Audi A6 Avant - C6 3.0 TDI

[si_xsi]

Evening all,

After ownership experiences of the above, good bad and ugly. Budget will prob get me a 58-60 plate with around 80-100k on clock. Like look of Le Mans and S line quattro's, manual or dsg no preference. Coming from a mk 5 golf R32, but need more space with a little one.

Cheers

[swampdonkeygj]

Hi,

I've just sold my 61 plate after 4 years ownership. Took it from 67k to 155k. The crank pulley went at 130k, and the EGR at around 150k. Other than that, reliable and still in great condition. Although the suspension was getting tired. I averaged around 33mpg overall, and mine was the s-line special edition, tiptronic. There isn't a DSG version. The tiptronic is a 6 speed ZF torque converter auto.

[si_xsi]

Thanks. Those repairs sound expensive?! Didn't realise it was a ZF torque converter, was it ok? Imagine it would be quite slow to shift compared to the dsg in the R32. Need to have a look around one in the flesh, any must have options? I'd like to find one with a decent sound system.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... AVANT&page=1&make=AUDI&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=U

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... AVANT&page=1&make=AUDI&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&zero-to-60=TO_8

[swampdonkeygj]

si_xsi said:

Thanks. Those repairs sound expensive?! Didn't realise it was a ZF torque converter, was it ok? Imagine it would be quite slow to shift compared to the dsg in the R32. Need to have a look around one in the flesh, any must have options? I'd like to find one with a decent sound system.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... AVANT&page=1&make=AUDI&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=U

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... AVANT&page=1&make=AUDI&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&zero-to-60=TO_8

The crank pulley repair was £600 including diesel pump belt, and the EGR £1100. So yeah, not the cheapest. But a really nice engine, plenty of power and really smooth for a diesel.

This was the first auto I owned, and I liked it. Gearbox was smooth and in sports mode I found it responsive. I had the gearbox serviced a couple of times. My new car has DSG, I think I preferred the ZF box to be honest, although I've only had the new car a week.

The second one you've listed looks almost identical to my one. Same colour. Mine didn't have Bose, although I was still happy with the sound system. I retrofitted DAB and AMI. In hindsight, AMI wasn't worth it for me, it didn't work very well with the iPhone, and when I changed to Android, it wouldn't work with usb-c. The quattro grip was awesome, very sure footed and although it's a big car, it handles pretty well for what it is. Best tyres I had on it were the Goodyear eagle f1's, which lasted 40k.

[laurenz]

Mine is at 191K and counting, engine very strong although had it remapped and a new boost sensor installed to bypass the factory limits. Power rarely used as there's lots of it already. There's three version of the engines with minor differences in HP, I have the 171Kw.

Auto box fluid changed at 150K, various suspension components replaced along with bushes, new rear air springs here in the living waiting to go in a few weeks. Car is packed with modern niceties like LED lights and keyless go, Bose, etc, fabulous interior, eats up the miles.

Added an external audio interface which provides bluetooth playback, works perfectly, and the only annoying things have been tracing a water leak into the tailgate and the air suspension. Cross climate tyres are ace.

Would buy again.

[annodomini2]

09 onwards cars have the revised engine and cheaper road tax, supposedly more efficient.

Things to look for:
1. White smoke on engine stop = knackered injectors, ~£2k to fix. Although less common on later cars.
2. Top end Engine rattle on cold start = fked timing chain tensioners, there are 3 at £150-200 each plus fitting which is a pig of a job as they are on the back of the engine.
3. Avant rear washer leaking on the mmi units in the boot.
4. Rear window wiper mechanism failing (Avant)
5. Dual zone heater valve sticking (some vents blow hot, some cold)
6. Front end slop = worn bushes although they are massively over assisted so can be tricky to notice if you're not used to it.
7. Parking sensor failure.
8. Water leaking into the boot lid (Avant) or front footwells, on the boot lid usually floods the spare wheel well where the battery manager is located (£400). Front footwells is blocked drain channels under the bonnet and quite common.
9. Check auto box has been serviced, Audi say for life, ZF 80k.
10. They eat brakes (2.2t car).
11. Swirl flaps fail, £200-300 per bank.
12. Steering headlights are Audi only and £1500 each to replace.
13. Rear lights are a common failure, LEDs corrode, conventional bulb have earth issues.

