Looking for an Audi (pointers please)

londonTiger

castle96 wrote: »

"Interval varies from 40K miles to 60K miles. A few have higher than 60K

Only a handful petrols have 40K cambelt intervals"

when you say 'intervals', you mean EVERY 40k miles ?? Again, I niavy assumed it would just need doing AT 40k or 60k (miles reached).
So this one http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311220088174/sort/default/usedcars/page/17/postcode/b797es/make/audi/price-from/1500/price-to/4000/onesearchad/used/radius/50?logcode=p
at 149k, has NEVER had belt changed ?! Surely it would say if it has.

"Consider a Skoda. Same car but less money."
IS it ? surely not ...... ?

Should be 40/60K since last camebelt service (n.b. diesels will have at least 60K intervals). If last cambelt service was unknown then I would get it done immediately after purchase/.

you'll have to ask the dealer when it was done. Just because it is omitted on the ad does not mean it's due shortly (or even overdue).

facade

This may be an urban myth, ( but it seems common sense to me,) if you cannot produce all the originally supplied keys and you are trying to claim for a stolen car the insurance simply assume it was stolen using the missing key and won't pay out without a protracted fight.

(You could have left it warming up on the drive: we lost 70 cars round here last year because of it, one of my friends was nearly run off the road by one, with the owner running along behind it! It could be the previous owner claiming it back etc.)

Captain_Flack.

londonTiger wrote: »

If they're anything like their VW counterparts then you can create a 2nd key pretty easily using 1 key.

But the spare parts will set you back around £40 + around £10 for cloning the blade.

generally it's safer for a car to have two original keys as it gives you some reassurance that the previous owner isn't going to come round with a witheld key to rob the car back. But for the age you're looking at the risks are low.

They wouldn't need they key.

You can't rob an object only a person.

londonTiger

Well you're my proof reader so it's your job to get these things right.

fishybusiness

An A4 or maybe A6. Deisel £1800 - £3000 2001/2/3/4

Bought one about a month ago......

53 plate A6 130 tdi Sport estate.

If you are going to keep it, budget at some point for a clutch and most probably a DMF, circa 900 notes.

Timing belt is a big job too as you really need to change the water pump. Bill for mine including alternator pulley and a bottom hose was 818 notes.

6 speed manual boxes could be a problem, go for 5 speed to be safe.

Coolant sensor and/ thermostat common faults, cheap to fix.

Find one with service history and bills of repair so you can see what you are likely to have to pay out for.

londonTiger

fishybusiness wrote: »

Timing belt is a big job too as you really need to change the water pump. Bill for mine including alternator pulley and a bottom hose was 818 notes.

the !!!!. is that at audi dealer or indy? golfs use the same engines and for 1.9TDI at an indy costs £350 inclusive of VAT.

InsideInsurance

facade wrote: »

This may be an urban myth, ( but it seems common sense to me,) if you cannot produce all the originally supplied keys and you are trying to claim for a stolen car the insurance simply assume it was stolen using the missing key and won't pay out without a protracted fight.

(You could have left it warming up on the drive: we lost 70 cars round here last year because of it, one of my friends was nearly run off the road by one, with the owner running along behind it! It could be the previous owner claiming it back etc.)

Not sure it is an urban myth but given the car will have been supplied with two keys it does beg the question, who has the other?

The issue with insurance would depend on if the vehicle is recovered and if it is, what damage is found and the circumstances of its theft.. If the vehicle is recovered and there is evident damage to show it wasnt taken with a key or if there is evidence that your key was stolen and used to take the car then the missing key isnt going to be an issue.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

I've run many Audi diesels to high mileages.

A4 is a great car, and 3K will get you a good older 1.9 diesel if you shop around. Get the 130PS model, and the SE is more comfortable than the Sport.

45mpg+ is easy to get on average. Reduce by 4mpg for quattro.

Cambelt is every 75K (from memory) but they'll go to to 100K if pushed, better to get one that's been done recently though.

Quattro/Estate are sought after. Hold their value better though.

5 spd manual is the way to go in these cars.

Known faults include electrics, stereo, heating, and water ingress.

Watch out for electric rewiring to the loom going into the driver door. Many will have had it done, but make sure it's a good job.

Good cars in all, and cheap to fix form independent garages.

Relatively bulletproof, and will run to 200K plus with the right maintenance.

CvPiper

Have you considered a petrol, which you would buy a lower mileage more reliable engine for the same money.

If you are doing 4k / year you could even go for a big engine which tend to be cheapest to buy?