non-bose car did not have the noise insulation.
 

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Today I set out to eliminate things that were causing my cruise control to poop itself when going downhill. The culprit was an inner CV that was full of rusty water rather than grease. Popped a pair of new driveshafts in from J&R and all sorted now. Pleased that it wasn't the differential and that when the wheel bearings were changed they only used medium strength glue rather than the super strong stuff that is installed from factory to stop the driveshaft fretting in the wheel bearing.
 

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Thanks to @A2Steve I now have a clean looking black multifunction steering wheel. The black non-multifunction SE steering wheel just needed the multifunction airbag module from my old wheel swapping across.

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Nice - I have one of these along with with it's control module and am trying to decide whether to install it in Audrey to replace the current A2 sports wheel - Could you share a couple of pictures of the wheel from further back so I can see how it visually interracts with the rest of the car's interior? How is piloting your car compared with the thicker rim sports wheel?

(Also I keep thinking a later Audi MFSW wheel would be nicer overall but I'm not sure I could justify the expense!)
 
Nice - I have one of these along with with it's control module and am trying to decide whether to install it in Audrey to replace the current A2 sports wheel - Could you share a couple of pictures of the wheel from further back so I can see how it visually interracts with the rest of the car's interior? How is piloting your car compared with the thicker rim sports wheel?

(Also I keep thinking a later Audi MFSW wheel would be nicer overall but I'm not sure I could justify the expense!)
I’m about to take the plunge David. Very excited!
 
Nice - I have one of these along with with it's control module and am trying to decide whether to install it in Audrey to replace the current A2 sports wheel - Could you share a couple of pictures of the wheel from further back so I can see how it visually interracts with the rest of the car's interior? How is piloting your car compared with the thicker rim sports wheel?

(Also I keep thinking a later Audi MFSW wheel would be nicer overall but I'm not sure I could justify the expense!)

This car previously had the 4 spoke wheel in it but it was in red and I didn't really like it when nearly all the rest of the interior is black so there's no change in feel. I will sort you a picture out though!

Hands down I prefer the feel and look of the thicker sport wheel that my FSI has but I prefer the functionality of the MFSW. As you say ideally a wheel from a newer Audi would be better (I'm always on the lookout for one from an A3 8V) because that gives the best of both worlds!
 
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This car previously had the 4 spoke wheel in it but it was in red and I didn't really like it when nearly all the rest of the interior is black so there's no change in feel. I will sort you a picture out though!

Hands down I prefer the feel and look of the thicker sport wheel that my FSI has but I prefer the functionality of the MFSW. As you say ideally a wheel from a newer Audi would be better (I'm always on the lookout for one from an A3 8V) because that gives the best of both worlds!
Hmm maybe I should send my SE MFSW off to Royal steering wheels to work their magic on it...
 
A drivers perspective picture for you @dj_efk
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I am undecided about swapping the gear lever and handbrake to black ones too with doorcards for an A2 with electric rear windows being hard to come across.

The other thing, is my wiper blade resting position too high up the windscreen?
 
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A drivers perspective picture for you @dj_efk
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I am undecided about swapping the gear lever and handbrake to black ones too with doorcards for an A2 with electric rear windows being hard to come across.

The other thing, is my wiper blade resting position too high up the windscreen?
Did you swap out your red leather for cloth or was it a previous owner?
 
Did you swap out your red leather for cloth or was it a previous owner?
A previous owner had harvested the cars red seats sadly, shame because I am pretty sure that they were heated leather sports seats because it has all the wiring under the seat and behind the climate unit. But then I am also sure that the car wouldn't have been within budget if it had them...
 
If you already have the wiring, why not look into fitting a set of TT mk1 heated leather seats. They can be picked up for about £100.
 
If you already have the wiring, why not look into fitting a set of TT mk1 heated leather seats. They can be picked up for about £100.
You are opening up a whole can of temptation there, trouble is finding some leather A2 rear seats to go with them
 
I got a second lamp in the boot fitted in. Blimey I wish I had done it sooner although the parts were borrowed from a MK5 golf which sadly had passed its rust by date - it can live on in its older sill corrosion free cousin though!
 

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Is there a how-to?
It's very easy to do, so I may disassemble so that I can take some pictures (one of the few things that I haven't taken pictures of for this project actually). The gist is that you take the trim panel off that covers the back of the boot and forms the sill, this is held in with three T25 screws behind the little plastic covers,then remove the lower area of the main boot seal - you need to peel it back as high as the plastic sides that house the light. The lower trim now lifts out,it does require a bit of wiggling and gentle bending - this has some foam blocks on it which are held on with double sided tape and will probably fall off, but the locations are marked on the moulding so just apply some new tape and reattach.

With the lower trim out disconnect the left light (these prise out with a screwdriver) and then disconnect the electrical connector push the wire back through the hole in the trim so that it doesn't get broken or pulled. Now this left trim needs to be prised away from the car, there's a few of those Christmas tree looking metal clips that are moulded into the plastic trim, be careful with these as it is easy to break the plastic housing. There is also a T25 near the top of this trim which needs to come out. Now the wire for the left light should be visible, I used scotch connectors to tap into this with a length of new wire.

Repeat the above steps to prise back the right side. I used a knife to cut a rectangular hole in the mirror image location to the left side but it was a bit larger due to the MK5 golf light housing I had being larger. Wire the left and right side together and test everything. With it working, tidy everything up using loom tape to make it match the factory wiring harness that runs along the back of the boot and put everything back together in reverse.

One note is I fitted LEDs to both sides to reduce the power draw so that there would be no funny business with fuses. Also congrats if you have got this far through my "very easy" guide ?. I will look to add some pictures and make it less wordy.
 
Agreed, 2 boot lights make a real difference, especially LED units. Both Jelly and Spud now fitted up.
And definitely wire in a second fog light whilst the rear boot trim is out.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
 
I resprayed the rear wheel arch which had lost its paint due to 15 years worth of having diesel spilled on it. I'm happy with the result
 

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I resprayed the rear wheel arch which had lost its paint due to 15 years worth of having diesel spilled on it. I'm happy with the result

Well I think you’ve done that before haven’t you!! Don’t tell me that’s from a rattle can??
 
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