Potential buy: 16' S-line A6 TDI

[Midwesthick]

Hey friends,

My fiancé and I recently picked up a 2015 Q5 TDI with the prestige package and I have to admit, I absolutely love the damn thing. I currently have a 2015 S3 with only 22K miles and running E85 blah blah blah.

I was looking around for another Q5 TDI, which are readily available in our area, and then I remembered they also used the same motor and tranny in the A6...thus the start of my rabbit hole, lol.

What I would like is anyones opinion on the one I found up in Boulder recently. I will be seeing it in person later this week. Its a 2016 A6 TDI S-line, W&C packages, black optics package, BOSE, etc. It has 66,070 miles on it which is a bit on the higher side and they are asking $26,000(https://www.bouldercars.com/inventory/2016-audi-a6-3.0-quattro-tdi-premium-plus/141928). I believe the additional 120,000 mile warranty on the motor and trans starts when they person got the Diesel Fix which was at 59,800 miles so it has plenty of warranty to go.

Would any of you consider purchasing this vehicle or is that mileage a bit on the higher side for being the year it is? Just curious what others thoughts are. Its not going to compare in speed or agility to my S3 but thats not the point here. Just want something of a bit more solid feeling car, great MPG, and a much easier cruising ride.

Thanks!

 

[HPsenicka]

IMHO, a TDI with 66,000 miles is just past the break-in period as far as the engine is concerned.

 

[Midwesthick]

IMHO, a TDI with 66,000 miles is just past the break-in period as far as the engine is concerned.

Well said. I would plan on keeping this car for 2-3 years with no long trips planned, just around Denver and the mountains.

How do you feel the price is compared to the specs of the car itself? I do find it damn gorgeous.

 

[HPsenicka]

Can't help you on pricing... that can vary widely according to local market conditions.

 

[2014 A6]

Buy it. You won’t regret it. I was looking at a Q5 with 125k on it with the plans to take it to 300k. Sold before i could pull the trigger. Already have the A6 . From what I’ve researched, the 3.0L drivetrain has been one of the most reliable (knock on wood).

 

[Radman]

Love my A6! And with a tune you are in S4 territory. I drove an RS3 (400hp) last week and was un-impressed with the low end torque. Nothing happening below 3000rpm. The TDI has much more low end grunt and better daily driver.

 

[hankymurphy]

You definitely won't regret it. Perfect daily driver.

 

[Midwesthick]

I appreciate all the advice here! I am going to head up there this coming weekend to test drive and see how I like it. I do wish it had lower miles but I know it will give me an idea of what features/functions I like.

My biggest curiosity is the suspension at this point. Does it use a version of Mag-Ride or is it a fixed suspension? I definitely prefer a mag-ride style so I can float along a bit more.

 

[Tom_B]

To the best of my knowledge the A6, S line or otherwise, is fixed suspension - just a question of standard vs sport. Looks like the S6 may be different, but that's not what you're looking at.

Not sure what you mean by float along, but some think the sport suspension with 19" wheels has a stiffer (some might say less comfortable) ride than the standard suspension with taller sidewall 18" tires. Do some reading and check it out for yourself. Ours has the latter and the ride is fine but it in no way floats along. The standard suspension seems quite capable and sporty enough for me; from a pure ride comfort perspective our Touareg beats the A6. Just different beasts and capabilities. The A6 gets great mileage, is plenty comfortable and will flat scoot, if you're into that.
http://www.auto-brochures.com/makes/Audi/A6/Audi_US A6_2016.pdf

 

[Radman]

The S-Line should have sport suspension and 20" wheels. The suspension is fixed on the TDI's and I find it to be just fine.

 

[Midwesthick]

OK good to know, thank you. I find the mag-ride suspension on our Q5 and in comfort mode makes the car "float" or just ride smooth. Wasn't sure if the A6 TDI had mag-ride or just a fixed suspension.

 

[Midwesthick]

I just test drove the car.... holy **** wow

 

[Midwesthick]

Alright, now that I am back on my computer and not phone, I can type easier.

That car was seriously fantastic. The sport suspension is a massive upgrade from the suspension on my S3. The car just hugged the road and took the bumps I found like a complete champ. I appreciate the amenities from the Cold/Warm weather package along with the BOSE sound system(currently have B&O). The sun shades were a huge plus and I do love the Havana Black paint color with the S-Line package. The responsiveness of the motor was great and smooth. It will never be as fast as my S3 but thats not what I care about in this car.

However, I am more than likely not going to buy this particular car. I know private selling any car is always the way to go but I figured I would ask what they would give me for a 15' 22K mile S3 and I was quite offended by the $20,000 price, lol.

I will stick with a 2016 model but look for something with less miles than 66,300 in just 3 years(bit excessive for me. The motor and trans are fine but its wear and tear on everything around those).

