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LondonRascal

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Got a nasty surprise t'other day there.

The Q5 was in at Audi for some fixes foc via the national dvla recall system - Everything done and to the good.  They found a couple of other issues, a creak from somewhere on the rear suspension and a squeaking brake pedal assembly, both issues are covered under the original Audi warranty, it is booked in in ten days or so with a courtesy car provided, all to the good then.

The nasty surprise came when I enquired about obtaining a spare key.  We knew when we purchased the car it didn't have one.  The Audi dealership quoted us to supply / code etc £395:00 - WOW :default_icon_e_surprised:

Fortunately I was sat on my derrière at the time.  I said I would 'Think About It'  which is my own code for - Not a bloody chance lady, I'll have a search round on t'internet when I get home

I duly rang a professional auto locksmiths up in Sheffield.  He explained to me that Audi hang on to the codes for about five years from new, and the only way to obtain a spare key is direct through Audi until late 2023 at t earliest

So, do we risk MrsG losing the only key we have and / or getting it pinched along with her handbag etc?

Or bite the bullet and pay a Kings ransom to Audi for a spare key. (At least Dick Turpin wore as mask)  Guaranteed if we wait, the worst will happen then getting the Q5 lifted off to Audi etc will cost a whole lot more on top of the £395

Griff

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A diesel car, not even a hybrid.

as long as this is the case i cant see how the government can expect to do the changeover from fossil fuels to electric. i have nowhere at either end to charge, and do more than the range of most electric cars daily.

Plus you omitted the biggest drawback of them all - Its french

Griff

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26 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

Got a nasty surprise t'other day there.

The Q5 was in at Audi for some fixes foc via the national dvla recall system - Everything done and to the good.  They found a couple of other issues, a creak from somewhere on the rear suspension and a squeaking brake pedal assembly, both issues are covered under the original Audi warranty, it is booked in in ten days or so with a courtesy car provided, all to the good then.

The nasty surprise came when I enquired about obtaining a spare key.  We knew when we purchased the car it didn't have one.  The Audi dealership quoted us to supply / code etc £395:00 - WOW :default_icon_e_surprised:

Fortunately I was sat on my derrière at the time.  I said I would 'Think About It'  which is my own code for - Not a bloody chance lady, I'll have a search round on t'internet when I get home

I duly rang a professional auto locksmiths up in Sheffield.  He explained to me that Audi hang on to the codes for about five years from new, and the only way to obtain a spare key is direct through Audi until late 2023 at t earliest

So, do we risk MrsG losing the only key we have and / or getting it pinched along with her handbag etc?

Or bite the bullet and pay a Kings ransom to Audi for a spare key. (At least Dick Turpin wore as mask)  Guaranteed if we wait, the worst will happen then getting the Q5 lifted off to Audi etc will cost a whole lot more on top of the £395

Griff

Could you not get key cover added onto Mrs G car insurance and then if the worst happens and key gets lost or stolen the insurance will cover all costs ? 

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I'll shortly be able to see the practical side of electric cars: One of my sons will soon get his new company car, a fully electric Audi estate. Family is a wife, three kids and a dog. No charging point at home yet but free charge at work. They live in Leicestershire with a static caravan holiday booked in Dorset later in the year. The onboard computer/satnav tells you when and where it's best to recharge. First calculation says there'll be a 45 minute stop either way, and Audi supply a 3 pin converter for when you're there. It'll be interesting to see how it works in practise.

Tax breaks for electric company cars make them very attractive indeed, at the moment! 

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4 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

So, do we risk MrsG losing the only key we have and / or getting it pinched along with her handbag etc?

Many insurance companies demand proof of two keys if a car is stolen, only one key and they claim you might have left it in an unlocked car and refuse the claim.

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If you are keeping the car long term I would bite the bullet and pay the £395.

My last BMW which I traded in Last June only had 1 key for the last 2 years, god knows were the spare key went, I’m sure it’s on the boat some were, I think BMW want nearer to £500 for a new key!  I always thought I would find the key somewhere so never bothered to buy another one and fortunately it wasn’t a problem at trade in, but it’s always on your mind what if I lost this one!

John

 

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Could you not get key cover added onto MrsG's car insurance and then if the worst happens and key gets lost or stolen the insurance will cover all costs ?

