# 2009 PreMium 2.0T Quattro



## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Hello everyone! I'm a new owner of a 2009 2.0t premium with quattro and cold weather package. I'm coming from an MK4 R32, so the A3 is very different. I miss the 'rawness' that the R32 had, along with a manual transmission, but the DSG isn't bad. Ok, enough talk. Here is the current and future mod list and a pic of the R that ended up in an accident and was too expensive to repair. The first thing since purchasing the car was to replace ALL the fluids, because I don't know what was done by the PO. Also needed some modifications, as it was much slower and handled a lot worse than the R32.

Mods since purchasing the car:

LED interior/license plate/reverse/front,rear blinkers (deAutokey)
BFI Perforated Shift Knob
A5 S-Line flat bottom steering wheel with RS Paddles 
Bilstein B14 Coilovers (previous-Koni Coilovers)
Whiteline 24mm adjustable rear swaybar
Whiteline adjustable end links front/rear
Whiteline polyurethane bushing kit front control/trailing arm
KMD tuning front lower stress bar
CTS Turbo billet subframe bushing insert kit
Wheels 19x8.5 O.Z. Superturismo LM et44 / michelin pilot sport 4s 235/35zr-19
Brembo GT B-M4 BBK Front Caliper 345x30 / MKV R32 Rear Caliper/Carrier ECS V4 Rotor 310x22
034 Motorsports track density strut mounts
034 Motorsports street density motor/transmission mounts (removed dogbone inserts, too much NVH)
034 Motorsports billet dogbone mount 
AWE CCB intake
APR stage 1 ecu K04
GIAC stage 2 DSG flash
Euro switch
Euro tail lights
Xenonz UK mesh grille
Static Plates front plate/ECS tow-hook plate mount
Milltek 3" downpipe with 200 cell race cat and non-res cat back exhaust
CTS catch can/valve cover breather (currently removed)


Full rebuild 92k miles
IE tuscan i-beam rods
IE forged mahle pistons
Mahle motorsport race rod bearing set
ARP head studs
OEM timing chain and guides
OEM waterpump
OEM rear main seal
K04 Turbo (APR Kit)
Stock S3 Intercooler



future (someday) mods:
Haldex Controller
Wingback Seats 
Unibrace XBQ

Here it is at the dealership, I flew from Florida up to Chicago. I wasn't happy with some slight issues on the car and the dealership saying they messed up on the loan price, but I didn't have a lot of time so we went back and forth a bit until it was all settled. Buyer beware of far away sales. This is the first time I'd done one without having a friend inspect the car. Lesson learned:










Here it is after I'd gotten it home. I was pleasantly surprised that I averaged over 27mpg (R32 I averaged 18ish):










*Current state: 9 July 2019*










First things first was to order some wheels. I've seen in a previous thread there isn't much love for the VMR's, but I wanted to stay under a grand for the wheels. I had a hard time deciding on silver or matte black.. but you can see what won out:










I couldn't use the stock lugs, because well.. they were ugly haha.. so I bought some from USP:










Once the wheels were installed I had to shop for some coilovers. There was a good sale on the Koni's from ECS, and my shop recommended a swaybar from Whiteline along with end links and strut mounts:










After everything was installed, including 20% tint all around. Right now I'm 25" from ground to fender:


















And a pic of my old baby that was killed..










Any comments or questions are welcome and I look forward to chatting with everyone!


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

PreMier said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> And a pic of my old baby that was killed..
> 
> ...


MKIV R 32 best car ever! So sad for you mate

You have some nice mods so looking forward to seeing more:thumbup:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Tcardio said:


> MKIV R 32 best car ever! So sad for you mate
> 
> You have some nice mods so looking forward to seeing more:thumbup:


Thanks man! Yea it was my favorite car I've owned. I did have a B5 S4 previously too, that was fun.

I took a few pics of the deAutokey LED's. They're very bright, but I had 2 that burned out in a little over a month. I emailed them, and they shipped me new ones right away, and I sent the old ones back at their request. One of them was the trunk LED which I seem to be having an issue with, even with the new ones. So the one I sent them previously probably wasn't even faulty :banghead:

EDIT** I figured out the trunk wafer LED issue. The prongs that hold it felt snug, but they werent snug enough for a good connection. It took a bit of troubleshooting because the original incandescent bulb worked just fine. So I'm adding a pic of the trunk LED, its a huge improvement over stock.

License plate and interior LED's:


















Edit**









I also seem to have a side marker that burned/shorted out as well (it pops on about 20% of the time). I tried to replace it, but I'm going to have to take the whole front bumper off  I tried to remove the headlights, and after a bit of research there is a screw underneath them in the bumper.. so nix that idea. Next I tried to go in through the fender liner, but I couldn't see well enough to actually understand what I needed to do. So the plan is to wait until the new grille arrives and do them at the same time. I ordered some Philips LED 2825 bulbs from Amazon, they were kind of expensive.. but I don't want to replace them for a very long time.


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## RedLineRob (Feb 8, 2009)

wellcome to the forum 

Hey your last ride was pretty sweet those R32's are becoming more rare by to moment. 


nice find on the A3 thou, the quattro with DSG in the way to go :thumbup:


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## louiekaps (Aug 12, 2013)

For the corner marker you can get it through the wheel well. If you open the main cap for the headlight on the side there is a sort of stick like thing you can grab for the socket. I don't remember if it twists or if it just pulls out. The actual bulb socket is a ways in the housing so they put a long stick on the end of the socket so you can grab it.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

RedLineRob said:


> wellcome to the forum
> 
> Hey your last ride was pretty sweet those R32's are becoming more rare by to moment.
> 
> ...


Thanks, and yea I wanted to keep that car for a long time and just garage queen it eventually. It was a good 6 years with it though.



louiekaps said:


> For the corner marker you can get it through the wheel well. If you open the main cap for the headlight on the side there is a sort of stick like thing you can grab for the socket. I don't remember if it twists or if it just pulls out. The actual bulb socket is a ways in the housing so they put a long stick on the end of the socket so you can grab it.


Excellent! I'll take another look at it, and see if I can figure it out. I did end up buying one of those small telescoping inspection mirror the other day to help see in there. I'll keep this updated.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Still haven't fixed the marker light, been working so much and also its just been so hot. I don't have a garage and working on the car in 90* and 90% humidity isn't appealing. I was driving the other day and had a coil pack go out.. scared the hell out of me because I thought the DSG was slipping (RPM would go up under load, but car wasn't moving). Called my mechanic with symptoms and he said probably a coil pack, so I limped it to an auto store, pulled codes, and it was cylinder 1 misfire. Had the wife drive me to the VW dealer to pick up a new one and threw it in. I'll be getting them all replaced when it goes in for other upgrades soon.

The culprit:









Also the previous owner damaged part of the hatch, chipping the paint, and allowing it to rust. So I found a shop here that would do a spot repair. The shop next to them does detailing and did a de-badge.


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

Welcome and great contribution to the bump thread my goodness! :thumbup:


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## vms150 (Mar 28, 2008)

I can't believe the shop didn't take the tail lights out of the hatch. It would have taken 2 minutes and been a much cleaner job.


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## louiekaps (Aug 12, 2013)

Get a set of the red r8 coil packs. You can order them On hstuning with plugs for about $100. Put your ignition misfires behind you lol.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Ponto said:


> Welcome and great contribution to the bump thread my goodness! :thumbup:


thank you sir!



vms150 said:


> I can't believe the shop didn't take the tail lights out of the hatch. It would have taken 2 minutes and been a much cleaner job.


yea, they couldve.. but honestly its not that big of a deal to me. this guy did it for 1/4 the price of what other places were asking. he did an excellent job, and you cant see that it was painted.



louiekaps said:


> Get a set of the red r8 coil packs. You can order them On hstuning with plugs for about $100. Put your ignition misfires behind you lol.


i saw those after id already replaced them! if i ever need to do them again, I will go with the R8 ones.

ok, the mods for now are pretty much done i believe. i was focused on making the car euro spec due to a move in my near future.. and now that itll pass all their tests im going to hold off for a few. I did update the first post for future mods that id like to accomplish though :laugh:

also I have some old parts for sale, and will take an OBO on any of them, just let me know. posted random prices per forum rules. http://forums.fourtitude.com/showthread.php?7259650-FS-2009-tail-lights-floor-mats-grille

Euro tails/headlight switch (for rear fog) done:









exhaust (catback non-res milltek) done:









and the ecs grille is done:



















I had a bit of a hard time deciding on whether or not to keep the emblem on the front.. i went without for now, but can add it at any time.


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## Bronco (Mar 3, 2011)

PreMier said:


> I took a few pics of the deAutokey LED's. They're very bright, but I had 2 that burned out in a little over a month. I emailed them, and they shipped me new ones right away, and I sent the old ones back at their request. One of them was the trunk LED which I seem to be having an issue with, even with the new ones. So the one I sent them previously probably wasn't even faulty :banghead:
> 
> EDIT** I figured out the trunk wafer LED issue. The prongs that hold it felt snug, but they werent snug enough for a good connection. It took a bit of troubleshooting because the original incandescent bulb worked just fine. So I'm adding a pic of the trunk LED, its a huge improvement over stock.
> 
> ...




Hi PreMier,

nice work and welcome !

I also have issues with deAutoKey trunk bulbs. One was working for a short time, another with engine running only, last one not at all so I gave up for now, may look somewhere else. I didn't thing the connection would be an issue since my original works fine all the time. Your trunk sure looks bright :thumbup:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Bronco said:


> Hi PreMier,
> 
> nice work and welcome !
> 
> I also have issues with deAutoKey trunk bulbs. One was working for a short time, another with engine running only, last one not at all so I gave up for now, may look somewhere else. I didn't thing the connection would be an issue since my original works fine all the time. Your trunk sure looks bright :thumbup:


there are small metal prongs inside the housing that hold the bulb. i used a small screwdriver to get in there and "close" them/make them tighter. my original worked all the time as well, and thats fixed the problem. havent had an issue since. maybe try that?

thanks for the welcome!


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## louiekaps (Aug 12, 2013)

My de auto trunk led also cuts out allllll the time. It's weird because I have door puddle/marker lights which are the same bulb and housings 8 total. None of them ever cut out. I will try tightening the fit of the prongs. I do get a code in vcds for the trunk light.


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

louiekaps said:


> My de auto trunk led also cuts out allllll the time. It's weird because I have door puddle/marker lights which are the same bulb and housings 8 total. None of them ever cut out. I will try tightening the fit of the prongs. I do get a code in vcds for the trunk light.


I had trunk lights that did the same, its a low voltage issue - toss in a resistor. Soon as you open the trunk it sends power to the light, if it doesn't see enough resistance it cuts the power (like cold diag.)


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Looking good:thumbup:
I would put the rings back on the grille though. Personally I think it looks better, it breaks up all the black.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

louiekaps said:


> My de auto trunk led also cuts out allllll the time. It's weird because I have door puddle/marker lights which are the same bulb and housings 8 total. None of them ever cut out. I will try tightening the fit of the prongs. I do get a code in vcds for the trunk light.


did that help at all?



