Audi A6 Avant 130 TDI Final Edition

[MAG76]

Hi, first time in...
Looking to buy a big, solid family wagon which also needs a touch of prestige as I use it for business as well.
Requirements:
£20k purchase price
Solid and reliable
reasonable running costs
25k miles per year
to be kept for 5 yrs min
Needs a bit of 'kit' to keep me interetsed due to length of ownship (company cars have been replaced every other year)
Re-sale value irrelevant as nothing at 125k miles commands much of a trade-in!
I have seen the Audi A6 Avant 130 TDI Final Edition (old shape) - leather, colour screen sat-nav, metallic, Bose, Cruise etc etc. Dealer wants £20k for an ex-demo with 4k miles - I honestly cannot find anything else which gets me so much for so little! Seriously, what I am not seeing? Hidden costs? Rubbish performance? Financial pit-falls? What else would anyone else suggest in this bracket?

[agent006]

MAG76 said:

Rubbish performance?

Hideously awfully mind numbingly slow. Go for a 2.5 if you're set on a weasel engine.

[hustlebabe]

agent006 said:

MAG76 said: Rubbish performance? Hideously awfully mind numbingly slow. Go for a 2.5 if you're set on a weasel engine.

Have to agree

[Ruxpin]

agent006 said:

MAG76 said: Rubbish performance? Hideously awfully mind numbingly slow. Go for a 2.5 if you're set on a weasel engine.

The 130tdi is fine performance wise in the A4 - so can't believe its that much different in the A6 although have never been in one so stand to be corrected.

[davidy]

Saab 9-5 Aero ?

Good deals available at present as facelifted model due in Sept, surprisingly economical for a 250bhp 2.3 Turbo.

My 9-5 2.3LPT Estate has done 103K in 5 years and returns 34mpg+ on a long run (with overall ave of 32), Aero is a couple of mpg down on this.

Running cosost, reasonable compared to Audi and nothing really has gone wrong.

Very comfortable and great aircon/ventillation system.

davidy

[agent006]

Ruxpin said:

The 130tdi is fine performance wise in the A4 - so can't believe its that much different in the A6 although have never been in one so stand to be corrected.

The new 140 is tedious in something golf sized. The 130 is just about bearable in something passat or A4 sized but the A6 is a lot heavier.

[pentoman]

agent006 said:

MAG76 said: Rubbish performance? Hideously awfully mind numbingly slow. Go for a 2.5 if you're set on a weasel engine.

I'd have to completely disagree. I feel it renders the 2.5 TDi fairly pointless. Are you sure you're talking about the 130bhp PD version, or the earler 110bhp?

Russell

[agent006]

pentoman said:

I'd have to completely disagree. I feel it renders the 2.5 TDi fairly pointless. Are you sure you're talking about the 130bhp PD version, or the earler 110bhp? Russell

Yes, the 1.9 130 in comparison with the 2.5 180.

[MAG76]

Test drove both the 130 tdi and also a 180 tdi quattro yesterday at the dealership. 130 tdi is no ball of fire, but it really is perfectly exceptable - aparantly they shortened the gearing in 1st, 2nd and 3rd vs the A4 so that the 0-60 time is about 10 seconds. Felt responsive enough at motorway speeds to me. The 180 tdi quattro just seemed a bit pointess really - bit more grunt but why would you need quattro 4 wheel drive on a 180 tdi? The additional weight of the running gear was noticable and the ride felt very flat-footed - certainly not worth an additional £3k of my hard-earned.
Thanks for the advise re the Saab - intresting choice - problem I have is that my company are not too generous with the milage allowance - tdi is a bit of a must (unlucky) Decisions, decisions....

[mag76]

Thanks to all - went for the 130 tdi in the end. Boring but adequate performance with loads of kit, comfatable, classy and big enough to throw in all the kids kit for the annual trek to Italy. Cheers.