B7 A4 Avant TDi with 100k would mileage put you off???
Discussion
OK, first of all apologies for the mundane question.
The situation I find myself in is this:
I want an A4 avant 2.0 TDi 140, for a multitude of reasons. Lugging stuff around, economical commute, I'm getting old and dull etc etc. I've considered the alternatives, but keep coming back to the Audi.
I can pay up to around £10k if I have to, which from my initial searching might get me a 55 plate with 50-60k miles.
However, if I took a similar car with 90-100k on the odo it drops the price by roughly £1K.
Am I right in thinking I should go for lowest miles/newest car possible? Do these cars start to experience expensive issues once they get past 100k?
Any other issues to consider with these cars? Experiences from owners would be greatly appreciated.
I'm new to barges. Always had smaller hatches and have just come from the world of i-VTEC so really haven't got a clue.
The situation I find myself in is this:
I want an A4 avant 2.0 TDi 140, for a multitude of reasons. Lugging stuff around, economical commute, I'm getting old and dull etc etc. I've considered the alternatives, but keep coming back to the Audi.
I can pay up to around £10k if I have to, which from my initial searching might get me a 55 plate with 50-60k miles.
However, if I took a similar car with 90-100k on the odo it drops the price by roughly £1K.
Am I right in thinking I should go for lowest miles/newest car possible? Do these cars start to experience expensive issues once they get past 100k?
Any other issues to consider with these cars? Experiences from owners would be greatly appreciated.
I'm new to barges. Always had smaller hatches and have just come from the world of i-VTEC so really haven't got a clue.
My experience of Audi thus far is a good one. I got an A6 Avant (55 reg 2.7 tdi) 12 months ago at 76k. It's just passed the MOT with no advisories , I've put about 10k on it , not one single fault. It hasn't used a drop of oil or water and thanks to the previous owner opting for the long life service option it still has about 8k to go before it needs a service.
I'd be much less put off if somewhere in the service history it says, oil pump chain replaced or counter balance shaft replaced. Thats the only thing I'd be really worried about at 100k+.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
For the sake of £1k, I'd go for the lower mileage... but it does depend. I'd take a fully stamped higher mileage car that has been a motorway cruiser over a lower mileage town car.
I'd also go for one that has been privately owned rather than an ex-lease. Private owners (generally) tend to their own car with more, erm, love...
I'd also go for one that has been privately owned rather than an ex-lease. Private owners (generally) tend to their own car with more, erm, love...
Had 3 A4s, 1 Passat, and now an A6 - all with big mileages. Touch wood, never a major issue. Bought one with 140K on the clock and ran it to just short of 180K - a couple of minor niggles like a wiper linkage, otherwise absolutely spot on.
Last week I got the A6 with 93K on - will be running this until at least 180K.
Last week I got the A6 with 93K on - will be running this until at least 180K.
Thanks everyone. Interesting food for thought. Few more questions, if I may...
TT - you say in the thread that you link to that these chain guides can fail between 70 and 100k. Is there any way to know if a car I look at and test drive has a knackered guide? Will there be an obvious rattly chain type noise? From what I can see, the resultant fix for this problem is anything from a new chain and gear to a new block. Is it really a massive issue, or just something that happens on some of these engines?
What's the interval on cam belt changes? 60k/4 years? Is it the water pump that you're referring to? Is it one of those "better to change the pump with the belt for the sake of the cost of the part" situations?
What's the crack with fixed or variable servicing? I've only ever known yearly or 12k type intervals.
TT - you say in the thread that you link to that these chain guides can fail between 70 and 100k. Is there any way to know if a car I look at and test drive has a knackered guide? Will there be an obvious rattly chain type noise? From what I can see, the resultant fix for this problem is anything from a new chain and gear to a new block. Is it really a massive issue, or just something that happens on some of these engines?
What's the interval on cam belt changes? 60k/4 years? Is it the water pump that you're referring to? Is it one of those "better to change the pump with the belt for the sake of the cost of the part" situations?
What's the crack with fixed or variable servicing? I've only ever known yearly or 12k type intervals.
If the chain guide is broken there is a loud chain like noise, unmistakeable, dont drive it if you hear it.
Can happen to any 2.0TDI engine up to 2007ish model year, from then on the oil pump/counter balance shafts are gear driven. (i dont know the exact engine numbers but its about then)
We have seen quite a few fail, there was a spate when we had 3 in one month, havnt seen one for a while now so its not ever car. There is no way to predict when its going to happen or even if it will, there must be 100's going strong for every one we've had problems with.
