About to order......
Discussion
About to put my name down for an Audi A4 Avant 2.5 V6 Diesel Quattro Tiptronic Sport......
Apart from the obvious "Why on earth do you want an Auto Diesel?" does anyone here have any experience of the beast?
FWIW I'm hoping it will ......
Help my 30K per year miles between businesses be as comfortable as possible,
Deal with combination of City, Motorway, Country roads,
Cope with Perthshire winter conditions,
Lug loads,
Not break down,
Be at least slightly fun to drive,
Keep at least some value over 3 years and 90K miles....
What does everyone think - barmy or sensible? Any serious alternatives apart from the Subaru stable which I just can't get excited about? Any must have optional extras from those with or without A4's / Audi's....???
Apart from the obvious "Why on earth do you want an Auto Diesel?" does anyone here have any experience of the beast?
FWIW I'm hoping it will ......
Help my 30K per year miles between businesses be as comfortable as possible,
Deal with combination of City, Motorway, Country roads,
Cope with Perthshire winter conditions,
Lug loads,
Not break down,
Be at least slightly fun to drive,
Keep at least some value over 3 years and 90K miles....
What does everyone think - barmy or sensible? Any serious alternatives apart from the Subaru stable which I just can't get excited about? Any must have optional extras from those with or without A4's / Audi's....???
My uncle has the A6 with the 2.5 tdi - it's not that fuel efficient (high 20s!!!!), you might be better off with the 1.9tdi, as it chucks out almost as much power but with a lot less weight in the nose & much better fuel economy. Alternatively how about an S4 and living on bread and water to pay the fuel bills 
Or how about a 330d touring - EVO mag are always raving about them?
>> Edited by Fatboy on Wednesday 26th June 15:51
Or how about a 330d touring - EVO mag are always raving about them?
>> Edited by Fatboy on Wednesday 26th June 15:51
Agree with the Bose, had it in my A8, Astonishing sound quality.
Also had a tiptronic box, but found that the Audi Auto was so good that you hardly ever used it.
If this is a private purchase, watch out for servicing costs, Audis are not cheap to run, get the price of the 10K, 20K, 40K services + any others with big belt changes and also get a price for pads/discs inc fitting times.
I was very disappointed with what went wrong or need replacing with my Audi A8 supposedly a quality car between 73K miles and 94K miles
New Pads All round - OK that was expected
New Front Discs
New Lower Front Wishbones - defintely not expected
Steering Lock retumble - not expected basically the immobiliser kept cutting the engine after first starting
Wiper Motor - twice!!! both times in pouring rain - buy an Audi buy some RainX !!!
Intermittent Indicators
Fading Dashboard Lights
Also the dealer could never get hold of any parts so I often was without my car for days (but I did have a courtesy car). Cost of parts excessive Wiper Blade £28!!!!
Most of the dealers that I visited with various ailments on the car couldn't really care less. Their general attitude was appalling, even leaving the A8 unlocked outside on the road.
When it worked it was brilliant, but I couldn't afford to run it, so it had to go.
davidy
What about a Saab 9-5 Estate, they have just announced a 2.2 diesel with 5 speed Auto. My 2.3T is great, I bought a set of steel wheels s/h from a dealer and fitted M+S tyres for the winter. If its good enough for Sweden in the Winter then it must be ok for Scotland.
>> Edited by davidy on Wednesday 26th June 16:13
Also had a tiptronic box, but found that the Audi Auto was so good that you hardly ever used it.
If this is a private purchase, watch out for servicing costs, Audis are not cheap to run, get the price of the 10K, 20K, 40K services + any others with big belt changes and also get a price for pads/discs inc fitting times.
I was very disappointed with what went wrong or need replacing with my Audi A8 supposedly a quality car between 73K miles and 94K miles
New Pads All round - OK that was expected
New Front Discs
New Lower Front Wishbones - defintely not expected
Steering Lock retumble - not expected basically the immobiliser kept cutting the engine after first starting
Wiper Motor - twice!!! both times in pouring rain - buy an Audi buy some RainX !!!
Intermittent Indicators
Fading Dashboard Lights
Also the dealer could never get hold of any parts so I often was without my car for days (but I did have a courtesy car). Cost of parts excessive Wiper Blade £28!!!!
Most of the dealers that I visited with various ailments on the car couldn't really care less. Their general attitude was appalling, even leaving the A8 unlocked outside on the road.
When it worked it was brilliant, but I couldn't afford to run it, so it had to go.
davidy
What about a Saab 9-5 Estate, they have just announced a 2.2 diesel with 5 speed Auto. My 2.3T is great, I bought a set of steel wheels s/h from a dealer and fitted M+S tyres for the winter. If its good enough for Sweden in the Winter then it must be ok for Scotland.
