B7 A4 owners advice please, especially if DTM owners.

B7 A4 owners advice please, especially if DTM owners.

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Discussion

RyanTank

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

153 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Almost as title says. I'm looking to pick up a B7 A4 and just after some owners advice on what to look for. (currently reading online buyers guides, but most seem to relate to the US market)

Looking at 2ltr petrol Quattro's, but open to the V6 if worth it, wont be used daily as only 5 mins from work. Diesel isn't out of the equation as will be of benefit on long slogs and when I use if for motorsport duties.

Prefer the Avant for its utility, although happy to have a saloon if has folding seats.

There's currently 2 DTM editions for sale in my price range, one with 150k on it and one just under 100k. Really tempted to go look at the 100k one, but will mean a cross country all day trip so gathering as much info on it as I can before committing to the trip. I really like the colour and looks of the DTM but is it worth it over a regular 2ltr Quattro?

So with my brief comments above can you all feed back what to look out for and what issues/costs I should check on potential cars so I know i'm not walking into a £2k bill on a £3k car.

Thanks in advance to any help thumbup

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Thursday 18th April 2019
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Suspension bushes will be worn, soft, and tired; even if the MOT man says they're OK. Very common with B6/7 multi-link setups and makes the cars feel old and baggy. If you want it to feel right you'll likely need to put some money into freshening the suspension up. Now that these are older and cheaper most seem to be on rubbish tyres with funky alignment.

The carbon bits are ruinous to replace, make sure they're not scuffed/cracked.

High pressure fuel pump follower (driven by a lobe on the cam) wears on these engines and is a cheap, preventative repair.

Clutch and brake pedal switches regularly break. Look for revs hanging on gear change, cruise control not working.

Glove box and armrest lids break for fun.

Generally solid cars though. DTM still look good to my eye.


blade7

11,311 posts

215 months

Friday 19th April 2019
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£3K sounds a good price for a 100k DTM if it's any good. I wonder how much those bumpers cost though.

RyanTank

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

153 months

Tuesday 23rd April 2019
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Sorry. The DTM is £5800. The majority of Avants I’m looking at are £3k+.

I’m pretty much ruling the DTM out at the moment as an avant will suit my needs better than a Saloon. Currently have a 3series Saloon and naff all fits in the boot! And an expanding family means it’ll be easier with the avants. Shame really as I really like the look of the DTM! Had a google of bumpers and it doesn’t look like they were mass produced and genuine ones fetch anywhere over £300 in poor condition!

Was hoping for a Petrol as don’t do the mileage for a diesel, but all the decent looking petrol ones are up to and over 150k miles.

stevemcs

8,593 posts

92 months

Tuesday 23rd April 2019
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Add checking the ac to the list and that the passenger side footwell is dry and that all windows and central door locking motors work. Cam belt is 4 years ... I think ....

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Wednesday 24th April 2019
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The book says 115k or something like that but the current advice is every 5 years or 75 (whichever is the sooner).

blade7

11,311 posts

215 months

Thursday 25th April 2019
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RyanTank said:
Sorry. The DTM is £5800. The majority of Avants I’m looking at are £3k+.

I’m pretty much ruling the DTM out at the moment as an avant will suit my needs better than a Saloon. Currently have a 3series Saloon and naff all fits in the boot! And an expanding family means it’ll be easier with the avants. Shame really as I really like the look of the DTM! Had a google of bumpers and it doesn’t look like they were mass produced and genuine ones fetch anywhere over £300 in poor condition!

Was hoping for a Petrol as don’t do the mileage for a diesel, but all the decent looking petrol ones are up to and over 150k miles.
I've got a B7 2.0Tq Avant petrol, that's done just over 100k, had it a few years now. TBH there's not a lot of room in the back unless you put the rear seats down. And it's not exactly economical when you're making progress. The traction in the wet, and from a standing start in the dry is the reason it's still here, despite it being 14 years old. A newer Skoda 4x4 estate is starting to appeal though.

blade7

11,311 posts

215 months

Thursday 25th April 2019
quotequote all
RyanTank said:
Almost as title says. I'm looking to pick up a B7 A4 and just after some owners advice on what to look for. (currently reading online buyers guides, but most seem to relate to the US market)

Looking at 2ltr petrol Quattro's,

So with my brief comments above can you all feed back what to look out for and what issues/costs I should check on potential cars so I know i'm not walking into a £2k bill on a £3k car.
You could spend £6-700 sticking decent tyres and brakes on. A leggy one might need a clutch/flywheel/cambelt/bushes, and there's your £2k done.