I understand otehr dealers are converting most engines to the geardriven assembly, but we havnt had much success geting the old gear off the crank, and have been doing more short blocks as a result. 90% these have been waranty so a bit less effort trying to get it off perhaps than one some poor sole is paying with there own money.
I was just trying to make the point if the service history says its had a repair like this, weather it be a conversion to the gear driven counter balance shaft, or even a new engine, this is a good thing.
Last update we had on the cam belt interval said 75k or 5 years (they change it from time to time), water pump at the same time is a good idea, there only £30. I like to use a cambelt kit, so all the rollers and tensioners are replaced. But the official word from Audi is the tensioner + rollers are good for two belts, dont believe a word of it, always do the tensioner even if you leave the rollers.
Can happen to any 2.0TDI engine up to 2007ish model year, from then on the oil pump/counter balance shafts are gear driven. (i dont know the exact engine numbers but its about then)
We have seen quite a few fail, there was a spate when we had 3 in one month, havnt seen one for a while now so its not ever car. There is no way to predict when its going to happen or even if it will, there must be 100's going strong for every one we've had problems with.
I understand otehr dealers are converting most engines to the geardriven assembly, but we havnt had much success geting the old gear off the crank, and have been doing more short blocks as a result. 90% these have been waranty so a bit less effort trying to get it off perhaps than one some poor sole is paying with there own money.
I was just trying to make the point if the service history says its had a repair like this, weather it be a conversion to the gear driven counter balance shaft, or even a new engine, this is a good thing.
Last update we had on the cam belt interval said 75k or 5 years (they change it from time to time), water pump at the same time is a good idea, there only £30. I like to use a cambelt kit, so all the rollers and tensioners are replaced. But the official word from Audi is the tensioner + rollers are good for two belts, dont believe a word of it, always do the tensioner even if you leave the rollers.
Variable servicing just means you will get more like 14-18k miles to an oil change than 10,000 if you opt for fixed. How long it goes depends on (A) how you drive. (B) on thermal load and soot content of the oil. Lots of short runs and or lots of thrashing the car, it will come on sooner.
There are pros and cons for each, Variable is usually slightly cheaper.
There are pros and cons for each, Variable is usually slightly cheaper.
you will hear the chain rattle on idle, Ive had loads done now, if you are doing the belts anyway its not a lot more but if you are replacing the cog its quite an involving job as a lot has to be stripped to get at it.
Ive been specialising selling Vag diesel cars now for 6 years and the first 4 years I did so selling 1.9tdi cars I had an easy job, I can count problems on one hand, last 2 years Ive been selling 2.0tdis its a very different story, Ive had numerous oil cogs/chains/tensioners, injectors,turbos failing, wiring harness"s, coolant temp sensors, coolant loss prolems, fuel pumps airbag sensors etc etc and some of these faults have been on low mileage cars! Ive had quite a few that have had replacement engines fitted! dont get me wrong a lot of them are problem free but the 2.0 engine imho isnt a patch on the 1.9.
Ive been specialising selling Vag diesel cars now for 6 years and the first 4 years I did so selling 1.9tdi cars I had an easy job, I can count problems on one hand, last 2 years Ive been selling 2.0tdis its a very different story, Ive had numerous oil cogs/chains/tensioners, injectors,turbos failing, wiring harness"s, coolant temp sensors, coolant loss prolems, fuel pumps airbag sensors etc etc and some of these faults have been on low mileage cars! Ive had quite a few that have had replacement engines fitted! dont get me wrong a lot of them are problem free but the 2.0 engine imho isnt a patch on the 1.9.
Thanks TT/Jeff. Lots of great info.
From what I'm gathering, I might be better off going for a late 130 BHP 1.9 TDi (was this still the PD engine?). What engine does the slightly later (2005/2006) 115 BHP 1.9 have? Are these any good? There's quite a lot of these about for well under my max' budget.
I've had a look around and there are definitely plenty of lowish miles (<80k) on an 04 or 54 plate. This would have the added advantage of probably reducing my required budget a bit too.
What do you reckon?
From what I'm gathering, I might be better off going for a late 130 BHP 1.9 TDi (was this still the PD engine?). What engine does the slightly later (2005/2006) 115 BHP 1.9 have? Are these any good? There's quite a lot of these about for well under my max' budget.
I've had a look around and there are definitely plenty of lowish miles (<80k) on an 04 or 54 plate. This would have the added advantage of probably reducing my required budget a bit too.
What do you reckon?
Edited by VeeTEC on Thursday 29th October 08:51
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