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| Thread ID: 72113 | 2006-08-30 12:07:00 | Any Audi owners around? | Greg (193) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 481469 | 2006-08-30 12:07:00 | We're considering buying a used Audi A4, around 1998 - 2000. Has anyone got any experience of the maintenance costs of these cars? Thanks. |
Greg (193) | ||
| 481470 | 2006-08-30 12:24:00 | While you may scoff, I have found the general comments in the "Dog & Lemon Guide" to be substantially correct (more than a little exaggerated perhaps) with cars that I have had experience with. I have never had an A4 of that era, but a friend has one. The overall rating is "Not Recommended". Engines, generally reliable but cost a fortune if they go wrong. Ignition failures Cambelts fail at 110,000 kMs if not changed, and its a very destructive process. Waterpumps die young and cause overheating and damage Electric windows die young Aircon problems General Electrical problems abound (very true in friends case) |
godfather (25) | ||
| 481471 | 2006-08-30 12:42:00 | Avoid any European car out of warranty. To scare yourself silly, call Repco, Audi dealers and other potential service providers and get quotes. A 6 - 8 year old car is around 90 - 160 thou kms. It is going to need a bit of servicing - filters, brake pads, transmission/clutch, hubs, CVs, engine, catalyst, electronics. Don't forget insurance. |
vinref (6194) | ||
| 481472 | 2006-08-30 13:08:00 | A 6 - 8 year old car is around 90 - 160 thou kms. But it may be indicating a lot less kMs "on the clock" if an import... |
godfather (25) | ||
| 481473 | 2006-08-30 13:45:00 | Cheers for the comments. We may go for an older BMW instead. Funny though - I used to think Audis of that era were bullett-proof. Interesting about the cambelt failure being "destructive". I thought modern cars had a fail-safe mechanism. An Opel Vectra I had (just before they were re-badged Holden) had a cambelt break, and no damage occured - just the cost of labour and parts to replace it. |
Greg (193) | ||
| 481474 | 2006-08-31 11:43:00 | Greg, it depends on the engine design and whether it is 'non interference', which your one sounds like- that is, the pistons and valves when moving never occupy the same part of the combustion chamber- same with my Toyota (darn their engines are good!), other engines are are though- don't ask me which! - so when the belt breaks, the valves and pistions collide as they are no longer in sync, and well... throw it away and get another one- have heard about some engines throwing bits clean out of the block... European cars are pricey, especially German ones, but well engineered, and feel good to drive. Parts are expensive, but the non maintenance ones will alst longer than Jappers anyway. I have a Toyota now, but would I buy a German car? Yup, if the price/ condition was right, and was tested, expecially if it has a service history. Finances allowing I would happily consider a late 90's 3-series. Bear in mind though that the mechanics tend to specialise in Euro cars, and as a result charge more... |
Sick Puppy (6959) | ||
| 481475 | 2006-08-31 15:41:00 | Damnit - we've found a car that's almost too irresistable. It's a freshly imported vehicle... Audi A4 Quattro, 2.8 v6, 1999, 105k, tiptronic transmission, for 13 grand - 2 grand less than our budget. Appearance is immaculate, and with the cash we're saving on our budget we can get a third-party 3 year mechanical warranty. Very tempted. |
Greg (193) | ||
| 481476 | 2006-08-31 15:54:00 | I specialized in European cars for 3 years, and it was all I could stand . The engineering is delightful (M/B's 300D throttle linkage is sheer masterful . . . but a lot of monkey-motion . . . . . . . . surprized the stuff remembers what to do after the motion gets thru all the pieces), but there's a few points I found out early on . Parts are DEAR! . . . price-wise and availability . Ya gotta know the King/Queen or an Archduke in the country of origin to even get on the waiting list for parts . Alloys, especially aluminum-types, are at best, just pressed oatmeal with metal coloring . Bolts when removed also extract the threads in the part . Own and learn how to use a Heli-Coil system! Deutsche or UK Industrial Standards are NOT as good as J . I . S . The threads (metric) are so much better than English "threads-per-inch" standards, but the Euro-manufacturers seem to forget the vast array and design specifics that are available to them and they just stick to really course threads and standards . Most times you'll see very fine threads in an aluminum part . . . stupid . . . stupid . . . stupid! :illogical Designs are silly . . . in that access to one part is contingent upon removal of a lot of peripheral components to even see or replace the offending or broken part . Special tools are constantly called-for, and although in some cases they can be adapted from existing tools, there are times . . . . . ya know what I mean? Wearing a beret or eyepatch to impress the snobs who operate these vehicles and seem to prefer a mechanic with a snobbish attitude gets to be a hard act to keep going . Speaking in a false accent always confused me . . . I'd get my French mixed with my Croatian and blow my cover . However, in the interest of equalibrium, I must state that most Japanese vehicles that have names that start in "M" are also in the same price-attitude-availability status . You know what I mean . And by all means (or no means) Do NOT consider the mongralarizations (a new word?) and hybridizations of the "NEW" UK models proffered and sodomized by the bean-counters at Ford Motor Company . Jaguar . . . . . I think all the Rootes Group . . . . . many Italian and French junk (Fiat, Citroen, GoGoMobile, et al), and a slug of neer-do-well auto companies have been swallowed up by the Henry Ford conglomerate and has really been bastardized (that's a legal word) and are being re-badged with little concern for reliability or serviceability . The "Iron-Age-Meets-The-Nuclear-Age" is not a good melding . European smelters are still a pit in the ground with coal fires . Alloys are junk and have little or no tensile or ductile strength, not to mention machine-ability . The average shadetree mechanic is going to be in a world of trouble working or even tinkering upon these little jewels . My advice: Stay away from them or drink heavilly before attempting to change the oil or perform a brake job and remove all sharp or point-y objects that you might want to use upon yourself afterwards . And . . . DO NOT buy, own or work upon a "cute" car . These come with a wedding ring! :yuck: |
SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
| 481477 | 2006-08-31 16:05:00 | (M/B's 300D throttle linkage is sheer masterful...but a lot of monkey-motionI had to fix the gear linkage on an old Fiat Uno I once had... what a blimmin mess of unnecessary stuff, but once I'd done it I wondered at it's simplicity. Joyful compared to the Alfa I was rebuilding at the time. | Greg (193) | ||
| 481478 | 2006-08-31 20:37:00 | So Surferjoe, does this mean you would approach the idea of owning a European car with caution? | theother1 (3573) | ||
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