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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 6:23 pm Reply with quote Back to top

I currently have an Audi 80 Tdi Avant. Thinking of upsizing to the bigger brother, for the increased towing capacity. Don't really want a later car with Multi link suspension.

Had a look on the net and there are still a few about - parts seem to be available for common stuff.

Other than checking it's running right (will scan for fault codes) what are the common problems or hard to find parts?

A mate has one with 300k miles on it. Scruffy but still going strong!
 
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SkyRocketeer
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:11 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Check all the gadgets & toys are working, things like AC can be a hassle to sort if not. Mechanically the cars are simple, electrically they're over-compensating for the mechanics. Wiring in the boot can fail on the hinge. Front suspension is incredibly simple but the cars are nose heavy and tend to be hard on the front suspension components.

Oil leak from rocker cover/front cam seal will coat the front of the engine in gunge super quick. Not a problem in itself but makes any work there a messy occasions.

Clattering vacuum pump can sometimes be fixed buy servicing with good quality synthetic oil, 5w40 worked wonders on mine.

Timing belt failure is expensive, replacing belts (there's 2, crank to cam and cam to fuel pump) can be a mission without the right tools.

A new dual mass flywheel will cost pretty much what the car is worth, the jury is out on weather replacing it with a single mass flywheel will snap the crank.

Front crank damper can come apart, shredding the timing belt in the process. Check for cracks and de-lamination when you do the timing belt.

I'm finding that cars that have been trouble free for a good long time can sometimes suffer from seized fastenings, thus making a fairly simple job a proper chore.

De-catted diesels could suffer at the next MOT due to changes rules governing the removal of parts from the emission control system (exhaust to you and I). Don't think anyone's actually said categorically yes or no yet though.

Rust usually isn't a problem as the shell is galvanized, however the front arches and under the radiator grille on the bonnet seem to be prime locations for bubbles.

After all this, these cars can easily do 200k on original parts, they've got great road presence, pretty timeless looks and are super comfortable. The Avant has a flat boot of 2x0.9m with the back seats down, and a payload of 550kg. Towing capacity varies, 5cyl diesel is 1.650kg (braked), V6 petrol quattro is highest at 2100kg.
 
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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 11:06 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Thanks.

I'd love a 2.5 diesel Quattro but expect they're pretty rare. MPG is important - I do a fair few miles - family in Scotland, including Highlands.

I guess a single mass flywheel and risk of a snapped crank is better than the certainty of a dead car if the DMF goes.

Anyone thinking of selling? There are a couple on Gumtree but nothing local.

I've knocked the insides out of the dpf on the 80 TDI, rather than the obvious step of removing it. Passed 2 MOTs like that so no issue with emissions.
 
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SkyRocketeer
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:26 am Reply with quote Back to top

DMF flywheel failure is not terminal, and cheaper pattern parts are available on ebay. Personally I'd replace like with like, as the cost to replace these cars is far higher than their cash value.

MPG is lower on the quattro, obviously, as is the performance. You're more likely to find the AEL engine (140PS) on the quattro as most the FWD seem to be ATT (110PS) unless you get one with a 6spd box.

No DPF on these, just a cat, and the Derv emissions test is a visual inspection of the system and the same old soot , visual inspection is where you might fail if a switched on tester realises the cat is missing.

Where is local?
 
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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:18 am Reply with quote Back to top

I'm just West of London - Windsor area. I didn't realise there were 2 power versions of the 5 Cyl TDI. The ones I saw advertised so far are 6 speed.

There's a possible one in Yorkshire. MOT & Tax but ad says it's very dirty inside. No interior pics. Exterior pics are a bit unclear. Cheap though Wink

My MOT man plugged a smoke tester into mine this year - it's a '94. Is that a test that's only supposed to be on newer cars?

Is the towing capacity higher on the 140 bhp version?

Thanks for the education!
 
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SkyRocketeer
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:46 am Reply with quote Back to top

Ah you're that Mike H.. Smile

I don't think there's much difference in towing capacity between the AAT and AEL possibly 100kg more. I'll check then handbook later.

I've heard a rumour that the fabric seat covers are removable and washable, I hope so as there's an embarrassing mark on my driver seat - the results of a beverage malfunction.

6 speeds are possibly AEL, but no guarantees. It's not hard to upgrade the AAT to AEL output anyway, ECU and injectors are the only notable differences (AEL has a tougher crank, but the AAT crank is good enough already). They can be chipped up to greater outputs if you don't mind going with custom chips.
 
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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:18 am Reply with quote Back to top

Cripes... Rumbled Surprised)

Well you can remove the seat covers on golfs and sciroccos too, although I wouldn't say they were designed to be removable. I've swapped left to right seat foams and covers on a few cars, so the driver gets the nice new seat... the freeloaders in the other seats can take what's left ;o)

The 'dirty interior' could mean it's a bit grubby from working clothes, been a builder's hack (towing trailers and cement mixers, etc) or had an incontinent alcoholic tramp living in it for a year - as you implied, the load floor is big enough for a bed...

