Audi vs Passat estate

[Simonfuller]

Dear A6 estate Drivers,
I am looking to buy a either a A6 estate 2.4 current shape. Or a Passat current shape demo 2.0 for my work as a cameraman. I will be caring a lot of equipment around 120 kgs. My question is, will the 2.0 litre audi or pasatt be enough for me caring around all that kit, or do I need something with a bit more grunt. Growing up in Australia we were told that 2.0 litres are for kids. though am sure that technology has come a long way. I would love to here from drivers of 2.0 litre engines who carry heavy loads.
Best regards,

Simon

[Niall76]

would that be petrol or diesel you're after.

Personally speaking, if it aint got a V6 or a V8 it aint no use to man nor beast.....

[Simonfuller]

would that be petrol or diesel you're after.

Personally speaking, if it aint got a V6 or a V8 it aint no use to man nor beast.....

Thats what is what i was told. I love the 5.0 V8 utes we usto have back home, though i now would need a mortgage to run the thing. these days with global warming.....

It has been ages since I have owned a car. (living in london) I dont know what would be the best hope the forum can offer advice.
Simon

[Col]

Diesel all the way !

Power, acceleration a nice noise are all lagely irrelivant [spelling?] when your sat in a traffic jam or slow traffic which is the norm these days.

If it were me...

Passat TDI estate and a cateram or bike for thrills. Most TDI's will out grunt a petrol unless you drop the petrol down 2 or 3 gears and floor it. You'll also save a fortune on fuel which means more to spend on the weekend 'toy' car.

...that's what I'd do.

...that is if I didn't have two hungry kids and a wife, suffice to say the Passat is having to do, the 'toy' car is on the back burner for the time being.

[Niall76]

I'm not disagreeing with BigCol but there is something else to consider. It depends on a couple of other things too. You need to take into account that diesels are now more desireable (must be loads of flatcap grandads out there ;-) ) and so are now more expensive. If you go for a petrol then you'll be able to buy it cheaper (obviously). Now here's my point - the diffirence in price buys you a hell of a lot of petrol. You need to be doing a hell of a lot of miles to make the diesel actually any cheaper in the long run. Something like 50,000 miles plus per year or something.

And another thing - the only reason a diesel is any good now is that they bolt on a turbo. Watch me stick a turbo on mine and see how it goes...

Anyway - I'm not dissing the diesel - they are indeed good. I'm just a petrol head is all.

I say go for that V6 or V8.

[Pimped-Passat]

I think I am with BigCol. Diesel all the way.

Agreed there is a difference in purchase price (you get what you pay for) but I don't wholey buy into the idea that buying a cheaper petrol (V6 or V8) allows you to purchase more fuel and effectively balances the books. I would say that a 1.9 or 2.0 Tdi would do roughly twice as many miles per gallon compared to the petrol V6/8 so for me the 50,000 per annum doesn't add up.

Another consideration is that you will always find it easier to sell the diesel as they appeal to a wider audience (hence the premium), but you may not find it as easy to off-load a V6/8 petrol.

I saw the light 5 years ago when I joined the TDi club, and there is no way back for me..!

Not dissin' petrol, just my honest opinion....

Cheers
P-P

PS-Let us know how you get on with the strap-on turbo..!

[Niall76]

I hear what you're saying.

Here's some real life figures though. Mines a 2.8 V6 and I get 32mpg - more if I'm cruising the M-way.

Now that's not too bad is it?

I do agree about the selling on thing. It's not an issue for me though as I don't plan on selling it.

[Niall76]

Oh yeah - a strapped on super charger appeals to me more.

One day, one day........

[Pimped-Passat]

Ok... I really am been sad here, but I've done some sums..!!

25000 miles per annum

Average price per litre = £0.90 (petrol would be a touch cheaper to buy, diesel perhaps a touch more expensive)

Diesel doing 50mpg = Cost for fuel = £2045

Petrol doing 32mpg = Cost for fuel = £3196

So about £1100 difference on "25000" year, plus about £40 in road tax depending on car size....

[Col]

.....so by those figures in about 2 years you'd re-coup the extra cost of buying a diesel.

But....