AngryGiraffe said:


> Looking good:thumbup:
> I would put the rings back on the grille though. Personally I think it looks better, it breaks up all the black.


like i said i had a hard time deciding, but i think i feel the same way. only problem is i think ill have to remove the whole bumper :facepalm:


well, today i was washing the car, and cleaning the windows. while i was doing the windshield i moved the rear view mirror to the side and hear *snap*crackle*pop*... so i clean and move it back to where it originally was and i hear *snap*crackle*pop* again.. then the mirror just hangs there like a limp noodle. i view a youtube video on how to remove it, do so, then bring it inside to take it apart. 

the plastic was so brittle it just snapped into pieces as i was trying to open it, combine that with the shattered internal pieces and i have to order a new mirror. i look at ecs, and see $376  yea, hell no. so i search and find one on ebay for $150. still freakin ridiculous.. should be here in 3-4 days.

here are the pieces that shattered off when i originally moved the mirror to the side









this is after i tried to open it(to see what broke inside), and the front piece just cracked right apart. all the shards are what was inside the mirror. i feel like the plastic is very poor quality to just fall apart like this


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

And yes the bumper has to come off to put the rings back on.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

AngryGiraffe said:


> And yes the bumper has to come off to put the rings back on.


this made me LOL :facepalm: like i said the plastic was just so brittle.. new one should be here tomorrow.

also the car threw a code P0171, im assuming its because i had an exhaust leak. the flex pipe was bad on the downpipe and leaking. once i got it to the shop and he cut it off, it basically broke in half. so he put a new one on and welded it into place. i went and had the code cleared and im hoping it doesnt come back. my mechanic said to drive the car hard for a bit to see if it comes back due to a vacuum leak.


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## louiekaps (Aug 12, 2013)

The pcv assembly likes to throw p0171s.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

louiekaps said:


> The pcv assembly likes to throw p0171s.


thats funny, my mechanic actually called me yesterday and had me check that. listen to hear any whistling, and make sure there was no suction or air blowing out of the small hole on the top of the valve. after you posted this i googled its replacement and saw that its a pretty straight forward DIY, thanks for mentioning it :thumbup:. hopefully its fine and i dont throw another code though.

i also received my new rear view mirror yesterday. it was simple to put up, one thing i did notice is the compass LED isnt as bright as the previous mirror. also it seemed like it wasnt working well.. so i searched to see if the compass was in the car or the mirror, and i stumbled on a thread that states the compass mirror needs to be re-calibrated. basically you hold the power button until a C shows in the compass section. then you drive the car in a tight circle (around 5mph), until it calibrates and shows the direction. was simple enough and its working great now.


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

I wonder what these would look like on your car. Kinda like em and those wheels will pop!

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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Tcardio said:


> I wonder what these would look like on your car. Kinda like em and those wheels will pop!
> 
> [URL="
> 
> ...


theyre just lugs off of ecs? im annoyed at the usp ones i have, they were slightly chipped from being taken off and put on so many times and they have a bit of rust. 

well, here is the last bath the car will get for a while.. i dropped it off at a VPC on monday in atlanta, and its going on a ship to be sent overseas. the latest it'll arrive at my new home is december the 15th. hopefully sooner. this is a big reason for doing the euro mods, i had to have it legal over there.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Well I made it across the pond and I've had the car for about 3 weeks.. And it's had 3 issues :facepalm:

#1 P0171 - aka pcv valve (I'm assuming).
#2 ABS code, causing brake light, traction control light and abs light to come on.
#3 left headlight dipped, short in circuit.

So the first one I did a bit of trouble shooting and I'm almost positive it's the pcv valve. So I ordered a pcv delete and catch can from cts turbo. I'm hoping it arrived sooner than later..

The second code popped up while I was driving home (spiritedly), so I went to the dealer near my house out here. They told me the abs module might be failing, and that I would lose abs if it did. Not that big of a deal except for 3 annoying lights and it won't pass the yearly inspection. They quoted me £1100 if it did fail.

Annnnnnd my favourite one. British B roads are horrendous when it rains a lot. I hit a rather nasty puddle the other morning and the car says "left headlight dipped". Then I notice one is out. I'm hoping it's a bulb issue but I had a friend pull the code and he said it was saying there was a short in it. So I'm waiting to hear back and see if there's anything he can tell me. I'm afraid I'll have to replace the ballast or the entire housing. 

Oh and rule one, from the land of milk and honey


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

Ha! I just shipped my car from Europe to the US last summer. And I'm sorry, but GB is hardly the land of milk and honey. Otherwise, car looks great, keep it up.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Thanks bro! I guess if the light needs replaced then I could throw in some S3 housings. I just didn't want to spend money on this stuff.


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

so did the switch to the other side of the road go smoothly? Do you get compliments on left hand drive and amber corners. How was MOT?


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Tcardio said:


> so did the switch to the other side of the road go smoothly? Do you get compliments on left hand drive and amber corners. How was MOT?


Hey! when i first got here it was stressful, because the roads here are horrendous and people drive so fast. id rented a 1998 honda accord and it was a deathtrap. once the audi came it was a world of difference.. i actually went to my first car meet saturday night and there were quite a few people that did a double take and asked if it was an import, what litre it was, options etc. overall it was cool, but i didnt have the best spot so i dont think that many people saw it.

as far as the MOT, the car passed fine after doing some coding for the lights. the guy that did it for me in the states did a good job, but because of driving on the left vs right, my rear foglight lit up on the wrong side, and also my blinkers would activate when i would brake? so a guy i was able to meet here fixed the coding for me and it passed. he also had to lower the headlights ever so slightly to reduce the "dazzle" to other drivers.

after waiting for several weeks for my part from cts and looking in it i see they dont include any gaskets? how the f*ck can you pay $400 for a part and it doesnt include everything? i emailed them, so i guess we'll see what they write back. my concern is that i wanted to do it this weekend, and the dealerships over here dont stock anything for my car it seems.. so i might be putting this off for longer. i guess it can damage the rear main seal though? and ive been driving it with the bad pcv for 1.5 months now :banghead: 

here is the new part, and the quality seems very nice.









also my headlight issue was the ballast. after removing the bumper and taking the headlights out, the one that stopped working was full of water. i'd bought a ballast as well as 2 new bulbs, so i replaced everything. i used a 6000k bulb, and they are a bit more blue than id prefer. if the company had made like a 5600 or 5300 it wouldve looked a bit better imo.

the 3rd and final issue is the abs module, and ive lost traction control/abs several times since the first incident. i may have found a guy over here that rewires them for cheap(compared to the 1,500 gbp the dealership quoted me).


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

glad to hear! Lot of Audi A3/S3 enthusiasts over there! Road rules are pretty stringent though


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Tcardio said:


> glad to hear! Lot of Audi A3/S3 enthusiasts over there! Road rules are pretty stringent though


Yea, there are speed cameras everywhere. 

Well I installed the catch can last night.. I'm so mad at myself as well as CTS. The instructions they provide are garbage. It didn't specify tq settings for the screws going through the valve cover breather, into the valve cover. So as I put it together i tightened everything up. I noticed an exhaust leak after starting it all up.. So I checked and everything was tight, but I researched and everything was supposed to be at 10-11nm. Which is barely hand tight. So I think I'll take it off, clean it up and then put it on torquing it correctly. As I'm putting it back together one of the holes strips out(where the exhaust leak was).. I'm so mad.. Continue to torque the others and another strips out! So I'd over tightened them the first time and they couldn't even take the proper tq settings. 

I'm no pro, so it never even crossed my mind to not over tighten them.. And I don't know why cts didn't make actual instructions with tq specs as well as where all the parts are supposed to go. For the most part you can figure it out, although I did end up with an extra o-ring that hooks to the back of the valve cover breather(I had to call them to ask where it went). I also told them what happened and the guy said try a 30mm bolt(+5mm) and see if that goes in and will hold. If not then I will have to see if someone can put a helicoil in, which won't be easy because there really aren't that many good tuner shops around here. I guess worst case is I have to buy a new valve cover and gasket :banghead:

Oh the two that are stripped are right above the cts logo


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Special thanks to npace for providing the part number for the gasket (06H103484A). Now, anyone know the part number for a new valve cover lmao.. FML


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## louiekaps (Aug 12, 2013)

Unfortunately this motor does not have a valve cover. That top cover is actually the camshaft girdle and is the tops of the cam bearings. Changing it is a pretty involved job.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

louiekaps said:


> Unfortunately this motor does not have a valve cover. That top cover is actually the camshaft girdle and is the tops of the cam bearings. Changing it is a pretty involved job.


Well hopefully I don't have to. I ordered some m6 x 30mm button top bolts to replace the 25mm long ones. Thankfully I was able to put them in and torque them to 10.5nm. It's supposed to be 11nm but I'm terrified of stripping the hole further.. So far they're holding, I have no exhaust gasses leaking anymore and it doesn't feel like the car is losing boost anymore. I cleared the P0171 code and we'll see if it comes back. I'm hopeful though.


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## louiekaps (Aug 12, 2013)

Good deal I think you'll be fine! Worse case you have someone helicoil it.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

louiekaps said:


> Good deal I think you'll be fine! Worse case you have someone helicoil it.


yea, it might happen. i threw that same code again.. i found a tuner shop an hour away http://www.pristine-automotive.co.uk/ i stopped by there while i was somewhat close and checked the shop out, and talked to them. only thing that annoyed me is theyre an apr dealer and he kept mentioning apr and its perks over giac(which he hadnt heard of). i have an appointment with them tomorrow, theyre going to go over the car, check for boost leaks, pressure test everything, etc. i just want the car to work like its supposed to.

also my low oil light came on today.. of course the half a qt that was missing was in the catch can. its been maybe 500mi since i put it all together, i think thats excessive to fill up like that? i'll have to do some research on it  and ill let them know about that as well

EDIT: maybe since the hose runs back into the valve cover breather it doesnt matter if the can fills up? i did empty it and it was kinda soupy


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

ok, update.. i got the car back from the shop about 5 days ago. the code i was throwing P0171 is gone!!! the car had a crack in the turbo inlet/boost pipe, and was also leaking quite a bit of oil around the turbo entry. so he replaced the boost pipe and the seals around the turbo, and i havent had any issues with fuel codes since.

the issue that i have now is the catch can is filling up quite fast. recently it filled with 500ml of oil in 260mi. that doesnt seem normal to go through a quart in 500+/- miles. its a chocolate milkish color, and today i noticed it smelled like fuel.



















and to top it off i crubbed a wheel the day after i got the car back :banghead::banghead::banghead: i already ordered another one, and i'll have the current one refurbished when it arrives.. but i cant seem to catch a break


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

you need a pint of Guiness! keep the story going. Many on this side of the pond would love to be over there with you!


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

Your catch can does seem to be filling faster than normal, but I wouldn't have a good idea as to why. I only empty mine about once every 6 months, for reference.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well, the can is still filling up really fast. after reading a ton of info, im going to get a compression test to see if my piston rings are bad. if it doesnt show anything then a leakdown test. it looks like a lot of a4's have the issue with bad piston rings, but not many a3's? 

if the rings are bad, and they need to replace them along with the piston.. is there anything else worth doing while in there? i think cleaning any carbon is obvious, but what about timing chain? rods along with pistons? anything else? this is really ****ty, and worst case scenario imo.. ive had the car for less than a year and havent even put 10k miles on it. if i was in the states i'd probably trade it in somewhere :banghead:


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

Well, I may not be the best person to ask, but I'm getting a full bottom end rebuild. If you have to get the pistons done, you might as well do the rods, bearings, and timing chain tensioner as well as some ARP head studs and make the thing as bulletproof as possible. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

npace said:


> Well, I may not be the best person to ask, but I'm getting a full bottom end rebuild. If you have to get the pistons done, you might as well do the rods, bearings, and timing chain tensioner as well as some ARP head studs and make the thing as bulletproof as possible.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I was reading that in your thread, and you were having the car towed. Are you using stock parts, or going with a specific brand? Do you know what its going to run you? Im so frustrated because ive already put about 7k into the car since i bought it, i still owe 14k on the car, and now Im looking at ?? for a rebuild.

edit, disregard, i see what you ordered


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

I'm not having the car towed, KB is having his towed to the same shop. In parts, its about $2700.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

npace said:


> I'm not having the car towed, KB is having his towed to the same shop. In parts, its about $2700.


Ahh I see I was skimming frantically lol. Man it sucks, yesterday my oil light came on again. I added a qt, and in 70miles it came on again! So now I'm freaking out. I have to drive it Tuesday to the mechanic, but other than that it's sitting. It sucks because the mechanic is an hour away. Also I was thinking, would I be better off rebuilding? Or just buying an engine? I guess I will just have to get a price in rebuild.


