Why The 1st Gen Audi Allroad Is Secretly Awesome.

"jkm7680" (jkm7680)
05/20/2015 at 20:35 • Filed to: None

The Audi Allroad hasn’t exactly been known as a staple of reliability. Quite the opposite, actually. People just love to whine about Audi reliability, even on new perfectly reliable models. The Allroad may be a bit of an exception, where opinions about reliability can slide a little bit. But there’s plenty of Allroads out there still believe it or not.

Here’s why the Allroad is secretly awesome and not as bad as you think.

1. The Allroad came standard with a 2.7 liter twin turbocharged V6 engine making 250 hp and going from 0-60 in 6.7 seconds paired with a 6-Speed manual or automatic. Also available from 2003 on stateside was a 4.2 liter V8 making 300 hp and going from 0-60 in 6.9 seconds.

2. The Allroad came with a four level automatic/self operated pneumatic suspension system that liked to break a lot. Probably because it was designed to adjust as the car drove, which is still pretty awesome. For instance, if it rains the suspension does some shit. There’s a total of 8.3 inches of ground clearance at it’s highest position, which is convenient.

3. The Allroad can tow 3,300 pounds. Which is rather nice.

4. The Allroad is a family car, sport wagon and an SUV all at the same time. It’s also good for kids and rear seat passengers with a 3rd row rear facing seat along with rear A/C.

5. The Allroad is tamed for city parking. Black, plastic bumpers can be a savior in the city.

6. The Allroad had a very nice interior. Yissssss.

So there ya go, just a few of the reasons why I love the Allroad for what it is. I sorta still want one.

DISCUSSION (56)

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:36

Why in god’s name would you pay more for a heavier, thirstier, more powerful engine just to go slower?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:36

Wait, the V8 was slower?

jkm7680 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/20/2015 at 20:38

Apparently it was, sorta strange no?

jkm7680 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/20/2015 at 20:38

Because V8 noises. Those make my pants feel funny.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:39

Is it seriously slower? Not a typo or some anomaly?

TheHondaBro > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:40

But does it have VTEC?

MLGCarGuy > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:40

How would you feel if I told you my history teacher has a 2.7T Allroad?

TheHondaBro > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:41

The Allroad came standard with a 2.7 liter twin turbocharged V6 engine making 250 hp and going from 0-60 in 6.7 seconds

Wow, my Accord is faster to 60.

jkm7680 > MLGCarGuy
05/20/2015 at 20:41

Then he’s awesome.

jkm7680 > TheHondaBro
05/20/2015 at 20:41

Does your body have VTEC?

spanfucker retire bitch > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:41

You would claim that one of the least reliable and poorly built vehicles in the last 20 years was “secretly awesome.”

The Allroad may be a bit of an exception, where opinions about reliability can slide a little bit.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft .

And the Sun is just a little hot. And liquid Helium is just a little cold.

TheHondaBro > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:41

I make funny noises when I run really fast.

Vicente Esteve > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:42

I ADORE this thing. I would honestly love to own one someday.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > TheHondaBro
05/20/2015 at 20:43

No. VTEC is not the meaning of life. Shocking I know.

extraspecialbitter > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:43

4. The Allroad is a family car, sport wagon and an SUV all at the same time. It’s also good for kids and rear seat passengers with a 3rd row rear facing seat along with rear A/C.

Wait, can you claim this as an SUV in the US?

EDIT: Disregard. For some reason I always thought this thing had terrible FE.

MLGCarGuy > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:43

Kinja'd!!!

Here it is because nothing on the internet is true without photos.

jkm7680 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/20/2015 at 20:44

It’s pretty different all over the place. I’m not sure which figures to trust, but one site says that the 4.2 did it in 6.2 seconds and the 2.7tt did it in 6.3. Both are the tip figures though.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:44

And it's a wagon. That had a manual.

jkm7680 > MLGCarGuy
05/20/2015 at 20:44

Siiiiick! Except he needs to fix them headlights up a bit.

jkm7680 > extraspecialbitter
05/20/2015 at 20:45

Hahaha, if you try hard enough to impress the other soccer moms.

jkm7680 > Vicente Esteve
05/20/2015 at 20:45

I’m with ya on that man!

MLGCarGuy > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:50

When I get promoted to HS later this year instead of shaking his hand or something I’ll just give him a headlight restoration kit and see what he does.

jkm7680 > spanfucker retire bitch
05/20/2015 at 20:51

Do you have firsthand ownership experience? What’s that? No?

Then shhhhhh......

jkm7680 > MLGCarGuy
05/20/2015 at 20:51

Do it!

spanfucker retire bitch > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:52

You mean do I have anecdotal experience vs. cold hard facts?

jkm7680 > spanfucker retire bitch
05/20/2015 at 20:54

Here’s the thing, “cold hard facts” are not necessarily actual facts.

And no, Doug DeMuro’s articles about the Allroad are not valid “cold hard facts.”

extraspecialbitter > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:55

Hah! Nah, I just looked up its fuel economy because I always thought it always qualified as a gas guzzler. (It doesn’t.)

jkm7680 > extraspecialbitter
05/20/2015 at 20:56

Wow, haha. Like it looks like a baby SUV on stilts when it’s in offroad mode.

spanfucker retire bitch > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 20:57

Here’s the thing, “cold hard facts” are not necessarily actual facts.

Right. But limited anecdotal experience is. Gotchya.

jkm7680 > spanfucker retire bitch
05/20/2015 at 20:59

No, it’s not “anecdotal” experience coming from my end.