Many insurance companies demand proof of two keys if a car is stolen, only one key and they claim you might have left it in an unlocked car and refuse the claim.

 

Insurance Co's as we know in the small print use all manner of clauses to get out of paying in full.

Getting car recovered without spare key? - That'll no doubt be an instant - We ain't paying as you have 'Lost' or should have had a spare key

If you are keeping the car long term I would bite the bullet and pay the £395.

We intend to, presently sharpening teeth ready to bite the bullet :default_sad:

Griff

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Another issue with regards to open wallet surgery came to light when paying the road tax.

Over £500.  How is it that much for a 2 x Litre diesel nearly new car with Adblue and low emissions ?

Talking to those in the know, it turns out it is a backdoor revenue raiser for the treasury 

Apparently it turns out that if you purchase a second hand car that is less than five years old and the initial purchase price when new was over £40k then the new second hand owner pays a much higher rate of road tax until the car is over five years old.  Therefore an easy calculation is that for the next two n half years the road tax for MrsG's new pride and joy will set us back around £1'250 minimum

Nice one HMG 

Griff

 

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20 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

 . . . . . . . . . So, do we risk MrsG losing the only key we have and / or getting it pinched along with her handbag etc?

Or bite the bullet and pay a Kings ransom to Audi for a spare key. (At least Dick Turpin wore as mask)  Guaranteed if we wait, the worst will happen then getting the Q5 lifted off to Audi etc will cost a whole lot more on top of the £395

Griff

Sod’s law dictates that if you don’t have a spare, you will lose the original, but if you stump up the readies for another one, it will remain safe, secure and unused.

Just imagine the cost of a new lock set, with two keys, fitting and coding if the worst should happen.  Personally, I’d buy a spare, but it is a load of cash I agree.  Got to say, though, buy a car with a prestige badge and expect big bills.  That’s why I drive a Skoda!!

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Same thing happened to my dad when he bought his ex demo 3 month old Range Rover evoque.. Base model was £38.000 but then optional extras on was £15.000 worth on top.. £53.000 brand new.. Got it for £42.000.. and he’s paying the silly sky high road tax. You would think that as the base model is under £40.000 they should fix the tax on that.. It’s the Same engine same amount of wheels .. same emissions.. what’s having tinted glass, Having extra foam in the seat got to do with the extra price on the road tax... 

 But surely you would think the manufacturers would get on to the government and complain about the sky high tax on new and second hand cars.. Both my cars are Diesels, my 4 year old Hyundai Tucson is £30 a year and my 7 year old Peugeot 208 is free..  Basically now anyone buying a second hand car under 5 years old now will be getting stung by the rip of road tax.. 

Griff buy another key 🔑 it’s worth it mate 👍👍👍

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And remember to use the spare key now and again, the last car we had we chucked the spare in the back of a drawer and only ever used it once, when we sold it the car would start for 3 seconds then stop and all the lights on the dash would flash up, after some embarrasing head scratching I saw the key looked pristing and said to try the othe, perfect.

The immobiliser uses a rolling code so the key needs to update itself within so many codes or it needs reprogramming by a dealer, it was £56 back in 2013 for a skoda and that is still having the key.

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9 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Sod’s law dictates that if you don’t have a spare, you will lose the original, but if you stump up the readies for another one, it will remain safe, secure and unused.

Just imagine the cost of a new lock set, with two keys, fitting and coding if the worst should happen.  Personally, I’d buy a spare, but it is a load of cash I agree.  Got to say, though, buy a car with a prestige badge and expect big bills.  That’s why I drive a Skoda!!

my skoda octavia needed a new key £295, so not a lot cheaper

dropped the other in Acle Dyke mootings

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22 minutes ago, thunder said:

my skoda octavia needed a new key £295, so not a lot cheaper

dropped the other in Acle Dyke mootings

Ooh, I don’t know about that.  £395 against £295 is 25% less for what will essentially be the same part, but for the badge.  All the parts on my Skoda have VW Audi marked on them.

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A               U                  D                      I

ALWAYS  URGENTLY   DEMANDING   INVESTMENT

My TT roadster, in the next month would need 4 new tyres, servicing and timing belt change, £2500+

So I decided to throw £2000 at a MX5 2 litre GT Sport Tech.

