Audi Allroad

[SpeedracerIndy]

Originally Posted by Scott R

I was trying to think about the negatives to mine, and this post just made me think of one. The 2.7T with the auto/tiptron transmission is what I have, and there is something that's refereed to as "tip lag." It's supposedly a fuel efficiency program in the transmission, but sometimes you notice what is a bit of a "lag" under certain accel conditions.

It's not that this bothers me really, but I'm 100% sure the six speed manual would have been a better choice.

This is something that a relatively cheap flash for both the engine ECU and the transmission ECU can fix. I have the 2.7tt in my S4, and I got the engine ECU flashed. It's an absolute beast now. I've come up against a few 4.2 S4's, and the torque of the 2.7tt absolutely destroys the V8. My S4 now has around 380 ftlbs on 93 octane. I have the 6 speed manual so I can't comment on the tiptronic. I have heard that reflashing the transmission ecu makes a significant difference though.

APR - High Performance Development for Audi, VW and Porsche Vehicles.

or

GIAC - Automotive Performance Software Tuning

I have heard that the air suspension can be a big problem in the Allroads.

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by SpeedracerIndy

This is something that a relatively cheap flash for both the engine ECU and the transmission ECU can fix. I have the 2.7tt in my S4, and I got the engine ECU flashed. It's an absolute beast now. I've come up against a few 4.2 S4's, and the torque of the 2.7tt absolutely destroys the V8. My S4 now has around 380 ftlbs on 93 octane. I have the 6 speed manual so I can't comment on the tiptronic. I have heard that reflashing the transmission ecu makes a significant difference though.

APR - High Performance Development for Audi, VW and Porsche Vehicles.

or

GIAC - Automotive Performance Software Tuning

I have heard that the air suspension can be a big problem in the Allroads.

Thank you, you just made my day.

[RWebb]

Still thinking...

but I guess I will keep my beater Subaru Outback - only cost me $4,000 (MY 2001) and it seems to get the winter and bad/off road job done. It is just so damn boring to drive...

Nearest Audi dealer is hours away too.

Thx for all your posts.

[enzo1]

i'm waiting for this 2011 change to come out before I make my final decision ? scroll to bottom for pics 2011 VW Touareg [Spied with no camo!]

[Scott R]

Timely this thread coming up today, we passed 105K trouble free miles last weekend and went in for an oil change and the Allroad "coil pack recall." We never had any issues, but I'll take six new coil packs and a loaner for the morning.

I'm betting on another 100K with car, but I'm pushing towards that on my Rover as well. I must be blessed. I'm happy I knew better than to take the snake oil "clunkers" deal on either of them.

[RWebb]

so the V-8 models are better/more reliable...


are there any particular years that are better?

or especially bad years?

[SpeedracerIndy]

I've never had any serious issues with my 2.7tt in 80,000 miles either (knock on wood!!!). I really think it depends on how well you maintain them, and I'm fanatical about my cars. I think the V8's are definitely more reliable though. But nowhere near as tunable! Mine is not a daily driver though, so the reliability isn't an issue. Anyway, if it's a daily driver and your not into tuning it, I'd stick with the V8. The 4.2 is bulletproof motor from all I've heard.

I just finished doing some more updates to my 2.7tt, downpipes, exhaust, etc... Now pushing 380hp and 450 ftlbs torque (this is according to my tuner and not verified though). The torque is mind boggling, as is watching the gas needle fall at a staggering rate!

[Tim Hancock]

Let me get this straight....You said you live hours from the nearest Audi dealer and you are considering buying a used Audi? Might I recommend the 2.7tt A6 with about 100k on the clock.

Good luck....If you ever need to replace the two turbos...you will need it (or about 6-8 grand if you have a dealer do it). God help you when a front CV joint goes bad also and just go ahead and order a full set of front suspension arms as they will all eventually take a crap (Have fun removing the upper arm retaining bolt). Just hope and pray that the steering rack never takes a crap on you..... I am not sure, but I think they were installed prior to welding the body together around it.

My A6 2.7 tt was very quick and nice to drive but it was lucky to ever get close to 20mpg.

[RWebb]

I will interpret that as a 'no', Tim.

My problem is that the beater Subaru* is very very boring. It wuz cheap, but...


* daily driver, winter car & bouncing over bad roads/two-track car

[RWebb]

It wuz cheap, but... now it's dead.

CL sez a 2002 Allroad is sitting at a used car lot - asking $7,000. It is a low end lot, and the car has 131k on it.

I did call one of the top German car shops in town- they said the turbos rarely fail (maybe b/c it is cool in the PNW?), he said it might be a good buy if it was current on its maintenance. $126 + my time to find out the mechanical condition.

Another Subaru would be the sensible choice...

[Scott R]

So here is what you might have to pay for:

T-belt - done at 70k so at 135 it's due again. It's about $900 if you have a shop do it.

CV's - The inner joints sit below the turbo heat shields and they get cooked and dry out. You will get a 50-55 mph vibration in the steering wheel if this is the case. It's $100 per side if you can do it yourself.

Cam tensioner seals - They leak, and they are at the rear of the heads and will cost you about $900 at a shop. Or about $130 for the parts and tool to DIY.

Air bags- if the car can't sit for 24 (or less of course) hours without sinking you're in it for $600 a corner to fix. Often times shady owners and mechanics will squirt tire slime into the air bags and that holds them for a few miles.

The tension leaks are a visual item, oil on the tensioner and it drips on the turbos, the rest will be vary obvious with driving and a visual inspection.

