1999 A6 1.8 vs +/-2000 A4 1.6

Hi,
This is my first post to this site - so Hello :-)
I'm trying to decide on an Audi - really like the cars and want to get
one. I have a tight buget, and had my sites on second hand A4 1.6, and by
chance came accross an A6 (slightly older than I was looking for), but
with ok milage (60k) and have been giving it much consideration. What I'd
realy like to know is, where I can find honest information on the two cars
(of there age), most importantly, what kind of fuel comsuption I should
expect. The A6 has a 1.8 litre petrol engine, and I want to know will it
be much more to run than the 1.6 A4 - may seem like a stupid question, but
I'm told bigger engines don't always use more fuel - unless you drive like
a looney.
So any pointers to any sites where I can read up on these cars (of there
age), I would appriciate it.
I'll let you know what the out come is.

Thanks
Steeren

steeren > wrote:

> Hi,
> This is my first post to this site - so Hello :-)
> I'm trying to decide on an Audi - really like the cars and want to get
> one. I have a tight buget, and had my sites on second hand A4 1.6, and by
> chance came accross an A6 (slightly older than I was looking for), but
> with ok milage (60k) and have been giving it much consideration. What I'd
> realy like to know is, where I can find honest information on the two cars
> (of there age), most importantly, what kind of fuel comsuption I should
> expect. The A6 has a 1.8 litre petrol engine, and I want to know will it
> be much more to run than the 1.6 A4 - may seem like a stupid question, but
> I'm told bigger engines don't always use more fuel - unless you drive like
> a looney.
> So any pointers to any sites where I can read up on these cars (of there
> age), I would appriciate it.
> I'll let you know what the out come is.

I wouldn't have either. Both have vastly underpowered engines for the
size of car.

--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300
VW Golf GL Cabrio - Alfa 75 TS - VW Passat 1.8T 20V SE - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 23:05:14 +0000, (SteveH)
wrote:

>> expect. The A6 has a 1.8 litre petrol engine, and I want to know will it
>> be much more to run than the 1.6 A4 - may seem like a stupid question, but

>I wouldn't have either. Both have vastly underpowered engines for the
>size of car.

This is just a matter of perception, really. The 1.8 IIRC has got 150
HP.

That's not at all underpowered.

In fact, this is something I read in this group quite frequently.
Sufficient power for an A6 starts at +300 HP?

Not really.
Well, maybe if you gotta beat a Corvette every morning at the red
light race ;-)


Regards

Wolfgang

In message >
Wolfgang Pawlinetz > wrote:

> On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 23:05:14 +0000, (SteveH)
> wrote:
>
> >> expect. The A6 has a 1.8 litre petrol engine, and I want to know will it
> >> be much more to run than the 1.6 A4 - may seem like a stupid question, but
>
> >I wouldn't have either. Both have vastly underpowered engines for the
> >size of car.
>
> This is just a matter of perception, really. The 1.8 IIRC has got 150
> HP.

Correct - it's the 1.8 Turbo, whereas the A4 1.6 is normally aspirated
with 101bhp.

> That's not at all underpowered.

It's all relative. My first car was a 1969 Ford Cortina GT - a
reasonable performance saloon in its day. The A4 1.6 has a little more
power and is as fast to 60 as my old Ford (12.5 seconds). The A6 is
quicker than that - around 10 seconds.

> In fact, this is something I read in this group quite frequently.
> Sufficient power for an A6 starts at +300 HP?

Nah - about 450bhp is almost enough

With regards to running costs, Audis aren't cheap to run, but the A6 is
likely to cost a little more to maintain. With regard to fuel
consumption - the official figures suggest that there is not a great
deal between them - the A6 being more frugal in urban traffic, and the
A4 being the better on extra urban, but the difference between
the overall figures is less than 1mpg.

The choice between the two cars must depend on your priorities, the type
of driving you do and the number of passengers you carry - the A4 is
really quite cramped in the back seat. Having owned both A4 and A6
(but with larger engines), I would go for the A6.

Be aware that, at 60k, the timing belt should be changed - not a cheap
job. If you're buying from a dealer, get them to do this as part of the
deal.

