A6 Allroad

[yinujim]

What should I be looking for when looking at A6 Allroad 2.5 Tdi? I know they can have problems with the air suspension.

[plg101]

yinujim said:

What should I be looking for when looking at A6 Allroad 2.5 Tdi? I know they can have problems with the air suspension.

And the engine is a bit erm, agricultural.

Have a scan here: http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.ph...

[wrighty78]

Cambelt / water pump change is sodding expensive so make sure it has been done, or isn't due, or get a grand knocked off to cover it.

Despite their foibles, I think they're brilliant and am contemplating get another myself.

[Steve081974]

I think TT is going to be the authority here, and I know the 2.5 engine has a bit of a rep for not being the finest in the line-up. However I can only speak as I find - my old man has run a 53 plate Allroad for many years and I think about 70,000 miles, and uses its (actually pretty handy) offroad skills several times a week. It's not been the cheapest thing to run and a few bits and bobs have needed replacing, but it's never had a significant failure. He's been trying to find something to replace it for what seems like years now but nothing quite offers the same mix of skills, so it's still hanging around!

If you find a good one and you NEED what it can do they're pretty hard to beat, despite the apparent potential for bills.

[Tame Technician]

Look under it for major oil leaks. The breather system relies on a valve inside the oil filter housing. If this fails there is too much crankcase pressure and you get never ending oil leaks. Is really common. Cant recall the cost but its a good few hundred quid.

The two words you really dont want to hear when the garage ring you to tell you whats wrong.

Pump and Turbo

Both are just ticking bombs, they will fail one day, but will it be 250,000miles or will it be 80,000miles. There both around £1200 for the parts

We have a older 2.5 TDI A4 that we see regularly. Its on 275k ish. Its had a pump and 2 turbos and 3 oil filter housings over the years, first turbo went at 76k cant remember the rest.

If you can find one, Allroad manual will outlast a tip tronic any day. Tip tronics are dead good for 120k, some go for ever and others start to play up around this mileage. Have seen one this week thats just been over halled by a specialist at 140k. Now it feels mechanically finem, but its logging loads of gearbox related codes, dont think he was that special.

Edited by Tame Technician on Monday 5th October 20:09

[yinujim]

Thanks for the advice. Its either this or a range rover P38 or Merc ML.

[plg101]

I'd go for the Audi or the Rangey.

I have heard (bot not experienced) many, many terrible things about the Merc.

There is a reason there are so many, for such good money. I can't remember which year but the JD Power survey a few years ago, didn't they come bottom/near bottom?

[wrighty78]

plg101 said:

I have heard (bot not experienced) many, many terrible things about the Merc.

Yep. I briefly considered the ML option, but a quick squizz through the Merc forums on here quickly put me off!

[Lefty Guns]

XC70?

[yinujim]

Lefty Guns said:

XC70?

I looked at that but there doesn't seem to be many for sale under 6K and diesel.

[R60EST]

I'd steer well clear of a P38

[Steve081974]

R60EST said:

I'd steer well clear of a P38

I'll second that - while the Allroad may have a couple of expensive things that may or may not go wrong sometime between 80 and 180k, this vintage of Range Rover is just one big pile of wrong waiting to happen, all day every day!

If I was choosing between a P38 and an ML I'd take the ML - I am well aware of their reputation and apart from the badge they don't have all that much in common with the build of an early 90's S class, but my old man's Allroad replaced an ML270 which he'd had from new, ran it for over 4 years and while not faultless, it was actually pretty okay in a lumbering kind of way. It certainly didn't explode or do anything crazy. So if you can find a one owner/two owners with the last one for a long time ML, it might be a reasonable gamble.

Dad's ML replaced several Rangies, all of which were far too fond of the nice garage man... oh, and did about 13mpg. I bet you could nearly get 20 out of a P38 diesel... on the drive to the next repair...

[wrighty78]

yinujim said:

Lefty Guns said:

XC70?

I looked at that but there doesn't seem to be many for sale under 6K and diesel.

Would a Scooby (Outback or Forrester perhaps) do the trick? Not diesel, but 4wd, a bit of extra ground clearance, plenty of space and within budget...