Audi A6 - anyone have one?
 

I want to buy a 2004 Audi A6 2.7T. I don't know much about them other than reviews I've read on the net.

Does anyone here endorse my decision? Any comments, suggestions?

My objective is to get a comfy, spacious, (relatively) economical, kinda sporty, very reliable 4 season car.

All these above things, my 911 is not...

I have an 03 A6 Allroad 2.7 bi-turbo, mileage is OK for a full size car, about 22-24 for my commute, the power of the bi-turbo is amazing, even for a sleeper station wagon. It's comfy for a 6' 2" in tall guy, spacious, all four main passenger seats are heated, dual climate control, quiet, yadda, yadda. I wish I had something negative to say, however we are a two Audi one Porsche household and have been for years.

I guess one downside is that I just had to have the 60k done, it was like $1800 for the t-belts, water pump etc. Just like a 944 belt job, only a lot more expensive.

Thanks for the input!

In general, how do you find the reliability, maintenance, other than regular 60k, etc. How does it compare to a more mainstream car, like a VW?

How good are the engines for high mileage expectations? With a twin turbo, I immediately think: ultra-high compression and shorter lifespan... Is this so? Treating it respectfully, would you expect to get 200k out of it?

I think the 2.7 is actually lower compression, but experts can chime in. Honestly I haven't in many years had any issues beyond a check engine light. We are on our fourth A4 and second A6, however one of the A4's was actually an S4.

I don't expect my A6 to go to 200k, I'll be honest, but I just don't keep cars that long, in fact 60k is almost a new record for me. I probably wouldn't even entertain 60k, but they stopped selling the Allroad in the US to try and boost Q7 sales.

I don't have issues, however I have heard some real angry people on the service drive before. When I dropped of the 07 A4 last week for it's 5k there was a guy with A4 1.8 that had a new engine coming his way, sludging issue from what I overheard.

I guess my expectations are low.

Audis are great cars until they go out of warranty. Then they can get expensive.

I will likely sell my A3 right before it goes out of warranty. Luckily as a CPO car that won't happen for another 4 years/80K miles. My ex has dumped a fair amount of money into her '98 A8 and it will keep bleeding her until she dumps it. Her decision though...

Get a CPO or one that still has some of the original warranty left.

Wife's car is an 04 A6 3.0. So far, minor problems that were covered completely. She loves the car. Very roomy, handles very well, good power and nice bells & whistles. I remember reading back when doing the research to steer clear of the turbos unless it's under warranty. I'll try to find where I found my info.

+1 I only have my 2.7t because it was a CPO to 100k, otherwise, on way. I was also told by my mechanic that most of the extreme failures he sees on the 2.7's are from extreme modifications to the software and or hardware.

I have owned a 2001 2.7t and now own a 2005 3.2 both quattros.

Do not own one without a warranty and pray your dealerships service dept. is better than mine.

Nothing gets worked out on the 1st trip it takes 2 or 3.

My 2005 is a electrical gremlin in the making.

Passenger window will sometimes roll down and not go up from the drivers control, I have to reach across and put it back up with the passenger control.

Sunroof has stayed open and not closed for about 10 minutes then worked fine never to give me trouble again.

Battery dies overnight in the garage for no reason then will not do it for months then do it again.

Yesterday when I hit the key fob to unlock to doors the windshield wipers came on.

5 Disk changer stopped working after 3500 miles on the brand new car.

BTW- this is all with my 2005, I leased it brand new at the dealership.

The 2001? I inherited the previous owners problems. Coolant issues, electrical gremlins similar to the 2005.

All said, its a love hate relationship. I love the car, I love the drive, I love how smooth it is, I love how well it drives in the rain. I am sure its heaven in the snow (we do not get much in Florida)

I hate the little nagging problems.

But I can look past the problems because its such an awesome car.

Just do not own one without a warranty unless you have a lot of time on your hands, your a good mechanic, or you have lots of extra money to pay to fix it.

