Possibly going from ALH to Q5. What should I know?

nitrocharger

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Location
NC
TDI
14 Q7
I have been driving a 2003 Jetta since 2011 after I had to completely rebuild the engine myself after the engine "ran away". Its a 5 speed and even though its old, I love this car. However life is happening and I need to get a baby-buggy. The Q5 TDI is at the top of my list because I feel that I understand some of the quirks of VW/Audi and I have a VAG com, although I realize that is not a strong argument. What can anyone tell me about these cars? What to look for, what to expect? How much of this car will I be able to work on myself and how often will I be doing it?
 

mike

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 28, 1999
Location
New England
TDI
2015 Q5 Tdi, RIP 2003 Jetta GLS 5sp
I loved my 2003 Jetta 5spTdi. But at around 24x,xxx it died, timing belt broke. Prognosis was not good so I bought a used 2015 Q5 Tdi. This is a completely different beast. incredible power and comfort. Cost is dont expect 47mpgs like the Jetta. Whereas the Jetta was easy to fix,cI'm still learning how to do fixes on the Q myself. not difficult so far. It costs a fortune at the dealer so pick up copy of elsawin or recent repair manuals posted here. idparts of course
I have not done the emissions fix yet due lots of posted complaints on performance . Considering malone tune with dpf delete tho.if it can retores economy.
Maybe someone can post on that

Ps. I was contacted about my deceased Jetta. It was resurrected somehow and lives!
I tried to buy it back but no luck...
 

Radman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 13, 2001
Location
Montreal
TDI
2014 Audi A6 TDI, 2014 Touareg TDI
Depending on your needs have you considered the Touareg also? A bit bigger then the Q5 and much more towing capacity (if you plan to tow). Otherwise the Q5 is more sporty handling wise from what I hear. Good choice either way, powerful even stock. With a Tune they are real beasts.
Worthy of noting if the FIX has been performed you get the extended warranty so not much to worry about for a few years. Hence why I chose the VW/Audi product over BMW or Mercedes. (And also been a TDI fan since 2001)
 

nitrocharger

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Location
NC
TDI
14 Q7
I believe the Touareg is very similar to the Q7? I will check those out as well. As far as the TDI "fix", I believe they only give you an extended warranty for the emissions equipment? Finding an unmolested TDI for sale is tough because most ppl took the $ and ran...
 

trae

Veteran Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Location
Chicago Our Fair City
TDI
3 prior TDIs - '97 B4 Passat Sedan, '96 Passat B4 Wagon, 2001 NB; Current - 2013 Audi Q7 TDI Pearl White Metallic - 2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring - 1995 Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport Carb
I believe the Touareg is very similar to the Q7? I will check those out as well. As far as the TDI "fix", I believe they only give you an extended warranty for the emissions equipment? Finding an unmolested TDI for sale is tough because most ppl took the $ and ran...
This was the situation we had in February when replacing our Bluetec ML350 that threw a rod through the oil pan. Q5, Touareg, or Q7. All three pull well; there is a definite edge to the Q5 in the acceleration department due to the lowest weight, plus you can really toss it around. We initially looked at Q7s because the first Touaregs we looked at didn't have sunroofs and the Q7 sunroof is epic. Ultimately, we went with a Q7. It has hands down the most space. The Q5 felt a bit confining for me in the front seats even at 5'9." Plus my wife drives with the seat all the way back; this kills rear seat footroom in the Q5 but I could sit behind her comfortably in the Q7. It helped that we found a local Q7 with only around 40k miles in showroom condition apart from a single door ding. Initially, we were only going to look at Touaregs; I hadn't even considered the Audis. The Touareg has better cabin roominess than the Q5 and a larger cargo area. If roominess/cargo space aren't considerations for you, or if they weren't for us, I would have been in a Q5 in a heartbeat. But given that they were, with the Q7 driving and acceleration comparable to the Touareg, plus the cargo/interior room, we went with the Q7 (it has third row seating but that's best reserved for short distances, dogs, or children). At some point will save up for a Malone tune and delete; right now, with the dieselgate warranty still in full effect, I'm a little risk averse as to voiding it. It's a lovely vehicle; any of them will be, once you determine which one best fits your needs/wants.
 

trae

Veteran Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Location
Chicago Our Fair City
TDI
3 prior TDIs - '97 B4 Passat Sedan, '96 Passat B4 Wagon, 2001 NB; Current - 2013 Audi Q7 TDI Pearl White Metallic - 2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring - 1995 Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport Carb
I believe the Touareg is very similar to the Q7? I will check those out as well. As far as the TDI "fix", I believe they only give you an extended warranty for the emissions equipment? Finding an unmolested TDI for sale is tough because most ppl took the $ and ran...
In the Chicago to Milwaukee area I was able to locate quite a few Touareg TDIs for sale, almost equal number of Q5s and a few Q7s. We found a decent selection of TDIs as compared to two years ago, when the very few TDIs for sale were going for crazy money and we opted for Mercedes instead. Currently my guess is those folks who got the fix and kept their TDIs that aren't long-term owners are putting them up for sale.

As far as the extended warranty, it covers more than you think. We had an EGR issue that Audi took care of, as expected. However, the warranty also covers the turbo, and basically the entire longblock and its components. It's a limited warranty to the extent that it doesn't cover clearly non-exhaust related mechanicals like starters, transmissions, suspension etc. but it covers more than you would think. Plus it contains language to the effect that if there is any ambiguity as to whether a repair should be covered or not, the issue is to be resolved in the owner's favor.
 

mech644

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Location
Blue Hill, Maine
TDI
'00 Golf, '14 Touareg
Before buying 1st Touareg I looked at Q5’s, drove them, liked them, felt like I’d be happy to own one. However if you look at the interior volume specs a Q5 and a Golf wagon have basically the same space. If I was single the Q5 would probably be fine, with a family the Touareg won out.
The Q7 actually has slightly more interior volume then the Touareg by virtue of a longer wheelbase, but mechanically are the same under the skin. Touareg, Q7, and Cayenne are all built on the same platform and the diesel models have identical drivetrain. Caveat on the Cayenne is they require Porsche specific OBDII tool, VCDS is not compatible.
 

cmc

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2002
Location
seattle, wa
I have a 2004 Golf with the PD engine as well as a 2014 Q5 TDI. Both are very low mileage relative to their peers because I divide up my mileage between them. Golf is enjoyable because it is 3 pedal car, light and economical. It has upgraded suspension, tires and Rocketchip tune. Not really that fast, but enjoyable. Q5 is fabulous long distance luxury cruiser... Much heavier and much less sporty than the Golf obviously.. They both do well in their intended roles which is why I am hanging on to both of them.. :)
 
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