My Audi Allroad 2.7T and ownership history

[Resolutionary]

• N.B. I hadn't put the make or model in my previous thread, so I deleted it and started fresh*

Long time lurker here, I've always enjoyed browsing readers rides threads and so thought I'd contribute with my list of previously owned motors, and my current car.

I passed my driving test in 2006 aged 17 and bought my very first vehicle, a Fiat Punto 1.2 LX. While this little car may not conjure much interest, I absolutely adored it. That is, until this happened..



Someone kindly drove into my passenger side at around 80mph on the M4 near Swindon while myself and some friends were travelling to the Brecon Beacons for a camping trip. The offender didn't stop to assist once they caused this mishap, which was nice.

Shortly after this crash I was keen to get another cheap, reliable hatchback, so god knows why I picked up a Peugeot 206 1.4 Quicksilver Edition..



This car remained standard for a short while, but ended up like this, predominantly using original Peugeot sport parts:



I genuinely loved this car, in fact I still have it as a daily. However, having always loved Audi Avants I jumped at the chance to pick up an interestingly modified B5 A4 1.8T. This is a photo from the advert:



I understand that Pistonheads isn't really the place to discuss slammed / stanced / stupid motors, but I instantly fell in love with it, and upgraded the turbo, breathing apparatus, interior and wheels. After nearly two years of ownership it had seen a few homegrown paint-jobs:







I genuinely spent as little as I could when respraying it - in fact on two occasions I used common household paint rollers to do the job, simply masking areas I didn't want to touch. Matt finishes are easier to get uniform than gloss so the end result was usually decent enough, and at £25-30 for a repaint it didn't bother me that they weren't remotely professional finishes. I eventually sold it as it was getting expensive to maintain, but I miss it sorely to this day. Driving a camouflaged Audi is certainly a talking point!

Then, after half a year of searching for my next Audi, I settled with an Allroad 2.7T with 96k on the clock. I practically robbed the seller.



It. Is. Amazing. So capable, so comfortable, SO thirsty. It has factory Recaros, fully working air suspension and a smooth-as-silk engine. I haven't done much to it apart from a service and a thorough clean, although long term plans include more power, more lows, 19's and a general tidy up.






The only thing I've done so far is fully debadged the rear and added 20mm spacers to each rear axle to lessen body-roll.



I'd done a fair bit of reading up on the 2.7T lump, and I pined after a B5 S4 Avant for years but mileages and modifications put me off so I settled with my Allroad which I'm starting to think I should have done initially. I know the engine / drive-train / suspension CAN be problematic, but that depends entirely on the treatment of the car and this particular one came with 95k on the clock, 2 executive owners and full Audi service history with stacks of receipts.

Being nearly 2.5 tonnes it is quite a floaty beast in the corners and doesn't give me much confidence when driving hard, at least not compared to an equivalent A6 Avant or my silly-low B5. Numerous people have swapped the original air suspension over for Bilstein coilovers, which is sacrilege in my opinion, so what I plan to do is known as the '402 mod'; a VAGcom induced suspension override which can trick the computer into believing 1st and 2nd levels are around an inch lower than factory. I then plan to upgrade the ARBs and address any component issues (wishbones, lower arms etc). Another alternative to the VAGcom would be to purchase some lowering sensor arms, tiny CNC machined parts that drop the whole around 2.5cm car without much hassle.

Also I ordered a compressor refurb kit for the air suspension unit, once fitted it should remain largely problem free.

I had quite a lengthy conversation with Reuben at TuningWerkes in Croydon and we compiled a list of engine upgrades that should help the car reach what it's safely capable of and keep me smiling, which consists of:

- Stainless bi-pipes for charge air (replaces rubbish plastic ones)
- Full silicone hose kit (inlets, breathers etc)
- Upgraded Y-pipe (either stainless or carbon fibre)
- Drop-in panel filter or conical induction system
- Intake heat shield
- OEM headgaskets
- Longlife stainless cat-back
- Forge Diverter Valve x2

All topped off with some adequate stage I / stage II software. I am considering downpipes / gutted pre-cats but I'm concerned about potential tantrums the car might throw when sensors are messed with, but all in I should hope to see figures around 350bhp and 450 lb-ft. That's unless I upgrade turbos..!

Thanks for reading - comments and criticisms most welcome!

[-crookedtail-]

Resolutionary said:

*N.B. I hadn't put the make or model in my previous thread, so I deleted it and started fresh*

I thought I had read all of this before.

[Resolutionary]

-crookedtail- said:

I thought I had read all of this before.

The title thing was bugging me!

