So long 😞 Forum LCBL Star '05 Audi A8 D3 3.0TDi

[Split_Pin]

MOT on the Big Yin tomorrow.

One of the offside front suspension arms will definitely need replaced. I'm not sure about the handbrake error - I think the regulations only apply to the red brake warning light on the dash which comes on and off as it should.

Other than that I am hoping it won't be too bad.

Hopefully they'll be up for replacing the arm and I don't have to go to the Audi specialist whose labour rate is £110 per hour.

Oh and the touch up pen has really taken the eye off a couple of quite nasty scratches on the offside front wing 😀

[Schaefft]

6 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

MOT on the Big Yin tomorrow.

One of the offside front suspension arms will definitely need replaced. I'm not sure about the handbrake error - I think the regulations only apply to the red brake warning light on the dash which comes on and off as it should.

Other than that I am hoping it won't be too bad.

Hopefully they'll be up for replacing the arm and I don't have to go to the Audi specialist whose labour rate is £110 per hour.

Oh and the touch up pen has really taken the eye off a couple of quite nasty scratches on the offside front wing 😀

Good luck! I think it was the top front arm that looked very manageable and diy friendly and not all that expensive to buy from a decent brand either. Most other arms had been done by the father of the original owner already iirc. And correct, the message should not be mot relevant.

[Split_Pin]

Great, I'll mention that to them. I priced that one up and it's about £40 or so.

[Split_Pin]

Well, that's it dropped off.

There's another fucked 08 plate A8 lying on its arse at the garage next door with the same engine, for company.

[RoverFolkUs]

6 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Well, that's it dropped off.

There's another fucked 08 plate A8 lying on its arse at the garage next door with the same engine, for company.

Obviously a blown headlight bulb and the peril of the bumper was too much 😩😉😅

[Split_Pin]

Results are  in:

All of which I knew about

Still a good car .

 

[Split_Pin]

Unfortunately the garage can't fit me in until next Tuesday but that's OK with me - at least it's getting sorted.

I also think it might be for sale, available once the above is complete! I'd really like a manual Saab 93 Convertible and the 5 series pretty much does everything the A8 does.

[TrabbieRonnie]

I've still one of those upper control arms to do (squeaks when cold), mine have gone at the inner bush rather than the ball joints, but same job really.

I'll be interested to know the time they take and the cost, it's an absolute pig of a job and having done one side I'm tempted to let the garage have the other one!

Good luck and well done with the work so far, it should sell well on here I reckon 👍

[Schaefft]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Unfortunately the garage can't fit me in until next Tuesday but that's OK with me - at least it's getting sorted.

I also think it might be for sale, available once the above is complete! I'd really like a manual Saab 93 Convertible and the 5 series pretty much does everything the A8 does.

Still dibs as I might need a suitable tow vehicle soon!

[83C]

17 minutes ago, Schaefft said:

Still dibs as I might need a suitable tow vehicle soon!

A8 is the house move vehicle of choice for winners!

[Kiltox]

3 minutes ago, 83C said:

A8 is the house move vehicle of choice for winners!

Can confirm 

(if VOSA see this, no you didn’t) 

[Split_Pin]

One OSF upper front suspension arm and we are good to go for another year, £148.47 all in.

The tester was saying how nice a car it was and that it drove like it had a much lower mileage on it. He was quite surprised that it does 45mpg as well.

[Schaefft]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

One OSF upper front suspension arm and we are good to go for another year, £148.47 all in.

The tester was saying how nice a car it was and that it drove like it had a much lower mileage on it. He was quite surprised that it does 45mpg as well.

Knew it wouldn't be much of a hassle, congrats. Your tester is absolutely right.

[TrabbieRonnie]

Excellent news, well done 👍 

[Split_Pin]

Absolute fucking rats nest in here like 😂 It's worse off to the right of the picture.

Jesus wept, that can't be factory.

Anyway, I need a new battery.

[Schaefft]

5 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Absolute fucking rats nest in here like 😂 It's worse off to the right of the picture.

