Hello, future A2 owner hopefully.

O

overthebarsmtb

Member
Hello to the forum, long tome since I’ve been on a forum, back in my Mk2 Golf days I believe!!

Currently I’m driving an Alfa Romeo 159 Ti 2.4. Wanted an Alfa for years, so got a nice one, and well.............they say never own your dream car, and we’ll leave it at that.
So, as an interim car for maybe the next 12 months I’m considering an Audi A2. I’m open to ideas at the moment. First I wanted a 1.6, but I’m very put off now. I really wanted to steer away from diesel after the Alfa, but I’m thinking in all honesty a 1.4 TDi may be the way I choose to go. But I’m looking at the 90hp as an option. I’ve read up on these so I know about the flywheels and turbos. Luckily I’m in the trade so breakages can be obtained cheaply of a fashion. But I’m curious what else would steer people away from a 90hp.
I’m thinking I’d like a sport, as I’d prefer that spec. I’ve looked at most for sale on the main websites, and can’t find one with a Symphony stereo or Bose upgrade. Are these particularly hard to find?
lot of questions here, and I’m sure I’ll have more, but got to get my facts in order before I make a purchase. I’ll be appreciative of any help I canget really.

pic of my current car attached.
 
overthebarsmtb said:
Hello to the forum, long tome since I’ve been on a forum, back in my Mk2 Golf days I believe!!

Currently I’m driving an Alfa Romeo 159 Ti 2.4. Wanted an Alfa for years, so got a nice one, and well.............they say never own your dream car, and we’ll leave it at that.
So, as an interim car for maybe the next 12 months I’m considering an Audi A2. I’m open to ideas at the moment. First I wanted a 1.6, but I’m very put off now. I really wanted to steer away from diesel after the Alfa, but I’m thinking in all honesty a 1.4 TDi may be the way I choose to go. But I’m looking at the 90hp as an option. I’ve read up on these so I know about the flywheels and turbos. Luckily I’m in the trade so breakages can be obtained cheaply of a fashion. But I’m curious what else would steer people away from a 90hp.
I’m thinking I’d like a sport, as I’d prefer that spec. I’ve looked at most for sale on the main websites, and can’t find one with a Symphony stereo or Bose upgrade. Are these particularly hard to find?
lot of questions here, and I’m sure I’ll have more, but got to get my facts in order before I make a purchase. I’ll be appreciative of any help I canget really.

pic of my current car attached.
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There aren’t really many other differences than the turbo and the flywheel, of course it’s a different compression ratio and I think the internals are different too, but from a reliability point of view the 90 is still very good. A lot of PD diesels use a DMF and VNT turbo and they are still seen as extremely reliable engines


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See that’s what I thought, working selling parts to the trade, normally the turbos expire due to wrong oil use or infrequent servicing. Or of course sticky vanes, but they sell various things to help sticky canes now.
So my mission is to try and find an A2 1.4 TDi 90 Sport, in nice condition, with a few little extras on it, without it being highly priced.........if at all possible. Hmmmm.
 
overthebarsmtb said:
So my mission is to try and find an A2 1.4 TDi 90 Sport, in nice condition, with a few little extras on it, without it being highly priced.........if at all possible. Hmmmm.
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I understand some of your reasons I do ..but your limiting yourself to very few vehicles that will ever come up for sale ..I know because I’m looking for a certain model and spec it’s 3 1/2 years and still no sign of one but with 4 others to enjoy ? I’m patient ..wish you luck ?
 
greywolfhound said:
I understand some of your reasons I do ..but your limiting yourself to very few vehicles that will ever come up for sale ..I know because I’m looking for a certain model and spec it’s 3 1/2 years and still no sign of one but with 4 others to enjoy ? I’m patient ..wish you luck ?
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Agreed, not many nice spec sub 100K cars out there, I looked for quite a while and was very lucky that one came up on Facebook Marketplace 10 minutes down the road! Have gone on to spend a grand on essentials, still needs some bits doing, but that's part of the fun ?
 
greywolfhound said:
I understand some of your reasons I do ..but your limiting yourself to very few vehicles that will ever come up for sale ..I know because I’m looking for a certain model and spec it’s 3 1/2 years and still no sign of one but with 4 others to enjoy ? I’m patient ..wish you luck ?
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4, my my, that’s just greedy haha.
I realise what I’m looking for will be hard work. Got a few weeks yet before the Alfa will be up for sale, so we’ll see what I can spot. Think I need to find one of these in a garage, so I can go for a test drive. Part of me is apprehensive moving from a 210bhp diesel, to a 75/90hp diesel. But I think that’s to be expected really, if they are fun to drive like a mk2 golf was them I’ll be super happy.
 
