Return of the A2

simes2024

A2OC Donor
I sold my 2003 TDI two and half years ago.
I miss it.

I was thinking of getting an FSI and I need someone to talk me out of it and tell me it's a silly idea ?
 
As a long term owner of an X plated 1.4 SE (since 2003) and a recent owner of a 03 plated 1.6 FSI, I'd say there's never been a better time to get the FSI.

With all the well recorded issues, prices for average examples seems crazy cheap.

There's Proboost and replacement coolant pipe (death pipe), new Bosch coil packs to be covered off, but then it seems you're in clover. At least that's my experience. I will admit I haven't been able to let go the X reg 1.4, but that's because I value it more than the market does! :)
 
{It was reverse psychology - secretly I wanted people to talk me into it - and tell me to ignore the warnings about dicky cooling system this and dodgy ECU that....and now that Tony (RIP) is no longer around I'll have to drive to Dunfermline to get anyone reputable to fix it (not that my last A2 ever broke down on me or once failed to start in 5 years} ?
 
{It was reverse psychology - secretly I wanted people to talk me into it - and tell me to ignore the warnings about dicky cooling system this and dodgy ECU that....and now that Tony (RIP) is no longer around I'll have to drive to Dunfermline to get anyone reputable to fix it (not that my last A2 ever broke down on me or once failed to start in 5 years} ?

I could tell you'd decided. I was the same; just wanted to own a nippier model, and the community knowledge is such that problems are surmountable, for the most part.

So, who's in Dunfermline?

Sadly, I never had the pleasure of meeting Tony or having an A2 fettled by him; his passing leaves a hole in the club, for sure.
 
{It was reverse psychology - secretly I wanted people to talk me into it - and tell me to ignore the warnings about dicky cooling system this and dodgy ECU that....and now that Tony (RIP) is no longer around I'll have to drive to Dunfermline to get anyone reputable to fix it (not that my last A2 ever broke down on me or once failed to start in 5 years} ?

Thread swerve for a moment - Like for the RIP for Tony, wish I’d known him, from the posts I’ve seen he clearly was an enthusiast who made a lot of peoples’ A2 motoring a happier experience than it otherwise would have been.
 
Dunfermline? - oh something Clarkson once said - just somewhere extremely far that no-one would want to go to otherwise.

Tony fettled me many times. Never did you look forward to going to Milton Keynes more
 
I'd say go for it with the FSI. Bar the 1.2TDI its got to be the most interesting powerplant. Have a look at my Pro Boost thread about the remapped ECU.

Rather than looking for an FSI that's fault free, i'd personally go for one that has an issue, get it dirt cheap and then invest the remainder into getting it spot on. A bit unconventional, but you would then know that you are going to get good reliability going forward rather than playing the waiting game on someone else's maintenance.
 
I'd say go for it with the FSI. Bar the 1.2TDI its got to be the most interesting powerplant. Have a look at my Pro Boost thread about the remapped ECU.

Rather than looking for an FSI that's fault free, i'd personally go for one that has an issue, get it dirt cheap and then invest the remainder into getting it spot on. A bit unconventional, but you would then know that you are going to get good reliability going forward rather than playing the waiting game on someone else's maintenance.
Hey A2Steve, thanks for that and to be honest it was pretty much the way my mind was going. And I already read your ECU remap exchange service thread earlier.
I'd certainly go for a reasonable cheap FSI - have seen a couple in £500-700 bracket that I could possibly improve. Coughing up £4k for a mint edition with every mod on it is not what I had in mind, especially as I let my TDI go in part ex for £600 and it had near spotless bodywork and EVERYTHING on it worked (well I had that front brake problem that I had mentioned here and sought advice - but I think I might have got on top of that in the end). Last thing done was £800 (what turned out to be Tony's swansong on MY vehicle) work on driveshafts and brakes recondition.
Being a former TDI owner, one thing I had not realised until today is that the 1.6 has increased cc and bhp on the 1.4 but almost beats it for fuel consumption and emissions - as you say, an 'interesting powerplant'
 
I'd say go for it with the FSI. Bar the 1.2TDI its got to be the most interesting powerplant. Have a look at my Pro Boost thread about the remapped ECU.

