Dicing with death!!!!
Discussion
Having not serviced my a4 for quite some time now and it doing odd things maybe (not sure just a feeling something is off) .
Overdue cambelt and pump by 6k miles and overdue service by at least 14k miles.
Now my a4 is on 311k miles and technically is bullet proof never fails to start etc. However should the worst happen and the belt break before i get it done a new engine will cost around 1.5k to have fitted.
Anyway this has led me to thinking whether to replace it. Been trawling trader to see whats available etc and e46 320 and 330d's are available for around 5k with 100k on the clock.
However i have heard rumours of problems with bmw's diesels lunching their turbos etc and also their auto gearboxes and this concerns me somewhat. I need a car which will not cost me the earth to run and wont break down every five minutes.
Thoughts all.
Anyone know how much truth their is to the rumours therefore.
Overdue cambelt and pump by 6k miles and overdue service by at least 14k miles.
Now my a4 is on 311k miles and technically is bullet proof never fails to start etc. However should the worst happen and the belt break before i get it done a new engine will cost around 1.5k to have fitted.
Anyway this has led me to thinking whether to replace it. Been trawling trader to see whats available etc and e46 320 and 330d's are available for around 5k with 100k on the clock.
However i have heard rumours of problems with bmw's diesels lunching their turbos etc and also their auto gearboxes and this concerns me somewhat. I need a car which will not cost me the earth to run and wont break down every five minutes.
Thoughts all.
Anyone know how much truth their is to the rumours therefore.
if you can't afford to service the motor.....change it for one cheaper to run and maintain....Vehicles, whatever the make have a service shedule....stick to it or suffer he consequences.... Avoiding servicing is a massive plague among UK vehicle owners, why do you think I get my cars in from Japan...they are like new and so well looked after...they treat a car as a privilege not a right...
Ahhh the old brigade. Tbh i would have had it sorted by now and was meant to go in last weekend but was ill. It will hopefully go in this weekend. Generally my car gets looked after pretty well it wouldnt have got to 311k miles if it wasn't however the last three months have been a bit chaotic and i have been unable to get it looked at.
The other problem is i am kinda bored of it. I have had it for 6 yrs nearly now and i spend 6-12hrs a day in my car. It needs a fair bit of stuff doing to it as well.
The aircon needs replacing thats a 700 quid job.
It needs two seatbacks as one has a cracked corner and the drivers one has come off at the bottom completely the clips have broken thats another 140 quid.
It may soon need a new turbo and intercooler as there was a leak from the intercooler a while ago (seems to have stopped).
You know just a long list of little things adding to a fairly big bill to get to the sort of condition i would like it to be in but other stuff is forever coming up and having to be prioritised such as winter tyres at the same time as service and just before cambelt were required or the other car needs work or it needs tax and mot etc etc.
It therefore almost seems to make sense to replace it with a lower mileage car with less niggles as it were.
The other problem is i am kinda bored of it. I have had it for 6 yrs nearly now and i spend 6-12hrs a day in my car. It needs a fair bit of stuff doing to it as well.
The aircon needs replacing thats a 700 quid job.
It needs two seatbacks as one has a cracked corner and the drivers one has come off at the bottom completely the clips have broken thats another 140 quid.
It may soon need a new turbo and intercooler as there was a leak from the intercooler a while ago (seems to have stopped).
You know just a long list of little things adding to a fairly big bill to get to the sort of condition i would like it to be in but other stuff is forever coming up and having to be prioritised such as winter tyres at the same time as service and just before cambelt were required or the other car needs work or it needs tax and mot etc etc.
It therefore almost seems to make sense to replace it with a lower mileage car with less niggles as it were.
Honestly a tenner...
No idea of value but not much. I have a weekender which has a higher value which i may trade in alongside it and reduce to one car.
One other option to toy with would be to lay it up and keep as an emergency car incase the car i replace it with ends up being a nightmare and trade in the weekender against the new car.
Soo many things to contemplate.
No idea of value but not much. I have a weekender which has a higher value which i may trade in alongside it and reduce to one car.
One other option to toy with would be to lay it up and keep as an emergency car incase the car i replace it with ends up being a nightmare and trade in the weekender against the new car.
Soo many things to contemplate.
Sounds like you've had good service from the A4 but it's dying a death. Is there any way you can save up a cash deposit whilst you hammer it into the ground?
I'd be looking to get rid and not spend a penny on it until I did. Check trade in value vs scrap value, or else get your witty hat on and write the funniest eBay ad of all time. 99p no reserve, you'll get a buyer.
My cousins 330d is running on for 200k miles with no major problems, I don't think they're inherantly faulty but you would need to stay on top of maintenance.
What's the weekend toy worth? I wouldn't even show the Audi to a dealer tbh, you'd be paying them to take it off you. Try and have some cash in your pocket to drive a deal.
I'd be looking to get rid and not spend a penny on it until I did. Check trade in value vs scrap value, or else get your witty hat on and write the funniest eBay ad of all time. 99p no reserve, you'll get a buyer.
My cousins 330d is running on for 200k miles with no major problems, I don't think they're inherantly faulty but you would need to stay on top of maintenance.
What's the weekend toy worth? I wouldn't even show the Audi to a dealer tbh, you'd be paying them to take it off you. Try and have some cash in your pocket to drive a deal.
Tallbut Buxomly said:
Having not serviced my a4 for quite some time now and it doing odd things maybe (not sure just a feeling something is off) .
Overdue cambelt and pump by 6k miles and overdue service by at least 14k miles.