Spec list I will begin searching for:

2016 A6 - Havana Black
S-Line
Cold/Warm weather package
BOSE Sound
Black Optic package
LED Headlights
Preferably 10-spoke design wheels with titanium finish

Happy hunting to me!

 

[Tom_B]

Now that you have the bug, drive a Prestige w/ HUD (and ventilated seats helps some on black leather in the summer), driver assist package, maybe night vision (will help see deer in rural driving), sport package (if you want it), ...

Good luck and have fun with your search.

 

[Midwesthick]

Now that you have the bug, drive a Prestige w/ HUD (and ventilated seats helps some on black leather in the summer), driver assist package, maybe night vision (will help see deer in rural driving), sport package (if you want it), ...

Good luck and have fun with your search.

I have been looking for those, hard to find right now.

I will be looking for a prestige with S-line package because I prefer an all black interior. I recently found one but without the BOSE sound system...I 100% need to have that.

 

[AJM]

Good luck in you hunt for one. It took me 3 months to find mine. IMHO the best way to buy an A6 TDI is at Manheim Auction, specifically the New York one as they run them trough at least once a week. If you don’t have a friend that has access then look for a local broker who specializes in buying at the auctions. They usually charge a lot less than the dealers. Also, if you have a vin you can register at Audi.com as the new owner and they will show the service history of the car if it was serviced at an Audi dealership, much better than a carfax.

Cheers

 

[Huskies2710]

Good luck in you hunt for one. It took me 3 months to find mine. IMHO the best way to buy an A6 TDI is at Manheim Auction, specifically the New York one as they run them trough at least once a week. If you don’t have a friend that has access then look for a local broker who specializes in buying at the auctions. They usually charge a lot less than the dealers. Also, if you have a vin you can register at Audi.com as the new owner and they will show the service history of the car if it was serviced at an Audi dealership, much better than a carfax.

Cheers

^^^^This is how I got mine. The 2016's are rare and S-Line is even rarer. Took us 3 months to get the Prestige (non s-line) in silver that I wanted. Definitely worth getting the '16 over an older model. We got the car $3k under blue book by doing the auction.

Maybe visit a used luxury dealership in your area and talk with a sales rep. If they have an account with Manheim they can setup a recurring search that will find the car with the specific features you want. Each car gets a rating based on overall wear and tare. It does a good job informing you of issues. There is even a return policy. A 2016 should have had all of its work done at an Audi dealership which the carfax will show you. Tricky part is when it comes time to bid and communicating with them on pulling the trigger.

Some things to note with what you are looking for.
-Are the Rims standard on the S-Line? I know they are 20s. If not do not pass up a car because of the rims. You might be waiting for a while on another one. I did not want the rims I have. They are a PITA to clean but I'm waiting for winter to put snow tires on them and get a second wheel for summer.

-Prestige line is a must (S-Line just adds more like black optics and bigger rims) but prestige gets you Bose, digital dials, upgraded headlights, cold/warm package. I realized I didn't need S-Line as it was very limited finding a prestige model alone.

[/IMG]

Good luck!
If you don't mind losing your warranty, get it tuned. With emissions equipment intact I was at 330 hp and 565 trq while keeping temps safe for the turbo.

 

[Midwesthick]

^^^^This is how I got mine. The 2016's are rare and S-Line is even rarer. Took us 3 months to get the Prestige (non s-line) in silver that I wanted. Definitely worth getting the '16 over an older model. We got the car $3k under blue book by doing the auction.
Maybe visit a used luxury dealership in your area and talk with a sales rep. If they have an account with Manheim they can setup a recurring search that will find the car with the specific features you want. Each car gets a rating based on overall wear and tare. It does a good job informing you of issues. There is even a return policy. A 2016 should have had all of its work done at an Audi dealership which the carfax will show you. Tricky part is when it comes time to bid and communicating with them on pulling the trigger.
Some things to note with what you are looking for.
-Are the Rims standard on the S-Line? I know they are 20s. If not do not pass up a car because of the rims. You might be waiting for a while on another one. I did not want the rims I have. They are a PITA to clean but I'm waiting for winter to put snow tires on them and get a second wheel for summer.
-Prestige line is a must (S-Line just adds more like black optics and bigger rims) but prestige gets you Bose, digital dials, upgraded headlights, cold/warm package. I realized I didn't need S-Line as it was very limited finding a prestige model alone.

[/IMG]
Good luck!
If you don't mind losing your warranty, get it tuned. With emissions equipment intact I was at 330 hp and 565 trq while keeping temps safe for the turbo.

Everything you said here makes complete sense. The 1 16' A6 TDI I looked at up in Boulder told me they can order from auctions for me for a $1,000 fee so not bad there at all. I'm going to not be so picky about the rims and just find the car with equipment that I am looking for, so thank you for that.

