Audi A4 B6/B7 - Thoughts? Opinions? Experiences?

"Dunnik" (dunnik) 01/16/2014 at 08:30 • Filed to: AUDI A4

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My DD, an '02 Impala LS, serves me well enough as a highway commuter car but by this summer I hope to upgrade into something more worthy. I'd been thinking RWD - an E34/36/46 or an IS 300 - but for next winter (especially if it's going to be as brutal as this one) I'm thinking AWD, and that the B6 and/or B7 Audi A4 may fit the bill.

I haven't driven an Audi in years - the last one I drove was a friend's B4 90 back in the...90's. I found it to be nicely equipped - especially, um, compared to the 1986 Buick Century Estate that was my DD at the time - and it seemed to handle as well, or better, as any other German car I had driven at that point (E21, E30, E36, W126), and the grip from the Quattro made me feel like a much better driver than I actually was at the time (when I was 19).

Since I have very limited experience with them, I'm a bit confused. I've heard that particular models of Audi, like the 90 and the 1st generation B5 A4, are not very reliable, even for a German car. That German car reliability goes something like "Merc-BMW-Audi". But I think "what I've heard" is out of date. At a certain point, that was probably true, but during the last decade, it's probably "Audi-BMW-Merc". So I guess what I'm asking is, how does the B6/B7 stand up, reliability wise, compared to the other Germans. Or even the Japanese, or Americans?

Another point of confusion is which type to look for, the B6 (2000-2006) or the B7 (2004-2008). The B6 would be much more in my price range (somewhere around 4-6k) but the B7, I've read, is more reliable than the B6 - quite a few bug fixes, as it were, were put into the subsequent generation.

The facelift I could live without, I like the looks of the B6 more. On the B7 with a European license plate, it splits the massive gaping mouth of a grill in two, leaving only a bit of the trim to either side. It looks good. In North America though, our smaller, rectangular plates accentuate that gaping maw.

And yet more confusion: engine choice. Turbo four or V6? My preference is for the V6, but I've read that the turbos have better performance than the raw numbers might suggest, and that they're obviously better on gas. But the V6 sounds better and has he performance needed to keep up with modern traffic. I've always loved the small car/big engine combo, of course, but this often means the engine bay is cramped, making it harder/more expensive to work on.

So humbly seeking the wisdom of Oppo: what are your thoughts, opinions and/or experiences with the B6-B7 Audi A4?

Reigntastic > Dunnik 01/16/2014 at 08:34

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I've ridden in a 2T equipped MT B7 many times, and that car hustled. Attractive looking, but definitely costs the premium. Service is also commonly needed, but that depends on how you drive and how good your luck is.

Dunnik > Reigntastic 01/16/2014 at 08:47

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Well, at the risk of, um jinxing it, my luck with cars has been pretty good. So there's that, but as they say, "Fortune favors the well-prepared mind." Like all used German cars, I'd want as many service records as I could get: I'd not want to walk into a car like this blind, and if I do because records are lacking, I'd want a steep discount.

I'm also well aware of the way to win with German cars: take of them, and they'll take care of you. Preventative maintenance is key, all the more reason to have a service history. Unlike many - most? - owners of vehicles on the roads today, obviously as an Oppo I'd be in tune with the cars needs and pretty much give into (most) of her demands.

As to how I drive, well, tempting as it would be to return to autocrossing with this car, it would be a DD/GT car and so I'd drive it normally, most of the time. I wouldn't be able to resist an empty parking lot covered in snow, and I'd certainly carve some corners form time to time, but I wouldn't want to push to the limits of its handling all too often (suspension components are expensive!).

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > Dunnik 01/16/2014 at 08:49

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My wife has a B7 2.0T quattro, auto (not CVT). We bought it off a 2 year lease with 22k miles.

It's got 80k miles on it. The services issues to date are:

Carbon buildup on valves. Cleaned under warranty @ 38k miles. No trouble since.

Recharge AC R134 at about 42k miles

Replace two coil packs @ 79k miles.

Other than that it's been oil changes, brakes and tires. It's been on a number of 6+ hour trips. It's always been good to us.

My only complaint is that Audi didn't use good isolating motor mounts. When the car is cold the steering wheel shakes too much for a entry level luxury car.

Dunnik > Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger 01/16/2014 at 08:54

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That's not bad at all, though that level of carbon build up suggests it needs regular cleaning, ugh.

How's the size to live with? One perennial complaint about the A4 has always been its compact nature. I usually prefer bigger cars.

Chris Clarke > Dunnik 01/16/2014 at 09:20

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I had a B4 90 and now own a B5 A4 Avant and a B5 S4. I do all my own maintenance so I have intimate knowledge of mechanical issues. I personally would skip the B6. I think they are the least esthetically pleasing of all the A4 generations and from my experience they are also the least reliable.

If your budget doesn't permit a B7, I would seriously consider a low mileage B5. Rock solid build, classic looks and an overall great car. I would lean toward the V6 because it tends to require less maintenance and you needn't be as careful in day to day driving. V6 is more reliable and has a very smooth and linear power curve that is very predictable. The A4 wagon is my wife and my favorite car of all time and we will never part from it.

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > Dunnik 01/16/2014 at 09:28

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Since our BWT engine is one of the first direct injection ones there is build up. Regular oil changes and 91 octane is a must.

I drive a MK6 GTI. I have more rear leg room than the A4 has. But, I'm 5'6". The A4 is my wife's DD car and she is 5'10". She has never complained about the interior space. But she cares more about MPG than interior space.

Reigntastic > Dunnik 01/16/2014 at 10:27

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My buddy flogs the shit out of his, and it's handled the abuse really well. He does preventative maintenance often though, and that makes a big difference.

I will say, I seem to recall his car being an oilburner (1qt every 3000 miles) but after talking with a couple of Audi dealerships apparently that's within spec.

Textured Soy Protein > Dunnik 01/16/2014 at 10:52

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Several years ago I almost bought a B6 S4 V8. Didn't end up doing it for several reasons that don't really matter here.

One thing I would point out is if you want a good sized back seat, this is not the car for you. It's pretty tight back there for normal adult humans especially if the front seats are also adjusted to fit normal adult humans.

If that's not a concern, then I would probably go for a 2.0T. The 3.2 V6 doesn't make particularly big hp numbers and it adds more weight to the front of an already front-heavy car.

Dunnik > Textured Soy Protein 01/16/2014 at 11:27

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Yes, the lack of back seat room concerns me. I don't often carry passengers back there, but when I do...

An A6 would have more room but it's out of my price range. A Subie Legacy GT (wagon?) might do the job, but I'd be concerned about reliability, rust and it's not as well-equipped. Not much else in this range has AWD, handles well, and is somewhat reliable (and good looking), but maybe I've missed something.

Textured Soy Protein > Dunnik 01/16/2014 at 11:46

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The Legacy has a much better back seat than the A4. I don't think I would consider a Legacy GT particularly less reliable than an A4, if at all. The big thing to watch out for is oil burning which you should be able to see in the exhaust. This is typically because of ring lands failing and can be an expensive repair.

If you get the Legacy GT Limited and Spec B have roughly similar equipment levels to an A4. Personally I think the best Legacy is the '07-'09 Spec B. It has a 6-speed manual and R180 rear LSD, along with some suspension tweaks and other things.

Spaceball-Two > Dunnik 01/16/2014 at 12:41

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My dd is a B6, AWD, 1.8t, 6 spd and I love it. Has the right amount of pep and gets pretty good mpg. Although it requires premium. The back seats are a little snug though. Watch out for the timing belt, jplug, tstat, and the occasional electrical gremlin.