Purchase question for used Audi

[Lee Levitt]

>Grant writes
>
>Neither mileage nor age are as important as whether it has beenkept
>up - t-belt, control arms, etc.
>
>IMO, owning both, the C5 is a much nicer car, btu the C4 is "cheaper
>to keep"


Agreed on both points, and I own both C4 and C5 cars.



>A well maintained A4 1.8t is among the most practical, has the best
>mileage, chepest t-belts, fewest suspension failures. etc.

Suspension failures are similar to C5 A6, both in terms of frequency 
and costs. The B5 A4 is a nice car to drive, but it's a very 
different car than either the C4 or C5 A6.

Fay should drive all three to decide which is "best" for her. Any of 
these can provide many high quality driving miles, particularly if 
the PO took good care of the car. I own examples of all 3. I love my 
A4, I love my '99 A6 and my 2 C4 cars just keep trundling along.


>Hondas and Toyotas are, of course, more reliable.

Yes but they're still Hondas and Toyotas. (to paraphrase Churchill!)



>Grant
>Scott Phillips writes:



>Typically speaking you want to avoid the "first" year for any new model.
>So the 96 A6 would be "out". Also stay away from the 12V 2.8 V6 Engine
>in either car; without (or even sometimes with) proper servicing, Stuff
>just breaks. (EGR System gets plugged, requiring a replacement
>intake..or serious work).

We bought a '96 A6 with 40K on it. Now it's got 160K+. It's been the 
car with the best TCO I've ever owned. Two years ago I spent a grand 
total of $214 on maintenance on it, while driving it 20K miles.

I would not hesitate to buy a '96-98 C4. I would have some concerns 
about a '98 C5, as that first year car also got a new body and lots 
of more complicated electronics. My '99 A6 has been reliable, and 
it's got 160K on it too.
Fay wrote:

I would hate to have less performance than my 95 A6, but then if I had
>great gas mileage that might sooth the pain, LOL.

Only way to get better fuel economy than your A6 is to go with the 
1.8t in the A4. The C5 A6 will give you poorer fuel economy.

Vittorio wrote:

> > I've chipped both my 1.8T's - brings it to another level and
> >still very drivable, power is there when you want it...
>
>How did you "chip it" to improve the performance?
>

Chipping it may also reduce your fuel economy.


>Thank goodness I'll be able to get a newer car with less problems 
>that have to put good money after bad into my poor A6 ... I am 
>always sad tho when I have to get rid of one of my Audis .... It has 
>been a wonderful car.


You should talk with a good mechanic about your car. It may be more 
cost effective to fix your car...just depends on what's wrong with 
it. It's also a known quantity.

I tell people to expect to put $2K into an older Audi after they 
purchase it. That's been my experience -- sorting out what other 
people have ignored or screwed up...

Lee


Lee Levitt
Needham, Massachusetts, USA
'01 A4 1.8t quattro avant
''99 A6 quattro avant
'97 A6 quattro avant
'96 A6 quattro avant