im looking to get an a6 and im trying to figure out which engine to go for. so far ive seen:

2.7T
2.8
3.0
4.2 v8

any im missing?

are there any pros and cons other that lower gas mileage with the v8 and higher cost of repair (due to turbos) on the 2.7T?

 

Hi JWalters103,


First you should know that they are all mechanical pieces and at some point they will all need repairs and maintenace. Aside from the smaller engines being a little more fuel effecient, you'll still spend some money on them in time.
The 2.8 engines are found in the older A6 cars, while the 3.0, 2.7T, and 4.2 V8 is in the newer ones. They all are prone to leaking valve cover gaskets...mine in my 2.7T were replaced at around 50K miles late last year. They all will require a timing belt change...some people recommend this be done at around 60K miles, and Audi even recomends different mileage and time intervals depending on the year of your specific model. When the time does come, you should keep in mind that this is a labor intensive procedure and is somewhat costly if you do the work yourself, and even moreso if you have a shop perform the service. If you have to get them serviced and repaired, you should keep in mind that not all shops are thrilled about working on them, some because they don't all have the diagnostic and specialty tools and others because they feel the cars are overengineered. If you choose to have the car maintained by the dealer keep in mind that they are not all equal and all of them charge outrageous labor rates.
If you opt for the 2.7T just remember that the turbos are just another mechanical piece of the puzzle that can go bad and are not cheap to replace or easy to access. I've read articles where owners experience them going out with as little as 45K miles on their cars and have read of others that put 150K + miles on them with no issues. I personally think that they are reliable pieces... which can deteriorate quicker on chipped cars that are driven hard regularly or cars that are not maintained well or allowed to warm and cool properly. My 2003 2.7T now has 57K miles on it and I've had no issues to mention other than the valve cover gaskets which I did myself. All other maintenance including oil changes and a brake job at about 45K miles I've done on my own and the car has been very reliable.

 

I have much less technical prowess than most on this site, but I just traded up from a 2.8 car to a 2.7t and can talk to the driving differences. I had a a4 w/ the 2.8 and felt it was a fair engine for that size car, however when it came time to get an a6 there is no way I felt it would be enough for a car of that size. I am not a speed demon, and was not after the Biturbo for it's performance gains, but it is an amazingly spirited engine. It really moves the car along, and there is power left even at highway speed to pass in 6th gear uphill. If you treat the turbo's well I am told that they will be relatively trouble free. As stated above though, you are talking Audi's here, you will have things go on them, whichever trim level you chose. This is my 5th Audi, and when asked about my experience with them I always reply: "If you do not have a sense of humor regarding repairs do not buy one. If you can stomach some problems and driving to and from work is your favorite part of the day, then do buy one..."

 

You need to provide more info. What's your driving style? Do you want to tinker? Do you want a stick?

 

great info so far.

i guess i should mention this will be my third audi. i had a 5000 and then a 4000. this was a few years ago though and im really missing them, but this time im looking to step it up a little.

as far as driving style, moderate most times, but like to be able to get on the gas every now and again. i am usually concerned more about handling than power.

and yes, i love to tinker, but only if its because i want to, not because i have to. i am mechanically inclined and working on cars doesnt bother me, but larger jobs usually get passed off to someone else just because i dont always have the time, or cant be without a car for more than a few days because of other obligations. as i said, ive already owned two of them, so ive had a chance to figure out the engineering behind them. thats one of the reasons im after one again. i feel the engineering is far superior than that of any american or japanese car ive ever worked on. i also know someone who works on them in his home for a VERY reasonable rate. i believe he said he has been working on audis exclusively since the 70's, so i feel confident with his work. he also insists that it is a rarity for the turbos to go if maintained and cared for properly, though there may be people out there who disagree.

as far as transmission, i dont feel a stick is really fitting on an a6, though if i went with an a4 it would have to be a stick, if that makes any sense.

quattro is a must.

initially i wanted to stay away from turbos because of the extra potential repair bill, but i think im leaning towards the 2.7t at this point.

 

Lower gas mileage on the V8? My 4.2 does better than my 3.0 but 8s and 6s are always close or the same in mpg.

I have a 3.0 and a 4.2. They are both nice power wise.

3.0 has coil issues-replace them all every 60K. It had more issues but who knows why.

If you already know about the turbos they won't be a surprise.
Your right on with the quattro - I hate FWD cars but the A4 would be my only exception however I would rather spread the load out over 4 drive axles and save my CV's

I would soley focus on a car with complete service records you could potentially spend more money replacing parts that have just been replaced ie T-B and cooling system. Single owners are best. When you have the wheat to spring for a 50K vehicle, maintenance isn't an issue, and if they kept it that long you know they took care of it. That's my philosophy anyway- Good luck

 

thanks for the advice. i would have thought the 4.2 would have gulped the gas. its surprising to hear you say that it does better than your 3.0, definately something to keep in mind.

ive been looking for cars that had full service records for the last couple of months and the only one i found was an a8 that was such a killer deal that i think it was sold within a couple hours of getting posted on craigs list. i just missed it.

ive got my eye on a 2.7t a6 that is a pretty good price, but it keeps popping on the check engine light. the dealer keeps sending it into the shop to get it fixed, but isnt having any luck. i thought about getting a vagcom and taking it up there. maybe its something cheap and simple i could do myself and use the fact that the mechanic cant figure it out to get a sweet deal?



anyone else have anything i should know about the various engines?

 

The 2.7T is a nice engine and with a simple chipping, gains a lot of power. The 4.2 has a reputation for being bulletproof. From what I have read, the V6s give slightly better gas mileage around town but they are the same, or maybe the V8 is slightly better, at legal highway speeds. I assume it is due to the power band of the V8. In either case, expect 18-20 mpg around town and 22-24 on the highway. Quattro imposes a lot of mpg overhead. On the other hand, in blizzard conditions, I'll take my A6 over my wife's Mercury Milan FWD that gets 28mpg highway.

The first poster mentioned his reliable 2.7T at 57k miles. I have 138k and only replaced the alternator and clutch/flywheel. Suspension, shocks, exhaust, and battery are all OEM. Brakes have been done twice with rear rotors replaced the second time.

The MT6 is a very smooth transmission, especially on a large luxury sport touring vehicle. But if you live where there is a lot of traffic, I can understand you avoiding it. I'm bigoted - 5 of the family's 7 cars are manuals.

 

I think the MT6 is brilliant in my 2.7t A6, it is a very smooth shifting tranny. I understand that in a luxury size car it is more popular to go with an auto trans, but they also have more problems in the long run... I was advised against any auto in the 00-04 range by my mechanic due to problems with the computer that controls them being prone to failure. Perhaps someone here knows more... Personally I refuse to drive an auto anyway, that is for the wife in her Volvo soccer mom wagon. But the 2.7 is really fun in stick, and the gearing is such that you can drive around town w/o constant shifting.

 

I love my MT6 too. And, after driving just about every model C5 while on the quest for my car, I felt the 2.7 was the best handling car. Out of the box, the 4.2's power feels great. But, with a chip, the 2.7 really wakes up. And, as far as handling, again the 2.7 MT6 weighs a fair bit less than the 4.2 so handling is better.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, they're both great cars.