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/audi-a6-25-tdi/1065696093#photo-content

This one might be good for a spares car, but it's 400 miles away and not legal to drive..
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/audi-a6-tdi-for-sale/1066335479

This one is possible, but the mileage is a bit high, and has a few faults. I think it's a bit overpriced.
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/audi-a6-25-tdi-6-speed/1064461044
 
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SkyRocketeer
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:54 am Reply with quote Back to top

Mike_H wrote:
Cripes... Rumbled Surprised)

Well you can remove the seat covers on golfs and sciroccos too, although I wouldn't say they were designed to be removable. I've swapped left to right seat foams and covers on a few cars, so the driver gets the nice new seat... the freeloaders in the other seats can take what's left ;o)

The 'dirty interior' could mean it's a bit grubby from working clothes, been a builder's hack (towing trailers and cement mixers, etc) or had an incontinent alcoholic tramp living in it for a year - as you implied, the load floor is big enough for a bed...


There's many shades of dirty, perhaps a phone and a request for more photos? I wouldn't say my interior is clean, but it's not beyond salvation.

Quote:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/audi-a6-25-tdi/1065696093#photo-content

This one might be good for a spares car, but it's 400 miles away and not legal to drive..
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/audi-a6-tdi-for-sale/1066335479

This one is possible, but the mileage is a bit high, and has a few faults. I think it's a bit overpriced.
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/audi-a6-25-tdi-6-speed/1064461044


The issues with this one, I'd guess are:

Fan belt tensioner - doesn't drive anything critical (coolant pump is on timing belt) however the assembly for the tensioner *looks* expensive, 10 minute job to replace though.
Wiring to the boot has fatigue failure, killing the wipers and possibly other things like the demister and some lights. Easy enough to fix if you're good with a soldering iron and not daunted by spaghetti.

ABS error - probably as he says, sounds like a pig to fix though

Front wheel Judder - at a guess control arm bushes or wheel bearing, combine it with the ABS error and just overhaul the front suspension, it's agricultural, so lots of grunt and little brains required. I've got a wheel bearing to do fairly soon so it's not a rare problem.

The fact that it doesn't use oil or water is a bonus, it implies that there's no oil leak which means any engine work isn't going to be too filthy, things like that matter to me as I get older and fussier.

Comparing the two viable options (discounting the non-runner) the northern one sounds better on paper as it has all the toys, though it's also worth asking how many of them still work. The Exeter one might be worh haggling with, however I think these cars are rare enough on the market now to be quite variable in 'reasonable' price. You're getting a lot of car for £600 even with it's problems.
 
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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 2:27 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Not all that bothered about electrical toys. Quite happy with keep-fit windows and no air con. Can be a pain if some of it doesn't work though.
 
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SkyRocketeer
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:21 pm Reply with quote Back to top

It's niggly things like if the stereo isn't wired in right then the alarm doesn't work.. everything seems to be connected in a way that makes perfect sense once you've figured it out the hard way..
 
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SheliaVerdusco
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:31 am Reply with quote Back to top

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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:43 am Reply with quote Back to top

SheliaVerdusco wrote:
The activity of the animal beings has become acutely active everywhere on this earth. Bodies do not get time to booty a blow for a while. With the accretion use of altered gadgets of Gps Jammer, the possibilities of accepting the aboriginal of blow accept absolutely finished. The adaptable phones or the corpuscle phones are some of these accessories that accumulate the bodies consistently in blow with the alfresco world. The adaptable building are additionally accessible about everywhere these canicule and due to this the accessibility of the Cell Phone Jammer has become alike added quick and authentic. Today, you cannot break out of ability of these adaptable building as their signals can bolt your about anywhere. The bearings of bodies who accord to altered business professions has become actual analytical of wifi jammer as their authorities bolt them anywhere any moment.


Spammer Alert!!
 
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NickJones
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 4:48 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Fruitloop spammer at that..... what is she on??

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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:27 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Are the wheels on these 5x100 pattern or is it 5x112 / other spacing?
 
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SkyRocketeer
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2014 10:13 pm Reply with quote Back to top

5x112 - same as mercs of that era, though the offset is different I think.
 
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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 12:33 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Thanks again for the info.
 
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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:30 pm Reply with quote Back to top

This one has turned up on ebay. Anyone know the car?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1995-AUDI-A6-2-5-TDI-SE-GREEN-/301233515087?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4622eaaa4f
 
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NickJones
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:46 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Very local to me and I think I've seen it around. Nice colour and nearly 100k less than mine, but looks like it needs a bit of love.

Another one at the other end of the country..... price a bit hopeful maybe?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Midnight-Blue-1997-Audi-A6-Saloon-2-5TDI-SE-Diesel-Thurcroft/321228873587?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3D8154994450493979420%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D20140122125356%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D301233515087&rt=nc

Nick
 
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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:16 pm Reply with quote Back to top

I was thinking the 2nd one is way overpriced, and think the green one looks unloved but might be cheap.
 
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spink
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:19 pm Reply with quote Back to top

theres a bit of a discussion about the £1600 one here,some strangeness going on with the engine it seems(or maybe the seller doesnt know that its meant to have a 5cyl)

http://www.classic-audi.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=354399#post354399
 
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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:52 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Thanks Spink. Thought that was a wrong un from the ad, tbh. Might be ok but definitely not worth the money.
 
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NickJones
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 5:00 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Green one no longer on ebay - presumably sold - wasn't me, was it you?

Nick

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Mike_H
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 5:15 pm Reply with quote Back to top

Not me.
 
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