Multitronic/Tiptronic/Auto

[Jetcat]

I am currently looking for my first A6 avant, not yet 100% sure of whether it will be a manual or an auto of some sort. I am looking on the internet for cars and am having trouble telling whether some cars have a tiptronic or a multitronic box, is there an easy way to tell just from the usual pics provided in an advert. I have noticed from some pics that the manual mode ie the + and - bit on the gear selector seems to vary, on some cars it is closest to the driver and on others it is closest to the passenger, although both are avertised as multitronic, is this an indication of one type or another. Can anybody give me a few pointers on easily identifying an A6 with a multitronic box?????

Thanks in Advance

Nick

 

[jasaudi]

Nick

One easy way is all Quattros have Tiptronic

The others I am pretty certain have Multitronic (so the Audi dealer told me)

I would advise going for Tiptronic and therefore Quattro)

Hope that helps

 

[SiliconS]

My '99 Tiptronic gear selector has the typical positions for an auto stick (PRND432), plus the + and - positions. I've a feeling that the Multitronic doesn't have the 432 positions since it doesn't have 'gears' as such.

But I could be wrong.

 

[jdp1962]

My '99 Tiptronic gear selector has the typical positions for an auto stick (PRND432), plus the + and - positions. I've a feeling that the Multitronic doesn't have the 432 positions since it doesn't have 'gears' as such.

But I could be wrong.

You're right. Multitronics just have PRND, plus the + & - positions.

 

[Jetcat]

Ok thanks for the info so far.A few other questions then, what would a multitronic be like for towing as when I asked the question in a audi garage I was told that yes shouldn't be a problem but the gearbox will cost £4000 if it goes wrong whereas a manual would be a £1000 ish. This put me off straight away!!!!!!I have decided that I will be going for a 1.9tdi A6 Avant (unless the perfomance is crap when I get a chance to test drive one), don't need a quattro as the amount of towing will be 750mls to 1000mls max.Just read this post through and I guess I have just talked myself into getting a manual, probably the 5 speed one.Nick

 

[SiliconS]

I've had occasional problems with my Tiptronic 'box dropping into limp-home mode and I haven't been able to trace the fault yet. Every time it happens I worry that the 'box is fragile and that because it's so much more complex than a manual I might be heading for trouble. A manual must be cheaper and less risky in the long run, right?

Maybe, but my brother has a manual 'box in his big, relatively new Peugeot and recently had a clutch problem that lead to a bill for over 1k Euros. Clutches are the weak point of manual gearboxes and in modern cars a clutch change will be expensive. I reckon the running/repair costs of both 'boxes will be equivalent in the long run provided each is maintained well.

The original 1.9 TDi engines had a feeble 110 bhp and my Dad said that his '98 1.9 A6 felt really sluggish. Later 1.9 engines had 130 bhp (I think) that will be much better for towing. If you're pulling a heavy caravan around grassy campsites then you might need the Quattro but if you're towing trailers on the road then front-wheel-drive would be fine.