1st gear and rust!

[mkc]

Hi all,

Ive done 200 miles now in my A4. Ive noticed that 1st gear is often impossible to select. I am pushing the clutch right down before anyone asks and the other gears, once Im moving are fine. Just changing down or pulling away from junctions can look as if I cant drive. I need to go through the motions of finding second and then first.
Should it improve over time?

Also, I appear to have a rust coloured stain coming from behind the Audi badge on one of the wheels. Ive not really attempted to make an effort to remove it yet. On the same wheel I have some blemishes on the alloy. Almost like shallow dents and a couple of blister marks where it looks like an air bubble has popped. Only a few about the size of a pin ***** but not what I would expect on £25Ks worth of car.

[mkc]

Blimey not allowed to use the word p$%*k in my text!

[Plife]

I would be straight down to the dealer demanding a new alloy and also get them to look at the gearbox!

[mkc]

Ill try and post some pictures a bit later. It is a lease car so probably best that I mention it as soon as I can, save any come back/out of warranty a bit later.

[moptisam2]

Look up posts by me and you'll find one about 1st gear (I had the same problem with my 2005 A4 even after a gearbox change!!) to which other people contributed.I also started a thread about my previous Audi.

I informed Trading Standards and took it to Bradford Audi. There I was told that one of the staff had also had the same problem. When a technician drove the car he did have some difficulty too. It doesn't seem to happen so much now (just coming up to 3000 miles) but still happens occasionally. Whether it will go away completely is yet to be seen.

I sent off the forum contributions to Audi UK and got a reply to say that what is said on the forum "does not represent company opinions" PR*CKS.

[sunil1234]

my geabox is the same with 500 miles on it. I find having to go to neutral or 2nd and back out helps

Maybe it will loosen with time, we shall see

re the rim. Audi rims are notorious for this as two mates have had the same thing on a A4 and a A8

Demand a new rim and make sure you are happy with the colour match as the paint is invariably a different batch on a replacement

[JBlues]

I've done about 100 miles (yes I have had the car 5 days!) and in all honesty I have not yet seen it dry so it could be covered in scratches and the alloys rusted to b*ggery.

I reckon I should be able to tell by around May 2009.

[B6Andy101]

You mention scratches....dont joke. Caught mine dry for five minues the other day and has mechanical polisher swirls on the bonnet. Not best pleased. They have agreed to put it right but do I trust them with it if they have already done this ?

[JBlues]

Which dealer is it?

Seems mine has black adhesive at various points presumably from the car protection packing that it's shipped with - any advice on what best to use to get this off?!

[Plife]

You mention scratches....dont joke. Caught mine dry for five minues the other day and has mechanical polisher swirls on the bonnet. Not best pleased. They have agreed to put it right but do I trust them with it if they have already done this ?
No don't trust them!!! I would get a professional detailer to sort it out and get them to pay for it!!!

The swirls are more likely caused by a bad washing technique! Sponge and chamois are the likely culprits!

[RichardCranium]

is the rust actually on the wheel itself? Dont see how it can rust on an alloy