To those petrol heads (I used to be one) have you actually driven a TDI ?

As I've said above, most will easily outgrunt a petrol unless that petrol is either a huge V6 or V8 or if a smaller engine it'd have to drop 2 or 3 cogs to keep up. Us in the TDI's although having less revs to play with still also sometimes have the opportunity to drop a cog or two as well.

I think real in real world and day to day driving the diesel wins in every aspect but a high revving petrol especially if it has a V engined gurgle does bring a massive smile. I just couldn't justify the fuel bill.

Which leads me on to working out the milage break even point of petrol vs diesel. Very crudely and only on a financial basis assuming you'll keep the car 3 years this is what I use as my criteria...

less than 15k petrol
15-20k diesel or petrol
over 20k diesel

I always do way over 20k every year so for me it's a no brainer... except I've recently started a job that gives me a fuel card... hmmm, what to do. That said I reckon I'd have to go to a 2.0T or V6 2.8 to get the same performance.

[Niall76]

That's not bad at all. I have driven the modern diesel and as I say - It is indeed a good motor.

Is it not cheaper to service a petrol too?...

For me, I rarely cover more than 10k (and if I do need to use it for work I get 40p per mile) in a year now so I'm pretty happy at the fuel bill. Plus I use my wifes car for the short journey's like to the supermarket etc. She's got a 1 litre Swift (petrol) which is actually really fun to drive in a high revving, not huge amount of speed but easily chuckable way. So I don't do too much damage to the environment.

So it looks as though the choice could well come down to how many miles you do in a year

[Pimped-Passat]

Niall77

Yes you have hit the nail on the head. It all depends on the miles you do. I use mine for business use too, and that's why the sums I did were fresh in my head (also I am a tight Yorkshireman!)

I run a 2004 1.9TDi PD Passat and bought it as I opted out of the company car scheme. So I am familiar with the 40p per mile for 10,000 - then 25p thereafter..!!! (Nice little earner!)

On those mileage rates (along with a decent car allowance) you can comfortably run a petrol or a diesel as the rates cover more or less everything. (Not sure if you chose an Alfa Romeo you would actually cover the repair \ tow home bills..!)

Been a pleasure chatting....

Cheers
P-P

[buster]

I run a 2.4 A6 avant quattro converted to LPG. It does 22mpg on lpg, 25 on petrol (I am sure it should do more than that) and am buying the LPG from Morrisons for 39.9 p litre.

Now that is cheap motoring and yes, I get 40p per mile as well.

My advice would be to buy the 2.4 or better still the 2.8 which seems to get a better mpg for some reason.

I am trading mine in for a 2.7T next week, and will have that converted too.

[Simonfuller]

Greetings, I am going to look at this car in the next few days it has 52000 miles on the clock and a sat nav. They are asking 16950 is this realistic or should i ask for a lower price. and how roomy in the boot are they?

[buster]

Greetings, I am going to look at this car in the next few days it has 52000 miles on the clock and a sat nav. They are asking 16950 is this realistic or should i ask for a lower price. and how roomy in the boot are they?

Bit pricey - standard vehicle without extras should be worth-

http://aol.whatcar.com/images/icons/i.gif (http://aol.whatcar.com/Valuations_Result.asp?MA=6&MV=23649&ED=5576&UP=1682839&miles=52000#) Dealer £13,675 http://aol.whatcar.com/images/icons/i.gif (http://aol.whatcar.com/Valuations_Result.asp?MA=6&MV=23649&ED=5576&UP=1682839&miles=52000#) Private£12,525 http://aol.whatcar.com/images/icons/i.gif (http://aol.whatcar.com/Valuations_Result.asp?MA=6&MV=23649&ED=5576&UP=1682839&miles=52000#) Part Ex£12,075 http://aol.whatcar.com/images/icons/i.gif (http://aol.whatcar.com/Valuations_Result.asp?MA=6&MV=23649&ED=5576&UP=1682839&miles=52000#) Trade£11,575 http://aol.whatcar.com/images/icons/i.gif (http://aol.whatcar.com/Valuations_Result.asp?MA=6&MV=23649&ED=5576&UP=1682839&miles=52000#) Cost New£25,635