RyanTank

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

153 months

Friday 26th April 2019
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Thanks for all the comments.

I'm possibly going to look at a 07 TDI 2.0q this weekend. top spec seemingly with all toys and that, except parking aids but that's more for the mrs than me. has covered around 128k but I hear that's barely run in for a VAG Tdi lump. MOT history shows nothing to be concerned about and seller says full dealer history, but original owner lost the books and he "has a new set on order from audi that'll be fully stamped: scratchchin

Will update if I bring it home with me thumbup

LFB531

1,233 posts

157 months

Friday 26th April 2019
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I bought a 2.0 Tdi Avant Q a couple of months ago, same age as the one you're seeing. It's a 170 lump and 104k listed when I got it. S Line trim in tidy order.

I bought it from a properly seedy garage but felt the car was honest enough, Audi history ran out at 60k but obvious signs of money spent since. I budgeted for cambelt immediately but also put a pair of new front discs and an unexpected air-con pump.

Useful car though, certainly not fast or sporty but was great in the snow and feels pretty dependable. My scuttle drain was blocked solid under the battery but easily sorted and the rear wiper has a mind of its own!

Good luck!

RyanTank

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

153 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
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Car turned out to be junk, certainly not as good as it looked in the pictures. engine was warm when I got there but still smoked puffs of blueish smoked out of the exhaust. Wheels were junk and needed a refurb. also needed a scratch/rash paining on the plastic skirts/underside where someone has clearly dropped it off a kerb rolleyes ,that was apparently booked in for fixing at his local painter and insisted it'd be no more than £50 to fix, despite being a good 2-2.5ft long on the underside, however the icing on the cake was the EML came on 5 minutes into the test drive rofl I wish I was making that up!

hit him with a lowball offer of if I was to take it then I'd be looking at £2800 max considering the work needed, needs a cambelt before end of the year too. Dealer kid said he couldn't do lower than £3225 as he'd already had an offer and deposit on it "but a family member passed so he told them to have it back". Parted ways after telling him it wasn't exactly as advertised, and despite asking of any rust there was plenty of bits on there that if I really wanted to fix it'd likely need a full respray, and made my way for the 2.5hr drive home. Looking online later Sunday for other candidates I came across his listing to find he'd increased the price from £3495 to £3695 confused
To my surprise I received a text from him last night saying he'd spoken with his business partner ad they'd be happy to let it go for my original offer of £2800. I've yet to reply to him.

blade7

11,311 posts

215 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
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There's no rust on the paintwork of my 05 A4 quattro. I did have to get the 18" wheels refurbed a couple of years ago though.

stevemcs

8,593 posts

92 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
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There will be plenty others out there, the 2.0 does like a turbo or two and the oil pumps are a bit iffy. You will get as better Mondeo for your money.

blade7

11,311 posts

215 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
stevemcs said:
There will be plenty others out there, the 2.0 does like a turbo or two and the oil pumps are a bit iffy. You will get as better Mondeo for your money.
I've heard that about the diesel, but not the petrol engine.

stevemcs

8,593 posts

92 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
blade7 said:
I've heard that about the diesel, but not the petrol engine.
Sorry I did mean the diesel, although the tasing also has issues with the oil pump.

RyanTank

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

153 months

Friday 10th May 2019
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Thanks again for the advice all. I'm quickly falling out of love for these cars at the moment so back to the brainstorming for a suitable alternative. 3 that have popped up for sale recently have all gone same day/almost instantly before I can even get there to look it over, so clearly still a demand for them. the alternatives have been utter ste and wastes of my time.

I've worked out i can survive without a car until about the end of August/mid September so just keeping an eye on autotrader for now and only going for cross country raids for one that'll be worth it . . . .hopefully!