>> Edited by davidy on Wednesday 26th June 16:13
Top car and top choice for what you intend doing.
I had one on loan for a fortnight and it was fantastic, If only I wasn't stuffing every little extra I can into the Tamora fund I'd have got one as a replacement work car, as it was I had to get the poor relation Passat TDI
still it could have been worse it could have been the Skoda
I had one on loan for a fortnight and it was fantastic, If only I wasn't stuffing every little extra I can into the Tamora fund I'd have got one as a replacement work car, as it was I had to get the poor relation Passat TDI
still it could have been worse it could have been the Skoda
quote:Can you get that model with Multitronic transmission? Heard some good things about it from a mate of mine - it's CVT, but you can get it to pretend to be sequential gears (so that you can hold gears, engine brake etc)
About to put my name down for an Audi A4 Avant 2.5 V6 Diesel Quattro Tiptronic Sport......
cheers,
Craig
quote:
Alternatively how about an S4 and living on bread and water to pay the fuel bills
Or how about a 330d touring - EVO mag are always raving about them?
S4 would be nice..... but I'd probably lose my license rather quickly driving it every day.....
The BMW gets rave reviews everywhere - but I just can't get comfy in them for some reason - plus I need the four wheel drive for those icy / snowy country roads not cleared by bloody council moments.....
See comments in this thread about Multitronic boxes
www.pistonheads.net/gassing/topic.asp?t=6374&f=23&h=0&hw=cvt
davidy
www.pistonheads.net/gassing/topic.asp?t=6374&f=23&h=0&hw=cvt
davidy
quote:
Can you get that model with Multitronic transmission? Heard some good things about it from a mate of mine - it's CVT, but you can get it to pretend to be sequential gears (so that you can hold gears, engine brake etc)
Only Tiptronic available on the quattro V6's - tried it on an allroad and it was pretty smooth - buttons on the steering wheel too.
Don't laugh but Wot about a Volvo S70 Cross Country.
Truly AWESOME sound system. VERY quiet. Wonderful seats and servicing is apparently 30% cheaper than the Audi. They do a nice 5 cylinder petrol turbo that does 30mpg or even a 5 cyl diesel (not sure if its available with the 4wd.
Oh, and when you have an off day and accidently drive like a numpty nobody gets angry with you cos they expect that sort of thing from a Volvo Driver.
Andy 400se + Volvo S60 TSE!
Truly AWESOME sound system. VERY quiet. Wonderful seats and servicing is apparently 30% cheaper than the Audi. They do a nice 5 cylinder petrol turbo that does 30mpg or even a 5 cyl diesel (not sure if its available with the 4wd.
Oh, and when you have an off day and accidently drive like a numpty nobody gets angry with you cos they expect that sort of thing from a Volvo Driver.
Andy 400se + Volvo S60 TSE!
quote:
Agree with the Bose, had it in my A8, Astonishing sound quality.
Also had a tiptronic box, but found that the Audi Auto was so good that you hardly ever used it.
If this is a private purchase, watch out for servicing costs, Audis are not cheap to run, get the price of the 10K, 20K, 40K services + any others with big belt changes and also get a price for pads/discs inc fitting times.
I was very disappointed with what went wrong or need replacing with my Audi A8 supposedly a quality car between 73K miles and 94K miles
New Pads All round - OK that was expected
New Front Discs
New Lower Front Wishbones - defintely not expected
Steering Lock retumble - not expected basically the immobiliser kept cutting the engine after first starting
Wiper Motor - twice!!! both times in pouring rain - buy an Audi buy some RainX !!!
Intermittent Indicators
Fading Dashboard Lights
I've just spent 750 pounds on my A6 for new lower front suspension arms/track rod ends/upper arms on one side - Audi said it's a common failing. Yeah, and my A6 has cost more to run than the TVR this year (both had a major service too). Thing is, the A6 still clonks when going over the speed bumps on my road (god, I hate those bumps - at least the TVR doesn't clonk over them).
Nice cars otherwise ... but not as cheap to run as you'd expect.
T/.
Richard, David
I'll check out the Bose option....
David, Trefor
Hopefully, by keeping the car for three years only from new any problems will be covered by warranty..???
David, Andy
The Saab and the Volvo are options.... how do they handle though? The Sport Quattro combo is very attractive to me.....
I'll check out the Bose option....
David, Trefor
Hopefully, by keeping the car for three years only from new any problems will be covered by warranty..???
David, Andy
The Saab and the Volvo are options.... how do they handle though? The Sport Quattro combo is very attractive to me.....
Ah the Audi .... Common Failing Bullsh*t from the dealers.
