Tell me about ALDI COCKWAD A4s please.

[Spiny Norman]

Might be having a butchers at an Audi A4, but it's one of those cars I've never even thought about before so I don't really have much of a clue what to look for on them, apart from massive spunk stains all over the seats and a thousand holes in the dash from every latest model of mobile phone cradle upgrade.

 

Don't know the VAG geek nomenclature for the precise model, but it's the first one to bear the name, a 99 1.8 20v non turbo.

 

Ta.

[RoadworkUK]

That'll be a B5. I've had a '98 1.8t for five years and doubled its mileage from a low 55k to a below average 120k. In that time it has required nowt but routine servicing aside from a couple of wheel bearings, and a water pump literally 24 hrs after I drove it to Gothenburg and back.

 

I've just embarked on the fun and games that is the cambelt change, doing it for the second time. Not too bad a job as the whole front panel comes off or goes into "Service mode" where all the radiators are shifted forwards about seven inches. I'm also currently experiencing oil in water... but no signs of major leakage thus far from the engine itself. Hopefully something else among the ancilliaries, like the wierdo oil-cooler arrangement they enjoy.

 

Basically reasonably viceless, if not terribly exciting as far as I'm concerned. Maybe because of this most of the regulars on here pretty much hate them.

[forddeliveryboy]

They're certainly autoshite cheap to buy, a local chap used to run Audis and swore by his 1996 A6 which went year on year with little more than brakes and the odd bush. By contrast, his A4 cost twice as much in a good year, four times as much in a bad.

 

There's little doubt the Audi cost-accountants and lifespan-engineers were making their first big moves by the mid-late 90s. I doubt this is so much different from many other makes. I think he now runs Subarus and Suzukis.

 

Diesels got less and less sturdy as time went on - petrols are prob a better choice by 2000.

 

But since it's a post-1992 design, I can't think how any could possibly be worth having unless you're desperate.

[CreepingJesus]

If my experience of Passats is anything to go by, then it'll be solid and unexciting. It'll be surprisingly cheap to run, won't break down much, and be easy to fix when it does. (I know you don't spanner yours much, but it keeps garage bills down) The only fly in the ointment, with the multifarious nomenclatures, is that ordering parts was sometimes a bit of a roulette.

Obviously, don't buy one with Halfords alloys and tribal graphics off a 'roid warrior. Must be plenty of pampered ones out in the middle class 'burbs, surely?

[Partridge]

Audi A4? Don't go there. Don't even think it.

[warren t claim]

I had the ex minimad5_FATHA A4 a couple of years ago at the same time I was running the 1.8 pez 406. The A4 had better handling and a sweeter gear change but on every other count the 406 was the better car.

[trigger]

 

 

 

I bought this one around 2006 time. I spotted it up for sale near my in laws for £2000 and bought it there and then as it was such a bargain.

 

I kept it a year and done about 13000 miles in it and to be honest it was a bloody good car, I never had any issues with it other than the LCD dash display losing a few pixels, it was quite pokey for a 1.8, comfortable and well equipped.

 

I only sold it as I was using so much petrol and got offered £2700 on a trade in. If it was a diesel I would have never of sold it, it was that good.

[Cavcraft]

Harsh ride, pretty nasty interior, un-pixellating pixels, Passat levels of water ingress and appear to have no redeeming features at all. No better than any other car in it's class (i.e large-ish saloon) and probably worse than most, because they're hyped up so you expect something really good and don't get it.

In summary, I think I'd rather stick my knob through a hungry cannibal's letterbox.

[twosmoke300]

As mentioned above they leak like sieves ( pollen filter seals , blocked scuttle drains and door cards ) and the convenience control unit and airbag sensors are on the floor. They can't swim either.

Oh and dont get me started on the front suspension / steering design. Rubber mounted track rod ends and 12 ball joints on the front. No neeeeed

[alf892]

Good cars! Mrs Alf has had one (b6 diesel)coming up for 9 years and 80,000 miles now and it has been great. It gets serviced annually and only needed a clutch and cambelt. Only failure has been the original alternator at 130k

[twosmoke300]

Its funny how peoples perceptions of reliability depends on what car they own . Many of my customers with VAG cars deem things like calipers ,maf sensors, alternators/tensioners etc etc as service items and still insist that their car has had nothing done to it . But if a Honda customer had a blown bulb then its like the car has let them down and wouldnt trust it.

 

A good example of this is the 107/c1/aygo range . When we bought a new one in 2009 we looked at all the reviews etc and the aygo got one star less on reliability than the rest . The same car !! Its because people expect Toyotas not to ever go wrong so grump when it does , whereas PSA customers expect to break down at some point.

[alf892]

Maybe should add then that all it gets at annual service is oil and filter......air and fuel filters every two years. I go around it with an oil can and silicone spray on the handbrake cable/levers along with a general look over.

 

Brakes as required. No discs yet but will need fronts next time.

 

'Maintained regardless' of cost it ain't......

[Partridge]

Cavette had one for a short while. He still twitches and gets flash backs when he sees LEDs.

 

I'm sure earlier ones like Trigger's were great cars, but I just f--king detest them.

 

FARTHA_PARTRIDGE had a 2009 Passat by the way, bought brand new. Add e-handbrake that breaks to the list. Other than that he didn't get any problems with it, but he only had it for two years. In general it was fine, just very very very boring. He new has a getting-on-a-bit BMW 535 which has been annoyingly good.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

FathaN bought an A4 about 5 years ago as a long distance cruiser to supplement his fleet of rusty Solihull products.

