What to do?! A4 1.9tdi

[S4_dan]

I've been offered yet another B5 A4 relatively cheap.

This one is a 1.9 tdi - 1997 P plate.
Td (red)I. Does that make it the 100bhp model? What the likely engine code?

After the lad spent just shy of £400 notes getting it through its test last July, 2 months later the drive belt tensioner collapsed and snapped the belt. It's been parked up ever since.

He's replaced the headgasket at 100k miles and the the turbo at the same time. Now it has about 133k ish miles on it.

He said the subframe has a hole in it and there is a subframe included with the car. He didn't specify front or rear but I'm assuming it's the front one. Are these easy to change?

Not sure when the timing belt was last done, I need to ask him.

Going to view the car at the weekend. He said bodywork is good but paintwork is not so. A front wing and the roof have been painter before and lacquer has peeled off.

I already have an A4 1.8 Auto for a run around. That's doing about 30mpg due to where we live, out in the sticks.

Can I justify yet another Audi? Or should I replace the Auto with the tdi?

When I say cheap, it's £200 he wants for it...he says scrap valued it at that?

 

[aragorn]

buy it, fix it, sell the 1.8 slushbox and use the TDI as your smoker.

 

[jbh]

cheap bus at that. it will be the AFN engine the 110bhp one. it should see easily 55+mpg
the front subframe isint that hard to do on them as long as you can get it inside or get good weather.
if you were pulling the front end off to sort the tensioner it would be rude not to do the timing belt at the same time.

 

[jbh]

just a thought but when the head gasket was done would the timing belt not have been done at the same time?

 

[aragorn]

assuming they werent pikey ********, then yeh they should have fitted a new belt.

 

[jbh]

assuming they werent pikey ********, then yeh they should have fitted a new belt.

very true.. ive seen stranger things happen

 

[S4_dan]

Thanks guys.

I'm assuming the belts will have been changed as the lads father has his own garage mechanic business. I'll ask him today.

I spoke with Anth last night briefly and it turns out the car has been sat for 18 months not 6 months like initially thought.

Is it still worth a punt? It's the low-ish mileage on a tdi that's attracting me but then it seems to stop there. Lol

 

[jbh]

I would say its still worth a punt.
get it the tensioner changed do the subframe and check all the arms while you're in there.
stick in for a test and see what happens.
the Tdi lumps are normally pretty bullet proof if looked after.

out of interest is it a saloon or an avant?

 

[aragorn]

my track car sat for over 3 years, still started up perfectly and got roasted round a track for four hours without issue.

You'll probaby end up with minor issues like sticky calipers and suchlike, but all easily sorted out.

 

[jbh]

as Kev says there will be minor issues with sitting but will be easy fixes.

My mate Jim recently bought an Audi coupe that had been off the road for 3 years. couldn't get any one to move it so booked it in for an mot local to home.
we went down armed with a battery, some fresh fuel and a spare set of wheels off his cab

got down there and it fired up and all its own tyres were up and looked good so we just hit the road with it.
75 miles up the road and in for an MOT and it passed!!
the mot boy says he freed off the handbrake mechanism as it was a wee bit sticky...

 

[S4_dan]

It had all of the brakes done for its last mot in 2013 shortly before it was taken off the road. Comes with a pair of brand new rear discs as they weren't needed then but prob would do now.

It had the timing belt and all tensioners done when headgasket was done, 4 years ago. So due another timing belt next year.

It is a saloon model sadly. I'd love an avant one.

I'm off to view on Saturday afternoon so will let you all know the outcome

 

[jbh]

doesnt sound too bad then. has it been getting moved back and forth do you know?
as you say its a pity its not an avant..
but at least its a 110 tdi will give you some cheap motoring and if you sell the 1.8 auto once the tdi is on the road that can give you some cash back.

the 110tdi will come with the 288mm vented front brakes as well ( just remembering you wanted to upgrade the ones on the 1.8 )

 

[Gunny110]

Never assume someone has done something is what the army has taught me, for the sake of pounds instead of hundreds and if it's there I front off you anyway I would just do it. Better to be safe then sorry because of it does go bang! You will say those campus's words, why didn't I change it when I had the chance.

 

[S4_dan]

Never assume someone has done something is what the army has taught me, for the sake of pounds instead of hundreds and if it's there I front off you anyway I would just do it. Better to be safe then sorry because of it does go bang! You will say those campus's words, why didn't I change it when I had the chance.

If you're referring to the timing belt, it has been done, got confirmation today. I work with the lad selling the car and have done for 3 years. He seems right enough and his family are locals to the area, born and bred and well trusted.

The car has been moved around his driveway in a game of shuffle! He has another car, a Corsa, for sale and when his Defender needed hub seals doing he moved the cars around again.

 

[S4_dan]

Wow, just looked on eBay for prices of 1.9 tdi's! Even with plus 200K miles they are still commanding nearly 1k or just over for a couple of examples!

Wowsers.

 

[jbh]

Wow, just looked on eBay for prices of 1.9 tdi's! Even with plus 200K miles they are still commanding nearly 1k or just over for a couple of examples!

Wowsers.

yea theres still good money in them. Im surprised at some of them.
when I got offered my old 90bhp back for £400 my dad jumped at it.

The car has been moved around his driveway in a game of shuffle! He has another car, a Corsa, for sale and when his Defender needed hub seals doing he moved the cars around again.

half the battle its always better when they have still been moved about. saves brakes being seized on and stuff.

 

[S4_dan]

sneaky shot driving past the lads house.....

He must have washed it ready for me to view tomorrow. He has definitely moved the car around so brakes aren't seized on

Towing it 5 miles home could be fun though. Some right steep hills around here. The 1.8 Auto might sh*t itself. Might have to use my 2.5 V6.

 

[jbh]

don't look to bad but it wouldn't surprise me if that has seen a regular wash.. keeps the neighbors and misses happy