Hi Rod,
You're contemplating a Life Choice, not a mere car.........
The Dutch and Danish s/hand 1.2 TDi's are often the base model 3L 5 seat version - a little too 'hair shirt' for me!
This is a post from Erling the elder, (not the younger, my son), so it's the owner of A2's since 2000 and my 1.2 TDI since 2005 - bought new from an Audi dealer in Berlin as a personal export vehicle.
I needed an automatic and this was the only way to stay with the A2 car design. German dealer fitted Rhd headlamps, Mph Instrument cluster and some wheelchair user internal non A2 1.2 parts (grab handles fitted to other A2s). It's not the 5 seat super light 3L version of the 1.2 which doesn't have climate control, power steering etc - but the slightly less economical but still 3 litres per 100 klm economy 4 seat model that had climate and power steering in its basic spec. My car also had virtually everything I could get optioned, incl Winter pack heated cloth seats, mirrors, washer jets etc. UK personal import Homologation and Registration in 2005 was straightforward as I presented German Export Registration Documents, Vehicle Specific Homoligation Certificate, Dealer receipts, incl for installation of key essential items, showed correct fog & reversing lamps lit (wired both in), No VAT paid as new car adapted for wheelchair user and hence applied at zero rate. Car registered in Disabled Class when new, subsequently that was changed to ordinary car category when I bought another wheelchair adapted car. The car, like all 1.2 TDi imports, has remained in the £0 RFL tax category because of its 84 gm CO2 Diesel emissions homologation status.
I quickly fitted a double din dash to accommodate RNS E sat Nav head, o/side boot side trim and 6 cd auto change cassette unit, walnut and leather sports steering wheel, second front cup holder by relocating handbrake warning lamp to centre console tray front, cruise control (Mod to main Ecu to add extra speed output), leather seat covers (Audi OEM), extra 12 volt power sockets in handbrake tray and boot plus lots of little personal preference items such as the small centre screen sun blind and other long forgotten but still in use parts.
Now approaching 260k miles of generally trouble free use - first 180k daily commuting at around 25k per year and logged from brim to top refill record at jut over 84mpg, mostly achieved at speed limits during 35 mile return commute on A roads and M4 between South Wales and Filton Bristol. Serviced as per 1.2 Long Life Schedule - 30,000 miles or 2 years, whichever sooner.
The worst aspect of the early years, with Audi Warranty extended, was the poor knowledge base within the UK dealer network. During this time the car had:
- a brake light switch failure (very interesting effects on 1.2!) fixed by Audi call out Support van man,
- alleged Instrument cluster failure (dealer lost A6 coded RNS E setting and then got totally confused, blamed cluster etc I relented after two visits and agreed to replacement. Then it was the RNS -E unit blamed...........until another member recoded the car again!),
- clutch failure induced gearbox failure (release Bearing guide sleeve failed (circa 130k) damaging clutch and gearbox input shaft - new clutch assembly and gearbox fitted)
- nearside front door hinge attachment fatigue crack - warranty repair as Skipton campaigned for from Audi UK.
Over this time the car's needed all the usual consumable maintenance parts such as brake pads and front discs, rear shoes, cylinders and set of rear drums (cast iron replacing unavailable lovely aluminium), rear shock absorbers (Audi supplied steel shocks - one lovely aluminium Sachs unit leaking), front and rear wheel bearing/hub units twice now, one drive shaft outer, front springs - still slightly long at third set ordered (one original snapped at 240k), several sets of front drop links, one set ARB bushes etc.
Eventually I found Stoke Audi dealership who were great, on quality of work, price and service - including all the 1.2 specific issues such as having the correct parts in stock for planned work (cam belt/tensioners/water pump change and full service) always recalibrating clutch/change mechanism as part of service etc.
More recently (4 years) our local village garage have taken care of the A2, and have managed things very well - asking when in doubt is Mark's approach, and then listening and accepting help.
The A2 has acquired a number of scratched corners in its more recent life, reflecting a mix of drivers and the inherent blind spots inevitable from its design and my car's lack of park sensors front and rear (I'm reliably informed......).
Regardless of any warning such sensors would have offered, the M45 midnight 80mph badger strike in 2018 on the offside corner couldn't have been avoided. I was amazed how effective the underlying A2 impact energy absorbing structure design performed. The outer bumper section was broadly intact, lower front wing lip torn off, air filter body split and fractured, fibre inner wheel arch displaced, undertray torn, displaced and bits missing. Gaffer tape temporary fix of the Air Filter body, reshape, re-enforce and glued bumper and front wing. Replaced Air Filter body with used undamaged item and undertray with a non original copy part (no insulation and stiff plastic).
The A2 1.2 TDi is a keeper doesn't owe me a penny and whilst I can still drive it now deserves a thorough refresh of its suspension, body work and potentially engine/turbo.
I've already sourced a used car set of 1.2 TDi lower front wishbones and mount blocks plus car set of front hub/strut leg/ steering knuckles to recondition ready for use.
I really want to stick with aluminium front legs and source replacement Sacs or equivalent shock absorbers inserts/units for all corners plus the correct length and rate springs, spring seats, mount bearings etc and drop links/bushes as needed. I have yet to establish the definitive parts list for this work and need to search the forum more carefully. I also need front brake dust shields as the ones fitted are more like lace curtains now and will probably disintegrate if removed.
I've also toyed with the idea of fitting a rear ARB to reduce roll during cornering which routinely gets the dash lights flashing and unwanted help from the 'stability control' system......Yes I know It can be 'muted', but that needs to be done every time you use the car.
I first need to check on the forum if anyone else has good experience from fitting their otherwise standard suspension 1.2 TDi with a rear Anti Roll Bar.