Thinking of getting an A4 2.0 TDI 143 - good choice?

[magt1000]

What you thinking of getting if you do change your car? Are you looking for a more economical car as you do 30+k miles per year? you must be paying nearly £4.5k in fuel per year...Yikes!

Half of those are company miles which I claim as expenses at 45p a mile (for the first 10k), that conveniently equates to about the 4.5k you refer too but any increase in economy or drop in fuel price means big savings!

I have looked at the 3 series because the BMW diesel engines are astonishingly fuel efficient yet also pack more punch than most (how do they do that?). In the medium term one of the new plug-in hybrid vehicles that can do 100mpg+ is probably the way I will go....

[Jasonz]

I've had BMW's and my current A4 143 Tdi. The DIS on my car over 40k miles has always been around the 40mpg mark, and I believe that is over-reading by close to 8%. That's through a rough 50/50 mix of town and motorway driving. There's no doubt in my mind that you'll get better fuel economy with a 320D, and the servicing won't be any more expensive than the Audi. I went for the A4 Avant purely on looks, and for those I'm very glad.

Half of those are company miles which I claim as expenses at 45p a mile (for the first 10k), that conveniently equates to about the 4.5k you refer too but any increase in economy or drop in fuel price means big savings!

I have looked at the 3 series because the BMW diesel engines are astonishingly fuel efficient yet also pack more punch than most (how do they do that?). In the medium term one of the new plug-in hybrid vehicles that can do 100mpg+ is probably the way I will go....

Well, I've always wanted a 320d E92 coupe (or the standard E90 320d saloon).

Regarding MPG stats, engines are designed to perform best for the EU emissions test which is very strict and specific. This is why manufacturer's love start+stop, as about 25% of the test is stationary.

I do believe BMW are ahead of the curve, and they have introduced lots of technologies to improve economy. However, they are very complicated and as I will be buying a 3yr old car I am worried about repair costs. Also, as cars are faster people use that 'excess' power - so people report poorer than expected fuel economy

My other issue with BMW is the stupid run-flats. My friend with a 5series just spent £1.3k on new tyres - however I'm looking if it's possible to change to bog standard tyres (then put a space saver in the boot).

I have come across a website http://www.spritmonitor.de/ where people record true fuel economy. I know there is fuelly.com, but that's not as good (can't pick models etc).

According to that website:
My 2001 130pd Golf = 47.58mpg (I agree with this)
A4 B8 143 = 42.37mpg
BMW e90 320d = 45.22mpg

The above figures quite amaze me (especially as the A4 & 320d is far more economical on the motorway @ 120kph).

If it wasn't for my gear box being at the end of it's life (on my golf), I would stick with it. For me it's just seems a step back getting a less economical car.

Also, I won't be getting the main dealer to maintain my car (it won't be in warranty) and I got chronically ripped off by VW (but I won't go into that). A friend of mine runs a car garage, who gets all my work - and one thing he has said is the parts for the new BMW engines are very expensive as there isn't a developed market for non OEM parts.

That's my thinking really.

[Jasonz]

Oh, and the new Golf bluemotion only gets 56mpg (according to spritmonitor), so unless you get a silly underpowered economical car, you will never get much higher than that.

[Hammy969]

According to that website:
My 2001 130pd Golf = 47.58mpg (I agree with this)
A4 B8 143 = 42.37mpg
BMW e90 320d = 45.22mpg

Jason

I have run a 2004 A3 with 2.0TDI (140) and it average around 49.9mpg.

I have run A A4 B7 with the same engine which averaged 44.7mpg.

You will find a difference in mpg due to the extra weight in an A4. I currently run a B8 A4 with the 143 engine and it returns 44mpg after 35,000miles

These car have all been driven in the same way on similar routes and are real world numbers.

Hope this helps.

Ham

[Jasonz]

I think I've decided on what car to get, I do like big cars but for what I want in an a4 B8 is really out of my price range. I think I'm going to go for an A3 instead.

Thanks for everyone's help!

[Dr Mcr]

I think I've decided on what car to get, I do like big cars but for what I want in an a4 B8 is really out of my price range. I think I'm going to go for an A3 instead.

Thanks for everyone's help!

I get around 53mpg in my A3 Sportback and 48.5 for the same run in an A4 Avant.

I may be selling an A3 Sportback 2.0 TDi (143) Sport soon (next 4 weeks). Full Audi Main Dealer SH. What age and mileage of model are you looking at, or are you wanting new?

[Jasonz]

I want an s - line 2.0TDI, <100k miles. Don't mind if it's a sportback or 3door. I'll probably go for 2006 or newer, with a budget of £10k max (so probably 2006-07 for that price). As it's not the ideal car I want, I don't want to spunk my whole savings. I'll be looking in Feb, need to polish my car up (I'll sell mine privately) and I'm busy every weekend until then.

Edit: I live in Portsmouth

[Audimaniac]

I have just traded in my A4 130pd sport, which was getting 55+ mpg at 75 mph. I traded it in for a A4 2.0 143ps SE 2008. The car is very quiet and smooth power delivery. But the economy is well below what the book figures say. I have worked out that on average I expect at drop of 25-30% less on the figures in the book.
Have told the main dealer about the problem and awaiting reply. But they did say DPF will regenerate itself and when that happens fuel economy will drop.
So if etra urban = 64.2 you could expect 47 instead on a combined cycle = 51.37 you could expect 37.5. Lastly the trip computer seems very accurate compared to the 130pd sport.