Today I.....

Thanks :)

Just need to sort out a slow puncture in the OSF (one of the Michelins), about 3 PSI per day. I carry a footpump in whichever car I'm driving anyway.
 
And then there were two ..

Today I test drove - and shook hands on - a 2-owner 52-reg 1.4 petrol SE half an hour away from where I stay that appeared online on Friday afternoon. Metallic mint green and in pretty good condition, clean MOT and a good MOT past history from the online archive. Going to pick up next week.

First thing I noted (coming from a BHC car) - is that I couldn't get over how smooth the 1.4i feels in contrast - it's like a sewing machine and incredibly quiet! I'd driven a similar engine in a Polo donkeys years ago and had forgotten how little torque that engine has low down - and I was having trouble today actually pushing the car hard enough to get above 3000rpm having got used to changing before the needle gets round into that part of the dial unless I'm using Paul's remap to keep boy racers honest! Steering feels like my everyday car after having the strut bearings replaced (very light and smooth, plenty of feel).

Interior needs a mild valet but nothing serious - soul black throughout and very tight still, no sagging on the seats and only a couple of soft-touch white patches on the aircon and headlight switch.

Bits that need sorting - I'm probably looking for a single DIN Audi radio (Concert II?) as in my normal car because it has an after market unit not properly secured in the dash that is apparently not great, and I'd prefer the integrated look.

Front underside looks like it has hit a curb at some point - the under-bumper matte trim is cracked/pop rivet repaired in a couple of places and the undertray is missing. Fog lamp level trim is all fine ; it is the bit under that that has mild damage. The existing owner is an elderly gent and had never noticed this until I pointed it out.

At 50mph there is a mild vibration from probably a driveshaft (related to speed of car, independent of the gear the car is in), noise in the right area. Could be an unbalanced wheel, but you wouldn't notice it with the radio on.

Rear shocks aren't great judging by feel on speed bumps.

Any suggestions regarding the above issues in terms of sourcing parts or possible causes (undertray and mild driveshaft vibration?) would be appreciated.
 
PIP, Party in the Park, view from the kitchen.
image.jpeg
 
Today I picked up another A2 for my wife to drive - it's an Akoya Silver and almost the spitting image of mine except it has the smooth grill and it's a petrol :)

Really want to take a picture of them face to face but mine's in a million bits at the moment :-(

Simon.
 
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My A2's NEVER got near that! It's a 6-speed box and I do drive very carefully! 55 mpg is average. I've got into the 60's at times, but not in Winter.

David
 
sco said:
Today I picked up another A2 for my wife to drive - it's an Akoya Silver and almost the spitting image of mine except it has the smooth grill and it's a petrol :)

Really want to take a picture of them face to face but mine's in a million bits at the moment :-(

Simon.
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Sorry to hear Simon, to be clear, I liked the post before you added the bit about your car... ;)

Hope it is nothing serious and you are back on the road soonest.
 
stevec said:
Just got back home from a great saturday seeing Billy joel at Old Trafford. Still amazed at how frugal the A2 is. Filled up car even up filler neck, here's the result. View attachment 40645
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Cruise control did most of the work. Car was fully loaded 4xadults and luggage. Was helped by 50mph speed restrictions on m5/m6. Not that i liked em
 
Darren C said:
Sorry to hear Simon, to be clear, I liked the post before you added the bit about your car... ;)

Hope it is nothing serious and you are back on the road soonest.
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I saw your like before I edited so no worries :)

New head and new piston required so the shopping list is growing by the day!

Simon
 
...today I got my hands on a well used VCDS free VIN cable that I probably will wear out :) This will hopefully be like a new age for me and my A2's :)
 
Today my open sky opened on first tilt then when I shut it there was a clunk and slam shut, it wasn't sitting down flat so maybe no more open sky for me.
 
Today I rung the insurance to update them on the change of colour on @A2Sam 's car. I wasn't looling forward to the response because I was expecting a jump in premium.

I also informed them of my installation of coilovers on my car, again expecting a hike because it's a performance mod.

We both have modified car policy's with Adrian Flux insurance....

Total increase in premium......diddly squat.

Can't recommend Adrian Flux highly enough. They really do understand car enthusiasts and price their policies as such.

Our total premiums for both highly modified A2's is £600 the pair. Amazing
 
Wow, that is amazing! I had a bad experience with AF when I was in the RS Owners club but I'll definitely be checking them out come renewal time :)

Today I...

Left a deposit on this:

42219810904_a240659a55.jpg


TDi 75
1 owner from new
Broken sky
74k
Oodles of service history and a few factory extras

Can't wait to pick it up! Very briefly I'll own two red colour storms with OSS and my TDi (Bert) before selling the other two. These A2's really get under your skin don't they! o_O
 
spike said:
Took the A2 for it's MOT..........first time under the new rules. I always check the basics but forgot about the front fogs and reversing lights. Thankfully all were OK.
In the general chat, was surprised to hear that missing or loose underbody heatshields could be a failure and the rules on HID headlamps were a bit more lax than the press has indicated. No doubt every tester will have different views but if the light had a good beam pattern and were not blue, he would pass them

Cheers Spike
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I took my A2 for an MOT a few weeks ago, though the new regulations had already come into force. I immediately declared the HID conversion and told the tester not to bother testing the car if he was going to fail it on the basis of the headlights. He said that, as long as the colour temperature is acceptable and the beam pattern is within limits, he didn't care whether the light was emitted by a tungsten filament or a gas discharge. So, my A2 passed with only one advisory - the rear seats are missing!

I've no doubt that the new regulations have been brought in to limit the number of cars driving around with cheap eBay HID kits fitted, which scatter light in all directions. Of course, strictly speaking, my A2 should have failed, but some MOT testers are clearly willing to apply the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law. Hurray!

Cheers,

Tom
 
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