Dilemma - S5 or A5 3.0 TDI
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You will be lucky getting 23 out of a manual S5 as I said my 300 miles gave me 14mpg whereas a similar day in a 3.0Tdi Quattro gave 38.7 (both Manuals) . A friend has an S5 Auto which he gets around 20mpg.
If you have a Manual S5 and want fun I would bank on 15-18 mpg tops , A 3.0Tdi should achieve double that. I never got below 34.3 (averaging 84mpg -not in UK!) on mine and typically over 40.
Audi Petrol engines (especially the smaller ones) are well known for not achieving combined mpg figures.
Whatever you do good luck, and yes if I had money to burn I'd have an S5 V8 but the 3.0Tdi Quattro is not far behind and will save you shed loads of money.
Re a half day/day test drive. Make contact tell them what you want well in advance and it should be possible.
Cheers
RG
If you have a Manual S5 and want fun I would bank on 15-18 mpg tops , A 3.0Tdi should achieve double that. I never got below 34.3 (averaging 84mpg -not in UK!) on mine and typically over 40.
Audi Petrol engines (especially the smaller ones) are well known for not achieving combined mpg figures.
Whatever you do good luck, and yes if I had money to burn I'd have an S5 V8 but the 3.0Tdi Quattro is not far behind and will save you shed loads of money.
Re a half day/day test drive. Make contact tell them what you want well in advance and it should be possible.
Cheers
RG
bhk1004
1 UK gallon is eqivalent to 1.2 US gallons, this is probably why your MPG varies, plus the RON in the US is normally lower than in the UK. On the upside you pay considerably less for Fuel than the UK. FYI, a US gallon would cost $8.40. (3.78L @ 137p Ex Rate GBP/USD = 1.64)
Back into the UK in two weeks will be calling up the Audi Garage to formally arrange an extended test drive of the S5. Will update when I do...might put a few pictures up, first mod will be halfords LED day running lights & some hub caps....no hang on...
Is it worth paying more buying from Audi for piece of mind, or save a grand or two and go independant trade?
1 UK gallon is eqivalent to 1.2 US gallons, this is probably why your MPG varies, plus the RON in the US is normally lower than in the UK. On the upside you pay considerably less for Fuel than the UK. FYI, a US gallon would cost $8.40. (3.78L @ 137p Ex Rate GBP/USD = 1.64)
Back into the UK in two weeks will be calling up the Audi Garage to formally arrange an extended test drive of the S5. Will update when I do...might put a few pictures up, first mod will be halfords LED day running lights & some hub caps....no hang on...
Is it worth paying more buying from Audi for piece of mind, or save a grand or two and go independant trade?
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Coming from a 3.0 TDi owner, this says a lot imo.Go with the S5.
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Surely you mean mph RG...?
just quick question. This could be a stupid question since I have never driven a deisel before so just entertain me.
I dont understand how a a5 3.0tdi would be less fun than a s5? sline makes it almost sale suspension setup, if you need a little more then get coilovers, making it better spring/shocks which alot of people get anyways. with a stage 1 chip&exhaust basically your as fast or faster than s5, stage 2 your embarassing them. and all that torque.... while getting double MPG.
why would it be less fun? your faster, handling probably similiar, more torque and moddable... other than the v8 sound that everyone is infatuated with i dont see what could possibly be holding back this fun factor. please enlighten me.
I dont understand how a a5 3.0tdi would be less fun than a s5? sline makes it almost sale suspension setup, if you need a little more then get coilovers, making it better spring/shocks which alot of people get anyways. with a stage 1 chip&exhaust basically your as fast or faster than s5, stage 2 your embarassing them. and all that torque.... while getting double MPG.
why would it be less fun? your faster, handling probably similiar, more torque and moddable... other than the v8 sound that everyone is infatuated with i dont see what could possibly be holding back this fun factor. please enlighten me.
I think because we are talking about cars that are stock are we not. If not the surely the argument follows that you can add a supercharger to the S and increase the fun factor further. There is always something you can mod to improve things but stock v stock is the question here.
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It is only fair to compare stock with stock IMO. That said, for me at least, there isn't sufficient additional 'fun' from the S5 to justify the additional running costs (in the UK) over the 3.0TDI. That's why I have the oil burner, not the rubber burner!!!
