# I could do with some quick advice if anyone's around



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Just been to see a nice A4 Avant 2.5TDi.

Much nicer drive than the 1.9, but it's got 70,000 miles on it.

Cam belt is due at 80,000, but other than that, does anyone know much about them and the engines?

Need to look to put a deposit on it today, but it seems a good buy. (It's a B6, 02 reg and he wants our 60,000 A4 1.9TDi Saloon (Y reg) plus Â£3,250).


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

I don't know about the mechanics but I have driven an A6 with this engine and was so impressed with the performance.

Do you need the extra performance or is there something wrong with your current A4 and you want to change it?

Also did you test drive the car to make sure it drives well?


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## Nando (Feb 5, 2004)

vlastan said:


> Do you need the extra performance or is there something wrong with your current A4 and you want to change it?


Saloon vs. Avant


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

vlastan said:


> I don't know about the mechanics but I have driven an A6 with this engine and was so impressed with the performance.
> 
> Do you need the extra performance or is there something wrong with your current A4 and you want to change it?
> 
> Also did you test drive the car to make sure it drives well?


Want to change from Saloon to Avfant for the space - and I'd always wanted the bigger engined car - but they're as rare as hen's teeth. It's a much better drive than ours in that it pulls well in every gear etc etc.

I was after advice about if they have a habit of blowing up at 75,000 miles or something daft though.


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

Would seem like a fair deal, didn't think the 2.5 were particulary rare though.

I imagine you'd have no problems sellings your current saloon.


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## NickP (May 6, 2002)

My Father in Law had an A6 Avant with the 2.5Tdi in it, he bought it with 105k on the clock and had it for around 4 years putting the mileage up to around 160k and had no major issues at all


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

NickP said:


> My Father in Law had an A6 Avant with the 2.5Tdi in it, he bought it with 105k on the clock and had it for around 4 years putting the mileage up to around 160k and had no major issues at all


All good to know - especially as we've just agreed a figure with him.

Subject to a full RAC Report next week, the car should be ours soon. 

http://www.********.co.uk/gallery/kell/Avant1.jpg

http://www.********.co.uk/gallery/kell/Avant3.jpg


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## dj c225 (Nov 3, 2004)

Looks good and should have a little more poke.

Good luck and enjoy


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## R6B TT (Feb 25, 2003)

Kell, watch out for the Air Con compressor - they seem to have a habit of going at about 85K - happened on my A4 and my neighbours A6, at a cost of 850 - 1000


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

R6B TT said:


> Kell, watch out for the Air Con compressor - they seem to have a habit of going at about 85K - happened on my A4 and my neighbours A6, at a cost of 850 - 1000


Is there a solution? ie get it done at next service? Or is there any indication that it may go?


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

Kell - As you know I went for a A4 from the TT to be more sensible. We was thinking of going Avant but then BigJon's saloon came up for sale already modded and with low mileage etc.

So far I've not found myself missing the extra height in the boot area.

If you're thinking of getting one due to your kiddy then don't kid ( :roll: ) yourself that there's a lot of room in an A4. I've pondered moving up to a A6 (4.2 Avant) for more space although that's probably more of a luxoury than a necessity.

I've found the A4 size is fine in the front, fine in the boot but a little tight in the rear. At the end of the day it's only 6-8" longer than a TT and with the boot taking a lot of the lenght I guess they had to squeeze somewhere.

The real problem I have is if I go bigger then I'd have to take all the storage units out of my garage to get it in.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

scoTTy said:


> Kell - As you know I went for a A4 from the TT to be more sensible. We was thinking of going Avant but then BigJon's saloon came up for sale already modded and with low mileage etc.
> 
> So far I've not found myself missing the extra height in the boot area.
> 
> ...


I think a lot of what you say is true Paul. It's a luxury more than a necessity to have the Avant over and above the saloon and, as we found out today, the boot in the Avant is actually a good two or three inches shorter in length than the one in the Saloon. We know this because the pram goes in the saloon (just) lengthways, but has to go in at an angle in the Avant. But then the space is more versatile - even though our saloon (as the SE) has 60/40 folding seats.

