New A2 Owner

Beagles

Member
In a nutshell:
I own an A2 and they are great but my one still needs a bit of TLC. Also, probably don't buy a car until you actually know a bit more than I did about them.

Background:
For the past few years I have been toying with getting a car but have never been able to quite justify buying one for the amount I would need it for work as I live in London and public transport is generally a much quicker and more environmentally sound option. Then one day I was out on a run in Bristol and ran past an A2 and thought, "now this, this is the car for me". I made a note of it and went on Autotrader when I got back to London later that day (on the train).

I found my A2 almost straight away, for sale a short train ride away in Windsor. Being slightly naive and unaware of basically anything to do with cars, before I'd found this forum especially, I wasn't aware of what a specific car issue might feel, look or sound like. Having done a quick google search and used one of those services to make sure the car wasn't stolen or similar, I popped to Windsor and stumped up the cash for this 2001 1.4L Petrol A2.

Only a few weeks later, the car started making very unwell sounds in stop start traffic. Phoning a friend who knew a little more about cars than I did he thought I might have blown a gasket. Thankfully, it turned out that he was just in need of a replacement clutch and being literally round the corner from home he just tailed me back to make sure it was ok before being taken to the local garage first thing in the morning. In retrospect, a lot of the warning signs were there such as a vibrating clutch pedal and difficulty changing gear but I just thought it might just be me getting used to driving this car and he was going to go into a garage for a clean bill of health as soon as I got a day off and had decided which garage to use.

This is Pimey (as he was christened by my partner), he is a 1.4L petrol from 2001 who had done almost 100,000 miles.

44986


He's already had a fair few things sorted but there is more that needs to be done, details below. All work so far other than the clutch was done by Fontain Motors or WOM Automotive or Timmus. All lovely people. Things listed in green are my handiwork.

Completed Repairs/Upgrades:
-Replacement Clutch (replaced at local garage)
-Starter motor whine
-Cambelt, relay roller and waterpump replaced
-CV Gaitor and C links replaced
-Replaced oil crankcase breather
-Sump pan resealed
-Oil change
-fuse box cover clips - with thanks to @depronman
-bluetooth support
-petrol cap button
-pollen filter replacement
-aux in adapter
-worn soft touch button replacement
-handbrake stowage tray
-rear seat storage box
-heated mirror glass
-complete suspension overhaul with Monroe shocks+Bilstein springs
-handbrake fix and non-OEM rear brake shoe kit replaced
-coolant temperature sensor+thermostat replaced
-dent removed from passenger front door
-mudflaps
-aero wiper upgrade

-cruise control retrofit
-colour DIS retrofit
-USB cable emerging at top of windscreen for dashcam hidden behind rear view mirror
-BOSE soundsystem
-MFSW
-hubcap repair - AlloyFix in Newcastle

Planned Repairs/Upgrades:
-driver sun mirror clip replacement
-reversing sensor
-glove box clips
-replacement fuel cap that is still attached

Existing OEM options:
-rear electric windows
-electronic climate control
-false floor boot
-foglights

NB I'd love to do some/all of this work myself however am principally lacking any knowledge or ability in how to go about such things but also don't have any of the appropriate tools, a location that is not on the street to complete any such work (leaving me and the car open to the elements and my almost guaranteed failings open for all to see!) and at the moment the time to actually do any of these things myself.


