2) How much should I expect to pay on average for annual maintenance? - an indication of min and max would also really help
Who is doing it? Are you using original parts or not?
...for an A2 that is in very good mechanical condition i.e. won't need any four figures repairs in 2+ years. And then how much I would have to spend to maintain it in great mechanical condition.
Your help would be greatly appreciated!
Not going to happen.
Cambelts go, rubber perishes, OSSes die. Suspension needs replacing after 8-10 years, tyres, too. Climate needs regassing, driers should be replaced, the battery may die. CCCUs are more frequent issues these days, and then exhausts rust eventually.
The youngest A2 is 10 years old. Realistically?
- budget for a cambelt and water pump change. If it hasn't been done in the last 5 years, it will need doing during those two or shortly afterwards. £500.
- budget for a wiper mech or motor change, £100.
- assume the CCCU will die at some point, because it really will. If all the door microswitches are still perfect, you are lucky and unusual. Each switch is in the lock and they're €80 new.
- assume the climate needs refilling, as mileage doesn't matter, age does.
- if the battery is still the original, budget for replacing it with a quality item, such as Bosch S4 Silver, 74Ah.
- If the suspension is original, it will be tired. Replace springs, shocks and rubber mounts, including the droplinks and the ARB bushes. It all ages, mileage is irrelevant if you want any form of safety in terms of roadholding.
- at 100k miles, brake discs and pads will need replacing, with the shoes at the rear also probably up for renewal. Brake fluid would need doing, a 12 month service interval with VAG 502.00 oil (which means something like Shell Helix Ultra) is a very good idea.
- if the car has climate, assume all of the flaps are close to death. Each one is a true pain to replace, though not massively expensive, unless you're asking someone else to do it, at which point it gets expensive, fast.
- the G62 will fail sooner or later.
- Thermostats are a "common" issue.
- wheel bearings fail at some point. Rear ones are easy to replace, front ones less so and require the correct tool or you'll break them. The ABS ring tends to break at the same time, which is another €50.
My list:
2009 - New shocks, springs and fitting. Third battery.
2010 - ARB replacement, control arms, droplinks. €600.
2011 - G62 sensor replacement. €50 or so.
2012 - both tyre sets. Front wheel bearing. Climate flap for air movement. €1500 because of the tyres.
2013 - Climate re-gas, brake pad and disk replacement. 2 x Wheel bearings. €200, €650 for the bearings.
2014 - Flap 2 for temperature. Oil separator. €200 in total (self-done)
2015 - ARBs, Shocks. - €900 for parts, self-done
The A2 is astoundingly cheap to run, but that doesn't mean it's still a low-cost car. Looking at that, I'm at between €50 and €100 per month for a car which is run in some of the harshest conditions in Europe. It's OK, but it's not that far from a newer car on finance. Yes, though, the A2 is still "doable" yourself and there's not *that* much electronic skullduggery, which does make things easier.
- Bret