help getting a b5 / a4 tdi with high mileage

Hi all.

I am in a bit of a pickle.
My Dutch Volvo 850 t5 on lpg, since me being dutch and all, just ate an exhaust valve and wont be going anywhere soon. Since it also needs a new complete clutch, frame rubbers, evap, etc its just to expensive to repair immediately..
So it can rest in front of the house for now.

Meanwhile I need something else. Something very reliable and very fuel efficient.
My family basicly always drove vag diesel and tdi's so I like them a lot. We had an 84 passat diesel. an 89 td passat. a 94 passat tdi till 700000km and an a6 tdi v6 132kw quattro. All bought over 200000kms and all did high mileages.

My eye fell on getting a b5 or a4.
So I spend the last week reading all about them.

I guess the 81kw a4/b5 is always an AFN.
Now I am looking at the market. And there basicly isnt one affordable left with under 350000kms.
So I looked at newer ones. And same goes for them. Lots of kms!
I read the 85kw AJM is not a very reliable engine. lots of headgaskets and flywheels. Cant find a lot about the ATJ.
All a4 seem to be AJM. And I only found one passat ATJ. wich was a 5 speed though.. 400000kms.. Needs new belts. been in the family for 14 years. Only 1100 euro.
The 96kw AVF or AWX seem like good engines. But they come with a price. Well at 2000 euro
Didnt really look at the 74 kw actually.. Heard it had lots of clutch issues.

So for someone who doesnt want to spend a lot and wants to keep part prices down. Wich one whould I go for to get a lot more kms out of a tdi?
I am guessing the 81kw..?

I also have to say I drive a lot of long distances, since my wife's homecountry is 1400km away. And we go there a lot.
Also with a 1500kilo trailer. And germany and austria have some serious hills in their highways.
Do I need the higher torque? Is it worth the higher parts prices? I read an afn chips well to 300nm.. Also on high mileage?

Thanks a lot!

Croatia?

1500 kilo trailer is heavy for an A4 - I would go for a B5 - unfortunately, the only engine offered over in North America for the B5 (diesel) is the 2.0L BHW - we did not get any of the engines you have mentioned.

Hungary So Holland Hungary. 1400km Amsterdam to Budapest..

Ah. I didnt expect that!
Only the BHW in america. Thats so sad!

A4 and passat have the same max trailer weight of 1500 or 1600 kilo I thought.

At that weight, I would either want to upgrade the brakes on the car or install electric trailer brakes on the trailer. The stock brakes on B5 and A4 TDI's this side of the atlantic are adequate, but I would not want to do repeated elevation changes over 1400km without some additional stopping power.

Anything over 600 to 900 kilo needs brakes on a trailer to drive it with a certain car. Any car has these limits from the factory. The bigger, the higher.
The passat with 81kw tdi has 650unbraked/1600kilo braked. Same a my volvo 850.
A big mercedes sprinter will do 900/2700 kilo for instance.
Well here in europe anyway
I suddenly get the feeling this is not the same where you are from.

When the front of the trailer hitch gets pushed in a bit suddenly, so by braking the car, it brakes the trailer.
I just serviced the brakes on my trailer. All new pads and cables. The car trailer combination actually brakes better than normal with that pulling you too.
No need for bigger brakes on the car.

I drove my trailer (4wheel double axle) full through germany behind the volvo 850. Once its rolling you dont feel anything on the car. Straight behind me. Even over 100km/h downhill. No drama.

Windex said:

Croatia?

1500 kilo trailer is heavy for an A4 - I would go for a B5 - unfortunately, the only engine offered over in North America for the B5 (diesel) is the 2.0L BHW - we did not get any of the engines you have mentioned.

Click to expand...

1500 kg is what the A4's factory accessory trailer hitch is rated for. So it is not too heavy, but is the upper limit of what the car was expected/intended to handle.

I do that with my Golf without an issue, I did put the slightly larger front brakes on it... but I never had an issue with the standard brakes, even going through mountains with another car hooked behind me. The 2500 Sprinter is only rated for 5000 pounds, about 2300 kg. Seems pretty conservative to me.

Maybe I'm a bit conservative when it comes to towing. I rarely tow more than 1000kg/2200lbs, but going on a long downhill needs some careful planning and gearing to ensure the brakes are not overheated to the point of fade.

I agree, being careful and planning ahead is paramount. I rarely even use my brakes, even when towing, I just let the rig slow itself down. Just keep your distance from anyone in front of you is all.

My cars' brakes never "wear out", they get crusty and rusty over time and mileage and get changed just because. Golf's last set went 120k miles, still had maybe 50% left, but were starting to get that sticky issue and needed to be taken apart, cleaned, and lubed... and I may as well just replace them at that point.