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## louiekaps (Aug 12, 2013)

Did you have oil consumption before the catch can?


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

yes, when i bought it, and driving from Chicago to Florida i had to add a quart of oil. i also added 1 more while i was in Florida (probably 5-6k miles driving it there). i just never really thought much about it since my mechanic said its normal for them to consume some. also i really didn't spend a lot of time with the car. it was getting mods done quite often and then it was on a boat to the uk.

i called Audi of america, and they said with the class action lawsuit, its only the a4, a5 and q5. there weren't enough issues with the a3 i guess? (this is all over faulty piston rings).

the rep then said i should get it diagnosed by Audi here and see if they'll help cover the cost. however the cost to have Audi do it is 2-3 times as much as the indy shop. so i'll most likely do a bit of upgrading with the internals and someday.. someday.. ill put a bigger turbo on it. overall I'm quite disappointed with my purchase. i feel like i was hosed. the car will go in next month on the second.


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## louiekaps (Aug 12, 2013)

That sucks, I got my car with 27k miles and from there the oil has been changed every 3k miles. I have not consumed any measurable amount in the 3k intervals. I am a firm believer that the 10k intervals is what is causing the problems with the rings. My dads 3.0t a6 eats oil and he followed the 10k intervals.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

louiekaps said:


> That sucks, I got my car with 27k miles and from there the oil has been changed every 3k miles. I have not consumed any measurable amount in the 3k intervals. I am a firm believer that the 10k intervals is what is causing the problems with the rings. My dads 3.0t a6 eats oil and he followed the 10k intervals.


That could be it, I have done mine twice now. Once after I purchased the car, and the second one at 5k more miles. I've always done 3-5k oil changes as long as I've run full synthetic. I have no idea how this car was taken care of previous to my purchase of it. The next vehicle I buy will be from an enthusiast that has records. I was in a time crunch though

Believe it or not I have a new issue today. My rear driver side door thinks it's always open. It won't lock unless I twist the little switch in the door jamb, the alarm on the car won't arm, and the interior lights don't shut off. All I can do is laugh.. My old B5 S4 nickel and dimed me (13k in 3yrs) to death. This ones off to a good start too.. I love Audi's, but I don't know if I'd ever buy another.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

quick update:

was out of country for a month and the cars been in the shop for 5 weeks now. they told me there were some issues with parts being delayed from the states, so its taking longer than expected. also the rebuild is costing WAY WAY WAY more than i'd anticipated.. but its too late and needs done. here are a few pics


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

Looks as if you'll eliminate the engine as a worry spot on the car, at least. How much longer will it take?


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

npace said:


> Looks as if you'll eliminate the engine as a worry spot on the car, at least. How much longer will it take?


i emailed them again today.. one thing that drives me crazy is that everything in the UK takes soooo much longer. its been in since 2 May 2016 and here we are coming on july soon. i was tdy for 30 days, but ive had a rental for almost the other 30. its starting to get expensive and im getting annoyed. one thing that might work in my favor is the UK might leave the EU. if they do (voting is this thursday), then the pound could drop 10-15%. on thousands of dollars thats a nice savings..


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

**picture heavy**

Ok, I finally got the car back on Monday. Overall this has been a very expensive and stressful experience. I’d say the shop is partially to blame for the long build time, not having everything ordered ahead of time(maybe shops don't do that, so my expectations could be off) but mostly it was due to working with companies in the states. We had a horrible experience with USP Motorsports, and I would never do business with them again. If you are interested in the story, just say. But because of them, the build was delayed well over a month. 

The owner of the shop finished the car last week and asked to drive it over the weekend to work out any gremlins. I agreed and he put about 120 miles on the car with no issues. I picked the car up, and within 5 miles a CEL came on :banghead: I let him know and he couldn’t believe it.. I was already down the motorway a bit so I said I’d return on Tuesday after work to have it pulled. The code disappeared on its own Tuesday morning so we decided to keep an upcoming appointment and diagnose it then (unless it comes back). The upcoming appointment is to install the boost gauge and a new coolant hose that was damaged on the re-installation of the motor.
So the motor is fully built now, and I had them install a downpipe while it was all out as well.

IE tuscan i-beam rods
IE forged mahle pistons
Mahle motorsport race rod bearing set
ARP head studs
OEM timing chain and guides
OEM waterpump 
I'm sure im forgetting some parts, I'll have a full list to update soon.

First some pics of carbon build up and the motor right out of the car



















JE Piston from USP (sloppy fit)











Old chain and guides. The chains were wearing through the guides and rubbing on various parts that were replaced.










New chain and guides










Teardown and painted









JE Pistons on the IE Rods (replaced with IE Mahle Pistons)










Rods/rebuild





































New waterpump










Finishing


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

I'd like to just post a special thanks to a few people and their shops for helping me through this so far:

Elf - Streamline Industries SLC, UT
Martin - Pristine Automotive Huntingdon, UK
Bryan - Driven Performance Pensacola, FL
Peter & Jacob - Integrated Engineering SLC, UT


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

seriously...take a bow! that is official car porn


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Damn dude! Engine looks amazing.


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

I've never had a problem with USP, but I've only ever ordered parts from them. Was it the JE pistons that were the problem? If so, it isn't really USP's fault, unless they wouldn't take them back or something. 

I have the same rod and piston combo as you. When I got it done, I noticed that the car revs a little slower, based on the fact that the rods are heavier than stock. Did you do any valve train work at all? I wanted to rebuild the cylinder head at the same time that I got the bottom end re-done, but didn't have the money to do it all at once. Anyway, looking forward to see what you've got planned in the future.

Also, I'm curious about how long it took. My car was only out of commission for a week, but I ordered all the parts so they were on hand and had everything booked in advance.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Thanks, they did go above and beyond to make it look amazing. :heart:



npace said:


> I've never had a problem with USP, but I've only ever ordered parts from them. Was it the JE pistons that were the problem? If so, it isn't really USP's fault, unless they wouldn't take them back or something.
> 
> I have the same rod and piston combo as you. When I got it done, I noticed that the car revs a little slower, based on the fact that the rods are heavier than stock. Did you do any valve train work at all? I wanted to rebuild the cylinder head at the same time that I got the bottom end re-done, but didn't have the money to do it all at once. Anyway, looking forward to see what you've got planned in the future.
> 
> Also, I'm curious about how long it took. My car was only out of commission for a week, but I ordered all the parts so they were on hand and had everything booked in advance.


Well, it took from 2 May 2016 to 15 Aug 2016.. so 105 days. Also I had to pay for a rental car during this time (82 of the days) totalling £804 or $1100 give or take a few.

The shop ordered the JE pistons from USP. They sent the FSI pistons on accident. After discovering that the wrong ones were sent they said they'd need the FSI ones back before sending TSI and they apologised. Once the TSI were sent, they were delayed in customs for some reason (no ones fault really). After getting the JE pistons they didn't really fit well. The stock bore is 82.5mm and the JE's were 81.5mm, so there was a lot of play. The shop didn't feel comfortable installing them, and emailed USP multiple times trying to see if they were correct with no response. 

Finally after several emails, USP said they didn't know anything about the pistons. They stated the specs say they will fit the 82.5mm bore, and even after sending multiple pictures showing they didn't fit, they said they didn't know what to say and to contact JE (then why ****ing sell them?!).. We tried to reach out to JE with no response multiple times as well.. and that's when I called a friend in Salt Lake City (streamline industries). I was told an old mutual friend of ours was building engines for IE a few blocks up the street, and to reach out to him. So I called IE, and within 30mins knew all I needed to. That its impossible for JE to improperly machine those pistons, due to the process used. That those were the correct specs, and they are typically used for 'racing' applications. The piston would expand to the necessary size, but you would have a lot of noise on cold start up, and they weren't the best option for a daily driver. Also the way they do the concave head of the piston requires modification of the tip of the injector.

After getting in touch with USP again, the shop I was using didn't feel comfortable with the 1mm gap on the JE piston. USP said that they wouldn't cover shipping (which is understandable) but that since the packaging was opened they would have to charge a 20% restock fee. This is the part that was unacceptable IMO. Not only was the build on the car delayed due to wrong parts shipped, and difficulty trying to get information and in touch with USP, but now they wanted well over a $100 to restock? I should have called and said pay the several hundred for the rental car and I'll pay the restock fee. Anyway, we ended up with the IE pistons which fit perfectly. 

I'm still under 500 miles and don't want to over do it, so I haven't been able to push/boost the car. Also I just got my second CEL today, and the catch can is full again :banghead: I'll be taking it to the shop on friday (which sucks because it's an hour drive) to have it looked at. I'm so ****ing done with this car.. with purchase price I'm over 30 grand deep now, and I dont know whats ****ing wrong.

I think that's about everything. I might be missing some minor details, but I'm tired and burned out mentally from all this. I'm stuck with the car though because of what I have dumped into it and I just really want it to be fixed.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

No valvetrain work, other than cleaning everything up and making sure it all worked properly. In the future it'd be nice to put a bigger turbo on the car, but that's years down the road. I need to pay off the car (13k) and the partial loan (4k) that I used for this current work.


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

That is a long time. Sorry to hear about all the issues. I agree about the pistons... USP also sells the IE ones. They should've just done an exchange for the cost of the difference plus return shipping, but companies are less and less inclined to make things right when there is a legitimate problem, it seems. The catch can thing seems odd to me, and it doesn't look like it's all oil blow by, although that probably won't make you feel any better about it. Do you have a VAG COM? What code is associated with your CEL; still the P0171? If so, it could be as simple as installing a couple of new O2 sensors; the bosch ones are fairly cheap on amazon.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Luckily it's a different code, it's a P0420. I believe its from the downpipe install, so i've ordered an O2 spacer from BFI. The 42DD spacer was the one I wanted, but they were sold out. It should be here soon. On Wednesday 24th I dropped it off to have them install the new coolant pipe and finish installing the boost gauge. I picked it up friday morning because I was off, and drove it back to a friends house. We washed the car and on the way back I got the red oil light. I immediately pulled over, and checked the oil level. It was fine. Waited a few minutes and looked around the car/under and checked the level again (again fine). So I drove it to his house to park it, about 1 mile down the road and the light popped on again. Checked the oil level again and all fine. I disconnected the battery for about 15mins to maybe see if it was a fault, but still the same issue. 

So naturally that led to a tow truck. The next morning at 1000 I called for a truck, but they had to send a mechanic first. Once the mechanic got there (90min later) I explained the situation and he asked why I didn't just request a truck lol.. So off she went, an hour away to the shop. So he's testing the oil pump, and the sensor switch? I should know more tomorrow.



















And this is why i'm having so many issues with the car.. :sly:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Oh, also about the catch can.. I'm going to put a pcv valve back on the car possibly. I don't know what else to do, other than maybe CTS just has a ****ty design. I also thought maybe its the software (GIAC) I'm running. Would it be worth switching software to APR's stage 2? I'd keep the GIAC TCU/DSG tune (if they're compatible?)


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Damn man! Seems like you can't catch a break. I would try and put the pcv back on as well. It's worth a shot. From what I've seen(don't actually own a catch can yet) but most people's catch cans end up with thick brown/tan crap with a small amount of oil. Where yours looks like straight motor oil. Have you tried to reach out to CTS? I would email them some photos and see if they have come across what you are experiencing.


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

I don't think that the tune is causing the catch can issue. And if possible, I would recommend staying away from APR... My engine has been running lean even though they tried to deny it, despite photos of the internals and O2 readings that showed just how lean it was. Eventually I'll have all the parts I want to finish my setup and go with different software, but until then, I have what I have. :facepalm:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

AngryGiraffe said:


> Damn man! Seems like you can't catch a break. I would try and put the pcv back on as well. It's worth a shot. From what I've seen(don't actually own a catch can yet) but most people's catch cans end up with thick brown/tan crap with a small amount of oil. Where yours looks like straight motor oil. Have you tried to reach out to CTS? I would email them some photos and see if they have come across what you are experiencing.