Thanks for reading. Am looking forward to many happy years of A2 ownership and participation on these forums. Any advice or suggestions much appreciated.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20181028_164417229_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20181028_164417229_HDR.jpg
    586.1 KB · Views: 267
  • IMG_20181028_163743691.jpg
    IMG_20181028_163743691.jpg
    737.4 KB · Views: 257
  • IMG_20181028_163722206_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20181028_163722206_HDR.jpg
    818.8 KB · Views: 613
Last edited:
Welcome to the club. Here you will find some of the most enthusiastic people with a wide range of knowledge that will help solve most if not all problems that you may encounter with your A2. Some jobs are straight forward that nearly anyone can do, others need specialists ( again many on here ) and sometimes trusted garages. Looking through your "wish" list I will try to suggest the best route for each. If you take them top to bottom then:-
1 garage or club member may be able to assist.
2 as above
3 Does the button and alarm button light up when you remove key and door open, if yes could be switch if no door lock microswitch issue
4 easy diy job
5 dent specialist or body shop
6 your photo shows kerbed alloys, these can be professionally refurbished or find good second hand replacements. The center caps can be refurbished @depronman ?
7, 8 and 9 @timmus is your man for these 3 jobs.
10, 11 and 12 can all be done quite easily yourself.
13 @timmus again.
14 I bought a 12v socket extension that also had a couple of USB sockets. Chopped off the plug bared the wires put a couple of connectors on the end and positive into a fused live in fuse box and earth onto a dashboard screw. Hid the box behind the steering column plastics and ran USB leads from there out the side of the dash, behind the A pillar trim and along the front of the roof lining to the mirror. I ran another USB to the front ashtray for my phone and connected 2 12v leads from my sat nav and other dash cam into the box and ran their cables around the windscreen. Relatively easy job with only a few tools required.
index.php

index.php

Above are pictures of @Cliverb car with the A2oc plate holders fitted.
Hope the above is helpful and does not frighten you off.
P.S. you do know how to open the fuel flap by manually gently pulling down on the rod you see when you take the cover panel off the drivers side rear light access in the boot?
 
Thanks very much @audifan, lots of great info and definitely not frightened off! Questions answered below

3) off the top of my head, I'm pretty sure they light up when you remove key and open the door. Is this the sort of job that a novice can do?

14) that does sound potentially manageable.

The number plate surrounds look great although might wait until Pimey is looking a bit more loved, wouldn't want to bring the club into disrepute!

PS. Do indeed know how to do that, have the fuel flap disconnected to allow ease of access for refiling.


Many thanks.
 
Hi and welcome to A2oc. Great opening post by the way.
Your already showing signs of atwoitus - no cure but we all live with it lol.
We have an active social side to the club and it is always great to meet new members, so please take a look in the social section. We have our last social in a couple of weeks time -evening meal in Birmingham -why not join us.
Cheers mike
 
Ref 3 if the switch does illuminate then two possibles for fault: The switch itself ( it is easy to knock the top off the switch and the internals fall out. Do you feel the switch click? If that is ok then the solenoid in the boot is the other culprit, you can test that by rigging up a 9v battery with a couple of wires and touching the solenoid terminals ( disconnected from the car wiring first ) If either or both unlikely are faulty they are pretty easy to change switch pops out of the door pillar by easing the trim inwards so you can get behind the switch and push it out. Tip if you are going to disconnect the switch tie some string around the plug to stop it dropping inside the car.The solenoid needs a couple of tools. Both parts are available new last I checked but we do have our own "breakers" on the site who may have them in stock, try @A2Steve or look in the market area to see if any are advertised.
 
Welcome. For somebody who professed until recently to have little knowledge of cars you have certainly learned a lot of vocabulary!

A simple test for driver's door microswitch problem is to check the dash shows driver's door open when it is indeed open. If it does no problem and I would replace fuel flap pillar switch, it's probably cosmetically poor anyway. Still available new from Audi, £20ish or always popping up on here used for £10ish. Using CreweAudi through the forum is a convenient postal service.

Most jobs on your A2 can be DIY, start with simple jobs and build up experience and tools!

Any questions just ask but usually all information you need is on here somewhere if you can find it. The forum internal search is poor, it is often more fruitful to use Google with a search string of "a2oc 'whatever you want to find'".

Andy
 
Thanks very much @audifan and @Andrew
The petrol cap release button does not push down so will have a go at replacing the switch.

