Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[tigers_gonads]

Got a nice tax free lump sum coming in at the end of the year and looking to swap the CRV for one of the above.
Fancy something that goes a bit and will pull a largish pikey van when needed.
Also really need an estate due to the amount of crap I carry.
Opinions please

[YZ250]

Entwood was really impressed with the towing ability of his A6 3.0 Tdi Allroad.    I have the A6 Avant, which is a large comfortable cruiser but handles remarkably well when pushing on.
If you look at a 3.0 Tdi, be aware that they have a cam chain (3 actually), so if it needs a new cam chain or tensioners, the engine will have to come out as the chains are at the back of the engine. It's an eye watering expensive job.    It supposed to be a lifetime chain(s) but some have them checked/changed anywhere between 80K and 120K miles, so ask the seller to prove the history if it's a high mileage example.
Only the RS and BiTdi get the 8 speed proper auto box, the others get the 7 speed S-Tronic/Tiptronic/Multitronic box. The MMI/NAV system speed isn't a patch on bmw software but it's still a nice comfortable place to be. 
I've no experience of A4 so can't comment.

[johnnydog]

I have no experience of actually owning an A6, but I have driven a good number of 2016 - 2018 A6 3.0TDi auto Allroads. From a driving perspective, they are a very enjoyable place to be - an extremely comfy drive on long distances, with a wonderful performance combined with an addictive engine note when making progress! The Allroad models are absolutely superb in the snow - most vehicles with broad tyres are questionable in snow covered conditions, but the Allroad is a totally different beast, and when needed handled extremely well in snow and on quite steep snow covered gradients.
This is obviously going back a few years, and I have no experience of more recent models, unfortunately. I personally prefer the appearance of the models from the era when I used to drive them quite regularly, and they weren't riddled quite as much with the 'newer' technology which doesn't do much to enhance the driving experience in my humble opinion.

[ronnyd]

Entwood was really impressed with the towing ability of his A6 3.0 Tdi Allroad.    I have the A6 Avant, which is a large comfortable cruiser but handles remarkably well when pushing on.
If you look at a 3.0 Tdi, be aware that they have a cam chain (3 actually), so if it needs a new cam chain or tensioners, the engine will have to come out as the chains are at the back of the engine. It's an eye watering expensive job.  It supposed to be a lifetime chain(s) but some have them checked/changed anywhere between 80K and 120K miles, so ask the seller to prove the history if it's a high mileage example.
Only the RS and BiTdi get the 8 speed proper auto box, the others get the 7 speed S-Tronic/Tiptronic/Multitronic box. The MMI/NAV system speed isn't a patch on bmw software but it's still a nice comfortable place to be. 
I've no experience of A4 so can't comment.

I watched a YouTube video, i think it was the guy from High Peak Auto's, where he was having the timing chains replaced on an A6. Christ, what a job. The cost was around 4 grand. 

[Andy B]

....
I watched a YouTube video, i think it was the guy from High Peak Auto's, where he was having the timing chains replaced on an A6. Christ, what a job. The cost was around 4 grand. 

I watched that too very recently .... as said in the video, not a job you'd want to do on your drive either. 

[ronnyd]

....
I watched a YouTube video, i think it was the guy from High Peak Auto's, where he was having the timing chains replaced on an A6. Christ, what a job. The cost was around 4 grand. 

I watched that too very recently .... as said in the video, not a job you'd want to do on your drive either. 

Too right.  Was it about 5 separate chains in there? 

[YZ250]

....
I watched a YouTube video, i think it was the guy from High Peak Auto's, where he was having the timing chains replaced on an A6. Christ, what a job. The cost was around 4 grand. 

I watched that too very recently .... as said in the video, not a job you'd want to do on your drive either. 

Too right.  Was it about 5 separate chains in there? 

I said 3 earlier but I forgot the oil pump chain, so 4 I believe. 

[Andy B]

....
I watched a YouTube video, i think it was the guy from High Peak Auto's, where he was having the timing chains replaced on an A6. Christ, what a job. The cost was around 4 grand. 

I watched that too very recently .... as said in the video, not a job you'd want to do on your drive either. 

Too right.  Was it about 5 separate chains in there? 

I said 3 earlier but I forgot the oil pump chain, so 4 I believe. 

