audi A4 cabriolet

[ribster]

First time on Forum so would be grateful for your advise. Keen to purchase A4 soft top around 17k to spend. I am not sure which engine to go for. Clearly the 1.8T is least powerful and cultured but cheaper to service and insure. 2.4 is not much more powerful. I have driven the 3.o litre and 2.5 diesel both nice but very different in nature. I do around 8k miles per annum. Help and advice please.
Ribster

[RickT]

Hello and Welcome to the forum!

If you post this in the A4 section for a better response!

Cheers

RicKT

[markae]

Hi,

I have the 1.8T Sport. As you say, it's the least powerful in the range. However, it is reasonably powerful (no complaints) and very refined. I will admit that I do crave a 3.2 V6 but then its the usual considerations of insurance / fuel consumption and fuel emission!

1.8T Sport - likely to get a better price as more of them around. Insurance is still high even though I'm nearly 30 and full no claims. MPG averages about 29/30 but can achieve circa 35 on the motorway. CO2 level is high (at least on the 2004 model) so tax is high and could get much higher if government proceeds with new CO2 policy

2.4 V6 - Lovely sound but higher fuel consumption than 1.8T. Suspect CO2 is also high. Insurance is likely to be higher than the 1.8T

2.5 Diesel - I test drove this. It had a lovely V6 note (at times) although I'm still put off buying a diesel convertible (although I would buy a diesel hard top). Power is good. I reckon insurance would be less than the 1.8T and 2.4 V6 purely on the basis that its a diesel. CO2 figures would be interesting to see

3.0 Diesel - Not experienced it so can't comment too much other than saying it's a more powerful version of the above and probably with similar attributes (sound / mpg etc.)

3.2 V6 - I can only imagine this is fantastic. An ex colleague of mine had one and said it was superb. Fuel economy unsurprisingly bad and no doubt that CO2 is probably very high too. This surely has to be the choice leaving cost aside.

All in all, I would opt for a petrol model as even the latest diesels are too noisy in my opinion for a convertible. Also your annual mileage is quite low so I guess mpg isn't a hugely significant factor although all the petrols are pretty thirsty. It's worth checking on the specs on the 2.4 V6 to see how it compares against the 1.8T. 3.2 V6 is my choice if you can afford it (higher up-front cost too) but otherwise I'd probably go for the 1.8T or 2.4 V6.