That doesn't detract in any way from the fact that, for pure fun, with additional costs of no consideration, I would have chosen the S5, probably for the sound alone!
That doesn't detract in any way from the fact that, for pure fun, with additional costs of no consideration, I would have chosen the S5, probably for the sound alone!
well for me basic bolt ons are always part of the argument when you talk about cars. like the 335's no one cares how they are stock. they just know they are beasts wtih just basic bolt ons and a tune. which is also the case for 3.0tdi.
sorry but putting FI on a non-FI car does not equate to basic bolt on... along with it costing you the price of another car( even though its a cheap car xD) 15-16k ish im assuming with installation.
anyways i guess if no mods are being calculated then im sorry for bringing this into the equation. i figured a 600-1000 dollar tune on a TDI motor to make it faster than a s5 should be considered when thinking about getting which car.
sorry but putting FI on a non-FI car does not equate to basic bolt on... along with it costing you the price of another car( even though its a cheap car xD) 15-16k ish im assuming with installation.
anyways i guess if no mods are being calculated then im sorry for bringing this into the equation. i figured a 600-1000 dollar tune on a TDI motor to make it faster than a s5 should be considered when thinking about getting which car.
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Yes .... whoops SORRY Dan... too much excitement!:thumbsup:
Seems we agree on the Tdi ;-)
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I have around 25k to spend +/-3k, my heart says S5 but the head is saying TDI. I only do 6k a year so this is really a toy, occasional trips to cornwall etc. Used only 6mths a year... 'Toys' = 'heart', surely?
Hi Mart - here's my opinion as an S5 owner (and occasional, but reluctant, diesel driver)
I think that my post in Gruffle's entertaining thread where he managed to convince himself not to replace his diesel with an RS5 is relevant here:
"I'm always intrigued by the 'diesel vs. S/RS' dilemmas that some seem to face, generally resulting in the protagonists plumping for a/nother diesel. It may be a controversial view but I genuinely can't see any reason why one would choose a diesel other than for budgetary considerations - as Alejandro intimates, if you're a keen driver, in the true sense of the world, then the purity of the 'petrol, 6+ cylinder + manual gearbox' equation has to be a baseline."
Questions:
Fuel – on paper the S5 does 23mpg combined, compared to 40mpg with the TDI, what are peoples real life figures? Is the sound of the V8 to hard to resist putting the footdown? I've averaged approx. 16mpg over 3 years of reasonably spirited driving - prompted to a fair degree by the presence of an eager petrol powerplant under the bonnet. But it's a price I've been more than prepared to pay....
Tyres – how many miles do you get out of a set? Average Price per corner? This is covered extensively elsewhere on the forum and clearly there's many influencing factors such as driving style/pattern/terrain/brand, etc., but my experience has ranged from 19k miles per set (original Dunlops) to 9k (Pirelli P Zeros). Assuming 19" wheels on the diesel, then same tyre costs will apply (£200/corner give-or-take).
Servicing – my budget will get me an S5 with around 50k, how much will servicing be? S5 vs. 3.0D servicing costs should be on a par - although the S5 could potentially win in this area as the miles build up and the necessary diesel paraphenalia (DPF, etc) start to require attention.
Anything to look out for with the S5 – heard some like the taste of oil?
Comments are welcome... Re. oil, mine typically sips a litre every 5K miles or so - inconsequential from a cost perspective.
I guess it all boils down to what you enjoy about motoring and hence what you seek from your toy. Diesel technology was incorporated into the automobile purely as an economical exercise - seems that your situation allows you not to have to take this route, unless you really prefer diesel engine dynamics. As you can tell from the posts above and elsewhere on here, many, perhaps the majority of 3.0D drivers really wanted an S5. I'm not aware of many S5 drivers who lust after a diesel.
Good luck with your choice - if you're a driving enthusiast and value the flexibility, responsiveness and sheer engagement provided by a powerful petrol powerplant, then you'll have an S5 in your possession at some point. Otherwise, you have my sympathies
Hi Mart - here's my opinion as an S5 owner (and occasional, but reluctant, diesel driver)
I think that my post in Gruffle's entertaining thread where he managed to convince himself not to replace his diesel with an RS5 is relevant here:
"I'm always intrigued by the 'diesel vs. S/RS' dilemmas that some seem to face, generally resulting in the protagonists plumping for a/nother diesel. It may be a controversial view but I genuinely can't see any reason why one would choose a diesel other than for budgetary considerations - as Alejandro intimates, if you're a keen driver, in the true sense of the world, then the purity of the 'petrol, 6+ cylinder + manual gearbox' equation has to be a baseline."
