Audi A6 2.5 diesel estate auto

Hello all,

Wife is backthinking about new cars and new job gives us the option to change. I'll be oing abotu 15k/year in it and we've been round loads of dealers looking for ideas in the estate/auto/diesel bracket - that are big enough for the dog in the boot.

When I asked this before (we were looking at the Rover 75 tourer at the time) ISTR someone suggested Audi, but I thought they were out of our range.

Change of circumstances now says they are not - but before she/I go drive one I've been doing some research and I read lots of things, but no real trends etc.

I know the engine is the same as Volvo used in the V70's for the first few years (up until 2000 I believe).

Any general comments - reliablility, economy, things to be wary of? Little worried about the auto-box....

We have a local Audi Specialist and I'll go have a chat with them as it would probably be serviced there (I've heard good things....) but we'll be looking at 2000-2003 with probably 50-80k on the clock already.

Thx in advance, Dan.

Reply to
Dan delaMare-Lyon
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At 15000miles a year it'll be a long time before it becomes cheaper than having bought the 1.8 petrol

Reply to
Duncan Wood

I'm pretty sure that the 'C5' (VAG chassis code) based A6 (From '98-ish onwards) had the new 2.5 V6 TDI from the start - I'm sure it never had the older inline 5-pot.

They're beautifully constructed cars so you shouldn't have many hassles with one.

Reply to
SteveH

True - but the OP would struggle to find a 1.8T auto, especially an estate. The 2.5 TDI will also more than likely have more kit - 1.8Ts were the poverty model bought by reps who stretched their high-end A4 budget to a basic A6.

Reply to
SteveH

There's quite a few out there, the fuel consumption on the 2.4s so bad relatively that people bought them

Reply to
Duncan Wood

The message from snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk (SteveH) contains these words:

I had one of the transition models - called an A100, shaped like an A6. That had the 5-cyl diesel driving an auto box.

Reply to
Guy King

That was a C4 chassis.... the OP is talking about the 'Bauhaus' C5 cars.

C4s were sold as a 100 and later as an A6 - both of which had the 2.5 inline 5 TDI engine.

Reply to
SteveH

My '99 Avant 2.5 TDi was a V6...

It'll be fine apart from CV joints on high mileage ones (vibration that starts after about 5 miles, gets quite a lot worse very quickly is usually inner CV joints ok to do on FWD one, 'mare on quattro), wheel bearings on high mileage ones, air flow meters go regularly, the air flow sensor at the bottom of the intercooler (o/s/f behind headlamp and a few other sods) will probably need cleaning out a couple of times a year, it must be run on VAG

505 oil which is very expensive but means you don't have to change the sensors as often. It'll clog it's breathers up randomly depending on how it has been driven or treated, the fly by wire throttle will occasionally forget all its settings and default to "driven by old granny who never asks for full throttle" mode.

Yeah, as Steve said, no hassles, beautifully made.

IIWY I'd either pay no more than about £3k for one or get something better like a TDCi Mondeo instead.

Reply to
Pete M

"Pete M" wrote in message news:f7rq7m$lv8$ snipped-for-privacy@registered.motzarella.org...

Well I'd get a TDCi Mondy, but aren't Ford's auto boxes still made of cheese and only last ~60k miles? I'm looking for something that will last, and a mate has an 02 TDCi Mondy and the list of things that has worn out on it is quite stunning (CV joints, cracked suspension parts, buggered anti-roll bars, air flow sensors, handbrake cables.....the list it goes on a bit). I love the Mondy personally, but just get the feeling it won't last past 100k miles, and I want to buy a car that we can keep for ~ 5 years - our existing one we've hda for 7 yrs.

Criteria are Auto, Diesel, estate that's got a real boot not one of these "shandy drinking lesbian" sized boots like on all the cars with the "cool" aloped backs. Dog must have space (think big dog) - and we tend to carry a lot of crap for family (we do grandparents garden and stuff like that so we have to chuck all the crap in the car and go for the day etc).

What's the suggestions other than the A6? We looked at a Touran too - and Passat, and A4 but the 2/h prices were substantially higher than the A6 for some reason...

Also - anyone care to shed any light on auto-box life expectancy??

Cheers Dan.

Reply to
Dan delaMare-Lyon

Passat or Audi DSG is about the only TDi auto that so far is reliable, but its not a conventional "auto". Clutches dont last that long in them though.

The Audi CVT's have been problematic, but I think they are much better now- but they must have yearly fluid changes- ignore what audi (doesn't) say.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim..

I liked this - so did my wife, but I have to admit that I got the feeling they will eat clutches...

Not part of the maintenance regime then on the "standard" lists? I'll have a chat with the audi chap locally. He suggests it's about £80 for a fluid change....that sort of bumps the maintenance costs up a tad % wise.

Cheers for the thoughts Tim, Best, Dan.

Reply to
Dan delaMare-Lyon

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