[A4] Thinking about upgrading to a 2004-2005.5 A4 (B6?)

[Tom Christiansen]

Hi,

I'm thinking to replace my aging 1994 90S (B4) with something newer.
Preferably a 2004-2005.5 A4 1.8T (I guess that would be the B6?) with a
manual 6-speed transmission.

I've heard of the dreaded sludge in the engine oil. Some people have claimed
to be able to detect the sludge by looking at the inside of the oil fill
cap. What exactly am I looking for to detect the signs of sludge?
Has anybody tried products like Gunk Engine Flush or like products to get
rid of the sludge? A lot of people seem to frown on the idea of using the
engine flush products...

What are other common problems with this car? Are there any recalls that I
should be aware of?


Thanks,

Tom