Who's 8L is the most unreliable?

[TDIQ]

After having to get recovered two weeks ago because of a waterpump, which the impeller thankfully didn't break, I changed the cambelt and waterpump.

Put it in the for MOT with Audi and failed on wipers (worked ok I thought, apparently not...) and a broken rear spring.

There was a bottle of coolant which was heavy enough to stand up under it's own weight and was sealed up. When I picked the car up someone had left the bottle undone on the seat, with half of the contents now in my passenger seat.

Friday I fitted a full set of coilovers (which I paid £50 over the odds for because I needed them), thinking that's fine I'll get the MOT retested tomorrow morning and now have a leaking rear brake pipe giving me absolutely no brakes at all.

On top of that my laptop with VAG-COM has died, and the car whilst idling goes from about 800 up to 900rpm for a moment every few seconds.

So irritating, but I'm sure that someone must have a more unreliable 8L from the stories on here. I realise that some are over a decade old but it's so frustrating to fix one thing and have more problems!

 

[AGU-TURBO]

i wouldn't say there unreliable but they are coming to that age now where parts are going to be failing. fix these parts and you will/should be good for thousands of miles more.

 

[Prawn]

ooooooooooooooooooh, I could be a good contender for this!

Mods aside, I have had to do the following in the last 4 years due to breakages:

3 new gearboxes, 4 new clutches, 2 new flywheels, 2 new turbos, 2 new steering racks, new exhaust, new master cylinder, 2 sets of coilovers, a new power steering pump, a water pump, an aircon pump, a MAF.

And that's all down to stuff breaking, not including replacing suspension and such like due to wear and tear!

Mind you, the track beasty does get a serious thrashing, and it has done 205 000 miles!

 

[Shawny-S3]

bought the car 2 days later the central locking vac pump went 5 days after started loosing water cylinder head cracked drivers side engine mount snapped power steering pumps broken and now got a boost leak ... oh and air flow meters jaffed

 

[lnewland]

Mine broke down 30 mins after collecting it due to alternator failure. Got it home and found that the spare had a blow out and temp sensor wasn't working also no record of the cam belt having been replaced yet it's done 142000 miles.

 

[AARON77]

If you want reliable I would suggest roller skates

 

[Syvo]

If you want reliable I would suggest roller skates

there not reliable either especially on ramps in past 3 yrs ive gone through 7 sets of wheels 4 sets of bearings 2 pairs of frames and 8 pairs of bolts.

this is my roller skates btw.

the car hmm whats gone wrong.
few boost leaks under inlet manifold.
part of spring broke.
car locked me out for 3 hours wouldnt open at all then opened after 3 hours no problems
blew intercooler pipe off down the motorway.
rear drop link broke

looking back at the list its not that bad but its my 2 pence worth

 

[DaveA3]

The only thing that has broken on my car in the last few years is the ignition amplifier, thermostat and the water pump. *touch wood*

Everything else is wear and tear (including rear bushes). Not too bad

 

[TDIQ]

Seems like Prawn's could be the winner so far!

Obviously the cars are getting on a bit but it's so frustrating but worth it in the long run I guess. Hopefully will be getting the pipe fixed as soon as I get one and hopefully no more problems to come!

 

[ci-ryder]

I am yet to get to the enjoyable part of S3 ownership as I bought mine in April drove it for 3 weeks before it decided to go pop in a big way resulting in a scarily long list of parts including a replacement engine (cyclinder head cracked) replacement turbo, engine mount, clutch, flywheel, silicone hoses as pretty much all the originals have perished or fell apart trying to take them off.

I now have a huge list of new or replacement parts to be fitted but as I am useless with mechanics I have been relying on a mate to do the hard graft in his spare time hence still no car for me and a big regret about buying it as well as a massive hole in my wallet.

 

[Welly]

Anyone know is familiar with my work knows that Bumble hasn't been the best....

So many things, I can't be ***** to list them!

 

[S3MMA]

After 4weeks ....

Broke down after coil packs failed, had to replace all four

Had to replace the oil cooler tank and hoses
New hoses under the manifold
Had to replace the cd player
New brakes all round
New motor for the electric window
Coolant Flush

new problem this week:-

The car is struggling starting but only when the fuel tank is less than 1/2 full - so thinking I may need a new fuel pump??

 

[JS1500]

Mine's been pretty good since I bought it in Oct 2009! Wear and tear and servicing items don't count of course...

 

[camscockle20vT]

its not usually the cars fault, as i found over the years buying these 1.8 turbos. its the numtys that have owned them previousley and never put a spanner to the car. iv had my share of bad luck but the crown has to go to my mate that bought a yellow cupra r on a 53 plate paying £4800, then driving back from bristol (which is where we bought it) the temp went to the top, phoned the guy and he comes to meet us and says its the temp sensor malfuntioning the cars fine and gives us £50 for a new sensor, we drive off cooking the engine for about 15miles lol when the red oil light comes on, so we pull over and call the AA as he in tears that his bought a lemon. later inspection confirms pump prapeller gone lol, and oil pick up clogged and was a very lucky boy that he hadent blown his engine driving it over heating. needles to say the bill was still heftey, not to metion then driving it for 3 months and paying a further £1000 on wheel bearings, new arms, a set of front brembo discs and all the labour in the garage to then sell it for £4200 due to it never heating up to proper temp and fearing another heftey bill.

 

[Rob_k]

Brought my mrs s3 3 weeks ago, so far;
Maf sensor
N75
Brake light switch
Brake servo

And now turbo!

 

[TDIQ]

its not usually the cars fault, as i found over the years buying these 1.8 turbos. its the numtys that have owned them previousley and never put a spanner to the car. iv had my share of bad luck but the crown has to go to my mate that bought a yellow cupra r on a 53 plate paying £4800, then driving back from bristol (which is where we bought it) the temp went to the top, phoned the guy and he comes to meet us and says its the temp sensor malfuntioning the cars fine and gives us £50 for a new sensor, we drive off cooking the engine for about 15miles lol when the red oil light comes on, so we pull over and call the AA as he in tears that his bought a lemon. later inspection confirms pump prapeller gone lol, and oil pick up clogged and was a very lucky boy that he hadent blown his engine driving it over heating. needles to say the bill was still heftey, not to metion then driving it for 3 months and paying a further £1000 on wheel bearings, new arms, a set of front brembo discs and all the labour in the garage to then sell it for £4200 due to it never heating up to proper temp and fearing another heftey bill.

Mine has full Audi history. They don't change the waterpump or the auxiliary belt when doing a cambelt, nor do they suggest it's done either I don't believe. Fortunately the bearings gave up as opposed to the impeller breaking up. Sometimes it's not just the previous owners

 

[Jason.s]

We do at VW, or atleast the dealers i`ve worked at lol. Look through history, if its not been done then obviously providing how old the car is we`ll advise one to be changed along side the cambelt.

 

[camscockle20vT]

Agreed not always, but alot of the time lol. And im cheap so the stealers is never an option lol. Iv just had my audi in the garage with a mad noise on acceleratiin to find that its the passenger side mount was held in by one loose bolt, not good. Im pritty sure its had an engine replacement in the past as its had the code scrubed from the tag on the head. Aswell as all the loose bolts im discovering, and cam position sensor just nocking around lol and the mountin of tie wraps lol yeh not always the previous owner :/