I have a company car on order, an A4 1.8T SE which I ordered without a test drive.
I have since read in various publications that the 1.8T engine is getting old and is noisy and unrefined compared to the very latest engines, e.g. the FSI (which is sluggish on paper).
Has the recent uplift to 163hp addressed these points ? Does anyone have hands on experience of an A4 1.8T(163)?
It was the torque figure/curve that attracted me. I know the 1.9tdi130 is torquey, but I find them unacceptably noisy from the outside, with the stigma that brings when boysin suits compare their wheels.
So, how is the 1.8T ?
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1.9tdi is quick enough for anyone, and I understand, can do 700 miles to a tank. Any boy in a suit likely to progress beyond management trainee should be able to grasp those kind of economics
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"the 1.9tdi130 is torquey, but I find them unacceptably noisy from the outside"
I understand, but as i drive a car from the inside, the noise (which to me is only noticable at idle) is not a problem.
Having said that, SWMBO has the PD and I have the 1.8T.
Punchy? - for sure. refined? 7/10. (a BMW 6 is smoother).
As I understand it, The FSI is effectively a common-rail petrol.
This gives very precise fuel injection and thus better economy.
But no way do they approsch the mid-range of the T.
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I accept that the TDI is economical, but the recovery rates that my company levey for private miles amount to only around £ 50 p.a.advantage over a 1.8T.
I have had a number of diesels over the years, including a Xantia, ZX,Peugot 309 and enjoyed the mid-range pull, but there were two things that I didn't like:
1. Refuelling. Get a splash of diesel on your hand (Garages always seem to run out of gloves) or your clothes/shoes and it stays with you all day. In wet weather the diesel gets on your shoes and is very dangerous.
2. The "Are you a cab mate ?" question you get when idling anywhere after dark.
Sounds to me that the 1.8T has the mid-randge bang of a TD without the noise and refuelling discomfort.
The FSI looks a bit limp to me, on paper. So much for progress.
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The 1.8T is far from unrefined. It's a bit long in the tooth but it always was one of the best 4 pots. It doesn't just have torque that equals or betters most turbodiesels it has it over a far wider power band. It is pretty economical too.
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Woody, you have made the right choice, i had the latest 1.8T quattro while mine was in for service last year, that had the less powerful 156bhp (approx.)engine and to be honest performance was as good as my older 180bhp Quattro, the handling and brakes also an improvement. The engine is very refined at low revs but can get boomy at higher revs, but to be honest i prefer the sensation of speed this gives. The torque is as you say over a very wide band (1950-4500 approx.). Having driven the 130 diesel for a day, while i found it quick it was also a very crude engine, and i was unable to fully use the power from standstill due to the traction control cutting in, there was vibration through both steering and pedals, i would like to try one with the Quattro drive to compare, perhaps the next service?.
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