As above really i currently own a b6 audi a4 1.9tdi ive always tried to stick to vag cars, ive had a mk1 octavia diesel in the past but was just a budget runabout at the time, my current a4 has been repainted in skodas rallye green,

Im now hunting for a mk2 octavia vrs tdi, now i would love to go all out and buy a cr tdi version but unfortunately budget just wont allow for it, so i plan on buying a 2.0 pd then after a year or two upgrading,

I need to know the basic "what to look out for" when buying one,

what are the pros and cons of the pd vrs?

what can i do in the way of upgrading?

all information is appreciated

Dan

Hi Dan,

 

I've got a PD mk2 VRS with high mileage so I can give you a few pointers on what to look for by going from my own experiences.

 

Rear tyre wear (sawtoothing) on the inner edge worth looking for, cured with correct tracking and wheel alignment but depending on driving style and road type it can get knowcked out again. every 12 months or so maybe worth a check.

 

DPF issues on higher milages, forced regen options, itailian tune ups or even dpf removal and map.

 

EGR valves can get clogged up causing lumpy "part throttle" driving and moving off etc. either blank and map out or fit a retricted gasket which seams to work well for a lot of people.

 

Bodywork on mine has started to go, tiny blisters on the rear end (corners of panels etc) sills have blistering and little bits of rust coming through, get some mudguards!!!

 

Electrics don't seam to have much issues.

 

Listen to the turbo for a "police siren sound" may be related to turbo issues and worth getting checked out.

 

Rear bump stops I can guess with have disintigrated but a very cheap / easy DIY fix.

 

Badges may have corrosion, ideal facelift replacement time.

 

SPEC - try and get a decent specced model, jumbo box, Xenons, Maxidot, parking sensors, cruise control, lecky windows.

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As for modifications and upgrades, grab a bottle of red and start searching, the forum is a wealth of knowledge and if you can think it - someone has done it!

 

The main modifications people do are performance upgrades and retrofitting standard / optional extras.

 

hope my 5 minute mumble helps out.

Thank you very much for your insights, im pretty handy with the spanners having done most of the work on my a4 myself, and all previous cars, ive seen that alot of people go for the dpf removal on the golf's leons etc, things id be looking to do really would be to fit a standard satnav system, are these quite readily available? other then that maybe a few cosmetic touches like you say newer badges, tints, maybe a alloy wheel refurb in different colour, 

 

It seems the egr is common across the pd engines, as ive blanked the one on my 1.9tdi 

 

One thing that id really like to know is the later facelift ones how easy is it to add these looks to the earlier ones? ie front end change etc

Thank you very much for your insights, im pretty handy with the spanners having done most of the work on my a4 myself, and all previous cars, ive seen that alot of people go for the dpf removal on the golf's leons etc, things id be looking to do really would be to fit a standard satnav system, are these quite readily available? other then that maybe a few cosmetic touches like you say newer badges, tints, maybe a alloy wheel refurb in different colour, 

 

It seems the egr is common across the pd engines, as ive blanked the one on my 1.9tdi 

 

One thing that id really like to know is the later facelift ones how easy is it to add these looks to the earlier ones? ie front end change etc

 

Funny you should ask about the FL front, I am also very interestd in doing this at some point as I know my car very well and cant justify paying out for a different one.

 

from what I gather its wings, headlights, grille, bumper, bumper mounts, headlight mounts, slam / front panel and then the armada of electrical connections to change.

not to daunting to anyone handy with the spanners, but a comprehensive list would be very handy from anyone thats done it already.

 

I'm running stage one on my PD with Both DPF and EGR removed, drives just great with no issues at all (Shark did the work)

 

As for sat nav, you can go for the oe upgrades from a better specced model but you may need to change the canbus gateway to avoid battery drain issues.

One difference between the A4 and the Octavia is the installation of the engine in the A4 its length ways, the Octavia sideways , also the issues with the 2.0 TDI PD are more related to the A4 rather than the Octavia....

Well my a4 has had almost all of the common b6/b7 issues, engine mounts, gearbox mount, electrics breaking in doors, all sorts, ive done a lot too it like i say changed dashboard interior, inc carpet, fitted later steering wheel and cruise etc so i have a basic understanding of vcds and have a fully registered copy of it 

 

i was planning on a b7 front end conversion on my a4 before i settled with s-line front end and a skoda colour for the respray, was going to be too much hassle with the "swag" lines of the car being different, 

 

I just want a change now and ive test drove the mk5 platform gttdi which i believe shares the same 170bhp engine as the vrs tdi and i absolutely loved it, and ive always been a believer that with seat and skoda your still getting an audi or vw with a better pricetag

 

Ill be looking more into the facelift conversion, see if i can find some people that have done it and want to share some insights to what is needed and any struggles involved.

One difference between the A4 and the Octavia is the installation of the engine in the A4 its length ways, the Octavia sideways , also the issues with the 2.0 TDI PD are more related to the A4 rather than the Octavia....

 

Just remembered the correct term latitude and longitude!

With an engine the correct terms are longitudinal or transverse, with regards to how its mounted in the engine bay.

Sent from my RM-914_eu_euro1_327 using Tapatalk

^^^^^ What Lewwy said !

Not quite sure what the reasons for mounting the engine longitudinal on the Passat and A4 were? I thought it would make the cambelt a lot easier to change, but

by all accounts (not done it myself), its still a fairly intensive job as rad, A/C condenser etc, possibly bumper have to be moved i think to gain access.

A big difference in the estates is the size of and shape of the boot, Octy has a far bigger and better boot than an A4.

Yeah thats part of the reason i want one, my a4 is a saloon with no rear folding seats so the boot space is horrendous, not ideal for the occasional run to the local recycling facility either.

 

ive always been a fan of the mk2 vrs styling so now its time to raise the funds for the right one, and finish my a4 ready for sale