Audi SQ5 alternatives?

[Lucas_R]

Hi all,

Been a while since i was on here (sold my MK6 GTI about a year ago). Wife needs a bigger car to accommodate our child and all of her paraphernalia - she desperately wants an Audi SQ5, but finding a nicely looked after one with <60k on the odometer is around $55k which is around $10-15k more than what i was hoping to spend.

As an alternative, im trying to draw her attention to the following:

- 2013/2014 Q5 3.0TDI (turbo V6 diesel 180kw/560nm)
- 2013/2014 Q5 3.0TFSI (supercharged 3.0L V6 petrol 200kw/420nm)

Obviously, these cars look very boring in comparison to the SQ5, but with some rims and a few dress up bits i know i could improve the look for relatively little outlay.

The supercharged petrol V6 is very rare, with only 4 for sale in all of Australia but there is a nice 2013 model white one in Sydney with 42,000km for $40k which is right about what i want to spend. This engine is the same as what is fitted to the Audi S4 and S5 and with a tune you can get another 60kw/80nm out of them...even more if you upgrade the supercharger pulley). With a few dress up bits (new wheels, SQ5 style front grill, tinted windows etc) i think i can make this car look very nice (not quite an SQ5 but very nice none the less) for around $43k total outlay.

The diesel is very torquey, but my concerns are the diesel smell (i hate it), the noise, grotty diesel fuel pumps, and the fact that we do a lot of short trips (and a total of approx 10,000km per year) which are not really the right conditions for a diesel to be operating in.

My question is, what would you choose (petrol or diesel) if it were your choice?

[markh]

Gday Lucas,

Ive been keeping my eye on sq5 prices for just over 1 year now. They simply wont budget from ~$50k

I went with a 3.0L Turbo Diesel Q5 in the end. Very happy with it.
Yes the diesel smell is an issue, but if i could find a sq5 for ~$40K with reasonable km, i wouldn't hesitate.

It seems with a simply DTUK plug in for the 3.0L Turbo diesel - its going to be close in perfomance to a sq5 - but you can never get it to be/look the same. Diamond Stitch seats, sq5 calipers and quad exhaust all make the sq5 just that much better (imho).

[Lucas_R]

Thanks for the reply Mark. Yes the SQ5 also has the option of the quilted seats, and although they look nice, i wouldn't have got those as my 3yr old would no doubt find a way to ruin them. They also do a standard black leather which is not as nice, but more practical and would have been my choice for family duties.

There is a silver 2013 model SQ5 on Carsales for $47,888 with approx 50,000km but it seems too cheap (too good to be true) and you can see it has not been cared for in the pics. I may have a look at this one if it is still for sale in a few weeks to see whats the go with it (but i suspect something isn't right in one way or another).

Some of the non-SQ things you mentioned (brake calipers / quad exhaust) don't bother me too much. I would paint the calipers anyway so i can pick my colour, and could always have my exhaust guy cut off the twin tips and put quad tips on it. The main thing (in my opinion) that needs to be updated on the non-SQ's is the chrome grill. Simply changing this grill to a black SQ style makes a big difference.

Im leaning more towards the petrol supercharged V6 for our situation (plus i really like that engine after driving an S4 a few years back).

[erasmos]

Friend Lucas, firstly I would see the cost benefit of maintenance in both, ie example: if the number of engines sold is higher in gasoline consequently the price will be lower and it will be easier to find the parts and another point is the cost of km / l in diesel and gasoline.
In Brazil diesel is cheaper but the diesel car is 30% more expensive, but if it runs a lot during the day, it compensates for the diesel even because the diesel engine is more resistant than gasoline.


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[Lucas_R]

Friend Lucas, firstly I would see the cost benefit of maintenance in both, ie example: if the number of engines sold is higher in gasoline consequently the price will be lower and it will be easier to find the parts and another point is the cost of km / l in diesel and gasoline.
In Brazil diesel is cheaper but the diesel car is 30% more expensive, but if it runs a lot during the day, it compensates for the diesel even because the diesel engine is more resistant than gasoline.

Yes this is correct - the cost when new for a diesel vehicle is considerably higher than a petrol equivalent (takes around 100,000km of driving to make up the difference in cost). but when buying 2nd hand, this gap is not as big.

I looked at a 2nd hand SQ5 yesterday which was at Glendale Mazda. 2013 model, 108,000km, dark blue, no options $47,888. It did have an aftermarket Kraftwerks tuning box fitted though which i spotted quite easily when looking under the bonnet. Car was pretty ordinary though on the exterior in particular (certainly hadn't been loved) and was from Singleton so had a lot of stone chips and bugs that were quite obvious on the dark paint. It didn't tick the boxes for me....im too fussy to be happy with that car.

[Transporter]

Hi all,

Been a while since i was on here (sold my MK6 GTI about a year ago). Wife needs a bigger car to accommodate our child and all of her paraphernalia - she desperately wants an Audi SQ5, but finding a nicely looked after one with <60k on the odometer is around $55k which is around $10-15k more than what i was hoping to spend.

As an alternative, im trying to draw her attention to the following:

- 2013/2014 Q5 3.0TDI (turbo V6 diesel 180kw/560nm)
- 2013/2014 Q5 3.0TFSI (supercharged 3.0L V6 petrol 200kw/420nm)

Obviously, these cars look very boring in comparison to the SQ5, but with some rims and a few dress up bits i know i could improve the look for relatively little outlay.