Also of note, if any of the front end is worn it's a complex multi-link system that costs about $600 in parts to replace + alignment of course.

Hope this helps.

[RWebb]

thx much

- is there a way to test the air bags quickly?

i.e can a shop test them within a hour or so?

[Scott R]

Sorry, no clue. I can tell you that my compressor never comes on unless I change the ride height manually. Sometimes if I'm hauling dog food home and I unload the car you can hear the rear end deflating to level the car again.

My Rover on the other hand when the wife starts it most days the nose comes up. Done that since day one though.

[RWebb]

drove it today - very fun to drive; has a little turbo lag but not too bad

they want $7,000 for this 2002 Allroad with the twin turbo V6, 151,000 miles - I'm not sure what the Bluebook is on it.

I'm not sure Tim's comment re hours from the nearest Audi dealer is important - it is out of warranty & a shop will just order OE or OEM parts if/when it needs a fix. Am I missing something? Does it require a special engine computer that only the dealer has?

Carfax swears it is a one owner vehicle.

It has curb rash on all 4 wheels (or maybe those things are wheel covers); many small scratches on silver exterior paint - not deep.

Broken cup holder and mesh map pocket on the interior; LR power window is inoperable.

Looking at the Carfax, it appears the owner had to replace the brakes about every 15,000 miles. There are several entries early on re "engine/powertrain computer module checked" - it was purchased & serviced for its first 4 years/64k miles in Portland.

After 64,000 the only service records relate to emissions (in Vancouver, Washington which is just across the river from Portland) being passed. I'd bet that the dealer or shop servicing it there changed from his Portland address, and the records were not picked up by Carfax.

It was sold at auction 2x and wound up at this low end lot in a crummy part of town. I'm not sure if that is a red flag or not...

I can get a local shop to do a PPI for $126 but I guess I'd better assume it will need a new timing belt right away... I don't think there is any way for them to inspect that.

It has an oil smell after driving it - the used car guy said they had a valve cover replaced, so I'm not sure what really means. Maybe it is about to blow up...

The air adjustable suspension will move it up and down (very slowly) - so, it works at least right now. I'm not sure how I can test that w/o letting it sit 24 hr.s where I can watch it. (I did have him set the car all the way high when I left it on the lot, so if it is back down low tomorrow morning that might be a suspicion but is not diagnostic; if still high then it is likely good).

[Scott R]

Everyone tries to change the valve cover gaskets but they never go after the tensioer seal (which has an update btw) and that's normally where the oil smell comes from.

The air suspension is slow I suppose. It takes about 90 seconds to go from lvl one to lvl 2 and about 30 seconds to go down a level.

I also think you will need someone with the correct computer. You need to be able to do things like measure the sensor data from the air shocks and things like air compressor temperature. A lot of VAG-COM's can do it but not everyone has the correct software. The euro specialty shop I deal with on our lot has everything they need so I'm sure someone near you does.

The mileage and the leaks and timing belt would give me caution unless I had the answers to all of those questions via a PPI. The t-belt can be done in an afternoon by using the slide service method on the lock carrier. But that rear tensioners required removing the cams for me and that took some time. Oh and I had to fabricate a cam lock bar which added some time to the job the first time.

[RWebb]

Thanks.

I'll ask about the rear tensioners cost to repair; you did not earlier that they were easy to spot.

re: a shop having the correct computer/software to deal with the air shocks -- is that to repair them if bad, or is that to check them out and see if they are working properly?

my town has a pop'n of only 160,000 people (tho it is the largest retail center south of Portland until SFO), so I don't want to take on too much risk here...

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I'm not sure Tim's comment re hours from the nearest Audi dealer is important - it is out of warranty & a shop will just order OE or OEM parts if/when it needs a fix. Am I missing something? Does it require a special engine computer that only the dealer has?



It has an oil smell after driving it - the used car guy said they had a valve cover replaced, so I'm not sure what really means. Maybe it is about to blow up...

I was told that replacing both turbos would cost somewhere in the 6-8K range at a dealership (I would have done it myself had I needed to for less than half along with a couple weeks of beotching and moaning about it). Even with the front end off and the car on a lift, I was never able to put an eyeball on either turbo buried in my 2.7 V6 twin turbo.

I purchased Ross Vag-com for my lap top to work on mine. I think a shop would need it also to work on these cars. (even checking the level of the trans fluid requires the car to be on a lift running in drive while monitoring trans temps with the diagnostic software while filling by pumping the fluid up through a standpipe hole in the pan).

Mine smelled of oil inside also when warm due to either cam seals and or valve cover seals. Replacing both is not a walk in the park, but do-able when the front end is off for a timing belt.

Also be prepared to have some of the suspension arms up front replaced as they WILL go bad (while you have the suspension tore off assuming you are able to drive the b@stard pins out, be sure to replace the front CV boots as they cannot be removed without pulling the front suspension back apart which is a PITA).

I just gave you some legitimate info.... do with it as you please....

That said, part of me hopes you buy the d@mn thing.

[RWebb]

Thanks, Tim. It just is fun to drive.... and the (initial) price is less than a Subaru.

BTW - the local shop says they don't see many turbo problems here.

I don't think I can comment on the procedure for checking the level of the trans fluid - it would just come out as all ****.

I do plan on letting a shop deal with all long-term maint. if I get it, as I have plenty of projects to deal with right now...

[kaisen]

I think your nuts. But it's your money.

[RWebb]

I'm gonna sit down with a ribey and some booze and think about whether I want to pay for it.

It means a PPI, not the car. Of course, it could be a slippery slope.