CTS has been less than helpful. I emailed them when this first started, and again after the rebuild. They emailed me back and said that something is wrong with the engine and to contact the person that rebuilt it. 



npace said:


> I don't think that the tune is causing the catch can issue. And if possible, I would recommend staying away from APR... My engine has been running lean even though they tried to deny it, despite photos of the internals and O2 readings that showed just how lean it was. Eventually I'll have all the parts I want to finish my setup and go with different software, but until then, I have what I have. :facepalm:


Thanks for the feedback. Guess i'll remove the catch can, and re-install the PCV valve. Its almost like the motor just slings oil right into the lines. There isn't any baffling or anything inside of the plate that replaced the PCV valve. I wish I knew more about them, or was able to inspect different makers plates.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Cars still with the mechanic. He checked the oil pump, and there were small metal shards in it. He tore the entire motor down again, top first checking for damage, then bottom. Replaced the bearings again and couldn't find any issues. The new build was still perfect. Then he realised that the timing chain had eaten through one of the metal guides, and he said that's the only place the shavings could've come from. So somehow they didn't get picked up or cleaned up before. Maybe they were stuck in the oil pump screen before? Who knows. He said they were very small shavings, almost looked like aluminium foil. But they blocked about 1/4 of the screen, and as soon as the car got to 2500rpm it would throw the red oil light because it wasn't getting the pressure it wanted.

So he's putting it all back together now, I should have it early next week. I guess I need to replace the catch can still, and hopefully I can finally enjoy this car.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

finally got the car back 2 days ago :facepalm:

the mechanic was sorry about the delays so he didnt charge me for any parts or time spent on the car, which is nice. also i know his father is on his death bed so thats another reason things are slow. anyway i ditched the catch can, because for whatever reason it is always filling with oil. went back to the stock pcv and everything seems to be working just great. havent had the car back very long though. if anyone wants a CTS turbo catch can let me know. i'll post it for sale in the next few weeks.










i was getting a P0420 code which i thought was from the downpipe install. anyway i ordered this from BFI http://store.blackforestindustries.com/oxsesp.html. i installed it based off what i read on the forums, had the code cleared and went about my day. also as you can see, its kinda close to the cat. i unscrewed it out a bit further and tilted it slightly upward to move it further away. hopefully the heat doesnt damage it. i should probably get some heat tape and wrap it a bit. well.. the code came back. :banghead: does anyone have any suggestions? maybe replace the sensor with a new one?


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

I've also noticed a slight oil sheen in the bay, and found the culprit today. one of the engine cover mounting posts has broken off.. its hollow and goes right into the goddamn motor. its been misting oil for several days and could be the cause of my engine code I believe. anyone know a part number?

what the peg looks like










what the current state of broken peg looks like


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Well that's one thing down. Easy fix.


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## audivwpassion (Oct 4, 2016)

[Beautiful car, I have the same exact one ! I want to lower it and get oem s3 skirts and rear bumper, the brake light issue came on with me too! I think iys cause the brakes are getting too hot but indent know much, the lights eventually turned off for me, it always comes on when it feels like I'm pushing the limits through a canyon or something. I am from Colorado oh yea ! get drilled rotors !!!!!!!! And my mod list goes something like 
Coils 
Rotor wheels 
Roof rack 
S3 shifter 
Hi xenon euro spec headlights without the Orange corner light ( mine was fitted with he halogens)
New brake rotors 
IPad installed in dash so I can watch movies 
Downpipe with electric cutout for silence when needed 
Led plate lights 
Led fog
Led reverse 
S3 skirts 
S3 rear bumper 
No spoiler needed as I will paint mine black if needed 
Front plate filler 




Then I'll look


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

those are quite the plans! i hope that your car runs well, and you get to enjoy it. mine drives wonderfully, but it has tons of nagging issues.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

took a recent trip to scottland, and drove the car. other than consistent CEL on, and going through 3 litres of oil.. things were great! i dont see any white smoke and noticed an oil leak when i was trying to adjust the spacer for the O2 sensor the other day. Here are some pics of the car while on the trip. im grateful it didnt break down, as we covered well over 1000 miles in a week.



















i also ended up seeing a car that ive always dreamed of owning.. but i can only imagine its more needy than the current one :heart::heart:











so.. like i said in about 1500 miles ive gone through 3 litres of oil. it could be the oil leak i saw, or it could be something worse. i take the car back in mid november to have it all pulled apart (AGAIN). next week im taking it to audi because ive lost power on the entire drivers side almost. door locks dont work, power mirror/blinker, and rear window. im glad the driver window still goes up and down, and audi is asking 95gbp just to diagnose.

i also had codes pulled today, and i really have no idea what they mean.. im so lost and frustrated with this all. i wish i had some better news.


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

I would try and replace that O2 sensor first. The spacer could cause the rear one to think that the car is running lean, which is then causing it to dump more fuel into the engine and making it rich. From there it turns into a vicious cycle. I would remove the spacer and replace both O2 sensors and see if it changes anything. 

As for the oil, I'm having a hard time seeing how the engine is the culprit. Has anyone looked at the turbo? It's possible that there is an internal leak in it that is causing all of the consumption issues, which would also potentially mess with your O2 sensors. 

Anyway, car's looking good, and good luck with tracking the issue down.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

npace said:


> I would try and replace that O2 sensor first. The spacer could cause the rear one to think that the car is running lean, which is then causing it to dump more fuel into the engine and making it rich. From there it turns into a vicious cycle. I would remove the spacer and replace both O2 sensors and see if it changes anything.
> 
> As for the oil, I'm having a hard time seeing how the engine is the culprit. Has anyone looked at the turbo? It's possible that there is an internal leak in it that is causing all of the consumption issues, which would also potentially mess with your O2 sensors.
> 
> Anyway, car's looking good, and good luck with tracking the issue down.


Thanks, I told the mechanic to change them out, and check the turbo. I'm having him look into it because I had to have it towed again last Monday. Probably some sort of fueling issue with the codes I've had. 

Had to add another litre of oil at almost 97k miles. That's the 4th litre since I picked the car up after rebuild. 



Here is the EPC light that caused the car to be undrivable, along with the second time I've had it towed.





Here are the codes the mechanic sent me after pulling them last week. I'll call Monday to see what he's found out


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

npace said:


> I would try and replace that O2 sensor first. The spacer could cause the rear one to think that the car is running lean, which is then causing it to dump more fuel into the engine and making it rich. From there it turns into a vicious cycle. I would remove the spacer and replace both O2 sensors and see if it changes anything.
> 
> As for the oil, I'm having a hard time seeing how the engine is the culprit. Has anyone looked at the turbo? It's possible that there is an internal leak in it that is causing all of the consumption issues, which would also potentially mess with your O2 sensors.
> 
> Anyway, car's looking good, and good luck with tracking the issue down.


So there was a leak near the turbo, most of it was outside of the turbo, but a slight bit internal. So when the car was running it was just leaking out quite a bit. 

As far as me complaining about fuel smell in the oil, and also the catch can always filling up, there was a slight crack somewhere on the old fuel pump. the mechanic said it was hardly noticeable, but it was allowing the fuel to mix with the engine oil. he said that could cause excessive burn off and thinning of the oil (hence blowing by and filling the can). i doubt there was any damage done, due to the amount of oil i was constantly replacing. they just did an emission test as well, and after replacing the O2's everything looks good. 

Also the throttle sensor was bad, which caused the EPC light and the car to not be drivable. thats been replaced, and finally they are looking in the wiring loom for anything thats broken that might be causing the driver side door locks/windows/mirror to not operate. so hopefully i'll have the car back soon.

the main issue is the ordering of parts.. the cars are slightly different here, compared to my US car. so everytime he gets a part, there is a piece that isnt quite right. because of this he ends up having to order additional pieces to make it work. :banghead: well, thats all for now. hopefully after all this the car will be good to go. ive been in the UK for a year now, and over 6 months without my car. had i known it'd be like this I would have bought a beater instead of paying rental fees


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

Man, quite the saga. I hope that you get the car ironed out and working like you would expect after the time, effort, and money you've put into it. You probably should have just bought an 8P S3 over there, and moved everything over to your car before you come back to the states


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

TBomb said:


> Man, quite the saga. I hope that you get the car ironed out and working like you would expect after the time, effort, and money you've put into it. You probably should have just bought an 8P S3 over there, and moved everything over to your car before you come back to the states


hind sight is 20/20!

another update. still drinking a litre every 1200 miles (average driving), and that goes up if on the gas. its the turbo, and it has slight play. ive decided to go ahead and just get the APR k04 setup. i cant get any support for giac where im at (would have to drive 3+ hours) and i cant get the proper diagnostics done on the car unless i have apr or revo. seeing as i'll be here at least another 3 years and for future stateside maintenance its easy to go the apr route. 

if i could look back and do this all over i'd buy a £500 car and park the audi until i could traded it in, in the states. my only lasting hope is that since everything will be pretty much new, that i'll get 200k miles out of this thing

edit: nevermind


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Well I obviously still don't have the car, but there was a big sale on some paddle shifter extensions I had my eye on over Christmas. I finally got them today, they're pretty nice. We'll have to see how they are once installed. I can't stand how small the stock ones are. Wish there was an oem upgrade.. but I digress


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

PreMier said:


> hind sight is 20/20!
> 
> another update. still drinking a litre every 1200 miles (average driving), and that goes up if on the gas. its the turbo, and it has slight play. ive decided to go ahead and just get the APR k04 setup. i cant get any support for giac where im at (would have to drive 3+ hours) and i cant get the proper diagnostics done on the car unless i have apr or revo. seeing as i'll be here at least another 3 years and for future stateside maintenance its easy to go the apr route.
> 
> ...


hey stay positive! You have a nice whip and will enjoy it years to come! It is a classic so keep motivated!!!


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

I like those flappy paddles! Who makes them and are they held on by those small screws along the sides? It's kind of hard to tell in the pics.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Tcardio said:


> hey stay positive! You have a nice whip and will enjoy it years to come! It is a classic so keep motivated!!!


Thanks mate :thumbup:




AngryGiraffe said:


> I like those flappy paddles! Who makes them and are they held on by those small screws along the sides? It's kind of hard to tell in the pics.


Pinalloy.com yes they're supposed to be held on by the screws, they came with a few extra and an Allen wrench. I don't have the car so haven't put them on, but they were on sale. Looking at the site it still looks like they're on sale and they have a few designs and colours


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Looks like ecs made some replacements. they take a bit of work to get on, and are very nice.. but 5-6x what i paid for the ones above. once i have the car back ill install them and give a review. i would like the ecs ones, but i dont know if i could ever justify the price

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/Audi...rum&utm_content=JMarusic&utm_campaign=newpost


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

I ordered a set like yours. Except I have the curved paddles so I had to get a different style. Should be here by the end of the month(ordered them over a month ago) ECS ones are nice but if I'm going to spend that kind of money I would get the S2T paddles.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

ok story time with a quick update. seriously cant make this crap up haha 

mechanic was appreciative of me being so patient so thursday he had the car clayed and detailed, and also got me an APR dongle to monitor everything. well, he was out driving it and doing some data logging and pulled over to look at some numbers on the laptop. then, the car shuts off completely. he tries to restart and nothing.. so he has to call for a tow back to his shop. once back at the shop he starts looking into what the deal is. apparently one of the balancing shafts seized? since the car was sitting at idle, he doesnt believe there was any damage to the heads or valves. he has the motor out already and will tear it down on monday to see what exactly went wrong, and he has a new shaft on the way. 

im not even mad.. the cars already defeated me. i have no emotion to put into it anymore so im like what the fck ever. he was super pissed, and had a near mental breakdown because this is starting to cost him quite a bit of money. the guy works on tons of audis and porches and has never had anything like this happen before he tells me. its unbelievable how many times this thing is crapping on us. all i can do is just hope i get it back in working order. :banghead:


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

Man, that definitely sucks. Hopefully you will get the best possible outcome...but a balance shaft seizure does not bode well for the health of your engine


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## Bronco (Mar 3, 2011)

Damn, sorry to hear. Hope that it's not as bad as it looks right now, good luck with everything. :wave:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

TBomb said:


> Man, that definitely sucks. Hopefully you will get the best possible outcome...but a balance shaft seizure does not bode well for the health of your engine


Any idea on what would've caused it? I can't find much on balance shaft seizures. Also could you elaborate on health of the engine? Does this usually ruin the block? Or can the shaft be pulled and replaced?


