Audi reliability - is it really getting better?
 

I really WANT to like Audi products. Reading some of the nightmare stories here and on other boards has kept me away.

A couple of days ago I came across this:
Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Rankings: Japanese Dominance Cracks as Audi, Volvo & GMC Secure Spots in Top 10 - MarketWatch

Audi finished 4th in reliability, behind Lexus, Toyota, and Acura.

There aren't a lot of details about what years are included. Is a 2006 A6 going to be reasonably reliable?

I can't comment directly on Audi reliability but you have to keep in mind an 06 is coming on 9 years old. I'm not sure I'd expect reliability out of any 9 year old car.

I dunno. I expect reliability out of my 08 Subaru...moreover, I depend on it to be reliable. I do maintain it and pay attention to funny sounds and feelings and look into them when noticed. Nothing last forever but 9 years seems to be shorting expectations of a modern car. YMMV.

Well, for what it's worth, my 06'A4 has been just ok. Nothing serious:

Coil packs have gone
Coolant thermostat went

In addition, the electronics are acting up a bit... Bluetooth drops without warning (maybe it's my phone?), rear view mirror doesn't automagically tilt back up after reversing :rolleyes:

Aside from that, it's been a great car, but it's soon to be replaced. I'd buy another Audi based on my experience, but I'm leaning toward a Lexus GS due to the marque's staggeringly high reliability ratings.

I expect a car to last longer than 10 years. Esecially and Audi, Porsche, Mercedes or Volvo for the cost of a new one.

In my experience, no. Audi is not getting better. They are better than BMW these days, though. I'd be looking at other things instead of an '06 A6.

I would like to know more details about how these studies are performed, I normally dont trust them however. The least meanigful type seems to be the initial quality rankings that the comercials always brag about.


I want to believe that all modern cars are mostly reliable. However nearly every time I talk to an VAG car owner about there cars they have horror stories. It seems more than circumstantial.

Nissan VQ and VK engines have some serious stories behind them as well- oil consumption. Many of those cars have had engine replacements before 100K.

The other thing, is cars in general are becoming tied to the electronic gimmicks that plague cellphones- who is going to want to use these things in 20 years? They found a way to build planned obsolescence back into cars. Quality isn't the hallmark, technology (disposable) is.

rjp

Audis seem hit or miss. My 2002 S8 was fantastic with only minor issues. But many of the others definitely have their fair share of issues. I really like their cars and would take one over a BMW any day of the week.

I've owned more than a dozen Audis and found them to be more reliable than a BMW or Mercedes.

Any car will have problems, sooner or later. To expect them to be defect-free is not realistic. Look at it this way... those guys that buy new ones and trade them for another new one as soon as the warranty runs out are losing more in depreciation than you ever would spend repairing an older one.

Pick your poison.

JR

My Integra was dead reliable, 14 years and a 150,000 miles, Miata is 10 years old and 60,000 miles, also dead reliable. My Superbeetle was reliable for decades and hundreds of thousands of miles.

I would not consider a new Audi or VW product for a moment.

Hate to hear this, I'm seriously considering an S3 over the IS350 F sport. Maybe I should reconsider?

Our Audi a4 was more reliable than our 5 series bmw. However, at just under 100k miles, it needed cat converters and a rear main seal. Wasn't worth the repair so we traded it in.

However, the A4 was the goto vehicle in bad weather, better in snow/icy roads than my Expedition.

Did my Friday pic stir your curiosity lee?

From what I've read about the 2007-2009 S8s they don't have any more issues that are to be expected with a car with that many bells and whistles. One reason my corolla was so reliable, is that there just wasn't much on it to break. These big German cars just have so many options, the percentage is much better for some sort of an issue.

I think I'm willing to roll the dice... Thats one damn fine driving car. The one I looked at was an 09 with 75k on. Still was perfect inside, no squeaks or rattles. Doors closed like a bank vault, and it was nice and quiet going down the road.. And least until you awoke the dragon in that big V10...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1409553254.jpg

My ex loved her A8. It nickeled and dimed her as it got older but it was a pretty spectacular car. I liked my A3 a lot as well.

Stuff goes wrong with cars. Not the end of the world. Some of you guys have no sense of adventure...life is short.

There are better ways to get a little spice in your life than buying POS cars...just sayin'. :)

Yeah, spending an entire weekend removing the front clip to replace an alternator belt, is not my idea of a little spice .

I fall into this camp now as being in my late 60's my next car will be Japanese and hopefully rock solid. Am looking at a used Lexus RX350 but had considered the BMW x1, VW Tiguan or an Audi. These latter three makes new are all priced between upper $30k to $40+ Canadian. Am not willing to risk them. Yep I know life is short but each one of these makes gives me an excuse not to have one.

Coming from an old Boxster I need comfortable seats and a soft ride. I want to sit high, decent cupholders, lots of space and unlike the X1 I will have room for a real spare tire!
The Lexus NX is up for display mid September and will look at that . This suv starts in the low $40k Can but suspect I will gravitate towards the used RX350. Xmas is coming early this year and with cold temperatures coming up I want a car that is reliable. Oh yes the Certified Lexus comes with a 2 year warranty! So what is it going to be for you German and fun or utilitarian Japanese?