Rather than looking for an FSI that's fault free, i'd personally go for one that has an issue, get it dirt cheap and then invest the remainder into getting it spot on. A bit unconventional, but you would then know that you are going to get good reliability going forward rather than playing the waiting game on someone else's maintenance.
Hello Steve, I seem to be in the exact situation you recommended; I am now the owner of a dolphin grey 03 plate FSI. I'm told it was previously owned by an A2OC member (from Leicester - hope he/she didn't get shot of it coz it had become a pain in the balls).
Got it 'dirt cheap' with the caveat that it had a coolant leak issue (no surprises eh?) but could not find much else wrong with it.
Towed it back from Milton Keynes and since found a couple of curios.....a previous owner appears to have glued the nearside wing mirror into place so it no longer flips inward and similarly the passenger cup holder has been glued shut. The driver cup holder is also misbehaving and might need similar treatment.
Just back from my local mechanic (alas no Tony to turn to......will be open to recommendations for alternative A2 specialists), battery was suspect and needed replacement - OK it was the OEM part I think so 17 years old (noted: with the underperforming battery I noticed the info screen on the dash was displaying poorly at the top, I thought it was possibly dodgy but turns out it was the weak battery). It also needed a couple of hoses, one big one small. The smaller part (top of the thermostat - about 10cm long) is apparently no longer available so they had to improvise. The larger is the bottom hose which connects the radiator/sender unit with the thermostat. I'm hoping that will be it. But reading of cooling system issues on here I'm fearful.
I'll read and digest the advantages vs disadvantages of the ECU swap out service you operate and weigh up the cost offset of course.
Felt good to be back in a A2 driver's seat. I'll try to manage my expectations for how she'll turn out. -Simon
 
As a long term owner of an X plated 1.4 SE (since 2003) and a recent owner of a 03 plated 1.6 FSI, I'd say there's never been a better time to get the FSI.

With all the well recorded issues, prices for average examples seems crazy cheap.

There's Proboost and replacement coolant pipe (death pipe), new Bosch coil packs to be covered off, but then it seems you're in clover. At least that's my experience. I will admit I haven't been able to let go the X reg 1.4, but that's because I value it more than the market does! :)
Oh I have just had to get ordered a coolant pipe but its on back order, is the death pipe you speak of an improvement? Picture from ekta attched but I think its the 8Z0 121 055 AF - cheers
 

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Sounds like your potentially got a good buy there. Hopefully the coolant leaks have been caught before it was able to do any damage. Bangernomics ?
 
Not that I know of.

I’m just lamenting the ‘a place no one would ever want to go!’ comment. it’s not THAT bad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The comment was made by a man who likes to avoid tax, beat his colleagues and is an all round bad example of the private school system in England.
 
The comment was made by a man who likes to avoid tax, beat his colleagues and is an all round bad example of the private school system in England.
Hey Jim, did you see my diagram I posted. I was wondering whether this was the death pipe. Do you have more info or a forum link? Cheers
 
Hey Jim, did you see my diagram I posted. I was wondering whether this was the death pipe. Do you have more info or a forum link? Cheers

I did, but I only heard about the rather over-blown name here on the forum. If you run a search there's a diagram and I think the pipe is labelled on it. The diagram comes from 7zap, I think.

IMG_20200918_105004.jpg


Here's the part number taken from another thread:

"You can buy from the usual websites, just google 'Audi 032121065D"

A search on the forum for "Death pipe" brings up the majority of the threads you might want to read. And the manufacturer of a stainless pipe hasn't happened as far as any poster on the forum is aware. If you haven't yet paid the 2quid for market access, I recommend that too.

The ECU Proboost fix does reduce the coolant temperature to 90°, which means a new pipe should last as long as it does on the 1.4 petrol.

The aftermarket part is made by Meyle and is "1002260008 Meyle Coolant Tube".

Again, I'd assume referring to the 7zap diagram for the spring band clamps at either end (fig. 43) is your or your mechanic's best bet.
 
I did, but I only heard about the rather over-blown name here on the forum. If you run a search there's a diagram and I think the pipe is labelled on it. The diagram comes from 7zap, I think.

View attachment 70096

Here's the part number taken from another thread:

"You can buy from the usual websites, just google 'Audi 032121065D"

A search on the forum for "Death pipe" brings up the majority of the threads you might want to read. And the manufacturer of a stainless pipe hasn't happened as far as any poster on the forum is aware. If you haven't yet paid the 2quid for market access, I recommend that too.

The ECU Proboost fix does reduce the coolant temperature to 90°, which means a new pipe should last as long as it does on the 1.4 petrol.

The aftermarket part is made by Meyle and is "1002260008 Meyle Coolant Tube".

Again, I'd assume referring to the 7zap diagram for the spring band clamps at either end (fig. 43) is your or your mechanic's best bet.
Ah now I thought it was part number 30 from your diagram?


1600425211041.png


When I googled that part number the results I got physically looked more like #30.
Have found the 7zap pages.
Apologies am a little behind on the lingo - I have only had the car for a few days and have returned to the A2OC after 3 years away.
I have been offered the Proboost map also from a couple of members.
Seems to make logical sense to get this done while the mechanic has the coolant drained for replacing pipe #3 on the diagram. Cheers
 
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