Hi Been looking to replace my current A3 derv with something that can tow and has more space , have been doing some investigations and the 2.5 TDI seems a good option But i have heard that the V6 can be a pain to unclog when it gets sooted up Thinking about Audi 100 2.5 TDI or a A6 2.5 TDI cruise and aircon would be ideal Anyone run one of these and anything to look for ? Not sure of budget was thinking of 4k tops really Cheers
diesels tend to be good towing cars anyway (good torquey engines). passat estates are a good size. i would've thought a tdi 115bhp would struggle towing most weights. can't none of these be had for 4k??
a friend of mine has a passat b5.5 v6 TDi estate and it tows his whop-off caravan like its not there. rarely sees the cheap side of 35mpg tho even on the motorway so dont expect it to be economical even tho it is a derv.
A6 2.5 TDi is a fantastic car. Very frugal and very powerful. Im not sure on what you could get for your money though... prof has a mate with one, could probably shed more light.
mates new gen V62.5 tdi is an excellent car, 48mpg and very rapid not sure of the previous generation 2.5s unfortunately
We had Audi A6 tdi as company cars and we kept them for years, the sales directors has 420,000 miles on it when we got rid. Very frugal, reliable and comfortable and make very good towing cars due to the low down torque. Also servicing isn't that bad, we used to take ours to a little independant garage who kept them going for years at a third of the main dealer cost. Things to look for are immobiliser problems, suspension wear and check the service history. If you can find a good one for 4k then grasp it with both hands,
Take a look at this in Auto trader.... good spec, well priced, SH... http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/CARS_popup.jsp?searchform=&modelexact=1&lid=search_used_cars_full&photo=1&state=block&sort=3&hassearched=Y&make=AUDI&min_pr=75&source=0&model=A6+AVANT&max_pr=&miles=1500&agerange=&mileage=&postcode=s75+2pd&variant=2.5&bodyid=3&trim=&fuelid=2&colour=&transmissionid=0&keywords=&ukcarsearch_full.x=18&ukcarsearch_full.y=1&start=3&distance=154&adcategory=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200723288474651
for towing, you want a good torquey engine. for practical use you want good mpg. i dont know how important speed is to you, but heres the specs (from parkers) for 3 cars - 2 you looking at and the 1 recks is suitable. AUDI 2.5 AVANT 6SPD (98 - 04): 0-60 in 9.6s, MAX 134mph, TQ 229ft/lb, 40mpg, CO2 emm 192g/km PASSAT 2.5 EST 6SPD (97 - 01) : 0-60 in 9.3s, MAX 133mph, TQ 229ft/lb, 39mpg, CO2 emm 192g/km PASSAT 1.9TDI EST 115BHP (97 - 01): 0-60 in 10.6s, MAX 120mph, TQ 210ft/lb, 49mpg, CO2 emm 154g/km 115bhp not as quick as other two, but not much in it in torque. defo better on mpg co2 emissions
Only problem is on the later v6 tdi's mate, the breather setup (in the middle of the v) can become clogged with higher mileage, worst cars are those that are on variable servicing (dont touch), also make sure it hasnt gone any longer than about 10k between oil changes. When you look at one, lift the engine cover up and check the rocker cover gaskets. The injectors pass thru the middle and are sealed with rubber seals. This is the first place that they leak if starting to clog up.
I had a 1995 A6 2.5tdi last year, great car, packed with loads of gadgets and amazing MPG, the only small issues I had with it were the rear flexi hoses had corroded and needed changing (14), the fuel lines were pretty crusty too but never leaked, the engine temp guage takes ages to move and you can't reset the service light yourself, and I think thats about it really. Not bad for a 190K mile car that cost me 450 and I sold a year later for 800, a good tip is to go into your Audi main dealer, tell them what your after and get them to ring you when one comes in as a PX, they just want rid of them, and its easier for them than sending them to auction.
I've got a 2001 Passat 2.5 v6Tdi which I guess has the same engine. It's never given a moments bother, engine-wise anyway. 40ish mpg on the motorway, 30ish back and fore work. but i've seen that drop to 7mpg in stop start traffic. I guess you'd get 90% of that with the heavier A6. Even makes a nice noise for a soot chucker.
A mate's Dad is Ops Directors of a large haulage firm and in charge of the car fleet. Had so many problems with 2.5TDi Audis over three years that they ditched the whole Audi fleet (70) and went for the Volvos with the D5 engine. Mostly gearbox trouble.
If you're after that size of car, do you really want FWD? May as well go for the quattro. If not, then consider Mercedes E class. If you're happy with FWD, Saab 9-5 estate is nicer.
My A6 was fine with FWD - a lot more composed than my old Fabia vRS for example, or even my current Jetta!
