B5 1.8tqs test drive questions

[crazy88]

So today I went to test drive a 1.8tqs, I've not driven one before and since I'm considering buying one I thought it best to give one a go.

First, it felt a little numb. I have a 1.9tdi b6, but the 1.8t felt slower. Maybe I wasn't giving it enough beans?

Next was some knocking from the front when we went over some cobbles. However, driving faster there were no noises. (control arms?)

Third, as he pulled out of the garage I was stood outside the car and heard a slight whining noise. Is that normal of a quattro? I couldn't hear any whining noise from within the car. It was a whining and not grinding noise.

The one that threw me most was that the revs were slow to drop after a gear change. Not sure what that might be?

Pixilated dis, but wasn't too bad. Just a few lines out.

Body work was generally Ok, can't really complain for the age. But it wasn't immaculate. It's on 134k miles, FSH, hardly done any miles in the last few years, 2-3k miles a year max. Interior looked great, rear seats looked unused. Fronts were a little used, but still good!

I think I could have bought it and it would have not been a huge mistake, but felt I should walk away to consider it more. Any opinions? I know these are getting more and more rare now too, which sucks as I think I really want one.

 

[Bradderz_1988]

So today I went to test drive a 1.8tqs, I've not driven one before and since I'm considering buying one I thought it best to give one a go.

First, it felt a little numb. I have a 1.9tdi b6, but the 1.8t felt slower. Maybe I wasn't giving it enough beans?

Next was some knocking from the front when we went over some cobbles. However, driving faster there were no noises. (control arms?)

Third, as he pulled out of the garage I was stood outside the car and heard a slight whining noise. Is that normal of a quattro? I couldn't hear any whining noise from within the car. It was a whining and not grinding noise.

The one that threw me most was that the revs were slow to drop after a gear change. Not sure what that might be?

Pixilated dis, but wasn't too bad. Just a few lines out.

Body work was generally Ok, can't really complain for the age. But it wasn't immaculate. It's on 134k miles, FSH, hardly done any miles in the last few years, 2-3k miles a year max. Interior looked great, rear seats looked unused. Fronts were a little used, but still good!

I think I could have bought it and it would have not been a huge mistake, but felt I should walk away to consider it more. Any opinions? I know these are getting more and more rare now too, which sucks as I think I really want one.

first - could be a faulty DV or boost leak or just due to the torque difference between the 1.9tdi and tqs

sencond - control arms will no doubt need replacing if the PO used cheap ebay arms and not meyle/lemforder

third - could be turbo faulty or again boost leak or exhaust leak or even just a drive belt etc

fourth - the revs are probably due to being quattro or a underlying fault as mentioned above.

other than that its all down to overall condition, when i got mine it had 114k full service history (duplicate book so could be fraudulent) most past mot's and some invoices and until i got a boost gauge fitted and realised it was only boosting 6 psi and not 12-14 psi i realised after some long diagnosis the turbo was fubar but mine hasnt been all that great but ive tried my hardest to do everything its needed with the best/recommended parts to use and its still going just depends how much time and money you want to put in !!

be good to see another TQS owner you got a link for the car you looked at ???

and i had to take a 4 hour train trip to southampton with 2.5k in my back burner on the off chance but knowing i wanted one so bad i new id be driving home with a big fat grin on my face but wish id off drove one before as id off probably knocked him down some with the turbo being dooked but id never drove a 1.8T or quattro as i only owned a 1.2 corsa sxi and a PFL 1.8 B5

 

[Bradderz_1988]

Clear your inbox lol

 

[jbh]

My mate had a 1.8t sport not the qts I sold him my old TDi avant as he was looking for an estate car.
He says the TDi feels faster and that it pulls better but as Bradderz_1988 says the TDi has more torque being a turbo diesel.
I did have a shot of his old 1.8t sport and I felt it a bit dour in comparison to my 110TDi passat that I had at the time.

have you thought about buying a 1.9TDi Quattro ?

 

[crazy88]

My mate had a 1.8t sport not the qts I sold him my old TDi avant as he was looking for an estate car.
He says the TDi feels faster and that it pulls better but as Bradderz_1988 says the TDi has more torque being a turbo diesel.
I did have a shot of his old 1.8t sport and I felt it a bit dour in comparison to my 110TDi passat that I had at the time.

have you thought about buying a 1.9TDi Quattro ?

I would definitely consider a 1.9tdi quattro, but they seem to be even more rare ha!

