Today I.....
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Jmywil
Member
Agree, personally I think this model is the sweet spot of the range other than the flakey manifold issues. Are you running the ProBoost?
timmus
A2OC Donor
This is a modification I see too regularly!
Jellybean
A2OC Donor
Yes, I have one of the first batch Steve brought in. I had no EML issues but occasional hestiancy, like a misfire and uneven idle were a concern. I really wanted to keep the FSI. Have covered over 2k miles now and has not missed a beat.
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Pinkythelabrat
A2OC Donor
Today I missed out on a lovely looking tdi75 in Glasgow. Caught it within half an hour of listing on Gumtree and contacted the fella - to say ‘yes yes’... just got back In touch with me - already sold!
What are you meant to do? Fly to the area and try to find the car by ESP to force the money into the seller’s hand?
Boo!
Someone looks to have gotten a nice one.
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What are you meant to do? Fly to the area and try to find the car by ESP to force the money into the seller’s hand?
Boo!
Someone looks to have gotten a nice one.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Rusty911
A2OC Donor
I actually drove the Devon car in anger for the first time today. Just a reminder, it's a remapped TDi75 with OSS and my previous A2 (and introduction to the same) was a non-OSS 1.4 petrol.
Drove the whole length of the A272 going from East Sussex to Hampshire to paddle a bit of the Kennet and Avon canal with my brother which was wonderful, even if appropriately socially distanced.
Anyway, point of this is to mention how different the two cars feel. There's no doubt the diesel has a ton more grunt, but a) you can really, really feel the weight of the engine up front in tight left-right / right-left bends. b) Ditto the roof: hardly surprising given it's the same as strapping an extra two or three bags of cement to top of the previous car, and c) the tight rev range you end up working in: around 1800-3300, so 1500 revs, d) the gearbox compared to the 1.4 petrols: feels amazingly hefty (as in industrial heritage) vs the flickerty flick of the petrol's.
Conclusion? Hmm, I feel another 1.4 petrol coming on. I'd never tried the diesels, but did feel that the little light but refined 1.4 petrol suited the ethos of the futuristic A2 rather well.
Expect the Devon car will be on the way out although there are definitely likeable aspects there.
I did wonder about FSI but see they're iron block so I guess the engine weighs similar to the diesel?
If I could have just got the pole moved, I might have got a shot out of the day: Petersfield, West Sx around 07:30
Drove the whole length of the A272 going from East Sussex to Hampshire to paddle a bit of the Kennet and Avon canal with my brother which was wonderful, even if appropriately socially distanced.
Anyway, point of this is to mention how different the two cars feel. There's no doubt the diesel has a ton more grunt, but a) you can really, really feel the weight of the engine up front in tight left-right / right-left bends. b) Ditto the roof: hardly surprising given it's the same as strapping an extra two or three bags of cement to top of the previous car, and c) the tight rev range you end up working in: around 1800-3300, so 1500 revs, d) the gearbox compared to the 1.4 petrols: feels amazingly hefty (as in industrial heritage) vs the flickerty flick of the petrol's.
Conclusion? Hmm, I feel another 1.4 petrol coming on. I'd never tried the diesels, but did feel that the little light but refined 1.4 petrol suited the ethos of the futuristic A2 rather well.
Expect the Devon car will be on the way out although there are definitely likeable aspects there.
I did wonder about FSI but see they're iron block so I guess the engine weighs similar to the diesel?
If I could have just got the pole moved, I might have got a shot out of the day: Petersfield, West Sx around 07:30
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Joga
A2OC Donor
Very interesting to read. I have only experience from my two 1.4 petrol, but is sort of dreaming about an diesel A2.
I am attracted by the fuel economy and torque of turbodiesels, and also the calmness I get when driving other diesel cars, that engine type sort of rocks the driver into calmness I think. And isnt always the sound from 3 pots nicer than 4 pots?
You get me hesitating ?
Rusty911
A2OC Donor
I think it depends on a) the mileage you're likely to do (so how much you'll gain from the economy) and b) your driving style. For me, the little petrol is much more involving as you have to keep it on the boil to make progress, the front end is noticeably lighter, so turn-in is very much sharper. This was on the A272 though which is a real test of a chassis: there are a lot of sharp bends that coincide with bumpy hilly bits. Weight in the wrong place 'really' shows up.
If you're driving in an easier style, particularly on bigger, more open roads, the diesel really comes into its own: far fewer gear changes, lugging out of corners and that economy. If I hadn't come from the petrol, I'd be pretty happy right now.
I'd say at the very least, don't get a diesel expecting it to be exactly like the 1.4 petrol other than economy and sound. To me, it feels like a completely different car. O.K. a little of that will be the weight of the OSS and my car has clearly had a different life to the petrol, but even allowing for all of this, they are very different in character.
Rusty911
A2OC Donor
Yes, I guess so: you're into MK3/4 GTi power to weight ratios at least. Might be worth a try
EDIT, just seen the weight: since for me the whole point of the A2 is light weight, it's got to be the 1.4, even if it needs rowing along a lot more.
