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View Full Version : Time to change out my old trusty B7 - thoughts



french_audi
30-07-2017, 08:55 AM
Hi folks,

Well it is time to change out my A4 B7 3.0TDI quattro avant. Bought new in 2006 it has done 138,000km. It has been reliable it many ways except one where it had to have the injectors replaced after several dealer visits. This was a large €4,500 bill that I thought that a 100,000km car should not have needed. The battery failing in Austria during a holiday was another breakdown call out. Apart from that it has had new pads and discs at 120,000km and that is it and just the normal tyres and servicing.

So now the time has come to splash out a not inconsiderable sum on a new replacement.

Living in France the price of cars is a lot more - not sure why? Check Audi.fr to see the differences (metallic paint €1,010 or £645 in the UK for example) Additionally the eco-thieves are out in force in France. Buying a new car has a large C02 penalty. 127g = €0 whereas >190g = €10,000!!! (not a typo) with a sliding scale in-between. I can't stretch to another 3.0tdi with all the options I want (Audi options, who makes up theses prices!) so l have whittled it down to a 2.0 TDI 190hp Quattro or a 2.0 TFSi 252 quattro.

I am getting put off buying a diesel due to the recent bad press and of course the city pollution thing ( which is real and is causing a problem for health).

The petrol model has a €1,260 eco penalty the 2.0TDi none. It is all based on C02 and not diesel issues so the petrol model gets unjustifiably punished.

The petrol model will cost more in fuel but I only do 12,000km/year. The petrol model does have a chain drive rather than belt drive so that would save at least 2 cambelt changes during the lifetime that I keep my cars.

So I'm at a crossroads as what to do?

2.0 TFSI 252 quattro- For - nicer noise when revved, better performance than the 190BHP diesel, smells better when you are behind it, better for the health of city dwellers, no cam-belt changes every 4 years, no expensive super high pressure diesel injectors that fail and cost a lot. Against - €1300 eco-punish tax, costs more to buy than the 2.0TDI 190 Quattro, less range on one tank.

2.0 TDI 190 Quattro - For better range, better economy and less to fill up. €1500 less to buy and no eco tax penalty to buy. Against, diesel injector issues, cam belt change costs, inner city pollution (extra charges being considered, bans etc), less performance than the TFSi, smelly diesel and of course less smooth.

So there it is. I still want an Audi and it must be a Quattro. I looked at BMW and Mercedes but didn't like their offerings. I looked at non-German cars but couldn't see anything I liked.

Are there others out there who are also hesitating about the engine choice?

Any feedback from readers would be appreciated - positive or not.

Thanks, Mark

neil s
01-08-2017, 02:10 PM
I'm planning on placing an order for the TFSI quattro Avant to replace my current A6 in the next couple of weeks. I decided ages ago that I'd be going for the petrol version because my annual mileage had dropped since I bought the A6 (about 8,000 miles). That's made up of lots of short journeys with occasional longer trips every month or two. I've not had any problems with the DPF (touch wood...) but obviously this isn't ideal for a diesel engine.

The increasing ill feeling and bad press towards diesel has just reinforced my decision. Plus, although the bags of torque you get with a diesel makes for easy, lazy driving, who doesn't love a higher revving petrol?

Neil.

Fishermandan
02-08-2017, 09:11 PM
The only reason that diesels became popular was because ill-educated politicians misunderstood scientific evidence and decided to massively incentivise the development of diesel engines. After 20-plus years, and tens of billions of euros/dollars/pounds of investment, modern diesels are just about OK compared to petrol equivalents. However, now eveyone has admitted that diesel emissions cause harm to people much more immediately than petrol, there is now no point in powering cars with diesel.

Diesel cars are boring, harsh, choke people and sound like Soviet-era tractors.

Petrol cars are mostly boring too, but at least they only choke people a bit, and the good ones are tuned to make a sound like God inhaling a Cohiba!...

New to the forum - I trust that's not too over the top?

Ha - and that's me after just 2 beers!...

Old Nick
03-08-2017, 09:17 AM
I'd keep off the beer if I were you - What a load of twaddle!