BTW- its VERY tempting to get your 2.7t chipped, think M3 killer performance gains.

The turbos will last 10-20K miles once its chipped and to replace them is over $5,000.

Don't chip it, it will last much longer.

I bet you don't write reviews for Audi Corporate for a living!! LOL

Thanks for your input. I suppose all cars have their issues... I certainly wouldn't look forward to having anything less reliable or dependable than a Honda Civic...

The last thing I need is for the sunroof to spontaneously open up during a snow storm at sub-freezing temperatures, by turning a knob on the radio...

So, I'm driving to Rochester tomorrow from Toronto to check out a certified pre-owned.. Anymore advice is more than welcome!

Are there any questions I should ask the dealer about the A6/A4 that are specific to this car?

OK, now that's just plain messin' with you.

At least the car has a sense of humor!

I'm nearing 50K miles on my '01 TT. Not a single issue or burp. It's a former CPO car that's now out of warranty and being maintained by an independent shop. I really love this Audi for all the reasons already stated however it's due a costly timing belt refresh and I'm thinking nows the time to switch for a 4dr car. I'll look at used A4, A6, and of course a 3 series BMW. This is one car I'm NOT anxious to live without.

James, I have a 2000 A6 2.7T. I bought it for a low price from a fellow Pelican as it had a few issues. I believe the '99-'04 models are basically the same. It rode like a big wallowy pig with it's stock suspension and 16" wheels, so I bought 18" RS6 wheels and slightly lowered the car with an Eibach sport suspension kit. It nows rides very nice and these are very fast cars. I love driving the car when I want to relax (it is my wifes daily driver, so I get it rarely). It does incredible in snow and is just an all around great car. The trunk is HUGE.

All that said, unless you are a hardcore DIY type, don't buy one out of warranty like Jim said above. After fixing some intial problems with the car it mine has been trouble free, however the whole front end of the car (bumper, radiator, condensor etc) has to come off of the car to repair any of the engine systems or belts (alternator, power steering pump AC compressor etc). I have a lift at home yet I haved never seen my turbos or my power steering rack.....they are simply buried!

I think Audi builds a decent car, but repairs due to how much crap is packed in such a difficult way, makes working on these cars a bit more difficult than say a 5 series BMW. DIY work is difficult/time consuming.

On thing about A6's to look for is tape marks in the rear door sills, the way you have to paint them after an accident always leaves them stopping at the jamb. You can tell in seconds if it's been hit.

Second would have to be smoke on startup, I looked at several 2.7t's that ha a puff of blue on startup, dealers kept saying that's "normal." It's not really, and it's often a sign of abuse.

Thanks! I just added those two things to the list..

There is a slightly higher risk for me, since I'm shopping across the border, due to equal currency exchange rates.

Yes, the warranty will be transferrable, but if there are any other issues, it's not like I can go to the dealership after work and complain.. once I'm gone, to them, I might as well be in Mexico...

I have a 2001 S4 2.7t. I have owned it since new. Like David, I too was in a honeymoon phase with my car until I hit 50,000 miles. The moment the warranty expired I began to have problems with the car. First small things started breaking like the CV boots and the motor mounts. then my radiator broke, I needed new tie rods, and 2 o2 sensors went bad. Now I am leaking oil like like the Exxon Valdez, my center console LED display is almost completely dead and it looks like I am going to need a new torque converter! All on a car that has less than 90k miles on it! I am sick of spending thousands repairing this POS and will be offloading it as soon as I (my shop) can find the mystery oil leak. It's a shame because my S is re really nice car. I love the power, handling, and style of it. I am just sick of having a money pit that is in the shop more often then on the road. If I wanted that I would have gotten a 928!:D

In that case, let me know when you're selling it!! I'm in the market!!

The A6 I'm looking at in New York has 53k on it, and still has (some) warranty. I plan to own this for car for about 4 years, putting another 50k on it, total 100k.

