Audi 80 TDI

I bought this Audi two years ago, used, but as I knew the former owner personally quite well, I could rely on this one being a good and reliable and well watched car. Why this suspiciousness? Because there are several people around who change the motor electronics with a so called 'Chip tuning', that makes the engine run up to 100 or even more horsepowers, instead of the factory promised 90. So IF you're looking for an used TDI (no matter if Volkswagen, ...
...not fact for the old Audi 80. So I don't have to get cold in winter. (So that's 4 to 6 month a year :-( ). For the days in summer there's air conditioning, but not fully automatic like it's standard now, so you have to use it together with the heating in summer if you don't want to get a cold! This air conditioning costs the car one of the 5 stars.


Reliability:
Nothing important to complain about. The heat up system ... more

I bought this Audi two years ago, used, but as I knew the former owner personally quite well, I could rely on this one being a good and reliable and well watched car. Why this suspiciousness? Because there are several people around who change the motor electronics with a so called 'Chip tuning', that makes the engine run up to 100 or even more horsepowers, instead of the factory promised 90. So IF you're looking for an used TDI (no matter if Volkswagen, Audi, Seat or Skoda) watch for this!!! Audi itself says about chip tuning: 'No more warranty as the engine WILL suffer by this new program'. But that's just a hint for starting my op. So let's come to my experiences with it.

2 years of ownership and about 80000 kilometres of driving will make me able to tell some facts of my daily use of it.

First of all, let's start with the facts:
As there's a picture of it at Ciao, I won't spend too many words about the design. Let's say, it's quite frumpy compared to the new A4, but still functional. The interior decoration is well handled and there's no clattering by now, and the car is 10 years old and has done 170.000 kilometres. All the switches are where they are good to use and also the place for the radio is okay. But if you are a smoker you shouldn't use the 3rd or 5th gear <lol>, as the ashtray will not be to good to reach when you're in these ones. In fact I'm talking about the left hand drive version of this car, but I think it's the same for the right hand drive YOU should prefer ;-).
The position for the driver was very unfamiliar for me at the first kilometres I owned this car, I always thought "O my god, WHY did I buy this car?", but today I dislike the position of the driver in the car of my wife (Toyota Yaris). In this Audi, you will be sitting like you do in a bathtub. The plate of the door almost reaches my shoulder (even if there is no pure plate in the inside, but stylish fabric and plastic).

Comfort:
All the seats are well worked and don't look used up until now. I hope this will keep on like this for 5 years, that's how long I'm planning to keep this car. ;-)

There's one big downside for the people who will take place behind me: There's not much space left for their legs. I'm 186 centimetres tall and most of it are my legs <loL>, so my seat is at position 2 of the possible ones to choose) Very comfortable for me, but not for the ones in the behind. Here's the new A4 much better designed. But still this is not a limousine like a Mercedes S or BMW 7 or a Rolls Royce, but you also don't have to pay for it like you would have to for these 'alternatives' :-).

For the winter, you'll find a very well and fast working heating, although the TDI technology makes the newer engines have to use an additional heating system for the passengers. This is not fact for the old Audi 80. So I don't have to get cold in winter. (So that's 4 to 6 month a year :-( ). For the days in summer there's air conditioning, but not fully automatic like it's standard now, so you have to use it together with the heating in summer if you don't want to get a cold! This air conditioning costs the car one of the 5 stars.

Reliability:
Nothing important to complain about. The heat up system for cold starts in winter is a bit strange, so you have to turn the key three times before you try to start the engine, and there was a reparation at the wheel bearing after an 'accident' on a very poor road. Also the accelerator pedal broke off the plastic top part two weeks ago, but I still could use it. But nothing really fatal or costly happened.

Economy:
Very good. I'm about 6 litres of Diesel on 100km, and when I drive, I'm not driving slowly. ;-) 180 kilometres per hour on the motorway and many overtakings on the main roads I mostly have to use. Oil service is every 15.000 km and it takes 3.5 litres of 'the best you can get' ;-) . The wearout of tires is normal, so I can use a kit (? sorry, I don't know if it is the right word ;-) ) of tires for about 30.000 kilometres.

Handling:
Quite good, but the ABS is not the fastest one, so you can feel it when it's working. But I never had the feeling of loosing control at any time. What a great chassis! No over and no understeering at any normal situation and even in critical situations I never felt like I have to fight against something mad (like my VW Campervan was ;-))) ). The look to the back when parking into a small parking space is a bit tricky, but you can do it. :-)

Extras:
I've got this bloody air conditioning, a sliding roof, electric and heatable mirrors, ABS and a central locking as notable extras.

My verdict:
The best car I have ever had. (And there were lots of them :-) f.e. two Volkswagen Golfs, Polo, Volvo, Opel (Vauxhall) and Volkswagen Campervan). Even if the passive security isn't state of the art no more it's okay. So you won't find no airbags in my car, but you could have bought them for about EUR 700 extra at the time of purchase). I'm planning to keep this car for another 5 years or 170.000 km, and I think it will make it. No rust, no aging of the parts to see, I'm delighted. :-)

Update May 2003:
So the air conditioning doesn't work no more. To repair it, I would have to change the cooling gas in the system as the old - called R12 - must not be used no more in Germany. So this would be a 700 EUR bill. So that's why I will sell the car soon, and get 2500 EUR for this 11 year old vehicle with nearly 200.000 km done. :-) So I'll go for the Toyota Avensis now.
Goodbye Audi, you've done a good job.

Thanks to all the readers who made it down here, even if my technical background on automobiles isn't that of an mechanic but I told you of my daily use of this "product". I hope it's understandable English to read, if not, please tell me about and I will update this OP as soon as possible.

burk for Ciao UK July 2002, May 2003

 

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