PAGolding
03-08-2017, 10:36 AM
I'm in a similar boat, wanting to replace the 2.0TFSI Avant I bought new almost 10 years ago. The bad news (for you and for me), is that having ordered a 2.0TFSI auto saloon Black Edition with nappa last week, I got a call from the dealer yesterday to let me know that Audi have suspended orders on 2.0 and 3.0 petrol models until they sort out some kind of emissions problem; the info they publish is the query, not the car. Guess my quoted up to 12 weeks delivery is out the window now :-(

french_audi
03-08-2017, 04:36 PM
I'm in a similar boat, wanting to replace the 2.0TFSI Avant I bought new almost 10 years ago. The bad news (for you and for me), is that having ordered a 2.0TFSI auto saloon Black Edition with nappa last week, I got a call from the dealer yesterday to let me know that Audi have suspended orders on 2.0 and 3.0 petrol models until they sort out some kind of emissions problem; the info they publish is the query, not the car. Guess my quoted up to 12 weeks delivery is out the window now :-(Yes I noted they were going to revamp the emissions. If they got the CO2 figures down that would save me money...

Look forward to hearing how you get on with your new 2.0tfsi when it does come.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

french_audi
03-08-2017, 04:54 PM
I'd keep off the beer if I were you - What a load of twaddle!Old Nick just made me laugh for his summary of that diesel "twaddle"... Still those 2 beers must have been strong..

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

PAGolding
03-08-2017, 04:57 PM
Yes I noted they were going to revamp the emissions. If they got the CO2 figures down that would save me money...

Look forward to hearing how you get on with your new 2.0tfsi when it does come.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Thanks, but I had another call from the dealer today trying to convince me to go for a diesel as my order is now likely to turn up some time after January :-( Reminds me of how much a like the C200 AMG Line after all :-)

Fishermandan
03-08-2017, 09:10 PM
I'd keep off the beer if I were you - What a load of twaddle!

Bit harsh!!!

I'd keep off the diesel if I were you - what I posted was factually accurate!

Is there anything specific that you'd care to take issue with?

Fishermandan
03-08-2017, 09:12 PM
Thanks, but I had another call from the dealer today trying to convince me to go for a diesel as my order is now likely to turn up some time after January :-( Reminds me of how much a like the C200 AMG Line after all :-)

Mmmm - who'd have thought it... VW Group having issues re. emissions....

Maybe that's why they were offering such great deals on the S4 recently...

Fingers crossed they sort it out ASAP. Keep us posted on how your order is progressing.

Good luck!

PAGolding
24-08-2017, 03:26 PM
Finally received confirmation with an order number from Audi today........now the wait :(

Thriftmeister
12-09-2017, 03:35 PM
The only reason that diesels became popular was because ill-educated politicians misunderstood scientific evidence and decided to massively incentivise the development of diesel engines. After 20-plus years, and tens of billions of euros/dollars/pounds of investment, modern diesels are just about OK compared to petrol equivalents. However, now eveyone has admitted that diesel emissions cause harm to people much more immediately than petrol, there is now no point in powering cars with diesel.

Diesel cars are boring, harsh, choke people and sound like Soviet-era tractors.

Petrol cars are mostly boring too, but at least they only choke people a bit, and the good ones are tuned to make a sound like God inhaling a Cohiba!...

New to the forum - I trust that's not too over the top?

Ha - and that's me after just 2 beers!...

Ha
Facts ??
Ill educated politicians? Hardly, a sizeable proportion went to Oxbridge, most have a degree. They got a good education but are seriously ill-informed. In their defense they were railroaded into catalysts in 1992 just as lean-burn technology was emerging and got their fingers burnt so did help with diesel tech with tax incentives etc in the hope that something better would emerge froim the Boffins. On the face of it a 40% efficient engine would, at first glance, seem to be a better proposition than a 33% engine. Save the fossil fuels if nothing else. As for investment, petrol engines have had an equal amount of money spent by the big manufacturers, and are all the better for that.
Everyone has admitted Diesel emissions cause harm?? Not really, they have discovered over the past 20 years and tried to reduce the harmful NOx. The issue is with false claims, nothing to do with governments at all, unless we blame the EU for approving such lame tests.

Boring harsh and tractor-like, rather contradicts both your para 1 and the 20 years trying to make them OK compared to petrol equivalents!!
My B9 3.0 TDI is certainly not boring, not harsh and doesn't even sound like a 90's Peugeot diesel never mind soviet era tractor! It does choke people though only because the manufacturers cheated and the tests are crap! Having said that, compare it to a 1990 car, petrol or diesel and it's orders of magnitude cleaner, even in real conditions. Progress?
Petrol cars, neh all cars are becoming boring, I do agree there but as they are all designed with the same Intel chip it's hardly surprising! Good ones sound amazing? Just walked home as a BMW M4 passed me going down a hill on over-run. Sounded more like an epileptic on a rifle range. Not boring I admit but unpleasant. Having just come from BMW land I can say the driver probably couldn't hear it over his tyre and wind noise!!

Rant over thanks, back in the garden now.:biglaugh: