Tell me about the old Audi A4 1.8T!

energy · 2 Feb 2008 at 01:09

I've been toying with the idea of an early A4 1.8T, most likely a manual in estate form.

Anyone have any experience with them to share?

Coming from a 1.6 P11 Primera, I'm after something with a higher quality interior, faster and perhaps more comfortable.

I take it the handling on the A4 is just a load of understeer? (I'm not expecting it to be anything like the Primera round the bends!)

How about real world fuel economy round town?

All input appreciated! Thanks

[TW]Fox · 2 Feb 2008 at 01:13

Expensive to run, will need suspension components in ever increasing numbers due to age, unless you've got a big budget (Which I suspect by virtue of the fact you are after a 96 A4 you dont) I'd steer clear.

Infact, I'd steer towards a Primera 2.0GT.

energy · 2 Feb 2008 at 01:40

I have considered a Primera GT but I don't really like Primeras that much. Can't put my hand on it but never really got on with mine.

Flimsy interior, expensive spare parts (try £145 for a pattern ABS sensor!) and as for suspension parts on the Audi, the top links on the Primera wear out quite frequently.

In what respect is the A4 expensive to run? Insurance is less than the Primera GT and I would suspect fuel economy is similar. Or do the engines cause trouble?

Thanks

[TW]Fox · 2 Feb 2008 at 01:42

Early A4's are now 10-13 years old, and old cars wear out and bits need replacing. This is more expensive on something like an Audi or a BMW.

The parts are probably not that much more expensive than for your Nissan but you'll be needing a lot more of them.

mjt · 2 Feb 2008 at 01:56

what's your budget?

SgtTupac · 2 Feb 2008 at 09:25

I had one, whilst being a lovely comfy fast car... it needed continual repair. Final straw was fitting a brand new Genuine Audi CV joint... only to have it fail again. May not think thats a big failure, but the joints are £150 each.

Tesla · 2 Feb 2008 at 09:39

Have you considered an ST200 Estate?

The interior is not Audi quality but definately an improvement over the Primera.

energy · 2 Feb 2008 at 19:00

[TW]Fox;11020348 said:
Early A4's are now 10-13 years old, and old cars wear out and bits need replacing. This is more expensive on something like an Audi or a BMW.

The parts are probably not that much more expensive than for your Nissan but you'll be needing a lot more of them.

Fair enough - I was under the impression that Audi's were pretty durable things, perhaps not as much as Japanese stuff but still decent nevertheless.

I'm more interested in the cars major mechanicals being reliable (i.e. starts and runs) than other minor niggles which I can sort out by myself when time allows.

I had one, whilst being a lovely comfy fast car... it needed continual repair. Final straw was fitting a brand new Genuine Audi CV joint... only to have it fail again. May not think thats a big failure, but the joints are £150 each.

Oops!

Have you considered an ST200 Estate?

Have thought about a Mondeo V6 of some sort. Doesn't need to be an ST200, the regular will do just fine but I have heard about head gasket issues. How common are these? IIRC there was an issue with the plastic impeller on the water pump, I take it that it fails causing the HGF? Or are they two separate problems?

I could just go for a standard 2.0 engined Mondeo of some sort but I've had a Mondeo in the past (two in fact) and great though they were, I just fancy something different. So much in fact that I've even thought of a Volvo 850 T-5 but I fear I will either lose my license, crash it, spend hundreds on repairs & front tyres, or the whole bloody lot!