Common faults 2.0TDI - A4 B8 Avant or A3 8P Sportback

[M7R]

After 18 months away the pull of another Audi is too much, so I am coming back.. however I am doing my homework more in depth this time! (Last time I had a B7 S line with the BLB engine...however only found out about the problems after owning it for a couple of years..sold it with 140K on it and no probs, but I wasnt willing to run the risk so to speak)

So this time I have £12 - 13K to spend, maybe a smidge more..but I am torn between a earlier B8 A4 Avant S line.. or a A3 8P Sportback S line., both with the 2.0L TDI engine

are there any common faults to look out for or avoid? I know the 2.0L PPDs have a problem with the injectors, but if the car has had a recal will it then be OK? or are they still failing even after being changed?

anything to avoid on the common rails as in the A4 and later A3s? and if so are they confined to one engine code (like the BLB problem)?

any advice or what to look for / avoid would be appreciated,

cheers

Karl

 

[johnnythepie]

My biggest moan about the 2.0tdi 170 ppd is that i only get 32-35 to the gallon, driven like a granny or hoofing it.Its a bit of a slug really, even after a remap to 200bhp.I guess that with that amount to spend youll be looking at a 2008/9 b8.I have a 2009 and the only probs i had was a new 2nd gear synchro when new, replacement headlights, replacement drivers electric wing mirror (playing up again).And the crap mpg.Engine has been fine but slow.Wasnt aware of the injector problem on this model though.Sure you want one?

 

[M7R]

The budget looks like it will be upped abit so probs have closer to 15k to spend now, been looking around the net most of the day and some say they get mid to low 40s from the 143s in the a4, other say they get into the low 50s, if I could get low 50s avg I'll be happy with that. My drive to work is 6 miles of townish driving, then another 6 or so of between 40 and 60, then about 10 miles of 70 and finally another 10 or so of 40 -60 again, so not too bad. I borrowed my dads 11 plate a4 avant s line this eve which is a black ed with wide 19s and the 136ps e engine and driving the first part of my route to work and back inc about 10miles of dual carriage way, driving like I normally do - not quite miss daisy but not flat out either, I got 53 on the dash, so I think I need to find an e model and I'll be ok.

As far as I know the ppd engines should have had a recal to sort the injectors as they have fault on the 170s mainly causing the engine to shut down with out warning, but having looked at the economy of the ppds it doesn't seem that much better than the CR engines, and I prefer the refinement of the CR if I'm honest vs the few ppds and the pd I used to own, we have 2 1.9pds at the mo and I love them not the most refined but they do keep going, last one was at 200k when I sold it and never used oil between services!

 

[nick-falmouth]

Hi mate,
I have the 140 TDi A3 Sport-back...its older than you are looking at being a 2005.
It's boosted to 170 bhp. I've had no problems engine wise since having the car from new. It had a recall for the flywheel in the 1st 7 months. It returns easily 47 mpg being driven hard. On my 15 miles to work, I can usually get over 50 mpg and on a long tip about 56 mpg.
It has a plug in chip, which was removed each time it went into Audi for its service and dealer checks.

Hope this helps. Nick