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

PreMier said:


> Any idea on what would've caused it? I can't find much on balance shaft seizures. Also could you elaborate on health of the engine? Does this usually ruin the block? Or can the shaft be pulled and replaced?


Honestly, I am not familiar enough with the TSI engine to know what else is involved with the balance shafts as far as collateral damage. I know on the FSI, the balance shafts and oil pump are all one assembly, so a balance shaft seizure means no oil pressure which most likely means bad things for your bearings and valvetrain. It could be a totally different deal on the TSI though, so hopefully it will not be catastrophic!


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

TBomb said:


> Honestly, I am not familiar enough with the TSI engine to know what else is involved with the balance shafts as far as collateral damage. I know on the FSI, the balance shafts and oil pump are all one assembly, so a balance shaft seizure means no oil pressure which most likely means bad things for your bearings and valvetrain. It could be a totally different deal on the TSI though, so hopefully it will not be catastrophic!


I'm hoping that there isn't any damage because the car was on the side of the road when it happened (or so I'm told). everytjing that I can find on this though seems like you're right, and they're connected to the oil pump. Guess I'll wait and see =(


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## A3-Owner (Aug 10, 2015)

*Good Luck*

Man that sucks. I feel for you. You have gone through a lot with this car. I hope it gets sorted out and you can enjoy it.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Well, had the car back almost a week.. and it drives beautifully so far. The power with the K04 is amazing. It really brings out the fact that I need bigger brakes now :facepalm: also I don't care for the GIAC TCU software. It seems like it has a hard time finding gears, or the right gear to be in. In the states it wasn't a huge issue because the traffic lights. Over here though, with roundabouts, when I slow as I approach it seems to hesitate horribly when I go to give it gas again. Considering switching to APR as well. The dongle is nice as well, I can change between 4 tunes, view codes, and check realtime data. 

I need to order new paddle extensions, the ones that I ordered previously don't fit due to my paddles being curved. Also washed the car over the weekend, she looks good. Here's a few pics.


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## Bronco (Mar 3, 2011)

Good to hear, good news ! She looks great, indeed !! :thumbup::thumbup:


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

Glad you got it back already! So I guess the failure was not catastrophic then?


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Fortunately it was just the balance shaft that seized. He showed me both of the old ones that he pulled out and replaced. Also as he was re testing it, the radiator sprung a leak?! Haha he was pissed.. but replaced that as well. 

Overall he was over £1000 in parts out of pocket, not to mention the hours into it. I need to get some recalls taken care of (airbag and the abs) on it along with the door lock issue. I'm just tapped out on money 😒


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Glad to see you got the car back and that it wasn't as bad as you though it was going to be. Sucks about the paddles. I personally like the look of the Pin Alloy extensions for the curved paddle better than the ones you had to return.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

I ordered the curved ones like yours in black. Mine are up for sale, because it was just as much to ship them back as I had paid. So just another waiting game on getting the new ones. I also ordered a phone mount from Audi phone holder.com because there are strict laws in the UK about driving and cell phones. I use mine for GPS quite often.


http://forums.fourtitude.com/showthread.php?8616769-FS-DSG-paddle-shifter-extension


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Let us know how you like that phone holder. I have one from http://www.proclipusa.com/ 
I really like it, but might be putting it up for sale in a few months. Thinking about getting a new radio and won't really need it if I do.


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## Hawkman312 (Nov 4, 2016)

AngryGiraffe said:


> Let us know how you like that phone holder. I have one from http://www.proclipusa.com/
> I really like it, but might be putting it up for sale in a few months. Thinking about getting a new radio and won't really need it if I do.


Check these things out too. I have one, and if you don't mind the little nubbin on the back of your phone, it's probably the least obnoxious looking phone mount I've found yet. http://www.niteize.com/product/Steelie-Car-Mount-Kit.asp

Edit: I also have a pretty thin plastic case on my Nexus 5X. I drilled a hole the same diameter as the nub, so this way it's countersunk into the case, which helps take a few mil off the thing from sticking out. An added and unintentional benefit is that you can now stick your phone to metal things when you're too lazy to hold it.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

I'll post an update and review as soon as I can! Also my friend has the steelie one (that's what made me start looking) and it works really well. Only issue has is the magnet is quite strong and won't let him use android pay. The states are a bit behind in contactless payment methods and I didn't want it to affect my phone when I try and use Apple Pay. Also I wanted something that fits in the car without sticking to the dash (that was the deciding factor). He does love his steelie mount and it works very well. The one I purchased doesn't allow the movement that that one does, but I'm sure it'll be ok. 

Also I got a blue tooth for the car because I use Spotify (there is terrible cellular service where I'm at, so downloadable playlists are key. I used to use Sirius/XM, but it's not available overseas). My biggest complaint is that it doesn't shut off when the car does (due to the outlets constantly being supplied with power), but that's not the blue tooths fault. So I have to manually disconnect it. Sound quality is excellent and I'm very happy with it. To pair I just have to hit the giant button when I get in the car. 

Also you can mount the button anywhere with a sticky pad they include, but I keep it under the arm rest because it's low key


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## Hawkman312 (Nov 4, 2016)

PreMier said:


> I'll post an update and review as soon as I can! Also my friend has the steelie one (that's what made me start looking) and it works really well. Only issue has is the magnet is quite strong and won't let him use android pay. The states are a bit behind in contactless payment methods and I didn't want it to affect my phone when I try and use Apple Pay. Also I wanted something that fits in the car without sticking to the dash (that was the deciding factor). He does love his steelie mount and it works very well. The one I purchased doesn't allow the movement that that one does, but I'm sure it'll be ok.
> 
> Also I got a blue tooth for the car because I use Spotify (there is terrible cellular service where I'm at, so downloadable playlists are key. I used to use Sirius/XM, but it's not available overseas). My biggest complaint is that it doesn't shut off when the car does (due to the outlets constantly being supplied with power), but that's not the blue tooths fault. So I have to manually disconnect it. Sound quality is excellent and I'm very happy with it. To pair I just have to hit the giant button when I get in the car.
> 
> Also you can mount the button anywhere with a sticky pad they include, but I keep it under the arm rest because it's low key


Oh ok, nice! My bluetooth solution was this thing: http://www.dension.com/automotive/products/car-multimedia-solutions/gateway-lite-bt which I have where the CD changer would be in my glove box. It works pretty well and heat hasn't seemed to bother it in the last year and a half I've had mine. It plugs into the back of the radio head-unit where the CD changer would go, so the bluetooth audio signal it receives from your phone essentially pretends to be coming from the CD changer from the head-unit's point of view. It takes power from the radio directly, so there's no charging or batteries involved, and it's only on when the radio is on.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Hawkman312 said:


> Oh ok, nice! My bluetooth solution was this thing: http://www.dension.com/automotive/products/car-multimedia-solutions/gateway-lite-bt which I have where the CD changer would be in my glove box. It works pretty well and heat hasn't seemed to bother it in the last year and a half I've had mine. It plugs into the back of the radio head-unit where the CD changer would go, so the bluetooth audio signal it receives from your phone essentially pretends to be coming from the CD changer from the head-unit's point of view. It takes power from the radio directly, so there's no charging or batteries involved, and it's only on when the radio is on.


That's actually really nice! Was it easy to install? Does it affect satellite radio at all? Does it pair when you turn the car on? I got my current one because it was cheap and seemed to have good reviews. I can't complain really, but that looks like a better long term solution


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Went on a drive the other night, car is running ok.. but I have an oil light issue. I keep getting the red oil light coming off/on and after checking levels it's fine. It'll literally flash 2-3 times then disappear. I don't know why it's the red one and not the orange one? It'll go back to the shop next week. Any insight would be appreciated though.

Also the new paddles arrived, they are pretty nice!


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

PreMier said:


> Went on a drive the other night, car is running ok.. but I have an oil light issue. I keep getting the red oil light coming off/on and after checking levels it's fine. It'll literally flash 2-3 times then disappear. I don't know why it's the red one and not the orange one? It'll go back to the shop next week. Any insight would be appreciated though.
> 
> Also the new paddles arrived, they are pretty nice!


Isn't the red oil light for oil pressure, whereas the orange is just for oil level? To me, the orange one is not great but the red one is bad news. If you are having some intermittent oil pressure issues, I'd be concerned there may be a blockage in the pickup tube or some other oil passage causing an intermittent oil starvation issue...but I could be and hopefully am wrong.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

TBomb said:


> Isn't the red oil light for oil pressure, whereas the orange is just for oil level? To me, the orange one is not great but the red one is bad news. If you are having some intermittent oil pressure issues, I'd be concerned there may be a blockage in the pickup tube or some other oil passage causing an intermittent oil starvation issue...but I could be and hopefully am wrong.




When I had the previous issue with the oil pump clogged it was red, but it would come on very quickly. I've had the oil changed again and the red light did pop up once. But it literally will flash then go away. And it always seems to be at 20mph or less while in town. The car goes into Audi tomorrow so I'll have them look over it and maybe they'll catch something :facepalm:

Got the new Audi phone holder in. It's a good investment and low key


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## mypixeladdiction (Dec 1, 2011)

Clear Mounts? That is pretty slick.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

mypixeladdiction said:


> Clear Mounts? That is pretty slick.


That's the one! Very nice using GPS. I also like how it mounts behind the vents so you can easily uninstall if needed

Also my Bluetooth player seems to have stopped working. Kinda annoyed.. it was only like $30, but I haven't even had it that long.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Well the Bluetooth works, it was user error  had the volume on my phone down all the way so it wasn't going through. Figured it out the next day.

I've had the car back for less than 2k miles and had an oil change at 1k from the shop. Since the oil change I've been getting intermittent oil pressure loss. Yesterday it wouldn't go away, the light would come on and stay on. After 2 mins of driving it would come on again. So I limped the car to Audi because they were close. They confirmed that the car had loss of pressure, but didn't really want to work on it because it's been modified.. so back to the other shop it goes. I'm so over this.. hopefully the 3rd times the charm with towing..

Also don't mind the brake light, had an issue with the pad sensor that's now fixed.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

originally i started this thread so that i could keep a log of my mods, european adventures and cool pics for you guys to check out. but its turned out to be much less than that.. and im sorry. its still hasnt been getting any better as the car seems to never run properly. i was recently gone for 30 days, and had the car worked on as you can see in the previous post. as soon as i got it back to my friends house we inspected it and found a faulty oil sensor installed. it was leaking oil from it (brand new sensor). so i took it back and had another fitted, and within 300miles my oil pressure light/woes were back. 

this time it pissed me off as i was going to catch a bus at 0330 to go to the Goodwood festival of speed saturday morning. however the car had other ideas, which sucks when you have to waste $120 dollar ticket.



















So i called AA to come tow me, which is a horrible process.. but having been towed 4x in the last 12 months its more than paid for itself. anyway 4 hours later the truck arrived to pick up myself and the car.



















After driving out to the shop to drop it off (1.5hrs away at tow truck speeds), and not having a ride back i put the british bus system to use. it cost me 10GBP and nearly 6 hours to travel 45 miles. im grateful for the bus system, but i was tired and hungry by the time i got to my town. the mechanic says the 2nd sensor was faulty, but he said there is a sound from one of the chain tensioners that he's going to look into. i really want to just have a working car.. im so tired of this.