Jesus wept, that can't be factory.

Anyway, I need a new battery.

The dealer installed PS1/DVD player setup in my S8 looks significantly worse, it's mental what they allow in what is a brand new very high end car.

[Split_Pin]

30 minutes ago, Schaefft said:

The dealer installed PS1/DVD player setup in my S8 looks significantly worse, it's mental what they allow in what is a brand new very high end car.

I've never looked at the wiring in my Rover but I do know its 100% factory. It was made in the last year of the Company being alive so it would be interesting to see what that looks like as I doubt the employees would have cared very much by then 😂

I ordered a new Exide battery from Amazon with a slightly higher 100ah rating and 900 cranks. Reading up on coding is an absolute minefield of conflicting information. So I'm just going to install it and then go through the 'battery registration' process on my scanner and take it from there.

[JMotor]

9 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

It was made in the last year of the Company being alive so it would be interesting to see what that looks like as I doubt the employees would have cared very much by then 😂

If it was like the 04 Rover 45 I had.

Found two bonnet strikers and a rake of bolts under the rear seat! 😆

Glad the Audi now has EMOTY for another year and it wasn't a mare to achieve a pass.

[Kiltox]

The towbar wiring is rough as fuck, I’m a bodging cunt when it’s for something I’m dailying. 

That battery is only a couple of years old! 

[TrabbieRonnie]

11 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I've never looked at the wiring in my Rover but I do know its 100% factory. It was made in the last year of the Company being alive so it would be interesting to see what that looks like as I doubt the employees would have cared very much by then 😂

I ordered a new Exide battery from Amazon with a slightly higher 100ah rating and 900 cranks. Reading up on coding is an absolute minefield of conflicting information. So I'm just going to install it and then go through the 'battery registration' process on my scanner and take it from there.

I changed my battery a couple of years back, like you I couldn't be sure of (or arsed with) the convoluted procedure for changing it, and coding it to the car.  I just swapped it as you normally would and touch wood, no issues at all.  

[Split_Pin]

I have read that 2005 models and older don't need coding.

Apparently though on some models the alternator is 'intelligent' and knows when a battery is weaker so charges it more. So when you fit a new battery it can overcharge it if you don't code it in, which lets the system you have a new battery fitted and it doesn't need charging quite as much. 

Personally I think that's all misinformation from folk on the FB page who rarely seem to work on their own cars!

[Split_Pin]

New battery fitted, no issues.

The battery registration feature on my code reader didn't want to work however so we'll just have to go with that.

Random wire:

 

 

[SiC]

Try just changing the last number of the current battery code. 

[Split_Pin]

My code reader wouldn't even go into the menus relating to the battery unfortunately

[SiC]

Have you tried going directly into the battery module and checking the coding on that? Rather than using a service menu. 

[Split_Pin]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

Have you tried going directly into the battery module and checking the coding on that? Rather than using a service menu. 

Yeah it doesn't want to connect. I'm going to have to read the instructions 😅

[Split_Pin]

The nearside of the front bumper has a split in it that someone has glued. It won't have been possible to fibreglass it from behind as the headlamp washer mechanism  is in the way. There were obviously  problems getting the glue to set and hold the 2 edges closed so someone has drilled 2 holes and cable tied the whole lot shut. I hope their day job isn't a surgeon...

Thankfully the glue has set now as nothing moved when I snipped the 2 large cable ties.

Some P38:

Sanding

Perfect* colour match and shine*

Back to blacked the lower grille as well.

A bit quick and dirty but WAY better than it was!

[Schaefft]

The bumper really needs to go in the bin but with that being the worst bit of cosmetics the car has its a big improvement.

[Split_Pin]

Even a bumper in worse condition is about £300 and one still with minor damage is £500+ 😳

[Split_Pin]

Scheiße

The other rear caliper is pissing out fluid now, from the piston, exactly as per the offside.

I did the offside 3 months ago and it was a shite job.

A ton for a new one, with handbrake motor.

It can wait until payday.

Ho-hum.