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dj_efk
A2OC Donor
Interesting comparison for sure - in my case (being A2 naive) I’m leaning towards diesels because of the lower revs and hopefully noise on the motorway (I’m also set on gearing upgrades). What cruising speed do you settle at in the petrol and how do the two types of power train compare in this regard?
Joga
A2OC Donor
I see your point about low weight, and in that context it feels good to know that the 1.4 petrol has a gearbox housing of magnesium, thats pretty cool for us technology interested.Yes, I guess so: you're into MK3/4 GTi power to weight ratios at least. Might be worth a try
EDIT, just seen the weight: since for me the whole point of the A2 is light weight, it's got to be the 1.4, even if it needs rowing along a lot more.
I don't know how many TDI A2's you've driven Rusty (love that name BTW), whether it's just this one or more but one thing I will say, having owned and driven countless TDI's is that they all seem to drive a little differently and each have their own character and personality.
For me condition and how they have been maintained and looked after is my number one priority, and although for some people the OSS seems to be a must, for me it's the exact opposite, as I agree with you that the weight of it makes the A2 feel a little top heavy and additional light benefit aside (as in sun rather than weight) for me it's a pretty impractical and fairly unusable addition that breaks, leaks, rattles and causes buffeting when open at any reasonable speed.
I don't know how well your TDI was looked after previously but I know you have had a lot of things to fix but please try a later, well looked after TDI before you right it off or discount it, as for me, personally, I love them and is the only A2 I would have ?
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audisean89
Member
I'm all for the fsi when there running spot on they are great to drive, handling is great and they rev out really well
Rusty911
A2OC Donor
Well, I have to say I never got to try the petrol on the motorway and only a brief spell on dual carriageway. I'd suggest though that the fact you've mentioned motorway at all puts the diesel in the lead vs the 1.4MPi, particularly if you're looking at gearing mods.
As standard my TDI seems to be doing around 2200 at 60, which it's very happy at. I did touch 70 for a while yesterday and it was fine but I could see a higher top if doing a lot of motorway work would be nice. Against that, the ratios are already quite wide, so extending these if, like me, you do a lot of tight B-road work might give its own issues. For me I'd have to go six speed. If your non-motorway driving isn't too fiddly, a wider ratio five speed would be fine I'm sure. One thing's for certain, a re-mapped 75 has plenty of power once spooled up. Totally different order of magnitude to the little petrol. Be aware though that below around 1800rpm there's not much boost from the fixed 75TDI's turbo. Therefore a high fifth might see you dropping a cog on a long steep motorway drag if you've got blocked in. Not end of the world for the other gains.
I can imagine that say, two up, on a long hill in one of those situations where you really need to get out into the next lane, the 1.4MPi would have to be worked quite hard. Nothing worse than being trapped behind an ever-slowing truck and not having the confidence to get out and past.
Rusty911
A2OC Donor
Well I think you've hit two nails on the head there: OSS I can see the attraction but I'd avoid one in the future.
I think it's safe to say that perhaps my car hadn't enjoyed the most impeccable maintenance regime. Whilst everything is to MOT standard, nothing is fresh at all and most likely anything to do with handling and refinement could do with replacement. It might well be dialling in a ton of extra understeer. I once heard the phrase 'it could understeer down a straight road.'. This isn't quite like that, but I can appreciate the sentiment.
So you're right, almost certainly a good, well looked up non-OSS TDI would no doubt be a huge improvement over my one. I might quickly jack it up (again) and go in with a bar and just see if there are any low hanging fruit to be had in the handling department.
For me, a large % of my A2's role is local twisty roads in shortish journeys, coupled with say, monthly motorway runs. The Devon car seemed like a good opportunity to back to back the diesel and petrols. What went horribly wrong was the petrol started to piston slap alarmingly, so it got sold into the trade. Then the Devon car turned out to be truly dreadful and grew into a project all out of proportion to its condition, value or potential. A classic case of sunk cost fallacy. It'll make for solid transport but will never be a crisp example.
We'll see. In the meantime having had oil pressure sensor go on Friday (sorted on Saturday), yesterday's fault is driver's door mech. Another job ... Still, it did make the 230 mile round trip, so that's something.
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Rusty911
A2OC Donor
Really? I didn't know that
Early 911 gearboxes (and engine cases) were magnesium, later ones aluminium. A friend bought a 72 911 S in bits from a shady dealer. He was used to later cars and had shifted quite a few ally boxes. I mentioned his early gearbox was had a mag case for lightness. He was really impressed and kept saying he couldn't believe the difference in weight when he moved it about. 'Wow, you can really feel the difference' he said.
Years later it got to the point of sending the box off for rebuild as the rest of the car was ready for its mechanics. Turned out it was half empty! It's become our standing joke. Dealer had long gone of course.
Jeetesh
Member
I’ve mentioned that the VW UP GTI engine on a previous post somewhere. If I ever had a problem with my FSI engine and needed to swap it out, that’s the one I’d want and would reduce mass too and also add a 6-speed box. It would be in keeping with the A2’s MO. The one in the Audi A2 has a 7-speed DSG box too so that would be brilliant in an A2.
I’m keen to hear if it’s been done too.
I’m keen to hear if it’s been done too.