overthebarsmtb said:
4, my my, that’s just greedy haha.
I realise what I’m looking for will be hard work. Got a few weeks yet before the Alfa will be up for sale, so we’ll see what I can spot. Think I need to find one of these in a garage, so I can go for a test drive. Part of me is apprehensive moving from a 210bhp diesel, to a 75/90hp diesel. But I think that’s to be expected really, if they are fun to drive like a mk2 golf was them I’ll be super happy.
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a 210bp diesel that weighs how much though in this day and age? If you take a 90hp and enhance it in the way that @timmus has his (or @A2Steve did a former car of his), the power to weight ratio is probably not hugely different, and as many people have discussed in recent weeks, a well sorted A2 with the right combinations of springs, shocks, wheels & tyres etc. is a very sweet drive indeed. I have been a passenger in a mk2 golf a few times in the mid 90s when the mk3 was current but have never driven one to be able to compare, sadly.
 
Yeah it’s like I said, just apprehension. With the weight of an A2, I can believe there a hoot to drive. Mk2 Golfs were brilliant to drive. Yep, the Alfa is a heavy car, chews front tyres for fun unfortunately. But the torque is immense.
An A2 is basically going to be a 12 month runaround and for me, and help me in my business as well. Just want to try and find the best example I can.
 
One thing I've wondered after I raised the question of how the A2 'feels' subjectively to drive compared to other mechanically similar VAG cars in the same era is what effect the seats have in the user interface. These are clearly very different to anything that was in a Polo or Fabia of the same era, even cars like the Fabia VRS that is another icon of the time. One one hand, the standard SE cloth seats could be seen as being quite flat and hard - although I've had zero discomfort on them in many 9+ hour drives Scotland to Plymouth over the past few years, and I've a set of leather / Alcantara sports in the one car that are equally non-uncomfortable - softer in the cushion but more supportive at the sides (if you get my drift) - the point being that perhaps the huge spend that Audi made on these cars with regard to design in all aspects of the experience in general can also be recognised in the fact that excellent design resulted in an excellent result. I recently realised that the SE cloths reminded me most of seats in the mid-1980s Mercedes 190 (my Dad got given one for a few months by LeasePlan when waiting for his new Audi 100 company car when they did the internal facelift around 1986-87) - they were like boards sitting in the back seat but somehow you never ended up numb or uncomfortable on long drives (Brussels to Birmingham every school holiday).
 
End of the day, I’m happy to take advice off anybody on here, total respect for those who’ve owned A2’s for years.
I’m just enjoying learning what can be done, what extras to look out for, and what can be retro fitted to these cars.
 
Robin_Cox said:
One thing I've wondered after I raised the question of how the A2 'feels' subjectively to drive compared to other mechanically similar VAG cars in the same era is what effect the seats have in the user interface. These are clearly very different to anything that was in a Polo or Fabia of the same era, even cars like the Fabia VRS that is another icon of the time. One one hand, the standard SE cloth seats could be seen as being quite flat and hard - although I've had zero discomfort on them in many 9+ hour drives Scotland to Plymouth over the past few years, and I've a set of leather / Alcantara sports in the one car that are equally non-uncomfortable - softer in the cushion but more supportive at the sides (if you get my drift) - the point being that perhaps the huge spend that Audi made on these cars with regard to design in all aspects of the experience in general can also be recognised in the fact that excellent design resulted in an excellent result. I recently realised that the SE cloths reminded me most of seats in the mid-1980s Mercedes 190 (my Dad got given one for a few months by LeasePlan when waiting for his new Audi 100 company car when they did the internal facelift around 1986-87) - they were like boards sitting in the back seat but somehow you never ended up numb or uncomfortable on long drives (Brussels to Birmingham every school holiday).
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yep, I hear you. They certainly put a lot of design nd innovation into this car. Think I just love a sports seat though, they hold you better. But yeah, it’s a bit like when I watch Welderup and GasMonkey, some of the bucket seats in the older cars, I just scratch my head, and think ‘that’s not a bucket seat’.
The old German tanks seats never looked up to much, but they were always comfortable regardless. Old Mercs were something else. Can’t help thinking Mercedes lost there way after the 190 and the old E-Class cars.
 