I had one dealer who wanted to replace the steering column as it was making a graunching noise when being electrically adjusted ... he apparently had replaced others.... Cost about £1000
Anyway I spoke to one of the mechanics who got my car out of their compound who said that I needed to vaseline the bit of leather above the column as it goes hard and starts vibrating against the column. This I did... Cost 1 jar of Vaseline
Makes me wonder about some of the other items replaced when the car went in for a service.....
...but as I was told on more than one ocassion, well we fully valeted your car sir (thats washed the outside and hoovered the carpets), that normally costs £200. Well I should think so when I just paid a £1600 service bill on a top of the range car and you have had the car for 8 days, managed to order the wrong part twice and still have the correct replacement part on back order (another 3 weeks).
Great Cars ... Lousy Dealers with a licence to print money.
Also told by a dealer to get at the Flasher Relay you have to remove the whole of the Glovebox - 2 hour job - well b***ocks, I could do it through the footwell in 30 seconds but you have to remove another relay first
And to replace the flasher switch you have to remove the wood trim and thats very brittle and breaks easily - costs a fortune - back order again - well b***ocks again, 5 mins later I had the Hazard Switch Out by removing the vents above the bank of switches.
Oh and if you want a service manual - Audi UK WILL NOT sell you one, yet Audi USA publish most service manuals through Bentley Publishing for US$99 each.
Is Audi taking the micky with UK customers..?????
davidy
I had one dealer who wanted to replace the steering column as it was making a graunching noise when being electrically adjusted ... he apparently had replaced others.... Cost about £1000
Anyway I spoke to one of the mechanics who got my car out of their compound who said that I needed to vaseline the bit of leather above the column as it goes hard and starts vibrating against the column. This I did... Cost 1 jar of Vaseline
Makes me wonder about some of the other items replaced when the car went in for a service.....
...but as I was told on more than one ocassion, well we fully valeted your car sir (thats washed the outside and hoovered the carpets), that normally costs £200. Well I should think so when I just paid a £1600 service bill on a top of the range car and you have had the car for 8 days, managed to order the wrong part twice and still have the correct replacement part on back order (another 3 weeks).
Great Cars ... Lousy Dealers with a licence to print money.
Also told by a dealer to get at the Flasher Relay you have to remove the whole of the Glovebox - 2 hour job - well b***ocks, I could do it through the footwell in 30 seconds but you have to remove another relay first
And to replace the flasher switch you have to remove the wood trim and thats very brittle and breaks easily - costs a fortune - back order again - well b***ocks again, 5 mins later I had the Hazard Switch Out by removing the vents above the bank of switches.
Oh and if you want a service manual - Audi UK WILL NOT sell you one, yet Audi USA publish most service manuals through Bentley Publishing for US$99 each.
Is Audi taking the micky with UK customers..?????
davidy
Don't know how the new 9-5 handles, not driven one, mines an older SE, a bit soft (would recommend you try an Aero if you want something a bit sporty), but thats the point about Saabs, they don't impress on a quick drive - you need to live with them long term, then they are great, nothing offends and driven at 80-90% they are so comfortable (great climate control/heating/ventilation system as well)
Back to the Audi, I would make sure that the warranty is very comprehensive.
davidy
Back to the Audi, I would make sure that the warranty is very comprehensive.
davidy
The Volvo handles very well. True, my S60 is only FWD but its the same basic chassis and my colleague who had the Cross Country for a week when his S60 was in for some work reckoned it was mighty chuckable. Certainly I can't think its any worse than the Audi, PLUS you really could go the petrol turbo route without too much MPG penalty.
IMHO the Volvo is much more comfy than the Audi as well - important if yr doing big miles (I do 35k per annum too and suffer with lower back from time to time), and the sound system (Dolby Pro Logic) is simply wonderful. Cruise control, ABS, Traction+ stability control, leather, more airbags than a bouncy castle and all sorts of other good stuff come as standard. Some don't like the dash, but its grown on me in the last 18months.
Well worth a look cos its so much cheaper too!
Andy 400se
IMHO the Volvo is much more comfy than the Audi as well - important if yr doing big miles (I do 35k per annum too and suffer with lower back from time to time), and the sound system (Dolby Pro Logic) is simply wonderful. Cruise control, ABS, Traction+ stability control, leather, more airbags than a bouncy castle and all sorts of other good stuff come as standard. Some don't like the dash, but its grown on me in the last 18months.
Well worth a look cos its so much cheaper too!
Andy 400se
Yes, research done when we were buying our TT showed the UK dealer network to be the weak link. Nonetheless there are some very good ones, you just need to be quite careful.
www.tt-forum.co.uk is where we did most of our research.. yes, I know you're not buying a TT, but do a search on the dealers you're considering and see if anything comes up.
www.tt-forum.co.uk is where we did most of our research.. yes, I know you're not buying a TT, but do a search on the dealers you're considering and see if anything comes up.
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