Calling Audi Owners

[ButtJuice]

Any of you have experience owning an Audi? I'm trying to get rid of my Toyota Camry and get into something that's 4-wheel drive. I'm currently looking at a 2003 a4 avant Quattro wagon. Any advice or warnings?

[R3Z3N]

Never again will I own an Audi. Terribly mechanically complex and poorly designed.

[TimKninja]

Dont buy an audi. But if you must buy one, buy one with a 1.8t motor. All the other engines are terrible.

B6 A4s are probably the only Audi id think about buying(if for some reason I was fucking dumb enough to buy one). The only thing bad that happens on that 1.8T motor is clogged oil pick ups from poor oil change intervals. And the coolant flange on the back of the head will leak, and that sucks to do.

Dont buy a 3.0 A4. Dont, ever. dont even think about it.

Your better off buying an e46, 330xi. Just do that. Much Much better car.

[ButtJuice]

I want a wagon for transporting stuff/groceries. Can't find any decent e39's and everything around me that's available has an Audi logo on it!

[keine30]

I agree with the terrible mechanical complexity. Every job on an Audi is a chore because of the way they're put together.

[DrJosh]

I have owned two, my family has owned several, and I will own more again. I had a B6 1.8T and a 90 20v. My parents currently own a B6 3.0 with 170k miles on it (bought it cpo at 40k) and the only thing that has happened out side of maintenance is the AC compressor went out.

People on here give Audi a bad name, but really they are no worse nor easier than any similar vintage BMW (starting with the B5/E46). Earlier Audis, such as my 90 20v Quattro, was much more advanced than my 89 E30, and if not maintained they can be headaches.

And for what it is worth, my 03 X5 feels like it was built cheaper than my old 03 A4.

[fiveightandten]

Get a Subaru.

[dirty30]

subaru wagon, put an audi badge on it if it makes you feel better

[XwalkerX]

honestly I LOVED all the audis Ive owned.

I still think that my b6 s4 avant was the best daily driver I ever had (aside from the fuel milage) IMO the interior is SO much better than the BMW counterpart of the same year

I owned the s4 from 18k-49k miles so I didn't really have any issues at all but I hear the timing chains become a problem later in their life so there is that.

the 1.8t is kind of a no brainer but it is pathetic without a tune and even then its still annoying how you have to really put your foot into it to get it up and moving.

as to the gent bashing the 3.0l v6 I think you may have just bought a car built on Friday. my best friend owned a b5 3.0 he originally bought as a winter car/commuter car with 190k for $800 and the car would NOT die. he owned it for 2 years and aside from oil changes he only had to replace a wheel bearing and the headunit.


my b6 s4





my b6 a4 1.8t

https://www.flickr.com/photos/xwalkerx/5473675995

[King Mufasa]

like any car its all driver errors. just like all the issues with s54 and s62 engines even our m20's. You take appropriate manufacturer recommended maintenance and you shouldn't find balls of gunk oil in the pan lol.. History shows those engine have been proven to handle whatever.

[Exodus_2pt0]

Here we go again.

I DD a b5s4, bought it in October with 128k, it now has 147k on it.

It hasn't been cheap, and I have had to keep up on repairs, but the car is amazing and hasn't stranded me.

A good friend has a 1.8t jetta with almost 300k on the stock engine/trans.

I like my Audi's, but they require patience and either a fat wallet or mechanical ability.

That said, they are easy to work on. Putting it into service position takes 30 minutes or less and makes things like a timing belt cake.

Also, Audi longitudinal setup have real AWD. No haldex to worry about.

[DrJosh]

To be fair, the B5 S4 is known to be a maintenance nightmare. Although I still find me self contemplating selling my X5 and picking up an avant and engine hoist.

[LateFan]

I have an 01 B5 A4 Avant 1.8 manual. I LOVE the looks of the newer body you're looking at. I believe they dealt with the sludging disaster of the 1.8 after buying so many engines for customers - I think there was a class action lawsuit against VW after the warranties ran out and engines were failing.

Mine has 130k and of course way out of warranty. I bought it used, one-owner, dealer-maintained. I just finished putting a new used engine in myself after mine ate rod bearings and threw a rod out the bottom of the pan.

The problem with that specific engine was that the pan had to fit around a big cross-member, so they made the capacity smaller. The Passat and sideways Golf configuration were better.

3 1/2 quarts of oil, turbo boost, oil-to-water oil cooler, very tight packaging, and complicated systems meant they were very susceptible to oil sludging. Oil change interval was too long even with synthetic. Filter was tiny.

I took really good care of it, regular synthetic changes, etc, but it let go with no warning. The packaging made it the most complicated car repair I've ever tried. Runs great now, everything except the long block is new. I use the newer huge oil filter that holds an extra half quart, and I'll change it at 3000.

The quattro system is the best bad weather / snow / ice system I've ever used. (Soob is maybe close behind).

SO….buy one with very good service history and receipts, and even then be careful.

[kway]

[ATTACH]98068[/ATTACH]

I feel cold and miserable just looking at that.

[arams325]

+1 on the subaru I absolutely hate working on audi's everything is such a pain to get too they look nice, drive great and feel solid but the thing will drain your wallet dry