Guy

Just because you buy Japanese doesn't guarantee success. My youngest son's girlfriend bought a used Lexus last year from the local Lexus dealer and it has since toasted the motor, among other things.

Not sure why Fred needs an entire weekend to change an alternator belt. Mine are all serpentine belts and the last belt R&R I paid for cost me $80 in labor.

I like the way German cars drive; been driving them for 30 years. American and Asian cars aren't the same. For me, driving one of those is just one step up from riding the bus. Whatever it costs me, is worth any extra expense, if any.

JR

Both of my sons have A3's chipped and exhaust mods. They have had no problems and the 4.9
0 to 60 is great.

Go to the local dealership and ask the service dept, both writers and techs if they would own one out of warranty, I can already tell you the answer is no.
My personal opinion will not be added here

Horror stories have kept me away from Audi as well.

The most reliable car I have ever owned is my 2006 Acura RSX Type-S. 130000 miles with only routine maintenance. Oh, it does eat headlight bulbs on a regular basis, but I think that is more of a function of me driving it to and from work in the dark all the time.

I had a 2008 BMW 335xi that was "needy". It wasn't happy unless it had a dealership appointment every 2 months.

Audi- nope.

Well, maybe before it starts needing things.....

rjp

Funny thing about this thread is I recently needed to sell my beloved 540I sport 6-speed because of switching position's within the county government I work for. I need something that has all-wheel-drive as I am now under the heading "Essential Employee" - I have to be there regardless http://forums.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/cry.gif

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1409584689.jpg


I decided to replace it; another BMW, but with all-wheel-drive. I wanted to do 3-series XI. But there are few and far between where I live in the condition and price range needed. So decided I would go and look at a 1-owner 2005.5 Audi A4, AWD - 2.0 turbo with 98K on the clock.
I could tell immediately that the car was as stated - really a 9.5 out of 10 on every level............................................. .......except when I take a test drive and get back and open the hood and hear the dreaded 'Diesel' sound indicating worn camshaft / high pressure fuel pressure fuel pump. I passed............
Ultimately, I found a '07 328XI that needed some love for waaaay under market and that is what I bought

Beautiful- I ain't sellin mine, not now. Does everything a modern car does-except nag you about seat belts, and no car payments :)

You can work on a BMW......That Audi is a packaging nightmare.

rjp

I'm on my second Lexus IS300. Have put a combined 180,000 miles on my former 01 and current 05. My only repairs have been 1 set of brake pad/rotors, a couple batteries, a lot of tires and fluid changes. Non-garaged, minimal maintenance and never had a single breakdown or defect in these cars in 5 yrs of ownership. They are amazing appliances. I put 35k mi/year on my cars due to my job and would never consider a German or American car capable of this level of durability. I believe that for ultimate reliability, appliances like Toyota/Lexus/Honda/Acura are still the best.

That said, if I only put 10k mi/yr on my car, I'd rather drive a BMW or Audi.

Just bought a 2002 A4 in May and have really enjoyed it for 5000 miles now. Just did my first oil change. The guy who had it before me was very audi-savy, and had addressed all the known A4 issues. I think the trick is to educate yourself on the shortcomings of these cars (and there are many), and find one that has been properly maintained. I looked at hundreds of A4s online before finding one that had been well taken care of by someone who was smart. For $5500 I got an A4 quattro that has the APR stage I mods and a new stainless exhaust. It is an absolute hoot to drive. I don't doubt that I'll be spending weekends under the hood, but it's so much fun to drive.

So the take home lesson is that many here want to buy used (and cheap) but want rock-solid reliability, and when things do break, want to fix it themselves. In that case, Honyota is certainly for you.

Most of the Japanese cars still don't have an aesthetic on the interior that I like, and with a few exceptions, are not entertaining to drive. But if you want an appliance, then you buy an appliance. Just depends on how what kind of wheel you want to spend your time behind...

^^^

I find it entertaining that on a Porsche board guys are whining about repair frequency/costs and waxing fondly about their hundreds of thousands of miles in the automotive equivalent of a well made blender.

I can make more money, I can't make more time. I'm going to spend that time behind the wheel in something that I find fun and functional - and preferably those both go together.

To a degree, yes. Most of us appear to need at least one car that we can absolutely count on to start and run, 5-6 days a week, with minimal repairs that will take it offline for more than a day. That describes my DD, the Acura RSX Type-S.

Then, we need a backup to the DD, for the rare times that the DD has to spend the night in the Acura dealership (who I find to be rather reasonable in their charges), such as for it's 110,000 mile service. The BDD should be at least semi-reliable and provide a change of pace to driving the DD. That's my 1999 M3: still has A/C, is fun to drive, minimal electronics to go tits up.

Then, we need a track car. Something simple enough that even a chimp can wrench on it, agile, entertaining, with minimal to non-existent creature comforts. Yet, can be used as a backup to the BDD if necessary. My TC is my 911.

