Which A4???

[markmywords]

I am looking for an A4 estate and wanted some advice on which engine to go for. I currently have a 150 bhp 1.8T Golf GTI so was looking at the 1.8T A4 (id go for the 163 or 190 hp to cope with the extra weight of an A4).

Are the multitronic gear boxes any good?

I have about £5000 to spend and want a 2003 onwards A4.

Is the 2.0L engine much cop?

I do about 5000 mile a year as I have a van. Would a diesel suit me? Do they have as much poke as a petrol turbo?

All in all I am going for an estate as we have child number 2 on the way so I would love to stick with my gti but we are going to out grow it very soon.

I want to make the right choice with this A4 as money is going to get tight soon.

I thank you in advance for any comments or advice :D

[Hex69]

I am looking for an A4 estate and wanted some advice on which engine to go for. I currently have a 150 bhp 1.8T Golf GTI so was looking at the 1.8T A4 (id go for the 163 or 190 hp to cope with the extra weight of an A4).

Are the multitronic gear boxes any good? Do a search for multichronic, and then make you mind up.


I have about £5000 to spend and want a 2003 onwards A4.

Is the 2.0L engine much cop?

I do about 5000 mile a year as I have a van. Would a diesel suit me? Do they have as much poke as a petrol turbo? Anything < 18k miles a year petrol is always going to be cheaper, cheaper to buy, cheaper to service, less to go wrong (DMF esp.)


All in all I am going for an estate as we have child number 2 on the way so I would love to stick with my gti but we are going to out grow it very soon.

I want to make the right choice with this A4 as money is going to get tight soon.

I thank you in advance for any comments or advice :D

[markmywords]

Do a search for multichronic, and then make you mind up.

Anything < 18k miles a year petrol is always going to be cheaper, cheaper to buy, cheaper to service, less to go wrong (DMF esp.)

Thanks Hex.

OK so I kind of knew I didnt want a diesel. Its a toss up between a 1.8T or a 2.0L..... Pros and cons of both please

[markmywords]

Looking about on classified ad's, for my budget of £5000 - £5500 am I better going for a better b5 or a high miles b6? What are the main differences between the b5 and b6?

[fourringsrus]

My buddie has just picked up a '52 b6 1.9 tdi, avant, 120,000 fash in great condition,18 inch rs6 rims taxed and long mot, really nice car that I could not find a fault on........£4400, having said that we looked at a '54 s-line 1.9 tdi avant at £4700 the previous week in London and every panel including the roof was scratched and dented, all 4 wheels were badly scuffed, busted o/s mirror and front number plate, both bumpers cracked and scabby, and then the interior....................
Anyway , my point is , there are some good b6 avants out there '02-'04 for the kind of price you are looking at, good luck fella

[markmywords]

Thanks mate. Ive been looking for about 2 weeks now and have come across this exapmle: http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201202440522340/sort/pricedesc/usedcars/price-to/6000/fuel-type/petrol/engine-size-cars/1-7l_to_1-9l/price-from/3000/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/body-type/estate/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/model/a4/make/audi/page/2/postcode/bs59nu/radius/1501?logcode=p

Not sure if im allowed to post links but just wanted your opinions on this car.

Also how far would you travel to buy a car?

Is red a good colour choice?? Ive had red cars for the last 8 years and dont really want to stand out in this car but it does look rather nice in the photos...

[spartacus 68]

Used to have a Golf in Tornado Red, and given half a chance the paint can dull and oxidise if you don't keep on top of it. The Autotrader car looks good, and the timing belt job has saved you £450 at least. Main thing with the 1.8T is a blocked pick-up pipe in sump leading to oil starvation and basically catastrophic failure. Regular 10k oil changes can help, but replacing dropping the sump is only way to determine. Read this: http://www.audifans.net/ftopict-35830.html ;)

[markmywords]

Yeah I have a garage so not too bothered about paint fade as long as I buy well it should last well in my hands.

Just gotta get rid of the golf (mk4, 1.8T ,150hp, 5 door, '03', 90k, red) if any one is interested........

[sam.bird3]

I have 3 Kids, my saloon 1.8T is more than Big enough. You will be shocked at the size of it. I wanted the Avant also due to size for the Kids but when I looked at the Saloon it was more than big enough. I even done the "can I fit in the boot" thing! Yes I can with loads of space to spare!

[white.akita]

if you want to tune the engine get the 1.8t, if you will be leaving the engine standard buy the 2.0L.

[markmywords]

I have 3 Kids, my saloon 1.8T is more than Big enough. You will be shocked at the size of it. I wanted the Avant also due to size for the Kids but when I looked at the Saloon it was more than big enough. I even done the "can I fit in the boot" thing! Yes I can with loads of space to spare!

You know ive not even considered a saloon A4. I like the way u describe the boot space with the body test lol.

Im guessing a saloon would be the same sort of money as an estate (I will look later when I have time).

