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@ASTTer
Thanks! I've been meaning to post an update on this as I've been busy...
First up, I can now safely describe it as the car that taste forgot. What you see below is the effect of a misspent youth playing the Need for Speed series...
Anyway since I last posted I've got hold of a VCDS unit and have been scanning for fault codes. It's generally really clear with one on the AC (which still blows fine) and a load related to the radio now I've taken the factory head unit out.
Buried away however was a fairly innocuous looking one in the 4WD system, which upon researching basically suggested the Haldex controller had fried itself and the car was only running 2wd. This doesn't trigger any kind of warning light interestingly. Audi will only replace the whole Haldex unit at £1,000 plus but thankfully there's a great company (Haldex Repairs) in Crewe that will refurbish the control units. I got under the car and pulled that out on Monday, posted it to them on Tuesday, they confirmed it was shagged on Wednesday (quite spectacularly in fact, the circuit board had completely burned out and melted the pins that connect out to the rear diff), repaired it and had it back to me by lunchtime today. I refitted it, took it for a quick spin, and am still trying to remove my eyeballs from the back of my head.
The Haldex units on these things are 'interesting'. Audi don't list the Haldex oil filter as a consumable so it never gets replaced on the standard service schedule, but as with any oil filter over time they'll get completely clogged up. I got the company who repaired the unit to send me a service kit with a new filter at the same time. It's in a horrible position to get to when working under the car so after struggling with trying to remove the old one for a bit I've got it booked in for a specialist to do the replacement next week, which should only be 30-60 mins labour for someone who can get it up on a lift and doesn't have sausage fingers.
I'm feeling a bit smug about having sorted this as according to the paperwork the Haldex pump has been replaced twice in the past year so I'm guessing previous owners have tried to get it back to life and failed, but it's now running fault free and once the filter is replaced should be set for another 30,000 miles.
I'm not going to start tinkering with the engine immediately, however if it proves to be reliable then I'd certainly consider going stage 1, however a lot of people have apparently had issues with the stock clutch slipping once they remap, so going for a Sachs upgraded clutch and DMF and a remap will be the thick end of £1500. It might be a post-bonus treat next year.
Exhaust wise, well that decision might be made for me in not too long as the back end of the car isn't in a great place corrosion wise. The subframe, springs, lower arms and sway bar all look bad and there's also quite a lot of rust on some areas of the exhaust. Touch wood from poking it with a screwdriver it seems to be surface rather than structural but it's not going to get better on its own so I have it booked in at a place down near Brighton who will take it for a week, have a good dig into it and treat everything with Lanoguard. That's the hope anyway, there is now the slight worry they will ring up and tell me I'm driving a cheese grater that's only good for scrap and I will have thrown a lot of money and effort down the drain.