Buying guide for A4 2.5 TDI

Hello everyone,

I'm in a bit of a dilemma right now, and I hope you can give me some advice.
A relative in our family is about to sell their Audi A4, and they asked me if I would be interested in buying it.
It's an A4 Avant, first registered in 02/01, with all the extras (navigation, leather seats, xenon headlights, etc.) and the 2.5 TDI engine with 150 horsepower. I unfortunately forgot to check the engine code. It's a really cute car.

But woe is me when I look at the odometer: 261,000 km!

I've already taken it for a test drive, and everything seems great at first glance! It's also been regularly inspected and maintained. The driving profile is mostly long distances, sometimes up to 500km per day.

I might be able to get the car for a really good price, but the high mileage is giving me some concerns, especially since it's supposed to last for another 100,000 miles...

Is there anyone else here who has achieved this mileage with a six-speed gearbox? What should I pay attention to or check? (The camshafts have already been replaced with hardened ones, so there's no risk there...)

Thank you for your help.

Matze.

Hello,

If you ask me, stay away from the mileage. The engine code is most likely AKN or AFB. For these engine codes, 150,000 km is acceptable.
That's already a lot. And if you want to drive another 100,000 km without changing the engine, I would buy a different one.
The question is, has anyone managed to achieve such a high mileage with an AFB/AKN engine?


Best regards, Manuel.

Hi,

Okay, from a mechanical standpoint, the only things that come to mind are the glow plugs and the fuel injectors, as well as potential oil or coolant leaks. It might be worth checking those again given the mileage.
Otherwise, the engines are generally durable, provided they have received proper maintenance and care.

Best regards, Christian.

P.S.: Perhaps, if possible, you could read the error memory sometime.

So far, I haven't seen any V6 TDI engines with 300,000 km or more on the clock.
Engine damage is often caused by timing belt failures.

But seriously, you can't know how long a motor will last.
It can start emitting smoke after 10,000 km, or even later, after 150,000 km.

I would buy it if the price is right. But not everyone can work on their own engine.
new pistons are missing

If you don't take it, could you pass it on to someone else?

Hello,

The price has to be good enough that, in case of doubt, the engine might still be from a scrapyard or a rebuilder, and you have an affordable way to install it. Otherwise, it's too expensive.

Sincerely,
Christian

Hello,

Okay, if the car has been driven mostly on the highway and has been well-maintained, I don't see any problems.
Of course, the timing belt should have been replaced regularly.
If it still has the original head gasket, I would recommend replacing it soon as well... because old gaskets tend to fail suddenly rather than gradually.

Best regards,

The head gaskets shouldn't be a problem!
Since they are made of metal, dating back to approximately 1997...

Okay, I've done a little more research!
He received 50,000 hardened camshafts, and the previous owner would have the timing belts replaced again. It seems to be sealed, and apart from a lot of dirt, there was nothing else visible in the engine compartment!
The compression test revealed that the last cylinder on bank 1 has a 15% deviation from the others, which are all approximately at the same level.
Conclusion???

Otherwise, the price has gone down again, and I'll probably end up buying it anyway. I'll drive it until it breaks down, and then have the engine completely rebuilt.
With the family price, it would probably even include 2 engine overhauls .

Matze.

What is the price? Is it high or low?

Okay, if I squeeze a little more out of the situation, maybe I can get it down to around €7,800, perhaps €8,000 if the timing belts have already been replaced...

The question is, has anyone managed to achieve such a high mileage with an AFB/AKN engine?


Hi.

I'm driving an AFB with 134,000 km. After that, it's done for. The AT engine now has 100,000 km on it, and it's just noisier than it used to be.

I wouldn't buy another air fryer after reading what people say and from my own experience. But I've already used up the ones I have.

Felix.

I would take that one.
My AKN is 4'99.
Yours will be an AKN too.

And if including NW (water pump) and ZR (alternator) (with WP, all pulleys, and ribbed belts).
Once you've started doing it, you've probably already overcome your biggest concerns.
And don't wait another 120,000 km until the next change.

Do the 15% remain?
What are the absolute values? Where is the wear limit?
I am unable to evaluate that point due to a lack of experience.
I would still take the risk.

I would take that one.
My AKN is 4'99.
Yours will be an AKN too.

And if including NW (water pump) and ZR (alternator) (with WP, all pulleys, and ribbed belts).
Once you've started doing it, you've probably already overcome your biggest concerns.
And don't wait another 120,000 km until the next change.

Do the 15% remain?
What are the absolute values? Where is the wear limit?
I am unable to evaluate that point due to a lack of experience.
Ich würds aber riskieren.

Okay, to level the playing field, I'm attaching my workshop statistics below.

AFB, 235,000 km, manufactured in 1999, first owner, fully equipped, leather interior.
AT motor at 135,000 km, replaced also the Tiptronic, almost all brakes, turbocharger, fuel injection pump, at least 7 times the mass airflow sensor (MAF). FIS replaced, the Symphony unit no longer reads CDs, the CD changer no longer reads CDs, the driver's seat rattles, the door squeaks, the phone can no longer connect to the network, the wooden inlays are now cracked, the driver's door no longer fits properly (gap dimensions), repair costs are almost 50% of the price of a new car, of which 90% were covered under warranty.
Workshop stays: approximately 30, totaling approximately 10 weeks of downtime.
Fuel consumption is between 9 (summer) and 16 liters of diesel, depending on driving style, but is rarely below 11 liters (average).

Well... I don't want to spoil anyone's fun and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. However, my experiences with Audi/VAG will definitely not improve with the upcoming vehicle.

You should, however, be aware of what a motor overhaul entails for a V6 engine.
Refurbishing, a used, or a new engine all cost money. When it comes to good, affordable options...
You'll likely have to spend at least 2500.00 EUR for a used one.
The mileage could still be much higher. (My colleague has an A6 with full equipment, including navigation, rear axle, front axle, heated seats, but it has broken down 4 times, has a turbocharger, mass airflow sensor, and the engine is almost defective, all at 150,000 km).
You might as well just add that money to the price and buy one with fewer kilometers.
I'm not sure how long a Tiptronic transmission lasts.
By the way, replacing the timing belt costs between 750 and 1000 euros.

Best regards, Manuel.

Hm???
There they are again, the differences!
My AFB now has 225,000 km on the clock! And it just keeps running!
Yesterday, I drove 300 km on the highway and my fuel consumption was 7.6 liters!
It's not always like that! 12 was my maximum!
Entweder sinds die letzten zukungen! No idea!
Besides a €15,000 accident repair, it hasn't been in the workshop before!
Besides the usual things!
I bought it in July 2002 for €12,000 with 168,000 km on the odometer!
But after reading what others have experienced here!
I wouldn't buy another one!
Even if everyone looks stupid when it starts making that noise!
Kaum einer hat en Plan was da drinn ist! That's funny!
Manuel hat auch in Bezug auf die Kosten recht!! They are intense!
Nothing has been exchanged yet! Not even the camshafts!
Although I might be a candidate, it's not me! It's the Audi!
And thinking about divorce instead of flaufer! But separation is a sharp sword! (sings like an old man) It would happen to me too!
I'll be in Gera next weekend! Unfortunately, it's due to a sad event. If you want, you can take a look at mine as a warning! It looks great from the outside! But unfortunately, it's awful on the inside!
Think about it!
Or go to the search function and type in 'AFB' or 'AKN'! You'll find plenty of information there!
But the other thing is, if someone isn't having a problem, they won't write about it here!
I haven't written anything yet!