Thanks for the replies, gents
It’s not really any different mate.
I was looking at the cambelt replacement guide on the EA189 engine and was shocked at the complexity of the design. At the end of the day it's just a normal engine with conrods and a crankshaft and valves like any other, but the ancillary bits is what gave me a bit of a skrik.
I would say yes. But it depends on how long you plan to keep it. I had one happily from 95,000km to just about 200,000km.
Good to know. I seem to recall you did the opposite of what I intend on doing, by going from German -> Korean. In any case, I doubt I would keep it for anything past 200'000km anyhow.
In certain model years and guises both were a bit questionable. S-tronic wet clutch is also expensive to maintain with oil changes every 60,000km (or 80,000, not sure now) at R1800 in oil.
I don't mind the frequent gearbox oil changes too much TBH, and (off-topic) I despise 'lifetime' claims that certain manufacturers state when it comes to gearbox oils. I would not trust the oil to last that long with all the shearing and heating and cooling cycles it will be exposed to.
If you have the software sure. I did my own brakes and not much else. But if you want a service record maybe getting the oil changes done on the book is the best way to go about it. Both. If done by a specialist or authorised dealer all records are on the electronic system. Some cars it can be reset even without VAGcom.
I have a VAG-collecting buddy much like
@Rouxenator does with a scantool that I could borrow, so I will ask him as well if he can point me to any VAG specialists in town.
I would say no. The nearest electronic issue is the mechatronic unit in the S-tronic.
Good to know, thanks. I am planning on staying away from the Multitronic so this would be something to keep an eye on.
I’ve always had parts same day delivered to mechanic.
Cool, thank you.
It’s always on. The ratio from front to rear can dynamically shift I believe with a static maximum. Depending on car.
I thought as much, perhaps then the Avant would be a better buy than the Allroad as I would probably never make use of the AWD in any case.
Both are good choices. I have a B8 sedan (1.8T Multitronic) and my wife has a B8.5 Allroad 2.0TDi S-Tronic (and a Q5 before that).
I really like the Allroad. Aesthetically, the raised height and Allroad trim looks much better than the normal Avant, especially in a darker grey or blue.
Quattro on the Allroad is also a plus, especially on gravel or in the wet, but it does go through tyres quicker (tyres were fairly new when we bought the Allroad and all 4 had to be replaced after about 45,000km whereas I only replaced the front set on my sedan at about 60,000km and the other 2 at 85,000km).
How do you find body roll with the raised ride height of the Allroad? I have heard some reviews say the ride isn't as plush and rolls a lot more in the corners. My current car is charcoal gray but I think I will probably go for a plain white car next. I have seen an RS6 in that Sepang Blue and it looks absolutely gorgeous.
As said above I would most likely not make use of the Quattro AWD that often (hopefully), but tyre wear is something else to consider seeing as the AWD cannot be disabled or turned off until needed.
I'm a relaxed driver and the Multitronic suits me fine (but it's quite lively in Sport mode). This is my 2nd Multitronic (also had a B6 Multitronic) and haven't had any issues. S-Tronic is the better option overall though I think, although as SauronZA mentioned the oil change is a must (and very expensive if done at a dealer. Can't remember, but I thought I read somewhere that special tools are needed to do it). Get the car's service history and make sure that it was done every 60,000km. Also make sure the Mechatronic hasn't given any issues before and have it checked if possible before buying. If there is any problem you'll probably pick it up between N, 1st and 2nd (clicking or a slight judder).
Thank you for the items that I would need to check. The last thing that I would want to do is to buy a lemon and sit with a problem car for the next few years. I'll go read up on what tools are needed to service the gearbox as well. There seems to be plpenty of resources online for the Allroad/Avant but surprisingly few relating to the Diesel engines.
Just for interests' sake, how much are we talking for a replacement mechatronic part?
The other major difference between the 2 is the steering feel. My sedan feels feather light and fairly disconnected compared to the Allroad which has a heavier feel (I guess partly due to quattro) that reminds me of the Q5. I'd recommend you test drive both.Recently had to replace a CV joint on the Allroad which I had done at a CV specialist. Same parts as the normal A4. Found out that the shocks on the Allroad are specialised parts that need to be ordered from the factory. (Another thing to remember is that the Allroad's engine has a higher kW output)
Do you know if both your sedan and the Allroad use the same power steering system? I do recall reading that they switched from hydraulic to electric a while back so I am not sure if this would have any impact on the feeling at all (my guess is yes).
Pity that the shocks are specialist parts, but with them being a relatively scarce model I can sort of understand that as well. Cool, so more pferde under the bonnet. Got it