[Hudson]

Camo paint job made me chuckle. Think it looked best in white though!

[J4CKO]

Loving that A4, memorable.

[Resolutionary]

Hudson said:

Camo paint job made me chuckle. Think it looked best in white though!

I have to agree - the white looked really tidy, especially considering I rolled it on using Wickes primer

[C7 JFW]

I'm looking to buy a runaround and I had no idea the 2.7 was the S4 engine - looks like that's going on the list!

[Resolutionary]

C7 JFW said:

I'm looking to buy a runaround and I had no idea the 2.7 was the S4 engine - looks like that's going on the list!

Indeed it is, albeit a slightly detuned one.

B5 S4 - 261 bhp, 295 lb-ft
C5 Allroad - 247 bhp, 258 lb-ft

Both platforms share engine codes and anciliaries. I've gotta say, having driven a B5 S4 and also having owned my B5 A4 for two years, the Allroad is an all together better built machine. No annoying cabin rattles and far less likely to have been thrashed about. Performance is still awesome in stock form and I can only assume it'll improve exponentially with the various modifications I intent to run.

[cb31]

Resolutionary said:

so what I plan to do is known as the '402 mod'; a VAGcom induced suspension override which can trick the computer into believing 1st and 2nd levels are around an inch lower than factory. I then plan to upgrade the ARBs and address any component issues (wishbones, lower arms etc). Another alternative to the VAGcom would be to purchase some lowering sensor arms, tiny CNC machined parts that drop the whole around 2.5cm car without much hassle.

Isn't that the point of the allroad though, higher suspension, 4x4 and estate car combined into one? Why not just buy the non-allroad version?

[Resolutionary]

cb31 said:

Isn't that the point of the allroad though, higher suspension, 4x4 and estate car combined into one? Why not just buy the non-allroad version?

That was probably the initial selling point, yes. A 'non-allroad' version would be an A6 Avant, and those aren't exactly uncommon. I bought this car primarily because of the engine, and subsequently because of the plethora of options it came with. For the price I paid there wasn't a single A6 equivalent that was close to this car, nor A4, nor any other real world contender for that matter.

I know it will seem silly to some, but the truth is the super-soft ride quality and standard height at level 1 is quite numb from a drivers perspective, and lowering it will inevitably reduce body-roll; increase cornering stiffness and generally improve looks.

All photos above were taken with the car at level 2, which is the setting I use for everyday driving. There are 4 levels, so even if I lower the car by one inch(ish), I'll still be able to achieve ground clearance of 7 inches + on level 4, which is ample considering my future travel plans.

[Resolutionary]

Audio update! I have now fitted my Alpine iPod (iDA-x305s) deck and Infinity subs. It already came with 1000w worth of Bose stereo so I doubt I'll do much else audio wise apart from a bit of sound deadening.




I'm also thinking of perfoming the following as soon as finances permit:

Exterior:
- 19" / 20" alloy wheels with suitable tyres (leaning towards AMG / Rota)
- Body coloured bumpers / colour change
- Bee-sting aerial
- Dechromed rails, door blades, skid plates and window surrounds (perhaps to black)
- RS6 spoiler

Interior:
- LED / white bulb change
- Floor mats

Thanks for looking!

[Hallsy01]

Nice - I really like that.

The 2.7t A6 has been on my radar for a little while, I had looked into buying a B5 S4 before and will soon be looking to buy another estate car - S4 prices seem all over the place, and in reality I would prefer the extra space of the A6.

Is the 2.7t considered just as problematic in the A6 as the S4? I understand the A6 has better cooling due to having more space around the engine, and less likely to have had the boost wound up - but I guess the same weakpoints are there? Is it still a big job on the A6 to replace the turbos?

I actually really like the Allroad styling as well, I have no need for an offroad styled car, but I like the fatter arches and two tone colour scheme. I'm guessing an allroad is generally more expensive than the equivalent Avant? Are they generally better specced?

On the subject of mpg, how bad is bad? Mid 20's or worse? Auto or manual?

You have got my head in a spin again!! I had settled on a urS6, but they are pretty thin on the ground so have to have a backup plan, lol!!

[Resolutionary]

Hallsy01 said:

Nice - I really like that.

The 2.7t A6 has been on my radar for a little while, I had looked into buying a B5 S4 before and will soon be looking to buy another estate car - S4 prices seem all over the place, and in reality I would prefer the extra space of the A6.

Is the 2.7t considered just as problematic in the A6 as the S4? I understand the A6 has better cooling due to having more space around the engine, and less likely to have had the boost wound up - but I guess the same weakpoints are there? Is it still a big job on the A6 to replace the turbos?