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## Bronco (Mar 3, 2011)

PreMier, I'm really sorry to heat about your troubles with the car 

I know this is not related (in any good way) but that's a good looking tow truck !!


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Bronco said:


> PreMier, I'm really sorry to heat about your troubles with the car
> 
> I know this is not related (in any good way) but that's a good looking tow truck !!


haha the driver lowered the bed with a remote control, it was pretty cool.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Ok time for an update! I got the car back and have well over a thousand miles with no oil issues! Earlier this year the balancing shaft seized while the car was at idle. When it did that it stopped the timing chains in their tracks. One of the chain tensioners is operated by oil pressure. When this happens it blew out some kind of o-ring I was told. So when driving the car, it was getting oil, but when it got to temp it would leak down the side of the motor back into the pan from the tensioner. Anyway, long story short it runs good, and strong at the moment. I will drop it off at Audi on Monday, they finally agreed to do the ABS module update here in the UK or if it's faulty, replace it.


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

PreMier said:


> Ok time for an update! I got the car back and have well over a thousand miles with no oil issues! Earlier this year the balancing shaft seized while the car was at idle. When it did that it stopped the timing chains in their tracks. One of the chain tensioners is operated by oil pressure. When this happens it blew out some kind of o-ring I was told. So when driving the car, it was getting oil, but when it got to temp it would leak down the side of the motor back into the pan from the tensioner. Anyway, long story short it runs good, and strong at the moment. I will drop it off at Audi on Monday, they finally agreed to do the ABS module update here in the UK or if it's faulty, replace it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Glad to hear the car is running well again! All of us 8P holdouts have to hang in there and keep these beauties running! :thumbup:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

TBomb said:


> Glad to hear the car is running well again! All of us 8P holdouts have to hang in there and keep these beauties running! :thumbup:




I'm in too deep now lol! I'll have it for a while. 

I think I need to replace the engine and transmission mounts. I'd like something stiffer than stock, but I don't want too much NVH. Anyone have any suggestions?


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

PreMier said:


> I'm in too deep now lol! I'll have it for a while.
> 
> I think I need to replace the engine and transmission mounts. I'd like something stiffer than stock, but I don't want too much NVH. Anyone have any suggestions?


After my rebuild I am running the 034 "Street Density" engine and tranny mounts. They're not too bad as far as NVH - I honestly don't notice an increase in vibration (actually a little smoother, maybe) but I do get a little more engine noise in the cabin at certain RPMs, although it seems to be calming down a bit. I only have about 250 miles on them so far, so they will likely settle down a little more over the first 1,000 miles I've read.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

TBomb said:


> After my rebuild I am running the 034 "Street Density" engine and tranny mounts. They're not too bad as far as NVH - I honestly don't notice an increase in vibration (actually a little smoother, maybe) but I do get a little more engine noise in the cabin at certain RPMs, although it seems to be calming down a bit. I only have about 250 miles on them so far, so they will likely settle down a little more over the first 1,000 miles I've read.




Those were the ones I was looking at as well, but one of the reviews on their site said the NVH was unbearable. I was also looking at the ECS set because you get more pieces for less money. 

You feel like they transfer the power better as well?


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

PreMier said:


> Those were the ones I was looking at as well, but one of the reviews on their site said the NVH was unbearable. I was also looking at the ECS set because you get more pieces for less money.
> 
> You feel like they transfer the power better as well?


I think they definitely reduce engine movement...it’s hard to say for sure about power transfer as I am still breaking in my rebuilt engine but it seems nice and strong so far.

The engine noise is noticeable. It is a little annoying at times, and I consider myself fairly sensitive to such things. I have the Street Density engine/trans mounts which are void free rubber, they are basically the mildest upgrade to oem that I’m aware of. I also have the red HPA dogbone mount and I feel like the 034 mounts actually reduced some of the vibration and harshness I felt with the HPA mount and my stock engine/trans mounts.

If the 034 mounts don’t calm down a little more as I put miles on the car, I may consider an alternative but for right now they’re ok. It’s really hard to say as everyone’s tolerance for noise like that is different.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

TBomb said:


> I think they definitely reduce engine movement...it’s hard to say for sure about power transfer as I am still breaking in my rebuilt engine but it seems nice and strong so far.
> 
> The engine noise is noticeable. It is a little annoying at times, and I consider myself fairly sensitive to such things. I have the Street Density engine/trans mounts which are void free rubber, they are basically the mildest upgrade to oem that I’m aware of. I also have the red HPA dogbone mount and I feel like the 034 mounts actually reduced some of the vibration and harshness I felt with the HPA mount and my stock engine/trans mounts.
> 
> If the 034 mounts don’t calm down a little more as I put miles on the car, I may consider an alternative but for right now they’re ok. It’s really hard to say as everyone’s tolerance for noise like that is different.


I got mine in as well and im in the same boat as you lol. I have the engine/trans/dogbone mounts in, and in normal D mode it shakes the hell out of the car. I have been trying to drive in S more because when the RPM are higher the vibration seems to not be as severe.however, the actual dogbone is lost in the mail.. i just filed with USPS, because its been over a month. we'll see what they say, and also what 034 Motorsports says. I emailed them and they seemed like they wanted to make sure I was taken care of so we'll see :thumbup:

Also I dont seem to get the lurch/chug when shifting from P to D/R that I used to get. So im assuming it was driveline slop


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Went on a drive with some people a few weeks ago, and the car performs great, except for the brakes. they work, but they arent confidence inspiring, and i dont like that. Most of the cars I ran with were 400+ hp and smashing some of the British B roads was a blast. Its been a long time since I was able to drive spiritedly  As you can see its a diverse group of cars, but all good people, and I cant wait to do it again. If you have any questions about any of the cars then just say.


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## Philipangoo (Jan 12, 2010)

Man I just read through your whole thread. Was considering a local 2009 2.0T A3 to replace my 2014 335i as a cheap daily, but to be honest your thread scares me lol. I am glad you got to enjoy your car recently. You can tell that is a group of car enthusiasts by all the different makes and models on that drive.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

hey, i havent been on much sorry! yep still enjoying the car. depending on where you are and what youre looking at i wouldnt avoid the A3. its a good car, but if i could do it over i'd buy from an enthusiast or make sure to get everything checked by a good indy shop (which you should do with every car anyway. i just flew 500+ miles to get mine and assumed that services were done because it was at a dealer. you live and learn though!


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

I do take a few random pics here and there, so here are a couple recent ones in B/W

Heathrow Airport getting a friend 










This was along the Jurassic Coast, south west of england. This was a cool road trip, I ended up following a sport bike through these really windy/hilly roads. car is running really well, but i am still looking over a new brake setup.




























aaaand an edit of a previous photo that i liked


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

just a quick update. ive had a small coolant leak for a few months now, nothing serious, but i would have to replace the g13 every 2-3 weeks depending on how i drove the car. well it ended up being the oil cooler, so i had that replaced with a stock unit. also since the car was in the air and i finally had the dogbone mount from 034, i ended up throwing that on.

Major fail! :thumbdown: the density motor mounts with the dogbone mount and inserts is way way too stiff. the car literally feels like its going to shake itself apart. it wasnt so bad before but with the dogbone on its unbearable. the door cards are vibrating along with anything else that can. if this was a total track car, it wouldbt be a huge deal, but its not. there is just no play in the mounts and i dont want to ruin the car. so i ordered stock dogbone inserts, and ill try those out with the 034motorsport dogbone. if that still doesnt help much, then ill switch back to the stock dogbone as well. I will continue to run the motor mounts though :facepalm:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

success! well.. kinda.

removed the 034 dogbone inserts and replaced with new stock inserts, and all the NVH is gone! the motor mount, transmission mount, and larger dogbone are all still in the car and i have no issues.

the part that isn't that great is i have a blown shock. it sucks because this is the second one on the last 8 months that i've had to replace. Koni doesn't just sell the shock, you have to but the sproing and the perch as well.. it's frustrating because its too much money (almost $400). if this happens a 3rd time, i might look at other suspension options where a single shock/coilover can be replaced, saving me money in the long run. :banghead:


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## Hawkman312 (Nov 4, 2016)

PreMier said:


> success! well.. kinda.
> 
> removed the 034 dogbone inserts and replaced with new stock inserts, and all the NVH is gone! the motor mount, transmission mount, and larger dogbone are all still in the car and i have no issues.
> 
> the part that isn't that great is i have a blown shock. it sucks because this is the second one on the last 8 months that i've had to replace. Koni doesn't just sell the shock, you have to but the sproing and the perch as well.. it's frustrating because its too much money (almost $400). if this happens a 3rd time, i might look at other suspension options where a single shock/coilover can be replaced, saving me money in the long run. :banghead:


I don't have my paperwork in front of me at the moment (I have the same coilovers), but does Koni not warranty this? Also, out of curiosity, were there any particular conditions that caused the shock to blow?


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Hawkman312 said:


> I don't have my paperwork in front of me at the moment (I have the same coilovers), but does Koni not warranty this? Also, out of curiosity, were there any particular conditions that caused the shock to blow?


i thought that they did, but we'll see what they say when i send it in. i cant recall, but it mightve been a pothole or something. the roads in the uk are absolute **** lol. i dont know when i'll get it on, hopefully soon.

heres the new one


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

I also bought a BFI shift knob, as well as some titanium lug bolts. the current ones are rusting from the coating peeling and it bothers me










here are a few pics my neighbour took. i didnt know he took them until he send them over, he is a street photographer typically.. but he takes good pictures!


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## Hawkman312 (Nov 4, 2016)

PreMier said:


> I also bought a BFI shift knob, as well as some titanium lug bolts. the current ones are rusting from the coating peeling and it bothers me


I have the exact same shift knob! The new shape feels a bit strange for about a week, but once you get used to it it's absolutely lovely.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Hawkman312 said:


> I have the exact same shift knob! The new shape feels a bit strange for about a week, but once you get used to it it's absolutely lovely.


its crazy, ive seen a few people with this same one now lol. i got it because the old (B5/6) RS knob was perforated leather like this, and it matches the steering wheel. guess we all have good taste haha

of course i broke the stock knob trying to remove it from the boot. honestly it was slightly confusing, but got it all sorted and operational in probably <30 mins. we'll start with stock, then the new goodness haha


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

i'll ask this in here, hopefully someone reads it lol

so in the dash, you have the multi function display (MFD). is there a way to change what you can view in the scroll through? what i mean is right now, you scroll through and it shows:

real time mpg
average mpg
miles to empty
etc.. etc..

however, when you do the oil check, it will tell you the oil temp. is there a way to replace real time mpg to the oil temp in the MFD? that way its always visible and easy to keep an eye on.

hopefully this makes sense


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

As far as I know there is no way to change what is displayed in the DIS. You might want to email the guys at Polar FIS or a member who has one. I seem to remember someone having one and saying that you could do quite a bit with it, but I'm not entirely sure. I already have a P3 and didn't see the value in selling it just to get the Polar FIS. Anther option for keeping a constant eye on oil temp would be run a kiwi obd2 dongle and Harry's laptimer(about $120 total for both the app and dongle) I do this at the track and it gives you quite a bit of realtime info, but you can't use your P3(I think you have one) at the same time even with a splitter. Using them both causes a lag in the app. Hope this helps and let me know and I can grab a pic of the the interface from Harry's next time I'm in the car.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

i have a vacuum guage so that could work, and i have an apr dongle, but it can be removed. yea next time if you remember id be interested in seeing the setup :thumbup: ive been looking at vagcom stuff online and i think youre right i dont know if constant oil temp is an option. its dumb because its on there, but whatever


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

out with the old, and in with the new! titanium lugs, so shouldnt have to worry about corrosion anymore. also they are like half the weight, which is cool


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## Tjtalan (Jan 19, 2013)

Looks good!


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## strangetdi (Feb 5, 2002)

Which VMRs do you have?


