a4 b5-6? buyers guide help please

[Jon Blackman]

hey peeps new to the site an audi.

looking into getting an a4 estate quattro but not sure what to get and looking for info on the below. in regards to

cost
insurance
tax
servicing -miles and age
what to buy and to walk away from
b5-or 6 and differences
fuel costs driving sensibly or nailing it etc. town and motorway

been looking at

s4 2.7tt
1.8t
2.0t
2.5tdi

i really like the idea of the s4 but the potential cost of the above is daunting, not made of money and dont want to be landed with a shed thats gonna cost a bomb to fix.


minimum i want is black leather interior. alll the toys inside and driving etc. to drive nice and have some go in it.

24 and looking to spend 5 grand tops. not alot for an audi but wanna see what i can get
any pointers would be appreciated thanks

 

[Dan TheMan Welburn]

Out of the models you have listed, in my opinion id go for the 2.5tdi if i drove alot of long distance trips, but the 1.8t is a good engine for those who dont use theyre car as a second home, like me, plenty of tuning options and i wouldnt say theyre too expensive to run daily

 

[quattrojames]

I'd rule out the S4 on that budget. 2.0T is only available in the B7 and not for under £5k.

I'd look between the 1.8T or the 1.9/2.5TDi's (don't rule out the 1.9's) - decide whether you want petrol or diesel and go from there. 2.5's can be scarce for a good one, they have a reputation for being fragile (somewhat unfounded) and aren't cheap to run. There are loads of threads comparing the different model options.

If I had £5k to spend then I'd definitely be looking at a B6, the B5's look quite dated in comparison in my opinion.

 

[archemist]

i'd echo James' above - a 2.5tdi quattro (or a 1.9) is quite a motor not traditionally sporty but can move and shake some!

You'll find a 2.5 Q for £4-5k with around 100k on it. Get one that's been looked after and plenty plenty of service (not long life).

If you can, get a sport with (opt) leather (lowered already) rather than std or an SE. Some are definitely marketed as sports when they're not.

love mine as it flies when i need it to and gives me 40+ to the gallon.

And

 

[starnon]

I think you need to work out a tighter wish-list for yourself before anyone can help as currently you have narrowed it down to the (almost) entire range of 1995-2005 A4's!

 

[Jon Blackman]

i know sod all about audi's.
narrowed it down to the 1.8t . whats the tuning potential like on these?
just looking on info etc on what to walk away from etc.

 

[quattrojames]

The tuning potential is massive, start with a remap, and then onto larger turbo, intercooler and injectors etc if you wish.

The biggest issue with the 1.8T is the oil pick, this can block from mismatched oils' or if it's been on longlife servicing, this can wreck the engine. It's not a problem as long as you're aware of it and maintain it accordingly.