Used B6 A4 Buying Guide? - v6 tdi?

[daveyb0y]

Hi folks, done a couple of searches and couldn't find anything obvious, so excuse me if it's asked for often!

I'm handing my S3 8P back to Audi Finance in a couple of months and am planning on spending A LOT LESS on my car every month (new house and baby on the way have changed priorities!).

I want something bigger, a Diesel, ideally a Quattro, and I keep looking at the 2.5 v6 tdi. I'll need one with high mileage to get under my budget (want to stay around the 5-6K mark) but have never owned a car beyond 60k miles before.

Are there specific things I should look out for on the 2.5 v6?
Anyone had any bad/good experiences of running one beyond 120k miles?
I've not driven the v6 tdi before, how does it feel?
Remapping an old engine.. bad idea?

Thanks in advance!
D

 

[benjie]

Can't say much about the 2.5 TDI's I'm afraid, but I'll just wave this in your face as I spotted it a few minutes ago...

VW AUDI Forum - VWAF

(Not my car, nor my friend, just happened to spot it)

 

[daveyb0y]

Nice! - Thanks for that, I've emailed the seller

 

[quattrojames]

The 2.5's have a fragile reputation which is in part unfounded. I bought mine at just over three years old with 100k on it, like you I was a bit uncertain due to the mileage. I had an issue with mine at 128k when the idler pulley on the timing belt disintegrated and wrecked the engine, and that cost me dear. That said I then found out at that at 80k when the belt was done the previous owner skimped and opted for a visual inspection on the pulleys.... so that failure can't be blamed on the car. Through bitter personal experience every 60k as a maximum I would change ALL the timing gear and the water pump and thermostst too. It will cost you a few hundred but is worth it.

As long as this preventative maintenance is done then there's no reason not to remap them. I had a replacement engine with 93k on and the first thing I did was fit a DPT tuning box upping it from 180bhp - a claimed 210bhp and the difference was amazing. Helped the mpg too. They're great cars and deceptively fast, you won't regret it.

 

[yendall24]

Can't say much about the 2.5 TDI's I'm afraid, but I'll just wave this in your face as I spotted it a few minutes ago...

VW AUDI Forum - VWAF

(Not my car, nor my friend, just happened to spot it)

165000 miless for 6 grand are they realy that expensive

 

[Turkster]

iv got 214k miles and my ride is as strong as the day it rolled out the factory doors, iv spent a few £'s on the cars engine since iv had it but look out for the FSH, one with full Audi service history is most desirable as you know its been inspected for extra work whilst in the Audi service bay by the tech's. My one is a 180BHP model but it has been remapped to, So im told, about 220BHP,

What geos on the 2.5 tdi ?

Cams wear if the oils not been changed regular
Turbos are known to go after 100k miles, iv changed 2 on my one so far,

other than that the V6 is such a smooth ride against the 1.9 and the Quattro system is a must if your one for wanting to place all that power to every corner when its needed,

 

[haytch75]

I bought a 51 plate 2.5tdi v6 (180) avant almost exactly a year ago for pretty much the same reasons as you mate after handing my 320D M-Sport back to BMW.
At the time of buying it had 162K on it with FASH. A year on and it's on 178K and the only unexpected things I've had to deal with are a wheel bearing, glow plugs and a brake light switch. I was expecting to spend lots more.
As for the ownership experience - they're fantastic cars if you can get a good one - £5-£6K will do that.
No plans to remap mine as my priority was to save money and there's plenty of power out of the box, I can't justify a remap but would like one!
How does it feel? I love the ride but it is very different from an M-Sport (and S3 i imagine). The sport suspension offers a good balance but the steering is a bit numb in my opinion. The V6 engine is very smooth and torquey and gives a lovely sound (into the revs it doesnt sound like a Diesel) a remap/tuning box makes a big difference apparently.

If you want a saloon have you seen Lostbok's here? http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a4-a4-...149214-sense-checking-price-my-a4-saloon.html

Whatever you look at make sure the temp guage gets to 90 and stays there. Good luck with the search.

 

[BahnStormer77]

I bought a 51 plate 2.5tdi v6 (180) avant almost exactly a year ago for pretty much the same reasons as you mate after handing my 320D M-Sport back to BMW.
At the time of buying it had 162K on it with FASH. A year on and it's on 178K and the only unexpected things I've had to deal with are a wheel bearing, glow plugs and a brake light switch. I was expecting to spend lots more.
As for the ownership experience - they're fantastic cars if you can get a good one - £5-£6K will do that.
No plans to remap mine as my priority was to save money and there's plenty of power out of the box, I can't justify a remap but would like one!
How does it feel? I love the ride but it is very different from an M-Sport (and S3 i imagine). The sport suspension offers a good balance but the steering is a bit numb in my opinion. The V6 engine is very smooth and torquey and gives a lovely sound (into the revs it doesnt sound like a Diesel) a remap/tuning box makes a big difference apparently.

If you want a saloon have you seen Lostbok's here? http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a4-a4-...149214-sense-checking-price-my-a4-saloon.html

Whatever you look at make sure the temp guage gets to 90 and stays there. Good luck with the search.

I've had mine for >3 years and it's all been trouble free... only times it's not started first time are when I flattened the battery (so it has a new battery) and at -12degs when I wanted to take it for a run in the snow.... and it started a minute later once I left the glow plugs to do their work for a bit longer

Servicing costs are not "bad" (even if you use a main dealer - just finda decent one!), but they can get pricey for some things: e.g. the cambelt is NOT eligible for the Audi "£495 cambelt special"... cambelt (at Audi) for the V6 tends to be around the £750-£1200 mark for the full job, incl waterpump, which really should be done at the same time, prices seemed to vary a LOT depending on the the dealer and how chatty you are with them.... mine's just been done (at Audi) if you're interested as I am thinking about selling and it would be under £6k

There's the "normal" Audi B6 gremlins to look out for (some get water flooding in the passenger footwell due to blocked drainage under the battery - easilly avoided though, also things like the aerial booster failing) and a few others if you hunt around the forums.

The only thing that I would warn you about the quattro V6 TDI: it will only get you around 35mpg.... I get 30-32mpg in bumper to bumper traffic and a sniff under 40mpg on the open road at "normal" motorway speed (>40mpg if you hover back and forth between 65-75mph and drive carefully)... it's really not bad at all for a big powerful car with that much smooth torque, but it's nowhere near as frugal as a 1.9TDI...

If you do get one (or any B6), the BEST value for money mod is the RS4 RARB: which tightens up the whole feel of the car in corners and transforms the handling... not bad for £75!!

 

[daveyb0y]

Thanks guys, all really good responses! I went out in a 2.5 last night and thought it sounded great, roads were a little snow covered and it was sticking like glue. Pretty impressed with the way the interior looked after 140k, just goes to show how looking after a car can pay dividends.

Will hopefully see the remapped 3.0 v6 next weekend and then make a choice from there. Sounds like the key is in the FASH/FSH, so will inspect that fully before parting with cash.

Thanks again.