A2 TDI, couple of questions.

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Skippy

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I'm looking to take a cash alternative to a company car. Top of the list at the mo is an A2 TDI Sport with cruise, climate and CD (anything else I should get?).

The car will do about 40,000 miles a year, what sort of fuel consumption can I expect, I normally cruise steady at 75-80 mph.

Is an A2 liveable for this sort of mileage? Hence the sport to get what looks like better seats.

Has anyone imported one? What savings can be had and what is the warranty with an import.

Skip.
 
I've looked at the main import and discount websites for A2's amongst other cars and have the impression that you may as well haggle a dealer for the money you could save. Personal import may be a little different...
 
Skippy,

The A2 is certainly not a problem cruising on the motorways at 75/80mph. In fact it is probably at its best under these conditions, however having regard to the cars level of road noise I genuinely believe you will get fed up driving an average of 40,000 miles each year. Personally I reckon you need something with longer legs – like an A4 or a Passat with a TDI 130bhp engine.

Regards
John Disdale
 
Thanks for that John/Gav, your input is appreciated, nice to here from owners not salesmen.

Hmmmmm think it maybe back to the drawing board, i'll see if I can borrow a car for a few days and see how it goes.

As for noisey cars my other is a Lotus 340R, now thats noisey :) But not doing 40k in that one, come to think of it 40k would be more than 40 AA recoveries for the car at its current rate [:0]

Skip.
 
Skippy

40,000 miles is serious stuff. Like JD I would be inclined to go for a 1.9TDI in these circumstances. So you are looking Golf, Passat, A4 etc as far as the VAG group is concerned.

Good luck

Jon
 
Must admit I tend to agree [V]

To answer the question tho what sort of mpg could I expect, could I get the 78 ish extra urban figure that is quoted? Extra urban on my focus is 37 but I can get 40 no problem ?

I'll borrow a demo car for a few days and see what it is like.

Skip.

Still want a A2 sport tho :(
 
hi Skip

We do around 30-35K per year, and we get 60+mpg with climate on! so you'll definately get more that 40!!, I would like to have cruise though!

Az
 
Skippy

It depends if you're spoiled from driving good cars or not. I'm not, so I think TDI sport would be a perfect choice even for that high mileage and especially becouse of it. The savings should allow you to visit your favorite restaurant more often.

However you might have different taste so narrow your choice to two or three cars according to the budget and try them all. Only after that make a decission. You can't miss.

Regards

ZB
 
Skippy have traded down from an A4 tdi I'm satisifed with the A2's performance - its at its best on the motorway at 70-80mph where I get 60-65mpg.

A word of caution though I would perhaps hold back on any sports set up as you might find the suspension too hard on long journeys. Mine is fine and handles superb so sports is not needed. Equally there is a 'trade off' with going to larger 17" wheels. There is a site member (Paul?) who traded a jag for an A2 and does 30k a year without any problems.

My only observation would be if you put in a 4cyl tdi engine and softened the suspension I'd buy it tomorrow - yet after 18k the engine on mine is lossening up rather nicely.;)

Regards - The Foghorn

2001 TDI SE Atantic Blue, Open Sky, 16" 6 spoke alloys, Satellite cloth & space box system. The "Dogs Twitchers"
 
I appreciate the reference to “Sport” infers a harder suspension, but to date I have not read any report that suggests the Sport model actually provides a more uncomfortable ride than a standard A2. That said it had been stated that following the introduction of the FSI model (sport suspension) that all future A2’s were to have the same system as standard. Presumably this is happening now ?

Regarding mileage no car with truly high mileage is ever going to command a decent secondhand price, however I shudder to think what a 4 year old A2 with 160,000 on the clock will be worth.

Regards
John Disdale
 
Lot of intresting comments, I think as I say I need to get one on loan for a few days. Intresting to read 60-65 mpg, long way off what Audi claim for extra urban (motorway). This sort of consumption is ok, but not what i'd have hope'd for.

As for used value, the car I buy will be planned to be paid off buy my car allowance so anything it is worth is a bonus, so even if its 2k it'll be fine with me, nice black met sport with nothing wrong with it but the miles must be worth that.

As I have a Lotus 340R for fun its not about fun this car, its a work tool, but I do love nice cars and driving, so if I can combine the 2 it would be ideal.

One problem is I want to start to trailer the 340 to trackdays next year, so i'd have to sort a tow car out, not a big problem, would also help keep another few thousand mile's off the A2.

