ajm

aren't Micro Jeeps of this era famous for the AT-gearbox shifting issue? It was fixed after a certain year(Australian supplier=>Japanese upplier), but dont know the details.

If you want drive experience,the comfort AND fuel economy, buy a EURO diesel. You might even get a 2008ish Pug for this budget.

Dear All, I need to keep the car idle for a few months because I could not finish the Engine overhaul during my vacation. Engine was removed from vehicle and the the block is mounted back on the vehicle with new piston rings,bigend bearings etc. The head could not be completed because the workshop made a mistake with the height of vale seat position,which needs to be adjusted again. at the moment its sitting in the open garage at home. Do you have some hints how to store the car/engine for about half a year? What should be taken care of(Corrosion,Insects,Rats...) Many thanks

Apart from low center of gravity and the counterbalancing of engine vibrations,is there any advantages of Boxer engines that improve durability/reliability?(its Two, not just one head gasket that could leak)

because they are driven continuously on highway,the stress levels are would be lower than the same car driving over potholes in traffic and sitting parked at the office.

sounds like a wild idea! However as a current owner of a B5(Diesel) I am with you. Real S4 B5s are hard to find even in Germany.RS4 B5 almost impossible. https://www.ebay.de/itm/Audi-S4-B5-Quattro/232609857384?hash=item3628a0bf68:g:1OEAAOSwl9RaQqrd But "S-line" mods maybe less complicated. https://www.ebay.de/itm/Audi-A4-8D-B5-2-8-S-line-Benzin-Bj-1999/253361491622?hash=item3afd858ea6:g:B4sAAOSwHYpaP91T I think you have to change many things from Engine to Brake disks.you will source them from Germany? and skilled mechanics? or you are already handy with Tools?

oh,I thought you were going to do the conversion in SL!

if correctly serviced/maintained,even 1 million is possible without major repairs. Engine wear happens mostly during engine starting,after that it runs on oil tolerances. Putting the pedal to the metal just after starting is a major abuse,and for turbochrged engines even about 1 minute idling is necessary before turning off. So the number of kilometers is not the main factor for engine life(which explains why taxis and your subaru example have high mileage without major repair). However if its a commuter car which sits most of time in traffic and parking,lifetime would be much less. For conventional electronics,the electrolyte capacitors is the bottleneck which degrade out of specified limits after 15-20years of normal use(but still not completely busted) For hybrid batteries,I think its somewhere around 10-15years. For electronics failures,the leading factors would be thermal cycling,vibration load,corrosion of contacts etc. In addition,fuel quality influence the premature DPF and O2/Lambda sensor failures.

yes,you can put it like that too. The one buying the Skoda or Seat is getting the best deal/value for money if he is looking only for driving experience(no fancy leather,navigation,LED lights,Status..)

actually the driving experience of a VW,Seat,Skoda is not so different from the corresponding Audi models,some bells and whistles are sometimes first used in Audi,VW and carried over to lower-end brands later. Unless you are buying the S or R line models of Audi, it's just same if you buy an A4,a Passat or a Skoda Octavia.But of course the status is different.

actually VW group is sharing same Platforms from high-end Audi to low-end Seat,Skoda brands in order to save engineering costs. So in 99% of the cases, an Audi buyer is buying nothing but a dressed up Volkswagen. Even Mercedes A,B klasse have Renault engines since recently but I think from C klasse upwards the platforms are internally developed.

Some discussion of those who have done it. (Google translate might help) https://www.motor-talk.de/forum/s4-umbau-projekt-t2658839.html?page=1 so you will be looking to grab an old B5 first?

the A4 is just a VW with sportier design and luxury interior. Other two are luxury brands. But I think Mercedes holding the value and reliability with age.

yes at least they design and manufacture something,regardless of quality.But be prepared for tough competition finding a job after graduation.

sad truth is there are no automotive"engineering" jobs at the moment in Sri Lanka where one would actually design or manufacture anything. Those who claim to be "automobile engineers" are actually senior workshop supervisors. For Some fields like Application/Calibration engineering, Electro magnetic compatibility,Noise/Vibration/Harshaness,PCB layout are Industry knowhow and don't even exist in Universities. Usually Graduates who have studied subjects like Electronics systems,Mechatronics and control theory, RF design,C-programming ,Embedded design are always sought after by employers. In any case,good maths skills are mandatory to pass the exams.

first of all there is no discipline called pure "automotive engineering" neither in Sri Lanka or any country which has auto manufacturers. In countries like Germany,France there are degrees with heavy involvement in automotive related simulations for electronics,programming,NVH design etc but its too complicated that no one knows upto expert level all the fields required to build a car on his own.To call oneself an "automobile engineer" ,one has to graduate a 3 or 4years bachelor course in an engineering discipline like Electronics,Electronics systems,mechanical,manufacturing etc and be able to join an automotive manufacturer or supplier. Then depending on the workgroup one would be a specialist in automotive electronics,mechanical design,software,production or Application. on the other hand there are people who come from workshops/maintenance sector and call themselves "automobile Engineers" without any design experience or knowledge. If one would be able To successfully complete an Engineering Degree, AL results would be a good indication ,although not only that.

I think you are right,could have been an isolated case(even rats eating some dashboard wires)

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hi,the pump was already making screeching noises at low rpm,was going to change it and do the flush. But this additional groaning noise inside cabin came recently,that's why the question if any other parts need to be checked. hi Stig,this is 15year old A4.

yes,only during the first half of turning from left to right.

hi, recently noticed a small low pitch groaning noise inside cabin passenger side ,accompanied by a small increase of tightness. It comes only when turning from left end position to centre position. What could be the reason,pump,rack,tie rods,steering column or anything else? This A4 has a full hydraulic steering system, no electric.

double post

I think the agents bring down at least the A1,A3,Q2 with 1L engines. So they should be released for SL or VW doesn't care how long they will last in our very small market.

apart from emissions reports isn't it possible to find from insurance companies if the odo has been reset,by checking with them the recorded mileage for say,last 5 years?

true it's a design problem.But its also a known fact that thin oils deteriorate faster in our hot climate, traffic,thermal cycles which could accelerate the sludge formation problems. Recently there are more design issues with car makers(even Japanese) and there is no consumer protection mechanism at the moment for grey imports, which is unacceptable.