Then, we need a race car, because just putting laps down at a HPDE gets old after a while. In my case, I don't have much money, so I race Chump Car. I should have bought a E30 like everybody else, but, no, I had to be different, so I bought a Mk3 Supra. I still can't believe I could have been that stupid.

Finally, we need a project car. Something that we can work on in our spare time or after we retire and we're too old to go racing anymore. Mine is a 1973 914, that may or may not ever run again. But it's the therapeutic process of creation of something from nothing (or in the rust bucket 914 case, less than nothing) that provides the motivation and satisfaction.

And that is why each of us needs at least 5 cars.

I used to be a Honda car dealer. I came up through the ranks in the service and parts side of the business. I have friends that were Audi dealers. I think it's safe to say I've probably got a better understanding of the car business than the average guy.

There are no cars that are completely reliable. None. I'd even hesitate to say that Japanese cars are always better than German cars. The Japanese have made some pretty embarassing ****-ups. The average guy doesn't hear about too much of it.

These anecdotal threads are pretty worthless. I really hate to hear opinions from people that have owned one example of something, or none at all. Really useful.

I'd like to own a car that never breaks. Or a house that never needs anything. Or a TV that lasts forever. Or a wife that always agrees with me. Since none of that will ever happen, I surround myself with things that I like and I deal with the **** that comes up. Every day.

I'm like you. I've never been happy with a Japanese car. Yeah they get you from point A to B but they are just transportation. They have no soul, they don't feel good when you drive them. Hondas feel like tin cans to me, now. I'm a car guy. Life's too short to waste on sensible, efficient appliances.

JR

I must confess doing a flip flop. After 3 years of being on this board and in a Porsche I now need a break from the German auto. I have gotten into the habit of leaving the door open on my Boxster(now gone) until I hear it purring sweetly. Oh yeah before that happens I make sure there is oil in the engine and the IMS Guardian tests okay with a warning light and a beep. Perhaps 3-4 years from now I may be bored out of my mind with a Japanese product and require abuse again. Only time will tell......
Guy

Sounds wonderful. Most of don't have the luxury of space available for five cars...

+1. I'm burned out on German car nonsense, this last round (trans, suspension, misc. crap) really beat me up- had the car for 1.5 years and everything except the engine itself has been gone thru- it's like a NEW car now. My E39 fought me tooth-and-nail but, after many dollars, I finally won. If it goes TU then it's adios Germany for awhile. All the new German stuff just isn't appealing, not to mention the horrid build quality of the last few years.

My next transportation appliance is likely Japanese... Lexus.

rjp

Now take my Boxster engine pleeeze.....

For all you engineers and mechanics out there do you ever think why is this engine so complicated? Okay you got your air quality so you got to have an AOS.

How many sets of chains? And the two sets of chains have to be within a certain tolerance. Camshaft deviation tolerance etc.

Water pump condition? If old gotta replace that in case it explodes into a thousand fragments.

While in there replace the coolant reservoir coz it is old.

While in there you gotta replace the IMS to prevent the engine grenading. And while in there gotta replace the RMS and the clutch and don't forget the flywheel condition.

I crave the simplicity of the old VW bug engine. When did Porsche start to go sideways with their cars? If a person added up all the replacements then it is not a far stretch to say to heck with it and spring for a new Porsche!

3 years of extreme fun. There is no substitute!? Okay I am on vacatiion from anything German. 2 months not driving the Boxster and I am not missing it yet.
G

I'm seriously thinking mid 90's Accord coupe. Whole long block if it goes kablooey $1.5K- drive for hundreds of thousands of miles. Excellent gas mileage and reliability. Fix it for pennies and anyone can do it, can't worry about that car- dings, whatever who cares? Fix it and move on.

For a driver, you can't beat that deal.

rjp

Why do you need a "real spare tire"? Most people don't - it is a holdover from a previous era. If you travel long distances in the middle of nowhere, then I can see it. But a lot of people don't.

We hold onto notions of the way things are supposed to be often for far longer than we should. Not all progress is in fact progress, but there are times that we just don't like change because it is different.

I still love my X1 (though you won't like the cupholders ;)), but I don't boonie bash in it. That said, if the i3 experiment goes well, I could see swapping the X1 for the i3. You only get to drive so many cars in your life...

It's one of the advantages of country living.

(and the whole post was meant to be somewhat satirical anyway, as in: I don't really need 5 cars)

I think the new one looks pretty good. I too miss the days of my old Civic. Dead simple car that actually handled ok with decent tires and struts. Slow car fast kinda thing to me. I havent worked on a ton of them but each recent Audi/vw has been a pita. Good for making $$ though.

I forgot what car parts are SUPPOSED to cost. $1.5K for a rebuilt bottom end? Swap in one day? Drive 200K with just routine maintenance? No BMW or Porsche BS tax?

SOLD. I'm seriously considering it, but I have too many cars as-is. They are just sit here.

Ain't sellin the 540, probably keep it. But the allure of a hassle-free car is really tempting. You can buy an Accordion anywhere in the hood for nothing, and rehab on the cheap. Instant daily driver...

rjp