This is what I can think off the top of my head.

[annodomini2]

si_xsi said:

Thanks. Those repairs sound expensive?! Didn't realise it was a ZF torque converter, was it ok? Imagine it would be quite slow to shift compared to the dsg in the R32. Need to have a look around one in the flesh, any must have options? I'd like to find one with a decent sound system.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... AVANT&page=1&make=AUDI&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=U

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... AVANT&page=1&make=AUDI&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&zero-to-60=TO_8

Some c7s are dsg, but all c6s are either tip/ man and all are quattro

[dogbucket]

si_xsi said:

Evening all,

After ownership experiences of the above, good bad and ugly. Budget will prob get me a 58-60 plate with around 80-100k on clock. Like look of Le Mans and S line quattro's, manual or dsg no preference. Coming from a mk 5 golf R32, but need more space with a little one.

Cheers

I did exactly the same move (R32 to 3.0TDI Le Mans), and still very happy with it 50K and 3 years later.

Nothing much to add to the points already made. More solidly built than the VW. Gearbox is smooth, but shifts and launches are lazy compared to DSG. Torque convertor gives a variable transmission effect before it locks up which takes a bit of getting used to. Quattro feels better than the Golfs part time 4 motion being that it has a slight rear bias. Rear end almost steps out using extreme bootage from T junctions ;-)

Potentially possible large bills like ERG etc. Keeping the motorway miles high is perhaps is delaying that for me. Lots of short town journeys would kill it for sure.

[si_xsi]

Thanks for the replies and what to look out for, the costs are particulary helpful and some alarming at the same time! I wonder if I'm asking for trouble at the age and mileage I'm looking at eg 2009-2011 It would do 22miles to work 5 days a week plus longer business trips and family holiday to south of France etc.

The comfort, looks, space, quattro, equipment all tick the boxes but concerned it may not be very exciting compared to the R32 but that's where I am I guess. Not ruled out petrols but as 3.0tfsi are rare and it doesn't leave much else. Would prefer a 6 cyclinder and not sure a4 would offer that much more space than I already have, especially if we have a second child.

The 4wd has helped us out more than once in the snow, wet etc as we live out in sticks in Oxfordshire.

Am I missing anything else in the VAG 4wd stable for up to £11k, 6 cyclinder. Prefer estates to SUVs and running costs likely to be a bit less too.

[a7x88]

S6 falls in budget. MPG is hideous though.

Other than that mine has been ace as an all rounder for the family. V10 noise is hard to beat too...

[rat840771]

I just got myself the A6 avant 3.0tdi Quattro on an 61 plate with 58k on the clock.

It does eat up the miles. Drove from Scotland to Cambridge in 1 go without stopping. Got 37mpg. Around town it’s mid 20’s

Loads of power and grip. No issues with my car apart from a parking sensor has gone.

To be honest I’m looking for something a bit smaller so not sure if I’m allowed to mention it, but message me if you are interested.

[annodomini2]

The only other thing to add is that it is a big car, 4.93m long x 2m at the tips of the wing mirrors. Also the doors are really thick ~30cm so be prepared for hunting for bigger parking spaces.

[si_xsi]

Couple of additional questions if I may, do all S line and Le Mans editions come with rear air suspension or were they an option? Are they reliable system and anything to look out for?

Also is the quattro diff oil interval same as 4 motion haldex in that it needs a change every 40k miles?

Thanks

[annodomini2]

si_xsi said:

Couple of additional questions if I may, do all S line and Le Mans editions come with rear air suspension or were they an option? Are they reliable system and anything to look out for?

Also is the quattro diff oil interval same as 4 motion haldex in that it needs a change every 40k miles?

Thanks

Only the AllRoad has Air suspension as std, option on the std car.

Only the RS6 has DRC (Dynamic Ride Control)

Personally would avoid Air suspension, at this age its just more to go wrong.

Diffs should be serviced with the Autobox (80k), completely different system to Haldex. It's permanent 4wd.