2001 A6 4.2

[Kent McLean]

Dave Fain wrote:
> Is there anything I should be aware of before buying one of these?

Years ago I came thisclose to buying a 4.2 A6, but at the time it was over my budget.

The Tiptronic transmissions are a known weak point.  Other than flushing the fluid (which some people don’t recommend, as it may introduce other problems), there’s not much you can do to repair them.

The V8 does use a timing belt, but that’s better than the ’05 and later cars, which have a timing chain in the inaccessible rear. The chains are OK, but the tensioners fail. D’oh!

Your mechanic is right about there being no room to work on the engine.  The A8 has the same engine, and a little more room around it to work on it. If I were the one working on it, I’d go with an A8.  

—
Kent McLean
’02 VW Beetle TDI and lots of ex-Audis, including Bad Puppy