USED Audi A6 Avant (04 - 11)

My car

I bought this car back in November 2005 (Misano Red, manual version) as an ex-demo. It was specced up to the eyeballs and I am about to replace it after 55,000 miles.

It was a risk in this day and age buying a petrol-engined car of this size, but I have been pleasantly surprised by its economy - 25-30mpg has been the average, with 35mpg on motorway runs.

Two services with Audi have been a pleasant experience, although expensive! One additional trip was to replace the TV unit (under warranty) which lost its picture, but otherwise no gremlins have appeared at all.

This is a great car that really deserves a lot of credit for its comfort and load-carrying capacity. It is incedibly nimble and a recent trip to Lillehammer in Norway on snow-laden, winding mountain roads surprised all my passengers by its agility, stability and lack of fuss.

The burning question for me is what do I get next? I suppose if it ain't broke, don't fix it, so I think I will get another, but I'll choose the 3.0 TDi version this time and in a more subdued colour.

Why, oh why, do people take up so much space in those Q7 monstrosities, when you can have a proper big car like this?

My car

With remarkable stability in cross winds (demonstrated during recent gales) and a regular 45+ per gallon, this is a car to value. I have owned it a year from new now and it's been faultless. I do about 20,000 p.a. with mixed driving conditions and it is both comfortable over longer distances and copes well when filled with family and dogs. Cabin quality is as high as you would expect for a car of this type - the MMI control centre is easy to use and the quietness at speed is most enjoyable. Downside? Lack of power when joining fast moving traffic; lack of personal concern from Audi garages.

My car

I have three teenage kids who all fit in the back of this car together easily; I believe this is what an estate car is for. I also have two large dogs who can also be easily accommodated.

I have had the car for nearly 18 months now and its ownership has been a trouble-free one. This is my 4th Audi in 12 years and none of them have ever been to the garage except for a service.

This really is an estate car to be recommended. It's smooth and relaxing to drive, the seats are comfortable, it has a very high quality and durable interior, though the black-hole effect in the S-Line is a bit gloomy; the real star though is the refined diesel engine, which on motorway journeys I have got over 50MPG from giving a range of well over 800 miles. Not bad from a 3 litre...

Downsides to ownership, well none really apart from that gloomy interior. To have it like the Allroad with lighter seats and carpets would certainly improve it!!

My car

I really love my A6 apart from the problems I have had with the MMI system. They have finally fixed it and been very good and offered me some accessories as a goodwill gesture but it was infuriating being without a carphone and having associated problems with the radio, CD and sat nav for three months. Apparently, they have had this problem with a number of the A6s - Leeds Audi who look after mine had five of the same parts on order at the time I had the problem so imagine what it was like nationwide. They gave me a 2.0TDI which was good but not nearly as powerful as the 3.0 and when the same problem occurred with the MMI I gave it back and put up with my broken one until they could fix it. That said, I LOVE everything else about the car - it goes like stink, returns 35mpg and has lots of sexy extras. The only thing I really miss compared to the BMW 530d Touring I had before is the front parking sensors .... but that is probably only because I became so used to them.