2003 Audi A3 1.4 Petrol. Timing belt went bang. Worth saving.

RINO87

2003 Audi A2 1.4 Petrol. Belongs to herself's family. Timing belt went bang today... anyone know if this engine is interference/non interference??

Its worth sweet fanny adams really, so is it worth trying to save it? Rare enough yoke, body and interior in pretty good shape

Thanks.

EDIT its an A2 which you don't see so much of, not an A3. Can the trhread title be updated?

RINO87

Ha, should be a question make in the thread title there!

bazz26

You sure it's not 1.6? I don't think the 1.4 became available until around 2008/2009 in the A3 and that had a timing chain.

RINO87

bazz26 wrote: »

You sure it's not 1.6? I don't think the 1.4 became available until around 2008/2009 in the A3 and that had a timing chain.

It's actually an A2, I messed up the thread title....

bazz26

Ok, those 1.4 engines were interference afaik so if the belt snapped your probably looking at extensive damage possibly beyond economic repair. Has a mechanic taken a look at it yet? How long do you plan to keep the car? Might be cheaper to get a second hand engine but VAG make a few different versions of that engine over the years so you'd need to know the specific engine code and if there are other similar variants of that engine that are a suitable replacement.

Maybe someone else here with more experience of VAG products might chime in.

RINO87

bazz26 wrote: »

Ok, those 1.4 engines were interference afaik so if the belt snapped your probably looking at extensive damage possibly beyond economic repair. Has a mechanic taken a look at it yet? How long do you plan to keep the car? Might be cheaper to get a second hand engine but VAG make a few different versions of that engine over the years so you'd need to know the specific engine code and if there are other similar variants of that engine that are a suitable replacement.

Maybe someone else here with more experience of VAG products might chime in.

Thanks. No it was only being used as a runabout so if its toast its toast. They wouldnt be putting big money into it at all...

If it was worth saving I'd look at taking it off them just because I never see them on the roads at all (with good reason I wonder?). I certainly wouldnt be dropping a new engine into it.

Effects

RINO87 wrote: »

Its an A2 which you don't see so much of, not an A3.

Probably a good reason you don't see many of them. They weren't a big seller due to their looks.

Seweryn

Effects wrote: »

Probably a good reason you don't see many of them. They weren't a big seller due to their looks.

Not really. The looks are not the reason they were not selling many of them. It was the price tag.

colm_mcm

Yep, Audi reportedly lost €5000 on each one produced too.

Seweryn

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Its a shame if its scrapped was a genuine unique car from Audi.

Yeah, the bodywork was over-engineered. Made from aluminium, it was lighter and a lot more expensive to manufacture. The car costed more than any competitive vehicle in its segment and therefore wasn't a success.

Ubbquittious

Will probably get a fan base in a few years time.If u getting rid of it shtick it up on donedeal someone might want it for parts or refurbishing. Wasnt there an engine they made for this with a head that was impossible to remove?

colm_mcm

The A2 was only marginally more expensive than a Mercedes A Class.

selectamatic

You'd get a used 1.4 engine for one for handy enough money.

It came in practically every VAG car of the time. Watch out for ones that excessively burn oil though.

Maybe even a 100bhp 1.4 engine could be got for it.

colm_mcm

You can also buy A2s cheap though

selectamatic

colm_mcm wrote: »

You can also buy A2s cheap though

True.

Kinda hard weigh things up really.

From a current economical stand point it should be scrapped but it's always nice to save something even if it isn't really economical to do so.

RINO87

Right, so after talking to the owner of the car who said "the timing belt is gone", Actually means they brought it to a mechanic and he suggested replacing it, as there's no evidence of it being done. - Exactly what I had suggested to them at Christmas....
Anyway, she lives for a while yet!!

colm_mcm

It’s certainly a car worth maintaining properly. Timing belt is probably only €400 so worth doing if the car is otherwise good.

Stallingrad

Stick it in barn for 30 years, A2's are destined to be classics one day.

deandean

If I had the time, money and patience I'd pick up an A2 and do an electric conversion on it.

PauloMN

RINO87 wrote: »

Right, so after talking to the owner of the car who said "the timing belt is gone", Actually means they brought it to a mechanic and he suggested replacing it, as there's no evidence of it being done. - Exactly what I had suggested to them at Christmas....
Anyway, she lives for a while yet!!

Chinese whispers with a good ending lol!

Car99

Audi S2 save it Audi A2 not so desirable

Seweryn

Car99 wrote: »

A2 not so desirable

Not yet.

bazz26

One for hiding away in the barn indeed.

Car99

bazz26 wrote: »

One for hiding away in the barn indeed.

But why , not very good looking, no special performance or handling characteristics why would it become desirable in your opinion?

littlevillage

No

bazz26

Car99 wrote: »

But why , not very good looking, no special performance or handling characteristics why would it become desirable in your opinion?

Because it was a unique design for the time, bodywork made mostly of aluminium which was unheard of back then also. It might not be desirable to your eyes but that's not to say it's not desirable to others.

RINO87

PauloMN wrote: »

Chinese whispers with a good ending lol!

Fact!! Herself said she might even take it off them now if we can get insured and tidy it up. Sure it's not everyone's cup of tea, but she would like it as a runabout, and I like it as it's just something different...

On the insurance. My better half is currently a named driver on my car... If I attempt to put this on a "classic" policy, can I also have named driver's on that? I can't imagine quotes for her on a 03 with only named driving experience (but 6+ years of that) are going to be pretty.

Thanks

selectamatic

No hope of getting a classic policy on a 03 car. All insurers are only covering 20+ year old cars.

Also near certain a named driver on a classic policy has to have a car and policy of their own too. They've to be over 25 also.

RINO87

selectamatic wrote: »

No hope of getting a classic policy on a 03 car. All insurers are only covering 20+ year old cars.

Also near certain a named driver on a classic policy has to have a car and policy of their own too. They've to be over 25 also.

Cheers.