Chris Clarke > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/20/2015 at 21:09

No turbos to go boom equals better reliability without sacrificing power. Plus more torques and a linear power band with no turbo lag.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Chris Clarke
05/20/2015 at 21:12

But the timing chains though

Chris Clarke > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 21:12

Kinja'd!!!

I’ve seriously considered selling my two and buy an Allroad.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Chris Clarke
05/20/2015 at 21:14

True...but it makes me wonder what the advantage was to buyers when it was new and in theory wouldn’t break either way.

jkm7680 > Chris Clarke
05/20/2015 at 21:15

Good plan!

Has the 2.8 been good to you? How about the S4?

Chris Clarke > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/20/2015 at 21:17

Touché. Unintended consequences. Hindsight is 20/20. Etc. The 4.2 is a great motor otherwise. I have the 2.7t but have yet to replace the turbos. Not really sure which engine is the lesser of two evils.

Chris Clarke > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/20/2015 at 21:21

They were simply phasing out the 2.7t in favor of the more reliable 4.2. I don't think the two overlapped for very long. The V8 was better for towing and hauling a wagon load of crap.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Chris Clarke
05/20/2015 at 21:22

How’s the carbon build up?

Chris Clarke > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/20/2015 at 21:24

Good question. I haven't really noticed but I haven't had it cleaned either. I've been meaning to do a seafoam treatment. I'll report back with a video documenting the cloud a smoke.

Devilishprune > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 21:25

Probably because it was designed to adjust as the car drove, which is still pretty awesome. For instance, if it rains the suspension does some shit .

Technical terms, of course.

You actually made me want one for about a minute, then I remembered this is real life and repair bills cost real money.

not for canada - australian in disguise > MLGCarGuy
05/20/2015 at 21:25

Sweet Optima

Kinja'd!!!

jkm7680 > Devilishprune
05/20/2015 at 21:28

Yes of course! The engineers in charge of designing the Allroad said that!

My citroen won't start > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 21:55

The Allroad isn’t secretly awesome. It is plain awesome and getting one would mean completing the trifecta of failed air suspensions and the Prussian kingdom would rise again.

jkm7680 > My citroen won't start
05/20/2015 at 21:57

10/10 would buy.

PyramidHat > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 21:59

OK, then, let’s discuss. I do like Audis, but have been tainted with anecdotal evidence of reliability issues (electrical gremlins, primarily; acquaintance had to rebuild the engine on his A4 at 50K). Mind you, that’s two data points. So is this a function of folks only report the bad stuff, thus the data are skewed? Is this like the Porsche IMS bearing issue? (it happens, but not as much as folks think...).

I ask because I really really really like the A5 (which I think is a German Camaro; blasphemy, I know...)

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 22:02

My 01 allroad is still my favorite car I’ve ever owned. Unfortunately, most of my pictures of it look like this:

Kinja'd!!!

Actually though, mine was trouble free and fantastic for 4 years and 60k miles...and those miles were 100k-160k, which is fairly impressive. Then the alternator died, I did the timing belt while I was in there, but the time hanging down killed one of my front airbags. But it was fast enough, handled well, rode nice, looked GREAT, and was generally the perfect daily driver. Even when I was selling Lexus, my allroad always felt great to get in and drive at the end of the day.

If I won the lottery, first thing I would do is find the guy I sold it to and buy it back. Second thing would be drop it off at my local Audi dealership and just say “fix it”. I really miss that car.

jkm7680 > PyramidHat
05/20/2015 at 22:07

Exactly like the completely overplayed out of proportion timing chain replacement for the B6 S4. That doesn’t happen to all cars, but as over hyped as it is many suddenly become biased and filled with hate due to a few instances. Now, it seems from consumer reviews that the majority of people are actually very happy with their Allroads. http://www.edmunds.com/audi/allroad-q…

It seems to be mainly those who are tainted with Doug DeMuro that hate them.

jkm7680 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
05/20/2015 at 22:07

Glad to hear you liked it!

I see the side mounted intercoolers, so 2.7TT I’d imagine?

PyramidHat > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 22:12

Along those same lines, please let the record show that I hate having DeMuro anywhere near my taint...

jkm7680 > PyramidHat
05/20/2015 at 22:14

I'm with you on that one, hahaha.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 22:18

Yup, with a 6 speed. I had a tuned ecu and a short shifter with a custom white knob...nobody makes a Hurst style knob for a euro 6 speed pattern, so I had one made. Here’s my car in the better times:

Kinja'd!!!

One thing you didn’t mention: the allroad had a solar panel sunroof! On sunny days it would power the blower motor to keep the car cool. Around 2010, Toyota did that in the Prius and made commercials for it like they were saving the damn world...but back in about 98 (first appeared on the A8 in 99, I believe) some German guy named Wolfgang or whatever thought of it, and his boss just said “Ja ja, put it in zee convenience package.”

jkm7680 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
05/20/2015 at 22:30

That’s awesome. The Allroad has to be one of the best looking cars Audi has ever made. Even in bone stock form they look amazing, one of the few cars I wouldn't be tempted to visually modify.

I had no idea about that though! That's awesome, just makes me want one even more!

Aero > jkm7680
05/20/2015 at 23:37

Owned one. Drove great, but then my wallet ran away due to abuse.

TrustMeImAnEngineer, but I'd rather be an InternationalArtThief > jkm7680
05/21/2015 at 00:35

Kinja'd!!!

I’d like its looks even more if I could get rid of the whole trim/ fog light piece surrounding the license plate on US models.

pip bip - choose Corrour > jkm7680
05/21/2015 at 06:24

“even on new perfectly reliable ones”

HA!

show me one then.

jkm7680 > pip bip - choose Corrour
05/21/2015 at 07:28

Every single Audi my family has ever owned.