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

strangetdi said:


> Which VMRs do you have?


sorry for the slow reply, they are the 710's


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Made a trip up to liverpool


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Lugs look good man:thumbup:
They should hold up much better than the last set.


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## primaryw (Feb 1, 2018)

Where'd you find those lugz?


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

PreMier said:


> yea next time if you remember id be interested in seeing the setup :thumbup:


Sorry finally got a picture of the the realtime data from Harry's Lap Timer & Kiwi obd Bluetooth reader. I was on the highway on my way to the track. Numbers are slightly off since I had to let off the throttle(1% throttle! ) to get the image.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

wow AG, thats awesome! i'll have to look more into that



primaryw said:


> Where'd you find those lugz?


i got the lugs and the bfi shift knob from USP Motorsports :thumbup:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well, took another trip up to north Wales. i watch a show on youtube called carfection https://youtu.be/oaUCdAdaaj8 and i saw he went to a town called Betws-y-Coed. so i thought what the hell.. ill go and hit some roads. on the way there i stopped in Llangollen for some lunch and a beer:



















after eating and walking around a while i headed to my destination. after arriving i was astonished at how beautiful it was.. in the video i watched it was drab, and everything was dead. but in the spring its amazingly green. i met some people and we had some food and drink and talked about the driving roads in Wales. 










Saint Marys Church










Parked at the train station to get breakfast at the Alpine Coffee Shop, also seen in the film. had an americano with lemon cake and creme



















i was given this site http://www.greatestdrivingroads.com/ and started planning my way home. i did one side of the evo triangle on the way to my destination, and on the way home did B4520. driving there was quite the trip through the mountains. there were some roads with 13%+ grades, and it felt like if i went over 40mph i would never be able to stop. id gone during the middle of the week, so traffic was minimal. the B4520 was scary to say the least. the road was narrow with sharp turns and elevation changes, and to top it off there are hedges 10ft high on both sides so you're like a rat in a maze. i came across a lotus evora that was parked in a layby with his boot up letting the engine cool.

after i made it to brecon beacons i headed towards home, and came across a cool old castle (Tretower Castle). so naturally had to stop.











in total i think i drove near 9 hours that day (only had 2 days off) and it was quite tiring. the car performs well, but im going to splurge on some brakes in the next little while. i just need to make sure they'll fit under my wheels. i want to travel a bit more, do a few more of the listed roads, and also explore europe some (switzerland, austria, italy) and hit some roads there. i know this post isnt the best as far as being put together, but its 0130 and im tired lol. i will try and take more pictures and document my next drive better!


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well.. i did it. i changed the steering wheel in the car from the A3 wheel to the A5 wheel with RS shift paddles.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

ordered some new items:

whiteline polyurethane bushing kit front control/trailing arm
KMD tuning front lower stress bar (thanks a lot AG lol)
CTS turbo billet subframe bushing insert kit (i have the subframe clunk and this should fix it)
new cabin filter. there was a bit of a smell in the old one.. and after pulling it out, i dont think it was ever replaced :facepalm:










i had the car at my mechanic to put the bushings in, but he didnt get around to do everything. ive had a horrible DSG leak and replacing all the seals on it was the primary objective. i think he felt a bit bad, and ended up wet sanding my headlights (they were ****ing awful). i need to take the time and get the car properly detailed and ceramic coated.. but there are other things ive prioritized over it


















im a bit disappointed with the VMR wheels i have. ive been looking at BBKs and i cant run the brembo 365mm kit because of barrel clearance issues.. so i looked at FORGE and the 356mm kit, but there are spoke clearance issues.. so now im looking at the new brembo b-m4 caliper in 345mm. its a beautiful caliper and its rated great on everything but weight. for some reason brembo doesnt make a 345mm rotor in 2 piece. https://www.racetechnologies.com/products/brakekits/gt-1s8002a?vehicle=7194

running the b-m4 with mkV r32 rears should be fine for stopping power/performance. i will just have to have them paint matched, because i either want to have yellow or the fluorescent yellow caliper (what colour do you guys prefer?). i tried to order all of this back at the beginning of august so i could do my european road trip the first week of october.. but brembo and forge both had 12 week+ lead times on getting the kits together. so i'll have to go this spring:banghead:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

also i went to motogp at silverstone. saw some good qualifying and practice laps, but it was rained out on race day. pretty **** imo


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

That's awesome! Glad to hear you got that bar. I had one of the bolts loosen up after a few hundred miles, so make sure you check them. One of them is kind of a pita to get to. Lucky for me that one was still tight.

Not sure if clear bra/mask is big over there but I polished my headlights(weren't faded) and then had 3m clear mask applied over them to help with rock chips and fading. It was a few years ago and they still look great and Colorado is famous for faded headlights.

BBK issues still plague my car. I found an amazing deal on a set of wheels and tires that were supposed to fit BBK's. Luckily the person selling them let me fit them first to make sure they fit and sure enough they rubbed my calipers:banghead: so my search continues.

Silverstone is such a cool track and its on my list to see an F1 race there in the next few years.


Oh! And I almost forgot. Super jealous of that S5 wheel!


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## absolutt (Aug 10, 2007)

Sorry to hear of the troubles you've faced. It's a far cry from the reliability I've enjoyed with my 2007 A3. Hopefully this last round will be the last of it for you.

I'm curious... are you intending to bring your A3 back with you from Europe or are you staying there? I'm wondering what inspired you to pick up a US spec A3 and take it with you, rather than a Euro spec A3 across the pond to use while you're there.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

AngryGiraffe said:


> That's awesome! Glad to hear you got that bar. I had one of the bolts loosen up after a few hundred miles, so make sure you check them. One of them is kind of a pita to get to. Lucky for me that one was still tight.
> 
> Not sure if clear bra/mask is big over there but I polished my headlights(weren't faded) and then had 3m clear mask applied over them to help with rock chips and fading. It was a few years ago and they still look great and Colorado is famous for faded headlights.
> 
> ...


that seems scary, doesnt the bold go through the control arm? i havent really looked at it much, or where it bolts to. they actually do do PPF film here, i was going to get my car detailed and ceramic coated once i got the brakes. i thought about ceramic coat for the headlights, but ppf is a better option thanks :thumbup: i'll have to get a quote for that when i do it all.

LOL.. its so frustrating, i would love better wheels that can accom a bbk, but the roads here are so bad it wouldnt be worth it because i know they'd be damaged. you might have to run a "motorsport" inspired wheel, like OZ, BBS, or Yokohama Advan. im guessing youre running into spoke clearance and not barrel? id consider rotorlab but i dont think the caliper would clear my spokes. the 18z with 355mm rotor clears my barrel but are just way too fat. if you decide to do f1 here next year let me know as i'll still be here, after that i dont know.





absolutt said:


> Sorry to hear of the troubles you've faced. It's a far cry from the reliability I've enjoyed with my 2007 A3. Hopefully this last round will be the last of it for you.
> 
> I'm curious... are you intending to bring your A3 back with you from Europe or are you staying there? I'm wondering what inspired you to pick up a US spec A3 and take it with you, rather than a Euro spec A3 across the pond to use while you're there.


thanks for dropping in! i had the mkIV r32, but was involved in an accident in april/may of 2015. i knew i was moving in november 2015, but i really needed a car. i was having my (currently x) wife drive me for a bit, but it was difficult with us working and her in school. right now im due to move in november 2019, but not sure where yet. the a3 will come with me wherever i go though, as i have so much money into it now lol :facepalm: also i wanted a car that i could drive around europe and roadtrip and this seemed to fit the bill. hindsight is 20/20 and if i knew what i do now, i woulve sucked it up and carpooled in the states for a few more months and then got something over here.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well.. i did it. after emailing several companies enquiring about brakes, 2 of the 3 didnt reply to me. i dont understand why its so difficult to purchase something sometimes. well.. their loss (NGP never responded and 034 said they couldnt get additional items). so a special thanks to Mike Barkis at ECS, i felt he went above and beyond his duties. He was able to piece everything together that i'd asked for as well as add items to ECS's website so i could purchase them :thumbup: i know a lot of people complain about ECS, but so far i cant. its gonna be a while until i have everything, but i'll keep this up to date.










it was also a lovely day where i live so took some pics



















[


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## absolutt (Aug 10, 2007)

PreMier said:


> thanks for dropping in! i had the mkIV r32, but was involved in an accident in april/may of 2015. i knew i was moving in november 2015, but i really needed a car. i was having my (currently x) wife drive me for a bit, but it was difficult with us working and her in school. right now im due to move in november 2019, but not sure where yet. the a3 will come with me wherever i go though, as i have so much money into it now lol :facepalm: also i wanted a car that i could drive around europe and roadtrip and this seemed to fit the bill. hindsight is 20/20 and if i knew what i do now, i woulve sucked it up and carpooled in the states for a few more months and then got something over here.


Ah got you... and I hear you about the situation, 20/20 and all. The good thing is that you've had some fun customizing your ride. Great job! I love the white Ibis A3. Sometimes I regret not getting mine in that color... although the Ocean Blue Pearl is something I still enjoy looking at.

About cost, my 20/20 bit was with long term ownership. There does appear to be a "threshold" in car age, varies by model, where you have to decide to either bail or be prepared to pay handsomely for longer ownership. With the A3, probably the best time to bail is at 75,000. Right before the 80,000 mile service and the timing belt replacement. Otherwise, it's a pretty big milestone to pay for ownership beyond that. I paid it. All told, $5k USD (80k service, timing belt, and new A/C system). I didn't bother to check on-line first... and discover that similar condition year/mileage A3's in my area are selling for about $6~$8k. So I sunk in well more than half the value back into the car. A bit of a bone-head move, eh? I really enjoy the car and I'm not in a position to buy a brand new replacement. But had I sold the car and then taken that $5k, I could've traded up to a newer A3, like a 2013 model with 40k miles.

The A3 is one of the few cars that has such terrific handling coupled with excellent utility. I've hauled so much stuff in my A3, surprising myself at how much can actually fit in it. So, given what I just put into it, I'm going to have to keep it for another 2 years. But no major complaints.


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## dp_motley (Nov 12, 2016)

PreMier said:


> and ended up wet sanding my headlights (they were ****ing awful).


Well done with the headlights. How did you do that? What did you use?

Mine aren't as bad at yours were "before", but I'd like to buff them before applying tint. I ordered this Meguiar's off Amazon but it still is on back order. Perhaps there's another option I'm unaware of.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

dp_motley said:


> Well done with the headlights. How did you do that? What did you use?
> 
> Mine aren't as bad at yours were "before", but I'd like to buff them before applying tint. I ordered this Meguiar's off Amazon but it still is on back order. Perhaps there's another option I'm unaware of.


sorry for the slow reply. my mechanic hooked it up while it was in the shop. he used 1000 grit and 2000 grit, and wet sanded with a quick detailer as lube. then once that was done he used some of this on an orbital to finish it up








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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

i also spent another week exploring Wales and hitting some of the different driving roads out there. i really enjoy it out there :heart: 



















at the start of the journey, around sunrise. drinking a coffee and having a piece of pie










at the top!




























and a few 'random' photos















































also my MAF died on me on the way back.. just ordered a new one, what a pain :facepalm:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well, the new MAF arrived. it took a week to get here.. shipping times and companies in EU are nothing like America. people really take for granted how efficient it is there. anyway it was a super easy fix


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

took a trip to brighton, and then drove a few more hours west along the jurassic coast and the durdle door. mostly a quick road trip, as the car needs work. its in the shop now because i had gear oil leaking from the rear diff.. both axles. there's play in them as well, so i was told that its the bearings in the diff which caused the axle seals to go bad and leak. 

audi wanted 3k pounds for a new diff, they said its a sealed unit and has to be replaced. took it to the mechanic and he said he's worked with a company before on replacing the bearings. so its all out and sent to a specialty shop to be taken apart. i love getting ****ed for christmas. anyway here are a couple pics!