For some of the other things, can anyone recommend a garage in the Market Harborough/Leicester neck of the woods?

@Andrew it's been quite the learning curve!
 
Not so much Market Harborough, but VeeDub services in Syston are pretty good. Otherwise, in the other direction but a bit further there's good old WOM Automotive.
 
Welcome to the club!

I knew nothing of these cars when I bought it other than it was cheap to run!

Be careful atwoitus is very catching indeed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Welcome to the club!

I knew nothing of these cars when I bought it other than it was cheap to run!

Be careful atwoitus is very catching indeed.

Indeed, welcome aboard :)

Cheap to run it might be, but atwoitus can get very expensive and there's no cure :D
 
Welcome. For your dash cam it’s maybe good to take an ignition switched live unless the car is very low draw or you want the feature of it maybe recoding someone crashing into you parked. Mine killed my battery dead in only 4 days of being parked!

Behind the climate control is a thick white 12v switched live which I used. There are a couple of threads on here about it.

Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
We are here to help. Try talking with the members I listed, or others that have responded here to see if they can either help you , give you a price or recommend someone.
 
Welcome. For your dash cam it’s maybe good to take an ignition switched live unless the car is very low draw or you want the feature of it maybe recoding someone crashing into you parked. Mine killed my battery dead in only 4 days of being parked!

Behind the climate control is a thick white 12v switched live which I used. There are a couple of threads on here about it.

Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You are definitely right, that had been my vague plan! But will build up to this (or potentially wimp out and pay someone to do it!).
 
Just a quick update. With thanks to @depronman I've now fixed the fuse box cover by attaching the 3D printed replacement clips he provides. Everything needs a good clean but thought I'd wait until I'd got things a bit more upto scratch first.

IMG_20181108_164347562.jpg


I've also fitted an Xcarlink so have Bluetooth for the radio, when I'm next somewhere with slightly more tools I'll fit an aux in socket under the ashtray and wire the microphone up where the OEM one sits in the light panel.

Quick question, in the course of removing the cubby hole, one of the metal clips holding it in place pinged off, do I now need an entirely new cubby hole or do they sell replacement clips?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nye
Quick question, in the course of removing the cubby hole, one of the metal clips holding it in place pinged off, do I now need an entirely new cubby hole or do they sell replacement clips?

The same thing happened to me. But I found that they're the same clips that hold the climate control in, so I had some spares from an old one of those. PM me your address and I'll put one in the post to you. Best to glue it in place.
 
The same thing happened to me. But I found that they're the same clips that hold the climate control in, so I had some spares from an old one of those. PM me your address and I'll put one in the post to you. Best to glue it in place.
You're a hero. PM on its way.
 
Just a quick update. With thanks to @depronman I've now fixed the fuse box cover by attaching the 3D printed replacement clips he provides. Everything needs a good clean but thought I'd wait until I'd got things a bit more upto scratch first.

Hi and welcome, you can remove that lump by the throttle pedal if you want a bit more foot room to the right! the carpet runs under so it looks fine
 
Had some time today so have done a bit of work on Pimey.

1) Managed to finally persuade the old cabin filter to come out, now replaced with a new Bosch activated carbon filter.

2) it took some tinkering but I have managed to fit an aux+usb port that goes to the Xcarlink that I've installed (another thread on that to follow!). Do ignore the state of the surrounding plastics, they seem to be in poor condition in this section.
PSX_20181128_185848.jpg



3) I have replaced my stereo for another Chorus II but with a fully working screen (the previous one was cracked on one side which discoloured it). Buttons also switched so the best condition soft touch buttons are all on the new unit I got from another a2oc member. Also managed to sort the sunken knob that the unit had. Looking pretty good! (Climate control facia reconditioning is awaiting a donor unit for buttons which is in the post!)
IMG_20181128_164156374.jpg


4) petrol cap release button has been replaced and is now working!

All in all a good afternoon's tinkering.
 
Back
Top