Audi on a budget...?

[Michael McLaughlin]

Dan is right that "Audi" and "budget" typically don't belong in the  
same sentence. I had a '99.5 A4 for six years — bought it in 2004 with  
about 50,000 miles on it and sold it last summer with about 175,000  
miles on it. I was the second owner, and the original owner maintained  
it very well and supplied full records. Before selling it I added up  
all of receipts for maintenance repairs; I'd spent almost $14,000 over  
six years and 125,000 miles. A lot of that was for two timing belt  
services and replacing most of the front suspension, but things like  
wheel bearings, MAFs, etc., add up.

I've had three Audis and two Volkswagens but the running costs and  
lack of dependability mean my current Passat will probably be our last  
VAG vehicle.

-Mike in Spokane, Wash.

> Nick, as an example of the costs involved, my A4, which I have owned  
> since new
> and done all of the recommended
> services, including 5k interval oil and filter changes with Mobil1  
> oil, has cost
> me over $7k in repairs/maintenance since
> September of 2003, when I purchased the car. I have just over 100k  
> on it now.
> This includes several sets of tires, a
> replaced windshield due to a crack, timing belt/water pump  
> replacement and those
> oil/filter changes. But it also includes
>
> coil packs, repairs due to several coolant leaks from various spots  
> in the
> engine and a new fuel pump, and doesn't
> include items replaced under warranty like the rear mufflers,  
> several interior
> pieces and first gear in the transmission.
>
> So I think a lot of the comments about Hondas relate to the words  
> 'Audi' and
> 'budget' being in the same sentence! I
>
> don't think you can enter a relationship with an Audi (or any German  
> car, for
> that matter) and think that you can get by
>
> on the cheap. Personally, the only used Audi I would buy is a CPO  
> one with the
> longer warranty.
>
> I am mechanically inclined, having done extensive work on my '76 and  
> '65 MGB's,
> including engine and transmission
> replacements. But I don't enjoy working on newer cars - they are too  
> complex for
> my pea-brain. ;-)
>
> And BTW, I still love my car....
>
> Dan D
> '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
> Central NJ USA
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Nick Urban <nickurban at gmail.com>
> To: quattro at audifans.com
> Sent: Thu, March 3, 2011 10:42:02 AM
> Subject: Re: Audi on a budget...?
>
> I can't tell whether I should take all these calls for "Honda" as
> serous or in jest.
>
> Can you recommend any non-european car that approaches the same level
> of refinement and interior quality?
>
> Likewise with the warnings about maintenance costs -- are you guys
> exaggerating or is it really that bad?
>
> I heard the same thing before I bought a Saab, and as I said, I got
> one that had been well maintained and had very few problems.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Nick