He bought it on the spur of the moment off a friend and only asked me about them afterwards. As long as it's not a Multichronic CVT thing a 1.9 tdi won't be too bad I said. Well, his 2.5tdi V6 Multispastic rubber band has done a further 60,000 since and hasn't broken yet. It's an 02 reg with loads of spec and is actually OK to drive once you've accepted the gearbox is supposed to feel shit. The trip is usually showing 50mpg although he does tend to drive it like a Series1 Land Rover .

[Asimo]

Early ones sometimes seen in really good bright colours, when I think they look pretty good. They have nice wheels sometimes too.

 

Recent ones only available in grey or black with monster-truck wheels.

 

Go for an A8 instead, more car, same aggro.

[cort16]

They're capable but zzzz. For 1000 quid you'd maybe be able to get one of the newer and confusingly named B6 ones.

 

Much nicer interior although very similiar to drive

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-AUDI-A4-GREY-/151397610639?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item234000348f

[Dave_Q]

I ran a 96 tdi for a while. Would echo most sentiments so far and add that the front suspension has a daft amount of bushes and balljoints and expect these to be service items.

It was a pleasant enough car but I got bored, would only recommend if dirt cheap.

[dugong]

I had the ex minimad5_FATHA A4 a couple of years ago at the same time I was running the 1.8 pez 406. The A4 had better handling and a sweeter gear change but on every other count the 406 was the better car.

That bathtub of an A4 went round corners better than a 406? Had the Pug lost a wheel or something?

 

Its funny how peoples perceptions of reliability depends on what car they own . Many of my customers with VAG cars deem things like calipers ,maf sensors, alternators/tensioners etc etc as service items and still insist that their car has had nothing done to it . But if a Honda customer had a blown bulb then its like the car has let them down and wouldnt trust it.

 

A good example of this is the 107/c1/aygo range . When we bought a new one in 2009 we looked at all the reviews etc and the aygo got one star less on reliability than the rest . The same car !! Its because people expect Toyotas not to ever go wrong so grump when it does , whereas PSA customers expect to break down at some point.

"But these German cars are quality (pron. "qwoll-at-eh"), they never go wrong" (pub expert).

[Partridge]

Which is best...fiiiiiiiiight!

[dugong]

I'm going to use Internet logic and say 87 BUICK GNX

[gordonbennet]

Never owned an Aldi, quite fancied the Diesel 100CC low drag artist thingies we had at work in the 80's, went like fuck but the company never ever got their heads round cambelt changes so they all had new engines around 60 to 80k miles, unfuckinbelievable.

 

What puts me off 'em is that every one i know who's had an auto boxed Aldi, the effin gearbox has shit or at least farted itsen, and the costs to fix the bastards have been staggering, and that goes right back to those early 80's 100cc's.

 

We've got a few modern MAN lorries at work, they carry on the VW current fad of needing lots of visits to the dealer, where seemingly no bugger has clue what they're doing.

[Jazoli]

I've recently bought a B5 A4 TDI and its a solid old bus, mine is low miles and low owners and seems to be pretty well screwed together, the climate control is brilliant as is the fuel consumption (58mpg over the last 300 miles)

 

Its dull to drive though, I'm already bored of it and thinking of changing it for something which has a little bit of flair, its a 99 with 114k miles in resale silver and sensible offers are invited

 

[Vince70]

I've got two B5 A4's and can honestly say you really can't fault the old buses..

The early ones have an expensive double wishbone layout which was dropped on the later ones but I can honestly say I've never had any issues with mine and it's now 20 years old.

 

As previous posters have said knock out the rear drain plugs in the rear scuttle area not forgetting the ones under the servo and battery tray and you will have a fantastic if a bit bland trouble free motor.

 

The newer one I have needed a new Maf unit which is a common fault, but it was only £14 delivered off eBay and new ones can be bought for about £20 (although the new ones will be cheap Chinese shite).

 

Mine are the 1.6 and 1.8 petrol versions the 1.6 engine isn't as refined but still pulls the car along a treat and doesn't feel underpowered and normally these are the cheaper ones for sale.

 

I highly recommend anyone to have one and if you find a B5 A4 with any rust it's normally because it's been accident damaged and repaired using cheap pattern parts

 

The only real gripe is the lights on the earlier versions are shite whereas on the later version ones you can actually see in the dark.

 

 

[drum]

I've probably mentioned on here before but...

I got a 2000 tdi avant last year for £650 with 196k miles. Had the timing belt changed then drove it to the south of France and back. This year it dragged the caravan and family many miles north. It has been reliable and very cheap to run.

It owes me nothing now.

[forddeliveryboy]

Are those the Summer Isles?

[Cavcraft]

No, he just opened the rear doors.

[Spiny Norman]

So, mixed reviews then, I'd expected as much.

 

I usually CBA with VAGshit but the early model A4 is probably the one I dislike least and I'm specifically after something boring that leaves no impression on me other than "Oh, we're here" when I get where I'm going.
I'm off 'interesting' cars for a while.

 

According to the first contact with the seller it's had loads of new bushes & bits and a cambelt change recently so hopefully it'll steer OK. The roads round here will show up any sloppiness in the suspension within 400 yards so it'll be easy to spot if something's not right.
I'll have a good grub around for damp patches on the floors though, I hate leaky cars.

[drum]

Are those the Summer Isles?

They are.

[Cavcraft]

I'll have a good grub around for damp patches

ATCNBE?

[Lankytim]

I've recently bought a B5 A4 TDI and its a solid old bus, mine is low miles and low owners and seems to be pretty well screwed together, the climate control is brilliant as is the fuel consumption (58mpg over the last 300 miles)

 

Its dull to drive though, I'm already bored of it and thinking of changing it for something which has a little bit of flair, its a 99 with 114k miles in resale silver and sensible offers are invited

 

 

 

Nice rabbit.