However, I've always wanted an Avant as I prefer the styling over and above the saloon and, it turns out, so did my missus. Why we ended up with a saloon then I'm not quite sure.

Plus, while we were impressed enough with the 4-pot 1.9TDi - certainly frugal at over 50mpg on the motorway trips we make to Newcastle and Devon - it lacked any real punch for overtaking. So we'll lose out on fuel economy, but gain on smoothness and power. No, it's not a patch on Clive's 535D, but if I could have afforded that I would have ordered one as soon as the delaership opened on the Monday after I was a passenger in it.

While we toyed with the idea (well, I did :roll: ) of selling both cars, getting an S4 Avant and then a cheaper toy for me (VR6 Corrado), I just don;t want ot get rid of the TT just yet.

Like most things in life, it's a compromise. Money no object? Probably get an RS6 Avant and a DB9. :roll:


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

VW Touran [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## DXN (May 18, 2002)

You could save the money and buy a roof rack and a box for those rare occasions when you would load an Avant higher than the rear view mirror. I always try to keep this space free for driving if at all possible. For kiddies the avant is easier to open and chuck stuff in, when we had a saloon (loan car for a week) the pram was a nightmare to get in and out of the boot easily although it is a massive boot once the stuff is in.

However as always the comprimise is in the drive between the two engines as you say.

Avants look nicer in my opinion too.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Dogs don't fit in a saloon.

Avant looks nicer.

S4 Avant is like following the tradition of the RS2 and RS4 B5, which were Avant only

Load area is long enough for Ikea furniture and bikes


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Well, like I say, I've always loved the Avant - especially with the Chrome Roof bars.

I just hope it's OK when its checked out by the RAC.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Kell said:


> Well, like I say, I've always loved the Avant - especially with the Chrome Roof bars.
> 
> I just hope it's OK when its checked out by the RAC.


Someone drooled on mine at Gaydon. Was it you? :lol:


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

What you really need is an A6. Lots of space to carry anything you like.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

vlastan said:


> What you really need is an A6. Lots of space to carry anything you like.


Actually - the boot in the A6 is smaller. The passenger space is bigger.

This was the one I really wanted though Tim...



















As it is, I have to make do with the off-road suspension again.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

The boot in the A6 is smaller? Are you SURE?

I recently had an A6 Avant courtesy car, and there seemed more room for the dogs in it. Granted the A4 has narrow rear leg room and a smallish boot, but I was certain the extra size of the A6 was in the boot (seats up) as well...

That S looks like dolphin grey from those pictures. Quite nice, but I do prefer a slightly more gaudy colour scheme... 8)

Still think those wheels are minging. Wish I could afford some Sportec rims!


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

jampott said:


> The boot in the A6 is smaller? Are you SURE?
> 
> I recently had an A6 Avant courtesy car, and there seemed more room for the dogs in it. Granted the A4 has narrow rear leg room and a smallish boot, but I was certain the extra size of the A6 was in the boot (seats up) as well...
> 
> ...


Cant say for certain about the Avant - or the new models, but when we were toying up whether to go for A4 or A6, what swayed it was a report I read somewhere stating that despite the A6 being a bigger car, the boot was smaller than the A4's. The boot in the saloon is huge. Just not very versatile.


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## Nando (Feb 5, 2004)

jampott said:


> Still think those wheels are minging. Wish I could afford some Sportec rims!


I saw a black S4 avant with Sportecs at Bluewater recently - looked fantastic. I'm pretty sure there some spacers under there too 8)


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

I can't believe the A6 boot is smaller than the A4's.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Just checked onthe Audi press site and it looks like we were misinformed...

Maybe someone read the figures differently for a quattro/non quattro version.

A4 Saloon (q) 445 litres

A4 Avant has 442 litres

A6 Saloon has 551 litres

A6 Saloon (q) 434 litres

A6 Avant has 455 litres

(I can't find a separate figure for the quattro/non quattro A4s. So it could either be true as the quattro A4 saloon is given at 445 litres while the quattro A6 is 434. Or it could be nonsense in that the boot space in the A4 doesn't change whether it's quattro or not and therefore is lacking by 106 litres.)