Brighton beach









Cool college on way from brighton to durdle door



















and last but not least.. durdle door


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## Moomtaz (Jun 28, 2015)

Stating the obvious: Great photos in this thread!


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Sucks to hear that you are running into more issues with your car, but at least you are making the best of it with some amazing road trips.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Moomtaz said:


> Stating the obvious: Great photos in this thread!


Thanks so much! i'll keep trying to upload pics of places that i travel





AngryGiraffe said:


> Sucks to hear that you are running into more issues with your car, but at least you are making the best of it with some amazing road trips.


yea, the diff rebuild wasnt too bad. it was a lot cheaper than a new unit, or nice ones from ebay. i need new tires now too lol

UPDATE** so an update on the brembo brakes, they have been delayed until january sometime. so ordering them in september and brembo basically cant get a set made and painted in a custom colour (even though they are running a marketing campaign that they can do all kinds #colorrevolution). there is literally nothing i can do, ive asked ECS if they can apply a discount, but we'll see. I could always cancel the order and go with a different manufacturer.. 

https://eu.freep.com/story/money/cars/mark-phelan/2018/05/01/brembo-brake-calipers-colors/556262002/

brembo and their customer service can kiss my ass


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Still havent heard back from brembo, I will wait until about 10 feb before i cancel the order and go with a different mfg. im thinking AP racing or Forge. 

Also i was driving the other day and a pheasant ran out in front of me. i was the only car on the road and going 60-65mph. there was no way to avoid him and he hit the front of the car. i have an estimate on the repair, but they missed some damage to the bumper where it will need respray. the total is $1700 so far, and i have a 1k deductible :facepalm:



















here is the new grill i'll be replacing the ecs one with


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well.. a little over 2k and shes better than before. i had the whole front end resprayed since they were already painting part of it. still waiting on brakes from brembo.. ECS as well as Race Technologies have been super helpful, but brembo italy are a bunch of aholes. basically they said that i'll get the brakes when they decide, and they are taking their time. if they dont have a ship date in march, then i am going to switch and order a kit from Tarox.


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## Bronco (Mar 3, 2011)

Looks great PreMier ! :thumbup:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Bronco said:


> Looks great PreMier ! :thumbup:


 thanks brother!


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well.. rotated the tires today and noticed a slight sagging on the rear driver side. after getting the wheel off, i noticed the shock leaking. this is the 2nd shock thats blown from road driving, and the 3rd ive had to replace in 2.5 years. its super frustrating since the koni kit was 2 grand when i purchased it. i dont want to pay for another shock from them, as the last one that was new, they said was installed wrong. i dont know how a certified audi/porsche mechanic installs something as simple as a shock wrong but whatever. 

the mechanic recommends the Bilstein B14 system. it doesnt have adjustable dampening like the pss10's (and current koni), but honestly after initial setup, ive never used it. if i went with the pss10, then i might as well pay a bit more and get ohlins :screwy:

if anyone has other feedback or recommendations im open to it.

B14
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bilstein-parts/b14-coilover-suspension-kit-47-127708/47-127708~bil/

PSS10
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bilstein-parts/pss10-coilover-kit-adjustable-dampening/48-135245~bil/

Ohlin
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ohlins-parts/2003-2012-vw-golf-gti-mkv-mkvi/vwsmi10~ohl/

current koni shock


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well, i got an email.. brembo is shipping my brakes. by the time they get here it'll have been 7 months. if i could do it over, i would go with a different supplier. its just that our options are a bit limited (or at least for me because of my wheel size/shape). if it took that long after paying money, and the support was that poor, i cant imagine what its going to be like if i need future help from them. thats just my opinion though.. i am probably the only person in the states that will have the bm4 calliper in fluorescent yellow though haha

also i went with b14's from bilstein. the quality on them is superb, so i hope they ride well. if i didnt have to dump 1k on bird damage recently i wouldve gone b16, hope i dont regret that later. they'll be installed on the 8th.










i also got my window tint replaced this morning. maxpro is the film i used. they shipped me a whole roll for warranty work at no cost, and its been 4yrs since the tint was installed.



















i also got a different plate mount from ecs, it screws into the tow hook. the static plate wasnt that good of quality.










im also happy spring is here, and love cherry blossoms


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

Christmas came


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## SuperAudiA3 (Oct 6, 2018)

*Lip Balm*

I am so jealous of the lip balm. Look at all the packaging for that lip balm. That is amazing! What a great buy. Awesome lip balm and it comes in great packaging to keep it safe.

*They also threw in a brake kit as a thank you for getting the lip balm. That makes the lip balm even more awesome.


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## SuperAudiA3 (Oct 6, 2018)

*Enjoy*

Enjoy the brake kit. It looks good. The colors are going to look pretty sick on the car.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

haha thanks man, the pic was to show size to a friend and all i had was the chapstick. the rears are getting paint matched now, and then i should have everything installed in the next week or two.


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

congrats on the BBK man. You are going to love the difference in braking power. One of the nice things about that kit is the size. Those calipers are big but not to big that you will have trouble fitting a lot of different wheels over them. Don't get me wrong I love my 17z's they look great and stop amazing, but getting wheels to fit over them… not so much:banghead:


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

AngryGiraffe said:


> congrats on the BBK man. You are going to love the difference in braking power. One of the nice things about that kit is the size. Those calipers are big but not to big that you will have trouble fitting a lot of different wheels over them. Don't get me wrong I love my 17z's they look great and stop amazing, but getting wheels to fit over them… not so much:banghead:


that was actually the driving reason for these and other ones i was looking at. these fit under my current wheel setup, where the 17z were much too large.

the rears were paint matched, but there are dark spots showing through.. its very frustrating but the company i had do it is stand up. they offered to fix them or full refund. ive been in a rental car for over a month now, so i told them i cant return them. i also didnt feel right with a full refund, so i said 50% would do because they did put work into them. i dont think you'll be able to tell the back ones are a bit darker when theyre not right next to one another.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well.. i fvked up.. i measured wrong and i only have like 1mm of clearance between the caliper and the barrel of the wheel. had to move the wheel weights so they didnt hot the calliper while driving :facepalm: i guess i need to look at other 18" wheel models or maybe even 19". FML i am burning way too much money :banghead:



























Forge diverter valve installed. this thing makes a lot of noise, its kinda cool :laugh:










and before/after of the brakes.

Front


















Rear


















Profile


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

cars been missing awd for quite a while (ever since i had the rear diff rebuilt i believe). i did notice it, but thought it was maybe the new tires, coupled with the cold/wet weather, and they just werent hooking up. but now that its dry and warmer its definitely not engaging. it was confirmed with this:



















going to replace the haldex pump, filter and oil to see if it fixes the issue.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

no matter what i do to this car, itll never evolve into a 911


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## dale333 (May 14, 2016)

Do you get a lot of looks "hey, you're steering wheel is on the wrong side bloke?"


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## AngryGiraffe (Sep 21, 2014)

Sucks to hear about the wheels man. You could just run a 2mm spacer up front. You will clear the caliper and shouldn't have any issues with wheel rub since the spacers are so small. its not ideal, but it will buy you some time to find a different/better wheel setup.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

dale333 said:


> Do you get a lot of looks "hey, you're steering wheel is on the wrong side bloke?"


hahaha, ive had a few comments before.. but i think its quite common here. mainland europe all drives on the right side, and there is a large population of americans where i live in the UK. so i dont think its like an american seeing a left hand drive



AngryGiraffe said:


> Sucks to hear about the wheels man. You could just run a 2mm spacer up front. You will clear the caliper and shouldn't have any issues with wheel rub since the spacers are so small. its not ideal, but it will buy you some time to find a different/better wheel setup.


thats a good suggestion, but my issue is with the size of the barrel, i have good clearance with the spokes. its like the wheel is shaped like an ice cream cone (less dramatic), and gets smaller as it gets closer to the spokes. i dont know if all wheels are like that, or just these VMR


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## dale333 (May 14, 2016)

PreMier said:


> hahaha, ive had a few comments before.. but i think its quite common here. mainland europe all drives on the right side, and there is a large population of americans where i live in the UK. so i dont think its like an american seeing a left hand drive


When I was stationed in Germany 93-95, I drove over to the UK in an 84 Opel Kadett, pulled out of a petrol station making a left and tried to go to the far right side, quickly realized I was going to far and pulled quicker to the left. Just at that time, a police officer coming at me flicked on his lights, but as he got closer to me and saw which side the steering wheel was on, he turned off his lights and just kept going. Probably thought, damn Americans.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

dale333 said:


> When I was stationed in Germany 93-95, I drove over to the UK in an 84 Opel Kadett, pulled out of a petrol station making a left and tried to go to the far right side, quickly realized I was going to far and pulled quicker to the left. Just at that time, a police officer coming at me flicked on his lights, but as he got closer to me and saw which side the steering wheel was on, he turned off his lights and just kept going. Probably thought, damn Americans.


he probably thought that you were drunk haha. it happens to me too when i go back to the states, i always gravitate to the left side of the road.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

well, had the haldex pump changed today and i have awd again. im so happy i didnt have to to replace the actual haldex/diff, i was nervous about that.

i also drove over an hour to a shop on the outskirts of london to get some new wheels test fitted. once i got there they didnt have the actual wheels that they said they did.. so that was annoying, and they charged me a 30GBP fee to put the car on the lift to look at different wheel options. overall not a good experience. also my dumbass deciding to drive with the current setup, ive damaged both calipers :banghead:  so ive ordered an 18" ultraleggera from tire rack to test fit it, and if that doesnt work, i'll upgrade to 19".


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

had a difficult time finding an 18" wheel that would work so going with 19". ordered the rs3 rear bumper supports from alexander at europrice, and had them fitted. sorry for the filthy bumper and difficulty in seeing them.


















new wheels, adjusting the suspension on thursday and putting them on. hopefully i dont have too many issues fitting these..










and probably the last pic ill have with the current setup.


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## strangetdi (Feb 5, 2002)

PreMier said:


> had a difficult time finding an 18" wheel that would work so going with 19"


What appears to be the issue with 18's? It seems 19's offer more difficulties since they tend to be wider than 18s and the offsets can cause issues (like I have had). Just curious that's all.

Edit: you are talking about the brake caliper clearance, I figured.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

strangetdi said:


> What appears to be the issue with 18's? It seems 19's offer more difficulties since they tend to be wider than 18s and the offsets can cause issues (like I have had). Just curious that's all.
> 
> Edit: you are talking about the brake caliper clearance, I figured.


yea the clearance between the top of the caliper and the inner barrel of the wheel. the 18's had 1mm clearance or less.. and i actually damaged the calipers. i can only blame myself, because i didnt want to wait/rent a car for 1-2 months before the wheels came in. this is the most damaged caliper, from the stones. its not visible unless the wheels off, but its still disappointing :banghead:










here is the clearance now with the 19's installed. also i had a difficult time with spoke clearance on a lot of wheels, and wouldve had to run a spacer on most.


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

after the new wheel install


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## PreMier (Jan 4, 2006)

also took a road trip to thrash the car, since i havent had a chance to test the new brakes and tires. went to wales with the gf, and the first stop was betwys-y-coed where we stayed the night. this was only a short drive to the evo triangle. unfortunately theyve installed average speed cameras on a large portion of it. it was still beautiful.



















http://www.drivingforpleasure.co.uk/roads-and-tours/uk-road.php?s=2011-08-30-the-evo-triangle

the next morning we fueled up and were headed to capel curig, which is the beginning of the pen-y-pass, and flows down into the llanberis pass.

http://www.drivingforpleasure.co.uk/roads-and-tours/uk-road.php?s=2011-09-16-the-llanberis-pass










top of pen-y-pass, gorgeous




























top of llanberis from the car/then down at the bottom of the llanberis pass before heading to caernarfon to see the castle




























on the way to caernarfon we spotted a cool old tower and had to stop










finally caernarfon. one of the best preserved castles, and absolutely massive.. to think people built this hundreds of years ago




























cold cider


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