spijun

I'm not sure, it depends on the model of the engine that you have
I think you have a model engine: CHJA
You can check in the service book

MP4.2+6.0

I am a firm believer in NOT using the plastic cartridge ones if possible. Yes it was an enviro idea, but I find it a comparative mess in other vehicles. They are on my W12 and on my Mini S. The W12 is actually ridiculously easy since it is completely under the motor along side the bottom of the pan. The Mini is kind of similar to the various pictures in spijun's attachment where it hugs the side of the motor closely and pretty high up.

Unlike a spin on metal filter, I find myself using brake solvent to clean the cartridge area on those vehicles, plus the o ring area and often the various drips left around. With a spin on, same risks of some oil around the block area, but you don't have to handle and rework the o ring and cover like you do the other way. That's where the incremental mess is. I can drain a metal one just as well if I turn it upside down in some vessel to drain out. The recycling service takes either from the curb in a sealed bag where I live, together with the used oil.

Long term as another data point, on the D3 A8's now out for close to ten years in some cases, someone actually machined the cartridge cover out of aluminum and is selling it on the side. On the 4.2's its actually much harder to reach than on the W12's (or our Q5 2.0T H), and apparently quite a few owners have cracked them along the way. Hundreds of $ on that motor; $84.82 on various 3.2's and 3.0T's via AudiUSAParts listing.

At AudiUSAParts, I pay $9.86 for our Hybrid metal housing type filter we share. I wasn't sure I could find the right one for a 2.0 in a separate insert type design, but for a 3.2 I found i would pay $22.32. That's more than the $18ish I pay for my W12 one and 2x plus the 2.0T H metal one ! Total BS to me--pay more for less, and then it is also messy in the home mechanic environment.

Last, agreed with you on how these wander all over the place on the Q5 per the document, though over the many years of just the 4.2 as another example, it has moved around too. But, from spijun's handy document can you say "AFTERTHOUGHT" on the apparent 3.0T and 3.2 location as installed in a Q5? Come on, remove the upper strut tie bar? I retrofit a JCW tie bar on my Mini S along with a JCW air box, where I then have to remove the bar to do the air filter (much less frequently than the oil filter...), but that's a retrofit not an original design. Not thrilled even on the very stiff and much smaller Mini body on removing a tie bar for alignment over the years of body flex, even more so if car is jacked up on one side-again in a home type environment--to get at the belly pan, oil drain etc. (I know...supposed extraction from above, but I'm a believer is letting the oil outflow itself self flush the bottom of the pan). Net, that's a kludge to me. I like how the 3.0T motor has advanced generally, so that's an outlier in this particular fitment. Now with the Q5 their biggest seller in the US, next redesign I bet that's on the list for "Art" in Engineering to tweak again.

HZ60

I have changed oil numerous times on my 2011 3.2 and now on my 2013 3.0T, not difficult at all. The biggest pain IMO is removing and re-installing the plastic plate on the bottom to get to the drain plug. I wish there was a small door flap that opened to access the drain plug like many other cars have. I may just try to modify the plate and install a flap of some sort. I'm not a fan of extraction I just don't think it can get as much out as draining plus the bottom of the pan is where anything that gets through the filter will probably wind up. One thing that the service tech told me is to loosen the oil filter cap before removing the drain plug (or at least before re-installing it). There is a spring loaded assembly in the filter housing that will trap the old oil inside. You also have to apply downward pressure when installing the new filter or the threads on the housing won't catch. If you replace the drain plug before you take the filter out as shown in the video, the old oil will wind up in the pan and mix with the new oil. Also, if you loosen the filter housing cap first and let it drain into the housing while you're doing the rest, by the time you get back to replacing the old filter element, it's not much of a mess at all. I got the filters for about $10.50 at GenuineAudiParts, the dealer wanted like $18 or so plus tax. I also stocked up on some oil a while ago locally that was on sale for 50% off so the whole thing runs me about $40. And lastly, I have never had to remove any braces to get to the filter housing as shown in the PDF Spijun posted, maybe it's a Euro thing?

skl1

Handy info. ESC Tuning makes an aluminum housing that I put on my wife's TTS roadster to replace the plastic housings. Hope someone makes something similiar for my TDI.
Even though I'm thinking of getting Audi Care (didn't pay for it at time of pickup) I change oil more often than recommended as I think they're pretty liberal with the mileage requirements.

I too wish there was a little opening for the drain plug as well!!

Haven't been able to see a listing anywhere for oil filters for the 3.0 TDI yet so this info is helpful!

Prospeeder

BMW and Mercedes had the right idea for the filter element instead of the spin on filters. They put them on top and they are basically mess free. The 2.0T spin on filters are interesting, upside down...and dont leak a drop of oil when taken off. Nice feature, but quite expensive for a small spin on filter, 18$ on average.