I actually really like the Allroad styling as well, I have no need for an offroad styled car, but I like the fatter arches and two tone colour scheme. I'm guessing an allroad is generally more expensive than the equivalent Avant? Are they generally better specced?

On the subject of mpg, how bad is bad? Mid 20's or worse? Auto or manual?

You have got my head in a spin again!! I had settled on a urS6, but they are pretty thin on the ground so have to have a backup plan, lol!!

The 2.7T is, it would seem, a marvelously complex beast. Audi managed to shoehorn it into the B5 platform, and as you rightly say there is a tad more space around the sides and front of the engine on my Allroad as opposed to an S4. The bottom-rear of each side of the block houses the turbo units so it's still a massive undertaking to replace a turbo - usually an engine-out job. Fingers crossed I won't need to fiddle with turbos any time soon.

I've wanted to get my hands on this block for years. As with all turbo'd engines, weak points include boost and oil leaks, coolant circulation issues and gasket failure. I'm currently in need of some OEM rocker gaskets to replace my perished ones which are now leaking traces of oil onto my turbos causing a burning smell and occasional smoke. It's a minor fix but access to the lump is obscured by a multitude of ancillaries. This is, however, my only issue to date. People have a gripe with the air suspension, which is an expensive fix, but if you can find an example that travels through all 4 height modes within a minute or two, doesn't sag at one side, or depress itself over night, you're probably ok. I'm going to pick up a compressor refurb kit from a guy called BagPipingAndy off eBay soon which should remedy any potential problems.

Mine is a tip-tronic 5speed, so essentially an auto box with a sport and sequential manual mode, plus buttons on the steering wheel. I've not really used the steering wheel controls but I love manual mode and the gearbox is actually really quick to respond in auto. Being such a big car I think I prefer the lack of clutch and ability to simply enjoy cruising along! I currently average 21.8mpg, have seen 5.5mpg under heavy acceleration, and regularly achieve around 26-30 on a run.

I too considered a URS6, and S2 Avant, and S4 Avant. All three of these are considered 'performance' vehicles, while the Allroad would qualify for 'luxury' in my opinion; mine is quite lavishly decorated with Recaro leather trim and upgraded audio to name a few things. Plus, prices aren't as volatile as the other models mentioned. I picked this lot up for just £2k from a genuine private seller. A truly epic piece of kit that continues to impress!

[Resolutionary]

Tiny update: I removed the 'quattro' badge from the front grille - oh how I do love a bit of symmetry.



Still loving every minute of ownership although it's depressing not having the funds yet to perform any serious modifications!

[ManOpener]

How are you finding the seats? My dad's old one was an incredibly comfortable place to spend time in.

[Resolutionary]

ManOpener said:

How are you finding the seats? My dad's old one was an incredibly comfortable place to spend time in.

I bloody love them. One of the defining reasons I opted for this car. Even after the longest of journeys I exit the car feeling as fresh as when I set off. I've done 6,000 odd miles since April and, coupled with the floaty air suspension, it's a wonderfully comfortable ride irrespective of road conditions. The seats are electrically adjustable with lumbar support - the leather is supple and shows no real wear anywhere for a car going on 12+ years old.

The rear bench is in time-warp condition, and I've had numerous passengers tell me how astonished they are at the leg room on offer behind the front seats. To be expected I suppose, being Audi's first hearse

[Resolutionary]

I added 30hp to my car this afternoon..

[Max M4X WW]

I wonder how much extra the Recaro's were when new? Audi offered them in most cars of this era of late 90's/early 2000's and I get a bit excited when I find a non 'S' car for sale with them!

[Resolutionary]

Max M4X WW said:

I wonder how much extra the Recaro's were when new? Audi offered them in most cars of this era of late 90's/early 2000's and I get a bit excited when I find a non 'S' car for sale with them!

I have the original paperwork which lists them as a £1600 option - eyewatering money just for seats considering I paid a bit more than that earlier this year and bought the whole car!

[Resolutionary]

Tiny update: my compressor refurb kit has arrived!



Cars fitted with factory air suspension will inevitably run into issues - my compressor has recently been noisy when running, and sometimes slow to lift or lower; after a bit of research the name BagpipingAndy popped up as a manufacturer of refurb kits which should remedy my issues. Apparently the manufacturer also provides these kits for other vehicles kitted with factory air suspension. It's a really well crafted item and I've only heard good things about the kit and the maker.

The Allroad is booked in with TuningWerkes for 21st November so I'll post up my progress once a bunch of work has been completed!