Depressing 'To Do' List...

[S2central.net]

Most of us have a list of 'stuff to do' on their cars - I am no different, but I think my list is getting beyond me - kids and work committments see to that - and reduced disposable income see it even further.

I've got to the point now where I am seriously thinking about going SORN and buying a runabout so I can make steady (if slow) progress on getting the old S2 up to chuff safely tucked away in the garage... I can't get into any long drawn out jobs in case I need the car to travel to meetings etc at short notice.

Dampers all round - £400

Rear bushes & RARB - £250

996 monoblock upgrade - parts here except pads - £100 ish for Ferodo

Door seal - hopefully just time an care required to fix that... One very kind soul donated a spare door seal to my cause there so that was fantastic !

Zeitronix install for AFR, EGT etc - probably possible with dashboard in, but a real PITA. All sensors & gizmos bought.

Proper 4-wheel alignment - £100

044 fuel pump, new filter, lines... All bought - just the 'joy' of fitment. Oh and a fuel pressure gauge

RS2 turbo install. Need the EM at £450 - everything else here. May go with slightly cracked RS2 hotside as is or cough up another £??? for a new one. Or go hybrid ?

ABS cancel switch

Difflock override switch - maybe not bother as I have a V8 Torsen diff for the rear

Uprated top mounts - I've had it with the ****** factory ones

RS2 intercooler - here already

Wagner IM - also here already

SM Flywheel

Uprated clutch

Ported Head (in progress - probably another £500 in valvegear to spend)

Door trims - bought already

New coil packs - £500 ish

New exhaust and downpipe ... £600-900 ish

Fix the aircon and upgrade to climate control - maybe or maybe not... I need to decide if I'm gonna keep it civilised with carpet, audio and such or whether to go mad as a stripped out noisy weekend toy... with proper seats and such.

Thats 3000-3500 quid of 'stuff' before I do anything with respect to paint or any talk of uprated rods, pistons and such Takes a deep breath... If I go the full monty on this thing it would be easily into 10-12k expenditure without anything particularly exotic. By the end it will be the slowest car that Audi never built

[mcandmar]

Thats not really that bad Paul, just think baby steps and tick em off one at a time. I know the feeling when you have a couple of crappy jobs like leaky doors and worn out suspension bits, it puts a dampener on any enthusiasm you have for the car, dosent help the motivation either.

I would start with the brakes, thats my next project to complete. The Irish distributer for Ferodo is in your neck of the woods too...

Best thing that happened to me was being forced to NCT the car, when i had no choice but to replace the rear bushings, front disks, noisy wheel bearing, brakes lines, and get it tracked i got it all done in two weeks. Car runs like a dream and i'm loving it again. Keep the faith

Mark.

P.S. I might also be able to help you out with the turbo issue, dont know for sure yet..

[S2central.net]

Mark - I can so tell you have been there... The morning slop out and bashy/crashy suspension is very wearing on a regular basis... The busted tailgate lock was also on that really annoying list, but I have that fixed for now. Rear bushes scraped thru the MOT and so did the exhaust..

It gets forgiven by the occasional brief encounters with motorcycles - LOL - but a week on and that grin factor has wore off. Just needs to be off the road so I can tackle the big / awkward stuff without stress of needing to be driving to Dublin airport at 48hrs notice !

[madpugger]

Thanks for depressing me Paul! My list is somewhat similar!

Just did a rear wheel bearing last week, bolt stuck in the outer lower wishbone bush, broke the wire off the ABS sensor... ahh the joys!

I really must order some coils, it is doing my nut in.

[Christophski]

I know how u feel Paul. I used to have a 72 beetle as my everyday car and with that list extending on a daily basis i decided to get another cheap run around and do the jobs over time and use the car if it was working and nice weather. I also felt better for not feeling pressured to do a job and make sure it worked to get to work the following day.