The supercharged petrol V6 is very rare, with only 4 for sale in all of Australia but there is a nice 2013 model white one in Sydney with 42,000km for $40k which is right about what i want to spend. This engine is the same as what is fitted to the Audi S4 and S5 and with a tune you can get another 60kw/80nm out of them...even more if you upgrade the supercharger pulley). With a few dress up bits (new wheels, SQ5 style front grill, tinted windows etc) i think i can make this car look very nice (not quite an SQ5 but very nice none the less) for around $43k total outlay.

The diesel is very torquey, but my concerns are the diesel smell (i hate it), the noise, grotty diesel fuel pumps, and the fact that we do a lot of short trips (and a total of approx 10,000km per year) which are not really the right conditions for a diesel to be operating in.

My question is, what would you choose (petrol or diesel) if it were your choice?

Diesel of course, for lower maintenance costs, greater reliability and longevity, awesome fuel economy compared to petrol and nice torque under any conditions even fully loaded. 10 years later it will have much better resale value than worn out petrol guzzler.

[tigger73]

Answer is either in low km. The supercharged V6 is a fantastic engine and you can’t really go wrong with the 3.0TDI either.

Both can be tuned up to SQ5 levels so you’re not really losing out. I’d be going with the low km looked after Q5 rather than the trashed SQ5.


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[Lucas_R]

I’d be going with the low km looked after Q5 rather than the trashed SQ5.

I am quite happy to do this........hard part is convincing the wife who has her heart set on a SQ5 and wont budge. I found a really nice looking 3.0TDI Q5 with S-Line pack and it looks to be in very nice condition for $40k...will keep pushing this one on the wife. I would prefer the petrol V6 supercharged engine but they are so damn rare in the Q5 that i dont like my chances.

[tigger73]

Have you considered the Tiguan Sportline on 1.8% finance deal?

Just saying I know it's a $50k car but 1.8% brings the repayments down to what you may be paying on a $40k car...

It's got a lot of tech that an older Audi misses out on.

[LibraR]

Happy wife happy life. If her heart is set on an SQ5 anything “less” will be viewed as such. Doesn’t seem to be a huge difference between the Q5 and a reasonable SQ5 that, if you keep it long enough, maybe won’t. After in the long run.
Plus the SQ5 will commensurately hold value more than the other at sale time especially if you modify the others which is just money lost.
Always best to find a way to get the wife the car she wants if it’s remotely feasible, in my experience

[ZR36]

I looked at that one blue one also. I had been following it for a while.
First seen at Newcastle Audi centre for 48ish they couldnt move it so they shipped it Down to Newcastles cheapest cars which listed it at 53. When I went to look it was the auction house next door so old mate from Newcastles cheapest cars told me to just go in an have a look at it. So I did then some came running out from the office and they told me to get out. So unprofessional and just lost the sale. Not long after that they dropped the price then shipped it off to Glendale Mazda and listed it as a Q5 not an SQ5.
Im in the same boat just got rid of my passat and need a bigger car and SQ5 was the only car I was interested in. Like you I considered the diesel and the petrol.
In the end we just end up going for a Q3 SLine.
If you're set on the SQ5 I suggest you just hold out for 12 months and they will be within your budget. One went in qld for $42k which is pretty reasonable considering that's what at my13+ Q5 is going for.

[ZR36]

There is a white MY15 with 42km at Maitland Nissan if you want to have look for comparison. $59k it's been there a few months now.

[Lucas_R]

There is a white MY15 with 42km at Maitland Nissan if you want to have look for comparison. $59k it's been there a few months now.

Sorry for the late reply - and thanks for your input on that blue SQ5. At the end of the day, both my wife and i are very fussy with our cars and this particular car did not even come close to meeting our standards of how well (or poorly) it had been cared for. It was more so a matter of just having a look at one and making sure we liked the car overall and that it would be the right size etc for us.

I presume this is the car you were referring to at Nissan: Maitland Nissan - 2015 Audi SQ5 TDI Tiptronic Quattro 8R MY15 (White) for sale in %%East Maitland%% . My wife and i have tomorrow off so we might go for a drive up to Maitland and have a look at it.

[Lucas_R]

Drove a 2014 model SQ5 yesterday (located at Newcastle Skoda). Priced at $52.990 with 86,000km but its pretty much got every option on it except for the quilted seats. Locally owned car and full service history. Drove really well (they get up and boogie for a big car) but was a little rough on the exterior (dents/scratches/bird poo marks on the paint) so not sure if we will pursue this one as im pretty fussy.

Spoke to my brother who works for a large car dealership network, and it turns out they have just traded a 2015 SQ5 a few days ago and its located in Sydney. He is getting it brought up to Newcastle so we can have a look. Only 35,000km, fully optioned (sunroof, black pack, quilted seats, carbon trim, big wheels, bang stereo) for $59k. If this one is in good cond we will buy it...........and im already researching stage 1 tunes.

[Lucas_R]

Ended up buying an SQ5 on the weekend. 1 owner, 27,000km, 2015 model, and its pretty much fully loaded option wise except for the black grill and window trim (has sunroof, blind spot monitors, radar cruise, heated seats, quilted nappa leather seats, bang & olufsen stereo, tinted windows, performance pack and assistance pack).

My wife is loving herself sick with her new car.