Not as sophisticated as the Audi but a hoolie to drive! and a lot cheaper to insure.

Audi make very good cars but I have never been in one of their dealerships without coming feeling slimed on.

paul

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The first years road tax on the new Range Rover is £2245 but please don't ask what is after that, everyone you ask says something different. Parker's website says £475 but the Vehicle Certification Agency's website says £155, but whichever is correct there is the "£40,000" premium of £335 a year to add in years 2 - 6. We'll find out when the reminder comes.

It would have been a lot cheaper if we had gone for the hybrid but it only has a two litre four pot petrol and who wants a two litre Range Rover. Milk comes in two litres, not Range Rovers. 

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9 hours ago, Paul said:

The first years road tax on the new Range Rover is £2245 but please don't ask what is after that, everyone you ask says something different. Parker's website says £475 but the Vehicle Certification Agency's website says £155, but whichever is correct there is the "£40,000" premium of £335 a year to add in years 2 - 6. We'll find out when the reminder comes.

It would have been a lot cheaper if we had gone for the hybrid but it only has a two litre four pot petrol and who wants a two litre Range Rover. Milk comes in two litres, not Range Rovers. 

The first year is always high, if the car was over 40k years 2 onwards are a flat £155 unless the car is sold,  then in years 2-5 you would pay £535 a year then year 6 £155.   I know because I got caught out big time. 

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Its badge engineering, i remember some years ago that a distributor cap for a renault was cheaper than a Pauget one and one third the price for a Citron one all three were identical in every way except the boxes were different, didn't take long for the trade to only buy Renault ones. John

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Heyup, thanks for the advice one and all, very good of you, especially the one about using the spare key now and again, that's a new one on me.  We will be ordering a new spare key next week and will just have to keep a stiff upper one when paying for it.  We intend to keep this car long term so it has gotta be worth it for peace of mind if nowt else. 

As for the rip of road tax - just have to live with it until after five years old

I got some fettling done on the Q5 Saturday, deep cleaned all four brake callipers then got some specialist heat proof brake calliper on all of them, (grey) to keep them subtly protected whilst still corrosion free.  4 x mudflaps, rimflex protectors on the alloy wheels.  Puddle lights, Audi upgrade to brighter Led's with the four ring symbols? £95 from Audi, £15 for same four items on Ebay - Ordered as is a K&N air filter

I'm off out to work shortly (Retford) and we have a slight dusting of snow outside I see, just marvellous

Griff

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Car failed first MOT yesterday! On account of flighting in Pembrokeshire last September. Tyres cut on the mile and a half quarry road travelled every day!

Budgeted about £300 for test and service....now add 5 x premium all season mud and snow jobbies + programmed monitor valves few quid change out of £900. Bl**dy Cars.

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My wife has a Mini, which is great fun to drive but it is probably the least reliable thing known to man. I actually think a Fiat, VW (anything after the 1.9PD) or Renault would be less trouble.

Having been back to the main dealer four times under warranty because the timing chain didn't sound right (and knowing they have a major reputation for eating tensioners / guides) I was assured repeatedly nothing was wrong with the car even though the independent garage who MOT'd it also said they felt something was wrong with it.

Now it's out of warranty and 1,000 miles later the timing chain is finally making the 'death rattle' sound that means the chain needs replacing immediately.

What fun.

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I have been considering a Cooper Convertible as my Summer "Me" car. The fact that the BMW 3 pot has a chain was a major attraction. You are rapidly putting me off the idea.

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2 hours ago, oldgregg said:

My wife has a Mini, which is great fun to drive but it is probably the least reliable thing known to man. I actually think a Fiat, VW (anything after the 1.9PD) or Renault would be less trouble.

Having been back to the main dealer four times under warranty because the timing chain didn't sound right (and knowing they have a major reputation for eating tensioners / guides) I was assured repeatedly nothing was wrong with the car even though the independent garage who MOT'd it also said they felt something was wrong with it.

Now it's out of warranty and 1,000 miles later the timing chain is finally making the 'death rattle' sound that means the chain needs replacing immediately.

What fun.

There will be records of your four complaints to the dealer to use to say that it should of been fixed. Also check on owners community web sites for advice, and good luck with it.

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