I then did something stupid and got rid of my run around and bought the S2, so now I have 2 cars that will be a PITA when I need one out of the 2 working and to top it all off brought an older Beetle to work on too! All that with a poor mans income and a girlfriend who wants to buy a house this year. Kinda starting to worry abaout my poor cars.

I do feel for you though. Best thing I did though buying a run around... then i got bored and bitten by the S2 bug! My feelings go out to you though. Really they do!

[Error404]

As Mark says Paul - one step at a time is the only way to get a project done - I try and do a job of some kind every week on mine so I don't loose the plot

[Barber]

I decided today I'm going to take mine off the road and get my diff bushes done, my boost leak sorted, get an original front bumper back on, put a boost gauge on, maybe get a poly bush kit for all round etc etc and get it brought back to really good shape cos I dont want to put any more miles on it and I feel like I'm wreckin it, its going to stay in my garage under a cover, my other car is going to be a 1984 mini 1000 turbo haha! mr bean green!

[teknobod]

Despite the woes of recent weeks with my car, I actually feel a lot better now having read this thread.
Thanks Paul, that list is a damn sight longer than mine, yet you still have time to hack ecu's to keep us folks happy.

Andy

[madpugger]

Paul, got one to add to your list...

Order some Samcos

On a (sort of) side note, are you going for OEM coils? Where you gonna purchase from?

Ta
Mike

[SteveH]

Paul, watch the offroad project doesn't extend like mine has. It must be nearly two years since my S2 has been taxed n tested! Problem is, things stop working and age faster when the car is parked up, even in the garage. Since taking my S2 off the road I've had the power streering pump go, the sunroof has stopped working, the car wont idle properly and the dash Lcd has given up the ghost. Keep it on the road if you can!

[Rusty]

My basically stock S2 has had way over £10k spent on it in parts and a tad of labour (<£1k), some seem to get 450bhp for that price!

[S2central.net]

Oh Steve - thats *really* depressing. Trouble is - I'd love an S2 Avant as a family friendly runabout, but the pennies aren't gonna stretch - I really wanted Matt's old car - it was well tidy, but about 2k more than I can think about right now.

If you think the list of car jobs is long - wait till you see the list of jobs for the house. Man I need a beer to help me calm down.

Oh and yes - point taken on Samco orders - I am overdue another one.

And for coils - yes OEM for me... as much as I like the modularity of the 1.8T or LS1 jobs - I'm not yet convinced they are as good as Beru originals... But I hate the price of the Berus and integrated cables don't make it clean. I'm going to scour the Bosch motorsport catalog again (my favourite) to see if something there is available at higher spec for same money - maybe dreamin' here.

I keep wondering if its all worthwhile, for the time and money spent, but if it gives me the opportunity to blow away something like an R8 from the lights then it would be worth it. Should be more than possible in RS2+ spec. Maybe I'll keep the scabby paint so as not to attract attention - LOL.

[Rusty]

Don't get black alloys with chrome lips, they're not so subtle! Or a loud exhaust and a screaming inlet... again, people look but are usually confused when they see an 'A' reg Audi in my case

[S2central.net]

The day I get black alloys you will see two moons in the sky... I have this fetish for white alloys actually - but thats about as subtle as Freddy Mercury poncing about in a yellow leotard - which has a certain appeal it must be said, but could get me noticed for all the wrong reasons

As for the zorst - well I'm still thinking selectable scream pipe - but with it just having a nice menacing burble at idle & part throttle...

[ericd]

I can really empahize with Steve's point of view, ok mine's is a daily driver and my only car, so problems become priorities when they need done planned and unplanned, this year looking at another full set of tyres + usual service, last year timing belts + all other belts + usual service, year before new discs/pads + suspension + usual service, sometimes I quite envy people who can leave their s2 off the road for a while and drive around in something else.

They definitely seem to survive better if they're driven daily/regularly, plus keeping them outside toughens em up and aides in solving problems like weak batteries, leaking lights, doors, sunroof etc,etc