B7 3.0TDI suited to a manual?

B7 3.0TDI suited to a manual?

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HenzPowell

Original Poster:

6 posts

81 months

Saturday 25th March 2023
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Hey guys,

I'm currently in a mk5 GTI manual. Previously I've owned a B6 1.9TDI avant manual alongside an MX5 turbo which was the perfect budget 2 car garage.

More recently I've been finding myself missing an estate and looked at a few options, mostly E90 and B7, in the end however, I think I'm preferring the B7 avant shape. (I love the RS4 Avant of this era)

One thing I did notice when looking at the 330D varients is that some people thought the N57 diesel suited the auto box over the manual.
Do you think this is true for the B7 3.0TDI?

I've been looking around and pinpointed a few high-mile manual 233ps ones and a few lower-mile autos... I'm stuck.

Which one is more suited? I also can't work out if I'd miss the manual... I will be mapping the car and adding some suspension parts to make is a slow RS4..

stogbandard

366 posts

49 months

Saturday 25th March 2023
quotequote all
Good question really as I have a C6 A6 with a manual FWD 2.7TDi and B8.5 Audi A5 3.0TDi Quattro with the DSG box.

The manual is awful for having a very short 1st which makes entering a busy roundabout from a stop quite tricky. Upper gears through are well suited for cruising and the odd overtake. Obvious being a 2.7TDi the ratios might be different than a 3.0TDi.

In the A5 the DSG makes it quite a nice car both for wafting along in or the occasional spirited drive. Pulling into roundabouts is better compared to the Manual. My only gripe is that even though it’s a lot quicker than the A6 it feels less responsive on the pedal. It must be the nature of the settings, because in Drive you feel the need to press the pedal more to keep a steady 70mph, say for a hill, but that’s at 1,600 rpm in 7th, compared to 1,900rpm at 70mph in the A6. In Sport mode though it’s more responsive but then I don’t want to be driving everywhere at high revs so I only use Sport mode when I fancy a blast.

If I had the chance to try the same 3.0TDi in manual or auto, I think the choice might be difficult. That’s all academic though as they’re nearly all DSGs in the B8.5. I’ve only came across a manual 3.0TDi Quattro with Manual in a A4 Avant and didn’t have the chance to test drive it. Another thing to bear in mind is that the DSG boxes need an oil change every 38k which isn’t cheap, but obviously I’m talking about the B8.5 and not a B7 A4 which I assume has a proper slush box?

HenzPowell

Original Poster:

6 posts

81 months

Saturday 25th March 2023
quotequote all
Yeah the B7 all had tiptronic in the quattros.

If I could get it in DSG that would be amazing. You don't see many manual A6 2.7TDI's...