B6 A4 Avant - The Daddywagon Project

I thought I'd start a little build/project thread after getting my Avant at the weekend. Feel free to chip in with suggestions!

In May this year, I sold my Mk2 Golf after years of engine transplants, lowering, several lots of wheels and plenty of cold days lying under it trying to fix it (it was my fourth Mk2...)


And I bought something even less practical or suited to a daily driver, in the form a Corrado 2.9Litre VR6


However after 5months of very fun (and expensive) motoring, a ridiculous insurance renewal and general fed-upness on the daily commute led me to sell it pretty much on a total whim.

And spent the money on this:


2003 A4 Avant SE
1.9TDi 130
Six speed box
Body coloured bumpers
Six disc changer and some other goodies
Standard, stock, OEM in all other respects

It was advertised as "immaculate inside and out and drives like new". Hmmm. Well I knew there was a slight dent in one rear wheel arch, but it wasn't quite as good looking as I'd hoped after driving 2.5hrs to Burnley... but I did get it for £300 less than the asking price with a full MOT, recent service and tax so not toooo bad. Few little bits need going over with a DA and some ScratchX, but otherwise good for 9yr old car imho. And it does drive extremely well. Very impressed with the power for such a big car and a relatively little engine.

2.5hr drive back through the Yorkshire Dales and the A1 without any issues or concerns... other than how dusty and grubby the interior was >_<

Some more pics







At the moment I'm just enjoying the novelty of comfortable driving and economy! Very odd experience for me...

Plans? Coilovers are top of the list, I'm not going for a mental drop but I want it sitting nice and sporty and minus a huge arch gap. Then wheels of course! I absolutely hate the things on there at the moment... so thinking something OEM+ in 18 or 19inch with lower profile tyres too. They're the main cosmetic modifications, but in the new year a remap will be on the cards too. However engine/powerwise I'm not planning on anything more than that. Reliable and economical is the mission here! A few little things in the cabin to tart things up, maybe add some toys as well.

Niggles and issues:

- rear wiper doesn't work. I'm thinking fuse/relay?
- front centre arm rest won't stay shut as the catch has broken. I need to either think of a good fix or replace it.
- get the small dent taken out, couple of tiny touch ups
- boot doesn't pop on the fob... no idea why
- and remove this VVV bizarre mobile phone antenna
- new steering wheel, this one is a bit big and bit burly for my tastes, but I want to retain an airbag. Options aside from the Sport wheel?
- new gearknob. Feels a bit shiney from use.


It's glued to the glass rather than drilled through, their website says they can be removed and returned to OEM window... but no idea how to get it off with breaking the glass?! Fishing twine and saw through the glue?

Hair dryer and line sounds like a sensible method. I look like some kind of undercover spy with it on!

As for the arm rest, when mines in the up position the top drops open onto the back seat... so it's completely bust. I'd half thought of glueing it shut to be honest ha ha ha

Few chips on the bonnet, but nothing absolutely tragic. One or two little deeper marks that I want painted eventually. Rest of the car is great bar the arch dent (a lot less deep than it looks on the pic).

I find I can't get to the handbrake as the arm rest rests on the lever... I'm sure it should be adjustable height-wise but I can't figure it?