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Hi James,

Well, frankly that's a good dilemma to have. Both are utterly excellent cars and you honestly won't go wrong picking either.

To compare, you're right that the BMW does feel that bit more reactive, that bit more plugged in to the road surface, but the gap between the A6 and the 5 Series is far narrower in that regard than once it was. 

You're also right that the 5 Series is becoming a touch, shall we say, common on the roads these days and while Audi is hardly struggling to shift A6s, they are perhaps a little less widely seen.

One small spanner in the works; have you tried the Jaguar XF? It does give a little away to both the Germans in terms of cabin design and space, but it's gorgeous and utterly brilliant to drive. Plus, of a Friday night, you get to turn to your significant other and utter the immortal words; "Darling, tonight, shall we take the Jaaaaaaaaag...?"

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Hi Philip,

The current A6 allroad quattro was actually only introduced last year (2012) so there won't be any major updates for a while yet. The previous generations ran from 1999 to 2006 and 2006 to 2012.

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Hi Heino,

Check for vibration from the dual-mass flywheel on the 2.0-litre engines, and that the drain at the bottom of the windscreen has not become clogged with road debris and leaves. If it’s the 2.0-litre TDI and it’s smoking a lot, then the turbo is probably gone or about to go, and that engine needs a cam belt change at 120,000km.

Check the rear brake discs for excessive wear or scoring marks too — the electronic handbrake can stick on and damage the disc. Check everything electrical carefully in general for a car of that age, and don’t buy without a full and complete service history.

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Hi Conor,

We've heard of a few electronic glitches (faulty cruise control, sticky electric handbrakes), but other than that, the A6 seems to be built to the usual solid Audi standards. As always, if you're looking at a high mileage one, remember that this is a complex, expensive car so make sure it has a full service history and appears to have been cared for.

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Hi Cormac,

It will depend on the year and model you’re talking about, but if you mean the 2008 Audi A6 update, which was the first model with the TDIe engine, then it’s basically lightly tweaked for economy and emissions, but those will be nothing to write home about compared to more modern cars. The TDIe could manage 53mpg and 139g/km, but that was with the 140hp engine, so it’s a touch under-powered in the A6. You could be better off going for a more powerful 170hp version, which will have slightly higher emissions, but which will probably do better in economy terms in real-world driving - and far more satisfying to drive.

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Hi Cormac,

Interesting one this. To be frank, it was news to us. We don't have a standardised headlight test on CompleteCar.ie (perhaps we should), but a trawl of the Audi-based internet forums does indeed seem to show that many C5 owners do have doubts about the power of their lights, especially on dipped beam.

While we can't find any definitive evidence that the facelifted model is any better, it seems that there are two potential fixes to the problem. One is to replace the standard bulbs with better models - and we've seen German-made Flosser bulbs recommended. Philips also produces a line of higher-output bulbs that may be worth a look. The other issue may be the state of the headlamp lenses, and any problems there can potentially be fixed by a good clean. Cleaning kits are available from most good motor factors. Incidentally, beware an aftermarket upgrade to a HID or Xenon headlight set. If it doesn't conform exactly to the original equipment specification, then there are doubts over the legality of such units and it could potentially lead to an NCT failure.

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Hi Flamor,

We believe this means the car reckons it's time to have a service. You'll need to take it to an Audi dealer or a garage with proper diagnostic equipment to have this checked and reset.

Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Tricia,

The new Mazda6 is a fantastic car and definitely comparable to the Audi A4 of equivalent value. The Mazda comes with a powerful and economical 2.2-litre diesel engine, which is refined and decently fast when needed. The car itself is more spacious than the Audi inside, plus of just as good quality. It's also comfortable and good to drive. In all, we thoroughly recommend it.

Here's our Irish test of the Mazda6 Tourer for reference.

Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Stevie,

You'd be able to pick one up for as little as €2,300 but you would probably be better off paying around €3,500 to get a really good one. They're immensely reliable - a typical Mazda in that regard.

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Hi Diarmuid,

With that kind of mileage, I'm afraid the value just plummets and that's notwithstanding the fact that the Mazda6 is reliable and very well built. I'd say you're looking at a value of around €2,500 to maybe €3,500.

As for changing, with that kind of annual mileage I'd say it could be well worth looking at changing for a newer diesel model. The 2.2 diesel Mazda 6 is a bit of a favourite around here, really good to drive with good economy. Just get the calculator out and do your sums carefully to make sure that you'll be saving money in the long run. With the cost of changing your car, it can be worth looking at spending money on your existing car, giving it a good going over and a tune-up, which can both prolong its service life and improve the fuel economy.

Hope that helps