Skip.
 
:(Hi I test drove an A2 TDI SE and was rather disappointed. Sure it is very nicely put together and has a nice safe feel about it. But even with steady motorway driving (no more than 80 mph)I could not get anywhere near the mpg I was hoping for.

OK the car was almost brand new - just a few hundred miles on the clock, but I reset the on board computer or DIS and even with Air con on Economy I could not get the average over 48 mpg.

It may well loosen up but I would have expected mid 50's with a tight engine and for this to improve over time but starting at 48mpg it is a long way to get to over 60mpg.

I can get (over a very long period of time I add) 53mpg in a Mark III Golf 90 bhp TDI and on long tours similar to the test can get near 50 mpg out of a Passat 130 BHP PD TDI with the aircon on. Are they that tight when new? or are those wide profile tyres knocking the consumption?

Your responses would be appreciated.
 
Jules,

Its extremely unfortunate that recent changes in forum administration have brought about a situation where tons of past posts have now vanished, and so many of these were relative to your questioning and claims. I can hardly attempt to repeat so much detail, but in a short fashion my own input would be as follows.

1/ I sincerely believe that the choice of an A2 is way beyond the pure factors of economy, when its external styling should either bowl you over, or alternatively do nothing for you, in which case I would agree you should look elsewhere.

2/ The manufacturers quoted fuel consumption (petrol & diesel) has been a controversial point since the Biblical days of Tony Blair first walking on water, and I am aware that some dealers have received heavy complaints from A2 owners that they were achieving better consumption in their A4 1.9 litre TDI (or similar powered Passats). Set against this however there are very genuine A2 TDI owners on this forum who have achieved brilliant consumption figures (around the high 60 to 70 mpg) without the need to crawl along at 40mph. That said there are also a few owners very disappointed that they cannot get any more than 55mpg, and I have no explanation for this apart from the fact that in my experiences the production of A2’s do seem to vary.

3/ In noting your consumption in your Passat PD130 you might be interested to know that in my brand new Golf 130 I have recently achieved 60mpg on a motorway run of 50 miles, and 57mpg on a 40 mile journey comprising 80% around twisty country lanes. What however I have learnt via the computer (DIS) is that the best of figures are only possible if some careful thought is attached to the style of driving – and it just cannot happen under circumstances of heavy acceleration and heavy braking, or countless cold starts.

4/ I expect your dealer has a relatively high mileage A2 TDI sitting on their forecourt, so why not have a test ride in that to see if a so called “loose” engine improves the situation.

Regards
John Disdale
 
Jules

That was not a typical mileage you obtained. Bowling along the motorway at 80 mph you should certianly get over 55mpg and if you drop to 70 mph you will get 60mpg. That is with aircon on.

As I said somewhere else, the mileage figures for a 1.9TDI (Golf, A4 whatever) will be so close to this figure as to be negligible.

The one area where the A2 will gain slightly on mpg over the 1.9TDI competitors is in the urban cycle.

Jon
 
Skippy,

I've done what you are describing in the past (40K per year) in a couple of Audis... an 80 2.0E (no cruise) and my existing A4 Tdi110 Avant (I learned the lesson and added cruise). I've also done some long business trips in my wifes A2 Tdi (which I insisted had cruise). I have to say that if I were considering going back to that kind of mileage and looking for a car I would choose something more comfortable than the A2.
I really like the A2 on the motorway because you are seated quite high and (despite other comments) it is reasonably quiet. However, the short wheelbase, low profile tires and (I suspect) sprung to unsprung weight ratios do NOT result in the most comfortable ride where road surfaces are 'typically British'. For occasional trips it's great, if I was doing 750 miles a week it would become tiresome.

There are two other issues that I KNOW will grind at this type of mileage. First is that at 75-80 the A2 Tdi has not got huge pick up... so if you're in the middle lane on cruise approaching a vehicle and you need to hop into the outside lane (before someone closes a gap) to pass and maintain speed you may find the A2 a little lacklustre. More important (to me) is the fuel tank range. Even with the bigger tank on the new A2s I would suggest that you're going to be filling up around 400 miles or just over. My A4 gives me 600+ (i.e. 600 is no problem, I can rely on 650, I've done 670 but that was getting somewhat sweaty). When you're into high mileage reducing fill-up frequency saves time and hassle (and gives you some of your life back).
 
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