There were quite a few ... looked way way over complicated

[Sir Tigger KC]

I'm casting about for a big estate and this thread prompted me to check out A6 Allroads, and I've seen quite a nice looking one nearish to me which seems to be at a reasonable price as well, so I might go and have a looky see. 

Don't know why, but Audi's have never really floated my boat though.     I think the sloping tailgate limits the load carrying space in the rear and I've always had a perception that they would be expensive to fix...

My mate had a Q7 which was nice, but he said it chewed up tyres like he'd never seen before. The A6 Allroad would have the same 4x4 Haldex system as the Q7 I think?     

[STEMO]

....
I watched a YouTube video, i think it was the guy from High Peak Auto's, where he was having the timing chains replaced on an A6. Christ, what a job. The cost was around 4 grand. 

I watched that too very recently .... as said in the video, not a job you'd want to do on your drive either. 

Too right.  Was it about 5 separate chains in there? 

I said 3 earlier but I forgot the oil pump chain, so 4 I believe. 

There were quite a few ... looked way way over complicated

If I bought a big diesel which, as we know, are capable of around 250,000 miles if looked after properly, I wouldn't be happy knowing that this job could possibly need doing twice during the lifetime of the car. I'm not sure there'd be any independents I'd trust to do it, either. Imagine the price of that job done by a main dealer.

[Doctor Gollum]

It's typical VAG bs.

The Mercedes 3.0 V6 is a much better design. Not without it's issues, but the chain is at least the right end of the engine.

VAG were so pleased with themselves that they stuck a heat exchanger on it and sold it to the marine market.

If you think pulling the engine out of a car to do an otherwise straightforward job was a stupid idea, try hoiking it out of a boat

[tigers_gonads]

I'm casting about for a big estate and this thread prompted me to check out A6 Allroads, and I've seen quite a nice looking one nearish to me which seems to be at a reasonable price as well, so I might go and have a looky see. 

Don't know why, but Audi's have never really floated my boat though.     I think the sloping tailgate limits the load carrying space in the rear and I've always had a perception that they would be expensive to fix...

My mate had a Q7 which was nice, but he said it chewed up tyres like he'd never seen before. The A6 Allroad would have the same 4x4 Haldex system as the Q7 I think?     

A6 has the old Quattro system.
60 rear / 40 Front split iirc.

[tigers_gonads]

Entwood was really impressed with the towing ability of his A6 3.0 Tdi Allroad.    I have the A6 Avant, which is a large comfortable cruiser but handles remarkably well when pushing on.
If you look at a 3.0 Tdi, be aware that they have a cam chain (3 actually), so if it needs a new cam chain or tensioners, the engine will have to come out as the chains are at the back of the engine. It's an eye watering expensive job.    It supposed to be a lifetime chain(s) but some have them checked/changed anywhere between 80K and 120K miles, so ask the seller to prove the history if it's a high mileage example.
Only the RS and BiTdi get the 8 speed proper auto box, the others get the 7 speed S-Tronic/Tiptronic/Multitronic box. The MMI/NAV system speed isn't a patch on bmw software but it's still a nice comfortable place to be. 



Thanks for the reply.

Apparently the ZF 8 speed box has a much higher torque rating hence the swap.
How reliable and the DSG boxes ?
Is it down to maintenance ?
I've no experience of A4 so can't comment.

[tigers_gonads]

I have no experience of actually owning an A6, but I have driven a good number of 2016 - 2018 A6 3.0TDi auto Allroads. From a driving perspective, they are a very enjoyable place to be - an extremely comfy drive on long distances, with a wonderful performance combined with an addictive engine note when making progress! The Allroad models are absolutely superb in the snow - most vehicles with broad tyres are questionable in snow covered conditions, but the Allroad is a totally different beast, and when needed handled extremely well in snow and on quite steep snow covered gradients.
This is obviously going back a few years, and I have no experience of more recent models, unfortunately. I personally prefer the appearance of the models from the era when I used to drive them quite regularly, and they weren't riddled quite as much with the 'newer' technology which doesn't do much to enhance the driving experience in my humble opinion.

That’s pretty much what I’ve been told.

What sort of real world MPG did you get ?

[YZ250]

I'm not sure there'd be any independents I'd trust to do it, either. Imagine the price of that job done by a main dealer.

There are plenty of Independents that can do a proper job so nothing to worry about there. 
As ronny said, it is indeed a £4K job at a main dealer and anywhere between £3K and £3200 at an Indy.