Hi first time contribution here, so please bear with me.
Im thinking of buying the new A6 2.0TDI. I gather that the 2.4 petrol is a bit thirsty and the 3.0TDI is crazy money(In Ireland anyway!). My question is has anyone experience of the A6 and do they find it underpowered. I have heard that the E200 Kompresser which is effectively a 1.8 is underpowered. Any advice or feedback would be great.
Thanks
John
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Hmm - ones a diesel and the other petrol?
Have a look here (you might have to register first) for someone's (adverse) comments on A6 2.0TDi.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=145727&f=8...0
What Car had an E200K on long term test during last year and (from memory) they said it was adequate. Suppose it depends what you want/need - it's a big car and bound to feel underpowered compared to (much) bigger engined versions. There's much more torque from the E220CDi so it would feel a lot better, while probably giving similar/slightly better performance.
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The A3 goes well enough with that engine and a friends old shape with the 1.9 TDi unit goes well enough. As for the pistonheads thread this is obviously someone who hates the car, is regretting getting it and is finding fault with every detail of it.
1) If it stalls that's the drivers fault!
2) 40mph warning - learn how to programme the cruise control - Audi cruise has the ability to preset speed warning thresholds they can be altered/switched off.
3) Can't open boot when engine running - that's to stop some scroat nicking your briefcase while you are at traffic lights! Could possibly be overridden by pressing the central locking button if drive lock is activated (that's how mine works anyway).
For 2 and 3 RTFM.
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See this weeks Autocar for the new A6 2.7TDi. They say it is the best A6 available, not much slower, 7mpg more economical, (41.5mpg combined), far lower emmissions and approx £5000 cheaper than the 3.0 Tdi. I believe that this engine even has a proper timing chains.
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Hi thanks for the replies and advice. My concern is the weight of the car and the power were required to adequatly drive it. I will check out Autocar as suggested.
I don't know if the comparision with the A3 is valid because of the different weights of the cars.
Finally, I cant believe that someone would buy a car without driving it and testing it, but maybe thats me.
I would still like to hear of someones direct experiences with the 2.0tdi
Regards
John
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To be honest, whether its underpowered depends on what you want from a car. Surely you'll test-drive it? Its going to cost a fortune if you're a citizen of the Republic, so I'd suggest that line first, as other peoples opinions are not reliable. And now for an example of an unreliable opinion:) from recent experience of being conveyed in an A6, with the 130bhp engine and multi-tronic transmission, it goes very well indeed, and returns fuel consumption of about 41mpg. The newer engine has more hp and torque, so should be superior. However, thats only my opinion and the trips were on Belgian Mways and Kentish byways, which are rough but not on a par with County Donegal or Mayo as suspension testers!
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I had one for a day last year. Ive driven this engine in a golf and touran, the latter I think is a similar weight to an A6, and I was surprised at how well this engine suited this big car; it felt different than in the other cars. Even with 2 passengers on A roads and motorways, it didnt feel remotely underpowered at any point. As diesels get noticeably better after several thousand miles, so this was a pretty good show for a car with only 400 miles on the clock. Both of us agreed that the performance felt at least on a par with my Alfa JTD and wifes A4 tdi130 and progress was much more smooth and linear than the A4. What was especially impressive is the refinement with vibration and noise being almost imperceptible at any speed, unless I thrashed it in low gears. Wind and road noise was similarly impressive. There have been some very positive reports from owners on motortalk.de and apparently the refinement is due to judicious soundproofing and door seals and most importantly, the use of 2 balancer shafts ? whatever the hell they are! One of the 3.0 owners who had a 2.0 as a loaner said that in retrospect, given his usage, if hed been able to test drive both, he would have found it hard to justify the extra for the 3.0. BTW, the 2.0 running on 16 inchers was a more comfortable ride than the 3.0 on 17 inchers. Both were standard suspension and IMO you really wouldnt want it any harder for most use and as Nortone says, certainly not on some of the more challenging Irish roads. The rest of the car really is quality as youve probably seen already.
I havent tried the 2.7 but have had a brief half hour drive in the 3.0. Its clearly more powerful and at idle, especially from the outside, you notice that its a quieter engine, so the 2.7 should be similarly so. Though having said that, from the moment you move off, there is little difference in terms of vibration or noise. My car is due to go back soon and Im seriously considering either the 2.0 or 2.7. I will have to weigh up the hefty emissions differentials and the fact that I could spec up the 2.0 to the price of the 2.7. The above is just opinion and obviously you must have a dem.
