Smoking 1.8T and excessive oil use.

I have a 2001 Audi A6 1.8T 20V with 150,000 miles on the clock. It has been a great car although we did have to replace the oil pump at about 120K.

Anyway it has started to progressively use more and more engine oil. Recently the diagnostic light came on indicating an engine breathing problem. The local garage replaced the rubber hoses at the top of the engine which cleared the diagnostic fault.

All this time there was no appreciable smoke from the exhaust however every now and then a smell of fumes when starting up. Anyway things have got worse, It has used a full reservoir of oil in one tank of gas, still no obvious clouds of smoke. Last night for the first time when stationary after one junction of motorway drive, clouds of smoke wafted around the car to the extent it looked like it was on fire. This cleared after a mile or so and this morning everything appears fine again - no smoke on hard acceleration or deacceleration.

The local garage is quoting £1200 for rings and new turbo!! Is there some cheaper solution that I should be looking at first.

Everyone I talk to seems to just say turbo or rings or both. My thought is that if it was the case these symptoms would be permanet. The motor seems to runs fine, smooth with normal power.

Anyone got some good gen on this? Also is it damaging to keep driving?

Many Thanks