Sub £3k Audi A6 Allroad - what could go wrong?

[veevee]

I've been searching for a winter car, (you may or may not have seen my other threads, they sunk pretty quickly), and after a lot of looking, the A6 Allroad seems like a decent proposition; I just get the feeling that all of the cheap ones (and plenty of the non-cheap ones), look like they're just waiting to land the next owner with a huge bill. Plenty of electronics, fancy suspension, and AWD - recipe for disaster?

Does anyone own one? Are they any good? Should I buy one? What are the main things to look out for?

[richardxjr]

Nothing at all could go wrong. Apart from the air suspension, autoboxes, weak diesel engine or rather expensive to fix 2.7TT that is.

Never had one, but I've had a P38 Range Rover and I'm too scared to buy an Allroad

[deanogtv]

You can have my 2002 A6 Avant Quattro if you like, 7 seater too and asking £2700. All the joy of an all-road and no worries about air suspension

[namelogin]

veevee said:

what could go wrong?

Everything.

[northwest monkey]

namelogin said:

veevee said:

what could go wrong?

Everything.

This.

Ex-colleague of mine bought one brand new in June 2001 (about £50k IIRC). By June 2002, it had spent more time in the Audi workshop than it had not in the Audi workshop. It wasn't any persistent faults, it was just a catalogue of things that went wrong.

It was the only car in the world that made the company pool car (a 164 3.0 V6) look remotely reliable.

[Flatinfourth]

To try to avoid the sweeping generalisations offered by those who just dont like a particular car, i'll give an objective view! The injector pump has a limited life-hence the non runners and sick smokers on the market. my understanding is that the pump lasts on average 125,000 to 150,000 miles, £1500 or so to replace. So be a little careful - and don't buy one that's been beaten up by an equine vet!

[Face for Radio]

My dad was looking at one, so I did my homework on them, on his behalf.

The list of potential issues was ridiculous, coupled with fuel economy from the diesel which was poor, and it just wasn't worth the aggravation.

Shame as they sound nice, comfortable for the motorway, but wallow horribly on roundabouts.

[veevee]

Sorry, forgot to mention that I'd probably be looking at the 2.5 TDI, manual if possible. Rules out the gearbox, lots seem to have had the suspension done recently too. The P38 Range Rover comment above is seriously offputting though!

[BruceBogtrotter]

deanogtv said:

You can have my 2002 A6 Avant Quattro if you like, 7 seater too and asking £2700. All the joy of an all-road and no worries about air suspension

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1213714&mid=64161

this one?

[big_boz]

Fuel pumps on the Diesel are notoriously weak and expensive to replace

[y2blade]

BruceBogtrotter said:

deanogtv said:

You can have my 2002 A6 Avant Quattro if you like, 7 seater too and asking £2700. All the joy of an all-road and no worries about air suspension

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1213714&mid=64161

this one?

I'd assume it is fixed though, if it's being punted on here?

[deanogtv]

Yep all fixed now, replaced the erg vavle as it was a little mucky and she runs like a dream now!!

y2blade said:

BruceBogtrotter said:

deanogtv said:

You can have my 2002 A6 Avant Quattro if you like, 7 seater too and asking £2700. All the joy of an all-road and no worries about air suspension

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1213714&mid=64161

this one?

I'd assume it is fixed though, if it's being punted on here?

[big_boz]

veevee said:

Sorry, forgot to mention that I'd probably be looking at the 2.5 TDI, manual if possible. Rules out the gearbox, lots seem to have had the suspension done recently too. The P38 Range Rover comment above is seriously offputting though!

Aye that's the one with the rubbish fuel pump. Stick £500 in your back burner for the pump, and another £600 for when the turbo needs a rebuild (anywhere between 100-130k usually)

[PaperCut]

Is a Volvo XC70 any better/reliable?

[N Dentressangle]

PaperCut said:

Is a Volvo XC70 any better/reliable?

No, they have a miserable reputation too, IIRC, unless I'm thinking of the XC90? There was a thread of woe on here only the other day about one of the two, but I forget which.

OP, take the advice from your earlier thread and go and look at:

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

and have a hunt down the back of the sofa before you go. Even a little problem on the Allroad will be costing you more than £450 to sort, won't it?

Edited by N Dentressangle on Friday 9th November 10:15

[carinaman]

Chocolate cams?

There's a firm stateside that replaces the air suspension with normal springs and shocks but I don't think it's cheap.

[y2blade]

N Dentressangle said:

No, they have a miserable reputation too, IIRC.

OP, take the advice from your earlier thread and go and look at:

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

and have a hunt down the back of the sofa before you go. Even a little problem on the Allroad will be costing you more than £450 to sort, won't it?

Good call but in true PH classified form, waaaaaay overpriced.

[GreatGranny]

If you really need a "winter" car for our long harsh winters then IMO its not worth paying £3k on a complicated car.
Save your cash and go Subaru.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

O/T Past 4000 posts and not even noticed!

[veevee]

N Dentressangle said:

No, they have a miserable reputation too, IIRC, unless I'm thinking of the XC90? There was a thread of woe on here only the other day about one of the two, but I forget which.

OP, take the advice from your earlier thread and go and look at:

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

and have a hunt down the back of the sofa before you go. Even a little problem on the Allroad will be costing you more than £450 to sort, won't it?

Edited by N Dentressangle on Friday 9th November 10:15

I had settled on an Octavia, but tracking one down at all, let alone anywhere near budget, without police holes all over, not in white, and without lights all over the dash, is proving nigh on impossible!

[veevee]

GreatGranny said:

If you really need a "winter" car for our long harsh winters then IMO its not worth paying £3k on a complicated car.
Save your cash and go Subaru.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

O/T Past 4000 posts and not even noticed!

I had originally wanted a Legacy, or non-turbo Impreza wagon, but will be doing a few motorway miles, added to the difference between petrol and diesel prices on the continent, make diesel an essential.