Of course you always have to plan ahead for sudden traffic. And not go crazy in speed.
But With 80kmh in germany or 90 in austria and holland you are the slowest on the road anyway. Even trucks are allowed to drive faster. Rest of the traffic has no speed limit or its 130kmh. So no need to brake for slower traffic. No need to brake for roadworks. Since then the limit is 80 too
Before going downhill, you first go uphill. So allready not have high speed.
the way you say that it would overheat or fade your brakes is just not a reality I have ever seen or experienced. And I drove that route a lot with all sorts of trailers.
I think you seriously underestimate the help of the brakes on the trailer and the allready slow speed.

Anyway! I would do the big trailer all day long on a passat or a4. Just like I did behind our old b4 tdi, a6 quattro and my volvo 850.
So thats about that

But what about my questions about buying a high mileage car and engine choices?

I can (sort of) speak to the AFN, as it is relatively Identical to the AHU/1Z we got over here in the B4. Good engine for longevity, simple to work on. Reasonable power to be had with a tune and nozzles.

Can't speak to the other engines you have listed.

What is its mileage? and service record?

Not sure what you are asking - I know of several B4's including my old car, well in excess of 500,000km on an original unopened engine.

I used to do oil changes with full synthetic every 10,000km.

I've heard that electric trailer brakes are not allowed in EU. Only hydraulic ones.

As for what car to get, if you can't afford the one you want then either work harder or lower your expectations. Be careful buying cars from the eastern block countries, this includes Hungary too. There are lots of shady deals going on there, more than other western EU countries. I know this first hand that no one in Hungary trusts the mileage to be accurate in any car that is registered there.

I think the UK started allowing them a few years ago, I suspect other European countries are similar.

The old surge style brakes to me are more potentially dangerous, as they REQUIRE the tow vehicle to have functional brakes for the trailer brakes to work. With electrics, the trailer can (in an emergency should something like this happen) stop the whole rig by itself. Not good, not really something you'd want to happen, but it could slowly bring everything to a halt.

I asked about the maintenance cause I was interested what kind of bigger problems the car might have had in its life.
We had a 1z b4 passat wich did 700000kms. Without any major issue. just standard maintenance. Changed clutch once. Didnt do 180 anymore. and it wobbeled a bit while driving. But good car! Lots of long highway trips doing 130 on cc.

Good one! No, I wont buy a car in Hungary. They always mess with the mileage. And I know how the 2 yearly test goes. For a few forint more, you dont even need to bring the car
In Holland these 1 yearly tests are quite hard. And there is simply no way to mess with the mileage since it gets registered with the tests and are almost free to see for everyone.

Yes. Thats why I am partial to the 81 kw motor.
I checked parts sites. and they are the cheapest to maintain. Dont know about the NM though.
I will drive a 85kw ATJ tomorrow and see how it moves.
Lots of maintenance, looks maintained too and second owner since 4 years old. 400000kms though and needs a belt change.
Ah well. Gotta start somewhere with getting some experience on the engines availlable.

I read the AJM had a lot of headgasket and flywheel related issues.
Is this the same for the ATJ?

Looked at a B5 ATJ wich was not as well mainatined as mentioned. Engine ran great for 400000kms, but didnt do a belts change for 130000kms.. and car had multiple long neglected issues. So big costs a coming wich still made it expensive.

Now going for an AFN under 300000kms. Lets see how that turns out.

The AFN was a mess. 260000kms but nothing done on it.. someone used a grinder next to it. so the whole front and top was covered in little rustpits. bald tires. Missing buttons. You could move the back window from the rust at the bottom of it.
The salesdude traded it in on some other car with his eyes closed..
He didnt even notice it didnt have an ac belt.
Wich I immdediately pointed at.
He got in the tech guy, who tried the compressor pulley. seized. teh guy wasnt happy.. Salesdude got smaller by the second.
So far really happy I drove 100kms to see that.. Not.
So I drive off in a cloud of smoke and the first corner I hear grinding from the left front axle. Wich turns in to a pounding noise from everywhere while driving straight ahead.
We basicly brought it back and thanked him a lot. If I wanted to make an offer.. No. Price dropped 300 euro on al the websites after I left. Still not worth it!!!!

Other AFn was an audi b5. 350000km. Lots of issues again. airbag warming. brake line damaged. Funny thing was the heater fan came on at max everytime you pushed the gas a bit deeper. Clima display kept resetting or turning off. Airco lines hissed. Lots of oil on the block. Steering was very loose. belts change imminent.
and the test report had about 5 things needed to be replaced before the next yearly test. Wich is next week...
Left that one too.

But today I found a nice AJM in a b5 audi. Lots of maintanance like all belts pulleys, all brakes, sway bars, intercooler. Ran well. felt strong. was dry. didnt use any fluids. good price. Just needs a new wheelbearing. But I took it.

Massive difference between the pd and the vd. pd has so much more power without the turbo hole.
And this AJM audi feels even stronger than the ATJ passat I drove before.
No idea if chipped. But it has a lot of immediate power down below.
When I put the cruise control back on, it almost flies to the speed it was set.
I drove it home without tanking. Its gotta live up to its awesome gas mileage!

Lets hope the tdi gods are smiling down upon us!

Turbo hole?