Now my a4 is on 311k miles and technically is bullet proof never fails to start etc. However should the worst happen and the belt break before i get it done a new engine will cost around 1.5k to have fitted.
Anyway this has led me to thinking whether to replace it. Been trawling trader to see whats available etc and e46 320 and 330d's are available for around 5k with 100k on the clock.
However i have heard rumours of problems with bmw's diesels lunching their turbos etc and also their auto gearboxes and this concerns me somewhat. I need a car which will not cost me the earth to run and wont break down every five minutes.
Thoughts all.
Anyone know how much truth their is to the rumours therefore.
My 320d needed a turbo at 100k. Cost is around 1k. Ouch. Now on 110k. It's not uncommon - I think most will need a turbo between 80 - 140k miles. It's something I'd factor into the price, but then just about any modern diesel has a 'big ticket' item which breaks: aren't Mondeos, for example, supposed to need injectors at some point?Overdue cambelt and pump by 6k miles and overdue service by at least 14k miles.
Now my a4 is on 311k miles and technically is bullet proof never fails to start etc. However should the worst happen and the belt break before i get it done a new engine will cost around 1.5k to have fitted.
Anyway this has led me to thinking whether to replace it. Been trawling trader to see whats available etc and e46 320 and 330d's are available for around 5k with 100k on the clock.
However i have heard rumours of problems with bmw's diesels lunching their turbos etc and also their auto gearboxes and this concerns me somewhat. I need a car which will not cost me the earth to run and wont break down every five minutes.
Thoughts all.
Anyone know how much truth their is to the rumours therefore.
Replacing the turbo was made easier by the fact the car's still so good to drive. I've kept it longer than anything else I've had because it's so handy. New turbo also came with updated software and hence a bit more poke too. I'll probably run it into the ground, and then have another, tbh.
The cambelt on my newly acquired LS400 is 14k overdue. Luckily they are non-interference V8s and it's booked in a tthe end of the month when payday comes around.
I'm not too concerned, the cambelt interval in Europe is 63k, yet for the same car it's 100k intervals in North America. Probably because it's perceived less stressful on the engines with all the highway cruising they do over the pond.
I'm not too concerned, the cambelt interval in Europe is 63k, yet for the same car it's 100k intervals in North America. Probably because it's perceived less stressful on the engines with all the highway cruising they do over the pond.
Fantastic effort to get it to 311k and sounds like you are doing the right thing by planning a replacement. But whatever you do dont sell it until it dies, at that mileage it has presumuably paid for itself a long time ago. So say you get another 20k out of it (a small fraction of what its already done) before 'boom' then that is some seriously cheap motoring to be had in the meantime!
why not start looking for teh perfect replacement and buy it when you see it, carry on thrashing the a4 till it pops and then get it dropped off at the scrapyard by the recovery people.
You at very least owe it a proper full on metal meets metal style death after that sort of mileage.
You at very least owe it a proper full on metal meets metal style death after that sort of mileage.
Hi Tall, you suggested one of these on my what car threads last week and I have been looking for one @ 3-5 grand.
If it was me I would get the cam belt done, if you can for £250 and keep running it.
I'm sure the seats can be bodged and the inter-cooler if it isnt broke don't fix it!
I'm sure it is worth at least a grand with MOT and tax.
I can see your POV, but imagine if the belt snaps, its not just the ocst of a new engine, its the hassle of being stranded on the hard shoulder when you have somewhere to be.
Also I think it is worth a grand(ish) working with mot and thats a nice holiday and defo no peanuts to me!!!
If it was me I would get the cam belt done, if you can for £250 and keep running it.
I'm sure the seats can be bodged and the inter-cooler if it isnt broke don't fix it!
I'm sure it is worth at least a grand with MOT and tax.
I can see your POV, but imagine if the belt snaps, its not just the ocst of a new engine, its the hassle of being stranded on the hard shoulder when you have somewhere to be.
Also I think it is worth a grand(ish) working with mot and thats a nice holiday and defo no peanuts to me!!!
Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Tuesday 18th January 13:52
Well my thinking is now coming round to keeping it as there is a sense of pride and a desire to see just how far it will go before it dies and it would make a very useful fallback vehicle if i get a new car which turns out to be nothing but trouble.
My weekender is only a toyota bought on a whim worth maybe 3-4k which is just sitting there really as i barely ever use it so is just costing me money.
Just spoke to a really friendly and helpful car dealer oop north and went over my thoughts and concerns with him and discussed finance as well to see what it would cost to finance a £5.5k bmw 330d versus trade in etc.
Kinda loath to take finance though as owe no one anything money wise debt free and have been for a good few years now and dont like the idea of going down that road but dont want to use money out of savings either as i like the security blanket.
Going to get the audi sorted as soon as possible feel really bad about not having had the servicing done yet as it has treated me so well.
Oh well watch this space or not and maybe i will be looking for a new car soon. Fingers crossed the beastie just keeps on going forever.
My weekender is only a toyota bought on a whim worth maybe 3-4k which is just sitting there really as i barely ever use it so is just costing me money.
Just spoke to a really friendly and helpful car dealer oop north and went over my thoughts and concerns with him and discussed finance as well to see what it would cost to finance a £5.5k bmw 330d versus trade in etc.
Kinda loath to take finance though as owe no one anything money wise debt free and have been for a good few years now and dont like the idea of going down that road but dont want to use money out of savings either as i like the security blanket.
Going to get the audi sorted as soon as possible feel really bad about not having had the servicing done yet as it has treated me so well.
Oh well watch this space or not and maybe i will be looking for a new car soon. Fingers crossed the beastie just keeps on going forever.
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