Hi @overthebarsmtb, welcome to A2OC.
overthebarsmtb said:
I’m thinking I’d like a sport, as I’d prefer that spec. I’ve looked at most for sale on the main websites, and can’t find one with a Symphony stereo or Bose upgrade. Are these particularly hard to find?
Click to expand...
I think you're the 4th newcomer within the last week or two to state their desire for a well-kept, good condition TDI90, so some may recognise the gist of this message... The A2 was made in very limited numbers. A tiny percentage were fitted with the 90bhp TDI. Of those, a minority percentage were made in Sport spec'. Of those, a tiny percentage were fitted with Bose. Of those, a small number were fitted with the double-DIN dashboard (able to house a Symphony II or RNS SatNav system). A tiny percentage have sub-100,000 miles on the clock. I could go on, but you get the idea. When buying a TDI90, you simply have to compromise. With every compromise, you increase the size of your fishing net massively.
Everything apart from OpenSky and climate control can be retrofitted. It is always cheaper to find a car with the optional extras that you desire already fitted, but not if that car is likely to be a money pit. Given that the youngest A2s are now 15 years old, many people choose to buy on the basis of condition and history and then retrofit the optional extras that they desire. Hundreds of A2s within this community have been upgraded to include the options that their owners desire. Sport spec', for instance, is a set of alloys, a steering wheel, DIS and Sport seats, all of which can easily be added to a well-kept SE.

Cheers,

Tom
 
timmus said:
Hi @overthebarsmtb, welcome to A2OC.

I think you're the 4th newcomer within the last week or two to state their desire for a well-kept, good condition TDI90, so some may recognise the gist of this message... The A2 was made in very limited numbers. A tiny percentage were fitted with the 90bhp TDI. Of those, a minority percentage were made in Sport spec'. Of those, a tiny percentage were fitted with Bose. Of those, a small number were fitted with the double-DIN dashboard (able to house a Symphony II or RNS SatNav system). A tiny percentage have sub-100,000 miles on the clock. I could go on, but you get the idea. When buying a TDI90, you simply have to compromise. With every compromise, you increase the size of your fishing net massively.
Everything apart from OpenSky and climate control can be retrofitted. It is always cheaper to find a car with the optional extras that you desire already fitted, but not if that car is likely to be a money pit. Given that the youngest A2s are now 15 years old, many people choose to buy on the basis of condition and history and then retrofit the optional extras that they desire. Hundreds of A2s within this community have been upgraded to include the options that their owners desire. Sport spec', for instance, is a set of alloys, a steering wheel, DIS and Sport seats, all of which can be easily added to a well-kept SE.

Cheers,

Tom
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Thanks Tom, fully appreciate your feedback, and all noted.
I was not far off in the same scenario when looking for my Alfa 159. So many options, but not many examples, so yes, I bought on condition the best I could get at the time.So I know what you mean.
If I can retrofit options then all the better, I do all my own mechanics with cars, enjoy a bit of tinkering.
 
Don't be put off the 1.4 TDI 75HP 195Nm version, as it's easy to remap to 100HP 250Nm. Some people have said that the 75HP version feels like a restricted 100HP engine, so even after being remapped the extra power isn't unduly stressing the engine.

The 1.4 TDI 90HP version has 230Nm of torque as standard.

The 1.4 TDI 75HP version, is much more common than the 1.4 TDI 90HP version and maybe cheaper to insure. Plus more reliable due to the lack of a variable vane turbo and dual mass flywheel.

The top speed and 0-100 km/h of the 75HP version is 173km/h and 12.6 seconds. The top speed and 0-100 km/h of the 90HP version is 188km/h and 10.9 seconds.
 
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overthebarsmtb said:
Found one I like..............and it’s 2 and half grand.
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Worth every penny ? took me 2 years to find a TDi90 Sport one with BOSE Double Din and a few other extras. Have since spent as much as the car cost me on upgrades servicing and equipment improvements. Mostly my car has been what is now known in the A2 community as properly Timmussed. ?
 
I don’t think this is a 90, but it is a TDi, and it’s not far from where I live, so might pop over and have a look. He’s calling it a Votex Edition though ?‍♂️ Not heard of one of those before.
 
overthebarsmtb said:
He’s calling it a Votex Edition though ?‍♂️ Not heard of one of those before.
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The Votex bodykit consists of 4 pieces that deepen the side skirts and bumpers, and occasionally also an added spoiler piece. There's no such thing as an official 'Votex Edition'; some A2s just happen to have the Votex bodykit. Think of it as an optional extra like leather Sport seats or OpenSky, which some people definitely want, and others defintely don't want.

Cheers,

tom
 
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Yep, that’s what I thought. It’s got the sold and bumper pieces, plus the 17” wheels. Not the spoiler though. Votex edition did sound made up when I read it. I remember Votex making Center consoles for the Mk2 Golfs which were highly sort after!
 
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