[Jim]

various basic problems looked  horrifically expensive

Unlike with a BMW, obviously.

Quite, however a DMF + Clutch on a VAG engine is the same cost almost exactly. I'm aware the current car wasn't the most sensible option but it is at least interesting, even when I paid that bill I was smiling on the way home (a short 5 min journey).

It was this post elsewhere that got me when looking at a very nice A4 2.5Tdi V6:

2.5 is smoother more refined and quite a bit more torquie than 1.9.

But its still very old technology so nothing like as smooth as a modern diesel engine.

However 1.9 TDI do seem to be pretty much bullet proof. Might want a turbo at some stage other than that nothing expensive ever goes wrong on them.

2.5TDIs on the other hand, Turbo's £1200, pumps £1000, oil leaks £300, crankcase breather valves £350 and the camshafts are made of chocolate. If the cams wear to the point that they fail, they wipe out the rockers and smashup the head. £3000+ In some cases resulting in a new engine required £5500-£7000, although replacement of the head usually suffices.

A 2.5tdi when its working is a nicer engine than a 1.9, and most 2.5 will be higher spec cars. But with engine over 100k on them my professional opinion is live with the harshness and get a 1.9.

There were other similar sentiments elsewhere.

it's the same car as a skoda

I didn't say car I said lump/engine, they're both Audi, but the 1.9 and 2.5 diesel engines are very different beasts (the Octavia 4x4s of that era were all 1.9 Tdi 105, the 105 being the dull part).

Sorry, didn't realise you where just refering to the engine, but it is pretty accurate. Mines got 150k on it tho and still smooth. The 1.9's are bomb proof and there is also a 1.9 quattro, worm had one but the turbo died on it I think

[Paul B]

The love / hate relationship continues... this time with a mild vibration above 50mph. No pulling under breaking and it doesn't seem to be linked to RPM. Sticking calliper perhaps (front discs + pads were an advisory).

I see $$$ signs in the eyes of Quarry Motors once again.

[mikomon]

Hello Paul
if you drive for any length of time (say half an hour) with the vibration happening, as soon as you stop have a feel of the wheels themselves near the hubs. If it's a sticking brake the offending side could feel quite warm. A clean out with an airbrush and re-grease should not cost much if it is the case.

[Paul B]

Thanks.

I guess the other main suspect (as Bubba and TomTom have suggested) is a balance / wheel weight issue.

[mikomon]

Could easily be: somewhere like HiQ would likely check this for free or not much. When I get my T4 looked at for new tyres my local tyre spot charges £12 for all 4 corners balanced, and I think this is at the expensive end of the scale. Good luck with it all!

[tomtom]

Could easily be: somewhere like HiQ would likely check this for free or not much. When I get my T4 looked at for new tyres my local tyre spot charges £12 for all 4 corners balanced, and I think this is at the expensive end of the scale. Good luck with it all!

Paul - you mentioned (on twitter) that the tyres were quite new? Maybe worth taking back to where they were fitted and getting them to have a look (might not charge you?)
TT

[Paul B]

There's no excessive heat or directional pull under braking (although the front pads are VERY low). I think this rules out a sticking calliper?

The rear tyre pressures were on the low side and now at the correct pressure the problem seems a lot worse (more pronounced at low speeds, lots of vibration at the rear-end).

The tyres were all new on it when I got it (~4 months now?). One got a nice shard of metal in it (front) and was subsequently changed and re-balanced at the local place, the other had a slow from being poorly sealed which again was fixed at the local shop. Unless a wheel weight has been lost I can't see how the car would suddenly go out of alignment without being kerbed or something failing?

It always happens at the one time you've (or in this case Nat) have something important to attend on Mon morning (5AM train it is!).

[mikomon]

At the risk of asking a stupid question, have you checked the tightness of the wheelnuts? I believe alloys can work loose after being tinkered with. Apologies if this comes across as patronising, I once ignored a 'wheelbearing' rattle until it became unbearable, then on inspection realised that one wheel was so loose I could move the nuts with my fingers...