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Bradderz_1988]

Yeah the 1.9TDI quattro's are like hens teeth nowa days especially facelift ones there was the facelifted one on ebay that looked half decent for less than 1k was tempted to have it as a daily driver !! But then id miss the TQS to much in the week, as it just wouldnt be as good to look at as my TQS then i probably end up spending a fortune tinkering with the TDI lol

 

[jbh]

My ideal car would be the 1.9TDi Quattro Avant and take the TQS interior and all the extras fitted to my Avant and fit them to it.
that would suit me down to the ground

 

[crazy88]

I was just going to reply saying the only problem with the 1.9tsi is the interior compared to the 1.8tqs! Ha.

Just looked on ebay, there's one b5 1.9 TDi quattro for under £2k, and it's 280 miles away ha!

 

[jbh]

I was just going to reply saying the only problem with the 1.9tsi is the interior compared to the 1.8tqs! Ha.

Just looked on ebay, there's one b5 1.9 TDi quattro for under £2k, and it's 280 miles away ha!

get your self a TQS interior and steering wheel to go into it and you have the perfect car IMO

 

[Dimokslis]

Yeah the 1.9TDI quattro's are like hens teeth nowa days especially facelift ones there was the facelifted one on ebay that looked half decent for less than 1k was tempted to have it as a daily driver !! But then id miss the TQS to much in the week, as it just wouldnt be as good to look at as my TQS then i probably end up spending a fortune tinkering with the TDI lol

Were there 1.9 TDI Q facelift ones in the UK? Never seen one. I know in Germany they have even 1.9 TDI PD Quattro (115bhp), that what I would buy the same day I find one in UK.

 

[Chriscooke]

The 1.9tdi has a lot more low down grunt which makes it feel quick where as the 1.8t picks up higher in the revs. If you could find an engine which combined the tdi's low down power and 1.8t high end it would make for a fun car to drive

I'm seriously left wanting with the power from my qts tbh, feels like it needs another 100bhp or to be a lot better on fuel than it is to make up for the slowness.

 

[crazy88]

The 1.9tdi has a lot more low down grunt which makes it feel quick where as the 1.8t picks up higher in the revs. If you could find an engine which combined the tdi's low down power and 1.8t high end it would make for a fun car to drive

I'm seriously left wanting with the power from my qts tbh, feels like it needs another 100bhp or to be a lot better on fuel than it is to make up for the slowness.

Interesting! Have you got yours mapped, or considered it? And how efficient is yours? Roughly how many miles to a tank? The problem with top end grunt is that it makes it even less efficient than it already was ha!

Although I hear they're not amazing in terms of speed, it's the quattro I really want. And when you look at the alternatives, it's a 2.8 n/a or a 1.9tdi.

 

[Broken Byzan]

TQS is a great allround car, but it needs a map to make it as it should have been due to it being a heavy old beast. 30 odd MPG avg on the avant with a remap and 26 on mine with it's few mods...

I wouldn't change it for the world, cannot beat the feeling of solidity they afford you

 

[crazy88]

I can live with mid to late 20's as it won't be used all the time, and only short journeys. I may have to consider a remap I feel should I get one.

Now whether to fly over to derry and look at the noggy blue one over there ha!

Thanks again for all the replies.

 

[Broken Byzan]

NOGGY Tqs is quite rare tbh, may be woth a peak if sensible money

 

[Bradderz_1988]

If you want one then you will get one and when you get back from N.I with your noggy TQS just pop a private plate on and no one will no its from N.I lol

 

[crazy88]

I did think that, but I also thought the NI plate would look kind of like a private plate anyway.

 

[Chriscooke]

Mine is standard but feels slow, my other car is lighter and more than twice as powerful though so its all relative I guess. I get mid 20's mpg on short trips and low 30's if its on a run. Have managed 36mpg but was driving like a saint.

 

[crazy88]

Lighter and twice as powerful makes a big difference ha! But yeah, I wasn't expecting it to blow my world. To be fair it was a brief test drive and I didn't red line it.

Do quattro's have a slight whine from the rear diff? I've never particularly paid attention to the noise they make.

 

[Broken Byzan]

no, should be quiet, if not ( unless it's a steal) walk away

 

[crazy88]

Well, this one I looked at on saturday had a slight whine only audible from the outside. I can't even really remember the noise now, just that it happened. I've walked away from that one anyway ha!