My oldest child iss 18 months and got a few months b4 number 2 is here. the main reason I wanted an estate is for the big pushchair , travel cots! and all the gear required for a visit to grandma up in shropshire. This christmas was a joke with all that gear plus all the presents for the family. had to have a back seat down and manages to get it all in, just!!

I am going to have to put a new garage door on to get an estate in my garage as the doors open inwards and i can just get the golf in.

Looks like I have a bit more to think about.

Thanks guys :) Very useful comments

[sam.bird3]

The saloon boot will have plenty of space for a Buggy and more!!

[fourringsrus]

Thanks mate. Ive been looking for about 2 weeks now and have come across this exapmle: http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201202440522340/sort/pricedesc/usedcars/price-to/6000/fuel-type/petrol/engine-size-cars/1-7l_to_1-9l/price-from/3000/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/body-type/estate/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/model/a4/make/audi/page/2/postcode/bs59nu/radius/1501?logcode=p

Not sure if im allowed to post links but just wanted your opinions on this car.

Also how far would you travel to buy a car?

Is red a good colour choice?? Ive had red cars for the last 8 years and dont really want to stand out in this car but it does look rather nice in the photos...

The red avant looks spot on, detail, spec and condition etc.
For the right car I would be prepared to travel a couple of hours, just did Kent to Portsmouth for a classic Audi 90
Red is not an issue for fade on the more modern paint types, give it a clay/polish and good quality wax and then wax again every few months, my '52 A4 cabriolet is Amulet red and looks as good as the first time I cleaned it approximately 3 years ago,it's a different type of paint to the old tornado and laser reds of the 90's.
As spartacus rightly says you save approx £450 if the cam belt kit has recently been sorted and certainly read his link ref oil starvation.
Size wise the avant has the exact same measurments/dimensions as the saloon, so no longer in the garage.
If you like the autotrader car and it's in budget you have nothing to lose by taking a closer look

Good luck

Stuart

[markmywords]

Thanks Stuart,

Just gotta get rid of the golf now. I wanted to part ex it for an easy life but I know I should be selling privately and not rush into anything. If I could I would go and take a look and probably buy the red car in autotrader then sell my golf as and when. Truth is an A4 Avant limited edition like this 1... http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classif...1501?logcode=p (http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201202440522340/sort/pricedesc/usedcars/price-to/6000/fuel-type/petrol/engine-size-cars/1-7l_to_1-9l/price-from/3000/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/body-type/estate/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/model/a4/make/audi/page/2/postcode/bs59nu/radius/1501?logcode=p) is as rare as hens teeth. Gutted :(

[spartacus 68]

Thought I'd throw this into the mix... http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-eatdrink062.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

http://users.autoexposure.co.uk/vehicle.cfm?Account=AETA18875&Style=2&Id=AETV55163414&Make=AUDI&Model=A4&City=Stourbridge

[fourringsrus]

Thought I'd throw this into the mix... http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-eatdrink062.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

http://users.autoexposure.co.uk/vehicle.cfm?Account=AETA18875&Style=2&Id=AETV55163414&Make=AUDI&Model=A4&City=Stourbridge

Looks nice enough, but thats surely b7 money

[markmywords]

Ok so I've been mulling over this and have been looking at the different petrol engines available: 1.8T, 2.0L SE and the 2.0L FSI SE, Looking at the fuel economy of them all (they are all worse than my Golf!) the FSI comes out on top and is only slightly less powerful on paper than the 1.8T.

I do like my golf gti 1.8T but the limited power band can be a little frustrating at times. I do miss the instant response from an injected engine.

I do need to go and test drive the different engines but I was wondering if anybody on here has had experience with any or all 3? What are the pros and cons of them? Engine problems to look out for?

Thanks again in advance :)

[spartacus 68]

Looks nice enough, but thats surely b7 money

I thought the price was okay(ish) as it comes with uber-rare glass sunroof, Bose upgrade, 18'' alloys, and 80k on the clock.

However for that price I'd want the timing belt and water-pump to be done as part of the deal... and the oil pick-up pipe replaced. Hell I'm not even buying it! http://serve.mysmiley.net/happy/happy0009.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net/free-war-smileys.php)

[markmywords]

Just to remind any1 if they are owners of a petrol A4 .......
1.8T, 2.0L SE and the 2.0L FSI SE, Looking at the fuel economy of them all (they are all worse than my Golf!) the FSI comes out on top and is only slightly less powerful on paper than the 1.8T.

I do need to go and test drive the different engines but I was wondering if anybody on here has had experience with any or all 3? What are the pros and cons of them? Engine problems to look out for?

Thanks again in advance :)

[steveheather]

Hi there. I have a 2004 A4 190 S-Line with 6 speed gearbox, 69k on the clock.

I note that while many forum items focus on performance and aesthetics, you are quite keen to find out real economy, so hopefully my experience will help you. I have had the car for 9 months now, having gone from a very cheap to run diesel and I agonised a little at the time over the loss of economy. However, I have been quite pleasantly surprised at the reasonable economy available if some prudence is exercised with the right foot and time constraints are not too critical.

