irisha2
New Member
I picked up this 2001 A2 with 84,000 miles on it, and I am surprised at how undervalued these are. It would be a challenge to get a better car for twice or three times the price I paid for it (€1,900). I think it’s just because normal people don’t understand them - fine by me. It is odd and charming, and delightfully over-engineered. Driving it home, the steering is tight and because it isn’t all that powerful it begs you to wring the most out of it. At the same time, it feels comfortable at motorway speeds and fits four.
But you knew all that, didn’t you? Because this is an A2 forum. I’m singing to the choir.
All that said, it is a 21-year-old used car. It has had seven previous owners (although I get the sense some were dealers/auction houses). It hasn’t been babied, although the previous owner had it for seven years and didn’t neglect it.
There’s a lot to be sorted, which is why we’re on a project thread - possibly the world’s most boring thread of all time.
It will be about as boring as watching snow fall, because I will be spreading the projects out as my time and budget allows - think years, not months.
Also, unfortunately, I don’t have access to a garage or driveway here in Galway, a lot of the work that involves putting it on a lift or spending multiple days will be done by a shop - although I wish I could be getting my hands dirty (I enjoy working on cars).
Drivetrain:
- oil change
- fix oil leak from bottom of engine (hopefully just out of drain plug)
- chatty tappets when cold (need adjusted?)
- coolant flush
- transmission oil flush
- TBD mechanic looks it over
Interior:
- replace soft touch window switches (classic!)
- replace soft touch headlight switch & fix it falling into the dashboard
- replace fuel flap button
- clean or replace headliner
- replace shifter boot
- anything to be done about peeling soft touch throughout?
- new stereo (ideally Bluetooth)
- remove old alarm system
- hazard light coming on with right turn signal
- handbrake handle
- possibly light tint
- deep clean / valet
Exterior:
- fix broken plastic side skirts
- adjust other plastics (mudflats) to fit tighter
- remove pinstripe
- refurbish hazy headlights
- paintless dent removal of the one dime-sized dent on the car
- deep clean / valet
Suspension:
- dampers
- lowering springs
- endlinks
- rusty components (a-arms, etc)
Wheels / Tires:
- possibly 16” rims
- new tires
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