Help! 3.2 FSI quattro or 3.0 TDI quattro

**dmahon** · 08-09-2009,10:28 PM

My wife wants a car and she pretty much fell in love with an A4 cabriolet. Plan is to buy 2/3 years old.

We took one out from the dealer at the weekend and she was very happy, but would like an automatic gearbox. I managed to get out of work early today and took both a 3.0 TDI quattro and a 3.2 FSI quattro today (different dealers) and liked them both! So would she. The petrol car is 6 months older and has done 20k less miles, but is 2k more expensive.

Opinions on the two cars please? I'm in a position to buy one tomorrow. Both are fully loaded.

Roughly what should I be expecting from the dealer as a % off the sticker price so I don't get taken for a ride (and how low should I start the haggle)? No trade in, might take out the lowest finance possible to get the two years free servicing deal.

**Crasher** · 08-09-2009,10:48 PM

Both are great engines, the TDI torque is amazing and even better when re-mapped. I am a petrol head but I don’t think I could resist the TDI’s benefits even with petrol running through my veins. I have seen some rather worrying cam chain faults with the 3.2FSI as well, extremely expensive to fix and utterly catastrophic if they fail completely which I have seen.

**kodkod.84** · 08-09-2009,10:59 PM

In my mind- diesels and drop tops just don't mix, you want to hear the exhaust sounds and look cool with the roof down, not hear the tractor-type noises

So if I was buying a cab it would be the petrol!

**dmahon** · 08-09-2009,11:08 PM

What kind of discount can I expect off the window price from an Audi dealer. I'm happy to pay cash or to take out a minimum finance package (to benefit from the 2 years free servicing). No part-ex involved.

**adamss24** · 09-09-2009,08:12 AM

Originally Posted by kodkod.84

In my mind- diesels and drop tops just don't mix, you want to hear the exhaust sounds and look cool with the roof down, not hear the tractor-type noises

So if I was buying a cab it would be the petrol!

You need very sharp hearing to distinguish the sound a v6 tdi does compared with the petrol when the car is moving. Its just a very faint clatter when you start the engine from cold and you let it iddle, there are no noticeable vibrations as well compared to the petrol lump ! The torque, fuel economy and the overal feel of the diesel lump makes-it a very sensible buy !

**Mr_Meeks** · 09-09-2009,09:26 AM

Diesel mixed with a drop top =

"No No & No"

**bez101** · 09-09-2009,10:47 AM

TDI
go petrol

**Road Rocket** · 29-08-2010,10:29 AM

Originally Posted by kodkod.84

In my mind- diesels and drop tops just don't mix, you want to hear the exhaust sounds and look cool with the roof down, not hear the tractor-type noises

So if I was buying a cab it would be the petrol!

LOL! Whenever did you here a V6 TDI sounding like a tractor? Mine purrs like a kitten and the difference between a petrol engine noise is minimal. The 3.0TDI is a superb engine (and like others have said) the torque is amazing - coupled with a remap these engines are very hard to beat in so many ways. At around 80 mph it's doing a relaxing 2,000 rpm with just a quiet hum from the engine - foot down (where legal) and it powers forward as if unleashed from a chain. One of the best engines I've ever driven and full marks to Audi. Auto gearbox by the way.

**Road Rocket** · 11-09-2009,11:21 PM

I do wonder whether any of the guys saying no to the cabriolet and 3.0 TDI have actually listened to the engine when it's spinning at around 80mph (just purring at 2000rpm), let alone drive it. Its V6 super smooth engine bares no comparison to 2.0 litre 4 pot diesels. Even at low speeds around town you'll not be able to believe it is a diesel. The 3.0 TDI is exceptionally good because of its massive torque and when remapped it becomes really awesome, especially at motorway speeds where it will pull away at middle to high speeds at a surprising rate leaving most other vehicles well behind.

But they are both excellent engines so in the end it just comes down to personal choice.

**ALF_A4** · 23-09-2009,05:51 PM

In my last job I worked with someone who had an A5 3.0TDi and spent a fair bit of time in/around it. I had an Alfa 3.2V6 (petrol!) at the time. While I agree the 3.0TDi makes a reasonably acceptable noise when underway, it is absolutely obvious at all times that it is a diesel unit and from outside the car it still sounds very diesel and very loud, especially on startup. Nothing like the wonderful sound of a good petrol engine. I know the Audi 3.2 is not a classic but I had a run in a V6 TT recently and was pleasantly suprised - I'd go petrol...