In terms of your tune...did you end up going with Kerma or Malone? We have Kerma on our 14' Golf TDI and it rocks.

 

[Huskies2710]

Everything you said here makes complete sense. The 1 16' A6 TDI I looked at up in Boulder told me they can order from auctions for me for a $1,000 fee so not bad there at all. I'm going to not be so picky about the rims and just find the car with equipment that I am looking for, so thank you for that.
In terms of your tune...did you end up going with Kerma or Malone? We have Kerma on our 14' Golf TDI and it rocks.

You can stay updated on my car here. I started a log for personal use to keep track over time but also to get help or suggestions on things as I add to the car.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=497540

Long story short. I had planned on Malone but my friend with the dealership has a performance shop he works with called APM Tuned just outside of Chicago. They build in house custom tunes with dyno. I started Stage 1 ECU and custom TCU tune without deleting anything. Car became fun! Waited and talked myself into going Stage 2 ECU with a delete. Paired with the TCU tune the car is now a beast while having very smooth shifts. It is always in the power band when in Dynamic Sport mode. All the while just did a long distance trip with a little city driving. Mostly on cruise control was able to get just over 700 miles on one tank.

 

[Midwesthick]

Something I’ve been trying to figure out here. Why do some prestige s-line models have the fog lights and others do not? Is that part of a particular package or add-on?

 

[delmd92]

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) radar modules fit in the fog light spot. Can't say for certain, but I think it is one or the other and there was no option for both.

 

[Midwesthick]

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) radar modules fit in the fog light spot. Can't say for certain, but I think it is one or the other and there was no option for both.

Good to know. It sounds like that particular lineup would have ACC only with HUD I assume. Thanks for the heads up there.

 

[Radman]

No foglites in bumper on any models. There are additional fog style side lites in the headlamps.

Regarding mileage, it is a Diesel so most are going to be higher mileage as people typically buy them for longer commutes. If you find one that is clean jump on it! The TDI is a rare beast and even more difficult to find a 2016.

 

[Midwesthick]

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/t-Used-Audi-A6-3.0-TDI-quattro-Prestige-Sedan-AWD-t51710#listing=243449408

Look at this bad boy! 16' A6 TDI, Prestige, S-Line with 17K miles for $33k...damn - Going to look at it/test it at 6 pm tonight.

 

[Huskies2710]

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/t-Used-Audi-A6-3.0-TDI-quattro-Prestige-Sedan-AWD-t51710#listing=243449408

Look at this bad boy! 16' A6 TDI, Prestige, S-Line with 17K miles for $33k...damn - Going to look at it/test it at 6 pm tonight.

Keep us posted. Blue book is $39k for that car. Wasn't actually driven until 2018. Thus it sat around waiting for the fix for 3 years. Now its at its 3rd dealership Audi to Volvo to BMW. Last reported odometer is at 10k miles. Owner is selling it after only one year of ownership?

Be careful when it seems to good to be true.

[/IMG]

 

[Midwesthick]

I have not seen the carfax yet so thank you for posting this up. I am definitely cautious and curious about why this is sitting so low at the moment. I get having an Audi on a Volvo/BMW lot that isn't needed so maybe that's the reason?

It might have some Audi warranty left along with the diesel fix so hoping it isn't too scary.

 

[Midwesthick]

I just called Audi Littleton where it came from and it has a full warranty because delivery wasnt until May of last year. Too good to be true.....I will find out.

 

[MBQ]

Go get it. If I were you, nothing to worry about! Bumper to bumper warranty and the 10years/120k miles emission warranty. Just pay attention to the little cosmetic things.

 

[Midwesthick]

Go get it. If I were you, nothing to worry about! Bumper to bumper warranty and the 10years/120k miles emission warranty. Just pay attention to the little cosmetic things.

Exactly what I did. They have to small dents on the passenger side of the vehicle that they will be fixing and the cigarette lighters in the back were not operating properly. There was definitely a family with kids using that car.

The diesel particulate filter light came on as I was driving the car and I had to teach the BMW guy how clean that out while on the road, lol.

They offered me $22K for my 15' Audi S3(22K miles only) so I wont be trading that in to them. Going to put that on the Audizine forums and more for a private sale.

 

[Huskies2710]

Exactly what I did. They have to small dents on the passenger side of the vehicle that they will be fixing and the cigarette lighters in the back were not operating properly. There was definitely a family with kids using that car.
The diesel particulate filter light came on as I was driving the car and I had to teach the BMW guy how clean that out while on the road, lol.
They offered me $22K for my 15' Audi S3(22K miles only) so I wont be trading that in to them. Going to put that on the Audizine forums and more for a private sale.

What's the word.....Did you complete the purchase? Did the DPF light go away after running it through a regen?

BMW should know what that light is seeing as the 535d is a direct competitor to the A6 TDI.