I have found that I can quite comfortably achieve 37 to 40 mpg on a run almost anywhere in the country by generally keeping to national speed limits and only using the loud pedal when needed to gain an advantage in traffic. On a few occasions, I have achieved 41 mpg. These are calculated figures, not the dash readout. The occasional red line acceleration seems to affect the overall consumption very little. In fact, the combination of the torquey turbocharged 190 bhp with the six speed box gives a pleasant relaxed almost V8 experience. Of course, as soon as you bury your right foot, it seems less like a V8 but that's not so important. The overall economy in real world conditions has been a big surprise to me and I enjoy the response of the petrol engine after years of driving diesels to commute.
I live in a market town and do not have regular city traffic to contend with but a mix of driving gives me about 35 to 36 mpg. My son, who owned the car before me had a much heavier right foot and achieved an average of about 30 mpg.

In respect of what to look out for - other than general servicing issues, I would pay big attention to the oil strainer issue. This is a preventative maintenance job that should not to be delayed in favour of more sexy projects as a blocked strainer is an engine killer. If you buy a 1.8t that has reached at least 60 or 70k miles and had has not had the strainer cleaned or replaced, then factor the cost of this job into your purchase and do it straight away. I had mine done last year at 67k miles by 'Crasher' of this forum. The strainer was about 50% blocked and the sump and camcover were thick with baked on sludge after 7 years of longlife servicing.
Switch to annual servicing, cool the turbo down after a run and the 1.8t should hopefully give long and rewarding service.

Steve

[AJB Audi]

I have the 2.0 litre (non FSI) model which is very smooth and at its best cruising between 70-80 on the motorway, but I doubt it's as much fun to drive as a turbo model. Over my 20,000+ miles the average fuel consumption (actual not dash display) has been 31.5 mpg with a good mix of country, town & motorway driving. 34 mpg is the best I've had on a long run.

Reading the forums over the past couple of years I get the impression that the 1.8 turbo is seen as the model to have, particularly if you are lucky enough to find the 190bhp version, in true S-line guise, which appeared towards the end of the B6 production run.

My only nagging doubt about this view is based on experience of owning a Renault 5 GT turbo for many years. It was a fast car, even by modern standards, but whilst it could get you to 80mph very quickly there came a point where maintaining that speed was less enjoyable as you only had a 1.4 litre engine and it started to get quite noisy and more tiring over longer periods.

My concern would be that whilst the Audi A4 1.8 turbo would accelerate more quickly than the 2 litre there would come a point where the larger engine would win over in terms of a smoother and quieter ride at sustained higher speeds?

I have driven the 1.8 turbo in B8 form as a courtesy car from my local dealer. I was the only person in it, with no luggage, and I found the performance decidedly underwhelming. Someone at the dealer was honest enough to say that it was a bit gutless but in fairness it was the 120PS model and so perhaps not a fair comparison.

Overall I've been happy with my car as it has suited my needs and I've no desire to have a remap which is an option with the turbo model. If I were looking for a car today, based on my knowledge from ownership and the forums, I would be tempted to check out a 190bhp 1.8 turbo although being a second hand purchase I would always worry that previous owners would have been similarly tempted by the enhanced performance capabilities which may be storing up expensive problems further down the line (e.g. the 'sludge' issue).

[markmywords]

Thanks Steve and AJB. Both very informative views.

I think it pans out like this, my head is telling me go for a 2.0L FSI SE but my heart is saying 1.8T 163/190bhp. As AJB said that a turbo engine may have hidden issues in the future or had a hard life but as we all know it can be a gamble buying any type of car. I have my ear to the ground and the red 1.8T I mentioned earlier in the thread has now sold. I have found a lovely FSI SE but its over budget and I need to sell my golf first as PX with a garage is a joke.

Its been very informative getting other views and will say thanks again. Great forum :)

I will be posting my golf for sale on here later today so keep a look out and please continue the posts if you so wish :)

[the bodgemeister]

Can't help with the car choice advice, but I do sympathise with your part-ex woes. I've got my B6 Cabriolet up for sale and was hoping to part-ex with a garage for a cheaper, more practical, car - until the highest I've been offered trade in is £3200! Think I'd rather stick it out that take a hit that big.

[markmywords]

Can't help with the car choice advice, but I do sympathise with your part-ex woes. I've got my B6 Cabriolet up for sale and was hoping to part-ex with a garage for a cheaper, more practical, car - until the highest I've been offered trade in is £3200! Think I'd rather stick it out that take a hit that big.

Sad isnt it that dealers put such alot on a car and are willing to practicly offer me half of what its worth. Heres my Golf GTI for sale if you know anyone interested ;) http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/3599422.htm

I will do a post in the for sale section but dont have time right now.

[markmywords]

Ahh looks like I need 25 posts

[markmywords]

Ahh looks like I need 25 posts

So I can post on the for sale section :(

[markmywords]

So here is the Golf for sale if anyone fancys a swap or an offer pm me :)
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?128981-Mk4-Golf-GTI-1.8-Turbo-for-sale