[Paul B]

Its a fair point. I haven't got a torque wrench but I did just go around all four corners and give each wheel a damn good tug and found zero play:

Propshaft donut seems like another possible candidate?
Wheel bearing?
Wheel balance?
Alignment -> haven't hit anything to cause it.
Rear Shocks?
Sticking Calliper -> No heat despite pads up front being totally shot.
Handbrake shoes -> these need replacing and could be dragging but again, no heat.

[tomtom]

Good call - though it's a knocking that starts at low speed.. I did once have one of my rear wheels overtake me though :D

[Paul B]

Fixed!

It turned out to be the drivers side rear tyre (which was a tad low the other day). You couldn't see it in the arch but once it was off it was massively deformed.

Either this has been caused by running it at a slightly lower pressure for a while or it's had a traumatic experience of some sort (a Sheffield pothole perhaps).

As I said above the tyres were all new when I bought the car but now 3 out of 4 have needed attention and I do wonder whether this one and the front I had re-fitted came from some cowboy operation (they're budget tyres for starters). Obviously one still remains that hasn't given me problems but I'm not holding my breath.

Also whilst doing some research I found New Hall BMW, another Sheffield independent who are going to get my business from now on. I haven't been totally sold on Quarry since my first visit and these guys have been very helpful over the phone.

Thanks for all of the help. I'm please/relieved it wasn't anything more or this car was doomed to Autotrader I fear.

[slackline]

it's had a traumatic experience of some sort (a Sheffield pothole perhaps).

http://www.potholes.co.uk/ - For reporting them and advice on making claims (if you can identify where/when it occurred, but doesn't sound likely).

[Paul B]

I did that with the road between Malham and Kilnsey which ate a tyre last year (some spirited driving between the two after a post-crux wetness based fall to find a drier project). I reported it and did all of the FOI request and was given a letter telling me they'd filled all of the potholes in on that road the year before.

It's quite simply bollocks though as there were more holes than road.

[Paul B]

It seems like I'm constantly losing pressure from my rear tyres.

The car had poor non-name branded tyres all around when I got it and now they've all either worn out (very fast) or failed (gone out of shape) etc.

However, I've now got Avons on the rear and Vredestein on the front and I'm consistently needing to top up the rears (although not at the same rate). Now it IS a possibility that I've got a pair of slows but this seems to be a feature on this car, that I'd initially put down to poor quality / poorly fitted tyres. These aren't and they were fitted by a tyre shop I've trusted for a while now.

Anything that could be the cause of this (beyond a nail etc.), I was wondering if the wheels were slightly out of shape? They are 18s on fairly low profile tyres so not all too suited to Sheffield / Potholes.

[Moo]

18's low profile tyre, Potholes.................. yeah that sounds about right as far recipes for delating tyres go.

[Paul B]

thing is, when you crack a pothole enough to worry yourself about the tyre you usually know... The last car was on 16s but those were stupidly low too and it just wasn't an issue.

[Jaspersharpe]

I just ordered one of these with the same 19" rims. Suppose I'll just have to be careful with the potholes. I'll live with it.



Seriously, what Paul said. Every time I've fucked a tyre on a pothole I've winced at the horrible clunk and known it was done at the time. In fact it's only once that it was properly screwed and the other couple of winces I've got away with.

So I think the low profile 18s vs Sheffield potholes aren't the answer.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[Oli]

Some alloys reputedly become porous over time meaning they will then develop a slow leak. Can't remember which makes have been commonly affected...

[kelvin]

I had a 93 Vauxhaul that had porous alloys - ended up replacing them as it was right ballache checking the pressures all the time.

[Jim]

yes, I agree, sounds like the alloys to me

[Paul B]

Standard 18 inch M sport alloys are what it has. Checking this morning I've lost 5 psi from one so I'd guess it either has a slow or simply needs refitting?

[tomtom]

Tube em.

[Paul B]

?

[tomtom]

Inner tube. As for some puncture repairs. Not sure they work with low profiles... That's what I did anyway on car with leaky alloys 15 odd yrs ago.

[Fultonius]

Could you try putting in the tyre sealing goo you get for MTB tyres?

I.e. some of this stuff:  http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_1005703_langId_-1_categoryId_273923

Oh, wait a minute - you can get a car tyre specific brand:  http://ebay.eu/1lQy5dE