Every car has faults and idiosyncracies and people like different things but despite his protests, the pistonhead guy is clearly nuts and would have difficulty using a spoon. His luddite observations run from the factually incorrect through to the absurd. I cant think of many cars that wouldnt irritate him; maybe a Montego estate with a rear wiper?
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Sound (sorry very sound!)advice Martinand others. I have tried it, like the looks and confort and it seems very good and powerful but the experence of a test drive does not cover everything and you can't beat advice from someone who has had it for a longer spell. One small thing that bugs me is why a multinational like Audi could not sort out the rear seating which effectivly renders it a four seater in total.
As for the 2.7, between the extra cost and the road tax, im not so sure. Also I rather comfort up the 2.0 with the savings.
I'll let ye know how i get on.
Thanks and regards
John
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No probs John
You may alread yhave realised the following, if not one of the few things that the pistonhead guy was right about was the CD player, in that it's in the glovebox, meaning that unless you want to pull over to change the CD you do really need to spec up a £300 changer. Also the MF steering wheel is only good for volume and track selection unless you've got the Audi phone kit and poss satnav.
i think that the quattro ready transmission tunnel does it for the centre seat. I think that this class of car isn't aiming for families as we found the competition only marginally better and fortunately our baby seat fits safely in the middle with the 3 point belt, allowing 2 other back seat passengers.
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I wonder why MultiTronic 'auto' isn't available on the smaller diesel now (on both the new A4 and the A6)? I'm sure it was available on the old models and would have thought it would suit (especially) the A6.
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IMHO weight of the new A6 exaggerates the on-off nature of the 2.0 TDi. The car also feels very nose heavy. I'd say that with the manual box it is going to be under-powered as it will spend so much time off boost.
Must say I didn't like either of the new A6s I tried (2.0 TDi and 3.0 litre petrol). Fidgety ride and over-elaborate dashboard plus only four seats (!). Driving position great and so were front seats.
Not very refined as either a petrol or diesel and it's downright ugly. It also has soemthing that SWMBOs six year old A6 doesn't have - trim rattles.
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Not for the first time I have to say that I think that we're talking about different cars.
I'd say that with the manual box it is going to be under-powered as it will spend so much time off boost.
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Do you mean you'd say that if you'd actually driven the car? Wouldn't you know for sure if you had? John's spending a wad of cash here so you should be up front and let him know that you're not exactly objective and are curiously fixated with heaping vitriol on VAG and their diesels, as is your right and more importantly whether you really have driven this car. Just so he knows where you're coming from.
Take for example my daily commute, south coast to west London, which I've driven in Merc, BMW, VAG, Peugeot and Alfa diesels; why would this car in particular spend so much more time "off-boost"?
I've yet to hear or read anything less than glowing about the new A6 interior and on my test drives and various poking, prodding and knocking sessions I came across nothing awry. The fact that the 6 year example doesn't have a rattle and the new example does means nothing. It's pot luck with rattles with any brand.
Whilst I'll happily concede that the engine and ride quality is a matter of taste, the car is the lightest in class and feels anything but nose heavy. In this respect and overall handling it is light years ahead of my wife's A4 and the previous A6.
I think if he's got this far in the decision process he probably, like most people, regards the A6 as one of the best looking saloons on the market.
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I recently drove a new shape Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI 140 6-speed manual for a day and certainly did not find it underpowered.
The new Octavia is a big, heavy car, weighing 1500kg and the TDI provided strong acceleration in all gears except 6th. On one occasion I climbed a long, steep hill from a standing start and the TDI surged to 90 mph with plenty more to come. I was impressed, and I drive an Impreza Turbo!
The A6 is obviously even bigger and heavier than the Octavia, but from my experience I would expect the TDI 140 to be more than adequate, especially paired with the excellent manual box. I also found the TDI 140 to be much smoother and to have a much wider power band than its prececessor, the TDI 130. Some will consider that to be faint praise.....
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My experience exactly Bradgate. Depending on source the A6 weighs in at either 1525 or 1540kg.
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Again thanks all, Just have to take it for another test drive. This time I will take a couple of the Munster Rugby panel rugby players with me to laod it down and see how it preforms.
However as for the car being ugly, dont think so.
Regards
John
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