Questions:
Fuel – on paper the S5 does 23mpg combined, compared to 40mpg with the TDI, what are peoples real life figures? Is the sound of the V8 to hard to resist putting the footdown? I've averaged approx. 16mpg over 3 years of reasonably spirited driving - prompted to a fair degree by the presence of an eager petrol powerplant under the bonnet. But it's a price I've been more than prepared to pay....
Tyres – how many miles do you get out of a set? Average Price per corner? This is covered extensively elsewhere on the forum and clearly there's many influencing factors such as driving style/pattern/terrain/brand, etc., but my experience has ranged from 19k miles per set (original Dunlops) to 9k (Pirelli P Zeros). Assuming 19" wheels on the diesel, then same tyre costs will apply (£200/corner give-or-take).
Servicing – my budget will get me an S5 with around 50k, how much will servicing be? S5 vs. 3.0D servicing costs should be on a par - although the S5 could potentially win in this area as the miles build up and the necessary diesel paraphenalia (DPF, etc) start to require attention.
Anything to look out for with the S5 – heard some like the taste of oil?
Comments are welcome... Re. oil, mine typically sips a litre every 5K miles or so - inconsequential from a cost perspective.
I guess it all boils down to what you enjoy about motoring and hence what you seek from your toy. Diesel technology was incorporated into the automobile purely as an economical exercise - seems that your situation allows you not to have to take this route, unless you really prefer diesel engine dynamics. As you can tell from the posts above and elsewhere on here, many, perhaps the majority of 3.0D drivers really wanted an S5. I'm not aware of many S5 drivers who lust after a diesel.
Good luck with your choice - if you're a driving enthusiast and value the flexibility, responsiveness and sheer engagement provided by a powerful petrol powerplant, then you'll have an S5 in your possession at some point. Otherwise, you have my sympathies
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Absolutely. An easy choice for me. More power than an old fart like me can usefully use, and the best mpg I've ever had! Where's the choice to be made RG?!
@joegals - Hear what you're saying Joe, but I think the line's far more blurred than you paint... With my mileage as a daily driver vehicle, I'm saving over £2100 a year on fuel and VED alone set against the S5 V8 (assuming avg 35mpg for me and 20mpg for S5). Add to this the fact that (on paper and assuming stock) the S5 is only 0.8 sec quicker to 62mph and limited to the same top end (neither of which my driving exploits), it makes the TDI an attractive proposition, not just a tractor.
There is one but... that V8 noise! But, to me at least, that just wasn't worth an extra £2100 per year to run.
Each side of this discussion will always have it's advocates, and mostly for very valid (but sometimes emotive) reasons. Personally, I don't think anyone is wrong or right, just different!
:cheers:
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i would have loved the s5 cab mainly cos of the speed but also the choice of interior over the null choice on black on black s line, however economy ruled my head, and that i believe in a few years time when even less people will be willing to buy a car that does 20 to the gallon, i'll win the depreciation war! Though i recommend you go with your heart, if u go with s- good one less 3.0 tdi on road, keeps us diesel owner happy !
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I agree with Dan and Howdi... not everything is clearcut. Most of us can't have everything in life and I chose not to spend my cash on an S5. Rather filling up, insuring, taxing a heavily depreciating S5.
I would love one (but not that much) but much prefer spending the money on idle pursuits rather than giving most of it back to the Government.
We really are not tractor drivers nor do we deserve sympathy.
Cheers
RG
I would love one (but not that much) but much prefer spending the money on idle pursuits rather than giving most of it back to the Government.
We really are not tractor drivers nor do we deserve sympathy.
Cheers
RG
Think we all agree, each to their own. Incidentally my used S5 has done most of its depreciating already and its only £20 a year more to insure than my previous 2.0T TT. The way I see it, you only live once, go with your gut feeling and you will be happy, don't compromise for the sake of a few quid.
Certainly the fuel costs are far higher in an S5, but the best things in life always cost a little more
Certainly the fuel costs are far higher in an S5, but the best things in life always cost a little more
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