Inconclusive. :roll:


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

New A4 saloon has 460

New A4 Avant has 442

New A6 Saloon has 546

New A6 Saloon (q) 546

New A6 Avant has 565

New A6 Avant (q) 565

(Edited to inculde new A6 figures)


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Reading between the lines somewhat it would seem that the A4's boot is unaffected by the quattro running gear. Whereas the A6 is affected.

Therefore, I can only conclude that the information I read referred ONLY to the quattro version of the A6 versus the A4.

I must admit, I have looked at A6s since, and thought that their boot must be bigger.


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

I was reading that the new A6 has a boot bigger than the A8. This for the saloon.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

I can't believe the A6 has a boot bigger than the A8...

:roll: :wink:


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

Kell said:


> I can't believe the A6 has a boot bigger than the A8...
> 
> :roll: :wink:


It does! :wink: I guess this is the case because the A6 is designed after the A8. But this doesn't apply to the A4 and A6 comparison, because the A6 is newer design. :?

So the A8 has 500 litres and as you posted Kell the A6 saloon has 551 litres.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Carlos said:


> I can't believe the A6 boot is smaller than the A4's.


I can believe it's butter.


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## Jazzedout (May 8, 2002)

Kell said:


> Reading between the lines somewhat it would seem that the A4's boot is unaffected by the quattro running gear. Whereas the A6 is affected.


B6 (and B7) A4s have the same underbody for FWD and Quattro. They have the same type of rear suspension with the only difference being the 4wd system. On the B5 A4 it was different since the FWD had the older axis style as found on FWD Golfs and TTs (sorry don't know the name in English) thus the FWD A4s had bigger boot space.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

jampott said:


> Kell said:
> 
> 
> > Well, like I say, I've always loved the Avant - especially with the Chrome Roof bars.
> ...


That wasn't drool, Tim. [smiley=freak.gif] [smiley=stop.gif] [smiley=iloveyou.gif] [smiley=smoking.gif] [smiley=zzz.gif]

Well the RAC guy says it's a good un. Just need to get the plates swapped over and it should be ours soon.


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

What you mean you didn't can the whole idea and buy a VW Touran? 

It has a big boot you know.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Carlos said:


> What you mean you didn't can the whole idea and buy a VW Touran?
> 
> It has a big boot you know.


No, but my mate says I should.

Keeps taking the piss because it has walnut trim.


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## t7 (Nov 2, 2002)

Good choice imo - had an A4 Avant when the kids were 4, 2 and new born - agree it's not really an estate - it's a "compact estate" but it does look fantastic imo. Also has the luxury of not needing to precision pack all the stuff you haul around with small kids which I guess you have to do more often with a saloon.

Moved up to an A6 Avant when they were 8, 6 and 4 as the extra rear seat width and leg room really made a difference when they still needed car seats and still weren't always getting their seat belt on properly etc.

Next acquired a couple of extra kids :wink: and got the Touran - it really is brilliant with five of them (11,9,8,7,7 year olds). The kids would rather travel in it than the A6/A4 any day - the only car they prefer is the TT but that doen't fit 7 :wink:.

New car to replace the A6 arrives next month - a Golf GT TDi (with all the toys)  Guess this may not make sense to you Dads but its the equivalent of the joy I felt going from the big Mummy handbag down to a small bag when I didint need to take nappies/beakers/snacks everywhere I went...

L


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Well, the deal is done and we've already been shopping in it. :roll:

Much better to drive with the V6 engine, and I'm coming round to the walnut trim.

You know, I've also always fancied a nice moustache.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Here it is then...

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/1569899


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## DXN (May 18, 2002)

Kell said:


> walnut trim.
> 
> nice moustache.


LOL Kev will be sending you his pipe and slipper web page next

Look a nice car Kell.



Another Avant on the forum


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