--
Peter Bell (Note Spamtrap - To reply, replace 'invalid' with 'bellfamily')

Thanks Peter, thats some interesting information. I have been looking at
other costs like tax and insurance and there doesn't seem to be much
between them.
I had thought of the timming belt, and wondered how could I be sure that
the have infact changed it, I'm being paranoid now.
Is there a factual site that you know of where I can educate my self (in
spelling), and Audi's, specifically the ones I'm looking at? And althought
you mentioned that there both close in Mpg, I didn't see what mpg I could
expect from either, or do you know.
Just one more question (Sorry bout this - I'm like a school boy in a
choclate factory), when you say Urban and Extra Urban, are we taking city
trafic, and rush hour city trafic? (sorry that propably is a stupid
question, but I'm not 100% sure).

Thanks Peter, thats some interesting information. I have been looking at
other costs like tax and insurance and there doesn't seem to be much
between them.
I had thought of the timming belt, and wondered how could I be sure that
the have infact changed it, I'm being paranoid now.
Is there a factual site that you know of where I can educate my self (in
spelling), and Audi's, specifically the ones I'm looking at? And althought
you mentioned that there both close in Mpg, I didn't see what mpg I could
expect from either, or do you know.
Just one more question (Sorry bout this - I'm like a school boy in a
choclate factory), when you say Urban and Extra Urban, are we taking city
trafic, and rush hour city trafic? (sorry that propably is a stupid
question, but I'm not 100% sure).

In message outautos.com>
"steeren" > wrote:

> Thanks Peter, thats some interesting information. I have been looking at
> other costs like tax and insurance and there doesn't seem to be much
> between them.

Indeed - the A6 insurance will be a little more, but not prohibitively
so.

> I had thought of the timming belt, and wondered how could I be sure that
> the have infact changed it, I'm being paranoid now.

Difficult - other than looking for obvious signs of recent work (cleaned
areas around the front of the engine?), I think you'll be relying on the
word of the dealer.

> Is there a factual site that you know of where I can educate my self (in
> spelling), and Audi's, specifically the ones I'm looking at?

There are a number of sites with interest in Audi, eg. www.audifans.net,
www.audiworld.com (american bias), and other discussion boards (eg.
www.tyresmoke.net).

> And althought you mentioned that there both close in Mpg, I didn't see
> what mpg I could expect from either, or do you know. Just one more
> question (Sorry bout this - I'm like a school boy in a choclate
> factory), when you say Urban and Extra Urban, are we taking city
> trafic, and rush hour city trafic? (sorry that propably is a stupid
> question, but I'm not 100% sure).

Okay, the official figures are based on measurements intended to
represent stop/start (Urban) traffic in town, and out of town
(Extra-urban) driving. Then there's an average figure derived from those
two. However, remember that these figures may not be a close reflection
to what you will actually achieve in practice! Magazine tests usually
try to derive some test which, they would argue, is more representative.

Assuming that you're talking of saloon, front wheel drive, models in
both cases, the figures a

Urban Extra-urban Average WhatCar? magazine

A4 1.6 25.0 47.1 35.3 39.1

A6 1.8T 26.4 42.8 34.4 29.5

I hope this helps.

--
Peter Bell (Note Spamtrap - To reply, replace 'invalid' with 'bellfamily')

Thanks very much for the info, that was great. I will take it out for a
test drive tomorrow (all going well).
I was supprised to see the differences "What Car" gave the to cars, I
wonder which is more realistic?, I noticed that the A6 you reference is a
Turbo, the one I'm looking at, is not, I presume this is not good (from a
fuel economy point of view, I heard turbos can improve fuel economy).
Again, thank you for your help - its much appreciated.
Stee

In message outautos.com>
"steeren" > wrote:

> I noticed that the A6 you reference is a Turbo, the one I'm looking
> at, is not,

I hope that you'll find that it is a turbo. Audi stopped using the
non-turbo 1.8 engine in the A6 with the C4 model (in 1997, 1998 for the
Avant). I'm assuming that the car you're referring to is the (just)
outgoing C5 model (saloon in production 1997 - 2004, Avant 1998 - 2005).

--
Peter Bell (Note Spamtrap - To reply, replace 'invalid' with 'bellfamily')

In message outautos.com>
"steeren" > wrote:

> I was supprised to see the differences "What Car" gave the to cars, I
> wonder which is more realistic?

All I would say is that I've achieved near to (or better than) the
official average with all three of my Audis. My current RS6 has an
official average of 19.8 - I currently get around 21.5. However, I
don't use my car for daily commuting (I work from home), and a lot of my
driving is long distance - the car rarely leaves the garage for less
than a 20 mile journey. Having said that, I don't tend to hang around.

--
Peter Bell (Note Spamtrap - To reply, replace 'invalid' with 'bellfamily')