Audi A2. The best car I've owned

Cars
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I’ve been running Alison for ten years and almost 154,000 miles.:tada::tada::tada:

The reason why I chose the A2 was that they are technically interesting with an all aluminium body structure and panels, have mass produced mechanical components and are extremely economical in real world terms.:nerd_face:

Economy is excellent all year round. Can’t get less than 56 mpg. Best was 67mpg (and that was with a borked thermostat) although generally it hovers around 60mpg.

Comfort is very good too. The seats work for me despite no adjustable lumbar support. The ride quality is firm and the interior quiet at motorway speeds.

The interior has stood up to 21 years and almost 279,000 miles with minimal wear on the driver’s seat and ‘soft touch’ switches.

I realise that in some circles ‘Diesel’ is a dirty word, but I do believe it makes sense to run an older car and maintain it well.

Oh yeah. Maintenance. Apart from general servicing, the clutch was replaced at about 240,000 miles. Thw oil pump/ balancer shaft chain and tensioners were changed at the same time.

Clutch hydraulics were replaced after about 160,000 miles. The master cylinder failed just as I was parking up at home!

A thermostat was changed, and so were the front suspension control arms. Those of you who know someone with a Polo 9N, Skoda Fabia and other related cars check those hollow Control Arms for corrosion and holes!

That is pretty much it, really. Audi A2. A fucking brilliant car.

Collection mission on the 23rd of February 2014:

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I was very emotional when we hit 200,000 miles…

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And yesterday after a station run…

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A 1.4 petrol with 75 bhp and modded suspension and brakes can do this:

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Awesome! Most of the faster vehicles were only pulling away on the straights, not in the twisties. Just imagine what it could do with a Hayabusa lump…

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Now just imagine if it was driven by someone competent and not that ape misha!

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I don’t know / know of him tbh, so don’t have a frame of reference. The car seemed to go really well apart from a lack of power, credit to the light stiff structure and work on the suspension. He didn’t need to use the brakes much despite his questionable skills :rofl:

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Not enough power to need brakes lol :slight_smile:

I know many ring taxi drivers and people who frequent the ring (have been a few times myself), misha has already crashed 7 times this year, it’s a wonder anyone lets him out.

He’s an ape behind the wheel

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Alison would completely destroy a Petrol 1.4 around that track. Loads of torque and everything! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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I had similar thoughts about FoL #2’s A2. She has the 90BHP diesel, and it’s a hoot to drive, feels much more responsive and agile than I’d ever have expected - Alison must feel much the same :heart_eyes:

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You don’t need that much power to go reasonably quickly round the nordschleife, mainly you have to know where it goes and be smooth as it’s very fast and flowing. The danger comes when you think you know where you are and you’re actually somewhere else and you go barrelling in. It’s not the place to be gung-ho.

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You can only go gung-ho on the autobahn, but certainly not on the French roads before you get to Germany.

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Sadly in low powered cars you do put them through an enormous amount of strain dealing with the long and constant uphill at Kesselchen. You end up having to run them at top revs in a fairly low gear just to maintain momentum, and this can be pretty hard. It’s also where smaller low power cars lose the most amount of time on the circuit.

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Wouldn’t know, I was mostly on an R1 :grinning:

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Mate rode his R1 with some mates over via the chunnel and down to the ring.

Did half a lap and shat himself :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

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It’s a scary place on a bike that’s for sure, I used to go 3 or 4 times a years for a few years from about 2006-2012. It got to the point that on the way home in the van, I was just grateful I was coming home in one piece.

After I sold the bike I went in the car a few times, the 330d trying to swap ends at Swedenkreuz doing 130mph was “memorable” :scream: but it was a crap car to be doing the ring in, the 911 was much better. :grinning:

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We’ve toured the ring area a few times, considered riding it but decided enjoying the tour and still having a bike to ride home was the better option.

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Indeed. A friend keeps a 991.2 GT3 RS over there and that’s a great tool for the ring. The F80 M3 was also a laugh though.

Lots of people get into lift off based shenanigans at Schwedenkreuz. Gentle brake before the rise and then smooth throttle through, or the back end unloads horribly and the car will try to rotate.