Bad decision? Spend more now for less miles and more warranty?

Definite yes x 2. Used car resale is terrible so it's a buyers market - especially for a 4dr sedan. Go private party lower mile car and stick to your price.

What is the consensus on this?

http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/dda/detail.jsp?car_id=215159327&dealer_id=79780&car_ye ar=2004&dealership_view_name=www.sutherlandautosal es.com&model=A6&make2=&start_year=2004&keywordsfyc =&keywordsrep=&engine=&result_car_id=null&fuel=&se arch_type=both&suppressStyle=null&make=AUDI&color= &min_price=&drive=&max_mileage=&sort_type=priceDES C&advanced=&end_year=2004&doors=&transmission=&max _price=&cardist=25

the only used Audi I would buy would be CPO that had a lot of miles/years left on the warranty. Period.
ymmv.

$15K to replace the tranny on my ex's A8 (luckily right before it went off CPO warranty). She's spent who knows how many thousands on various leaks, breaks, etc. She has had a coolant leak that has been in the shop 4x for and it still isn't fixed.

I love the cars, but imho you buy lightly used, drive them for a few years, then dump before they're off warranty.

Best advice so far....

Go lower on the miles and get the remainder of the factory bumper to bumper, then let the CPO kick in. We took this approach, the car just went out of factory and is now in CPO warranty. THey way she drives, it's a safe bet it'll be under warranty for the duration of the time we own it. Interesting thing about last winter, it handled better than my Outback wagon in the snow, it would go through damn near anything.

Amazing in the snow, hands down winner, of course I can raise the suspension level from a switch on the dashboard. :)

What is the difference between the bumper to bumper and Certified Pre-Owned warranty?

I am an Audi fan, and I am on my second A6.

Since I know Audi (and VWs) pretty well, I also recommend getting one with a warranty just for peace of mind. I did find some CPO cars, but ended up picking the best car I could find regardless of the warranty.
I ended up finding one in Santa Barbara, at a small dealership who had received it and it was in great shape.

I went to the Audi dealership near my office in Orange County and found out what warranties they support. I ended up buying a 3yr-36K warranty from a third party but that the dealership was very familiar with. Cost me ~2,,500 but still the best deal even adding the separate cost.

In the end, I have had no issues. One tiny leak to a propeller shaft and one noisy front bearing.

The 2.7T is a great engine. So much fun to drive. Love it when the thrust kicks in and the car feels so light and nimble. I got it with BBS rims and I added a RS6 rear spoiler, tinted windows, s-line badge, ipod adapter, and I am done.

I did drive a couple of 2.7T Allroads. Although very nice, they were rather slow and did not have the thrill that the sedan has ( I guess the extra 400 pounds make a difference). Also one Allroad I saw had a leak in the air suspension and I think it would have cost over $4,500 to fix (crazy).

Good deal on some BMW 535 (new body style) these days, but still quite a bit more than the 2.7T.

Stay away from 1999 or 2000 models. Tons of issues, but up in 2001.

Keep us posted; with pics as well........SmileWavy

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1192851077.jpg

oops, sorry. couldn't help myself. All this talk about Audis was making Ruby jealous. She's been feeling under-appreciated of late.

I have tried to like Audis and I just cannot....I have seen too many friends that had their Audis nickel and dime them.

Case 1: I just helped a friend of mine pull the 32V heads off his A8 after the timing belt broke and he bent pretty much ALL the valves. This is his wifes car, and as she likes it so much he is inclined to fix it and keep it. It was plain agony to do this, the entire front end of the car has to be removed!

Case 2: Another friend of mine sold his ultra reliable '82 Datsun 280ZX Turbo to buy a '05 A4 Wagon and it has electric gremlins as Jim C mentioned, now he regret's selling the ZX.

Case 3: A friend of mine brings her TT over to take a look at something weird, this car has only 25K on it! Well the "weird" thing was that seat warmer switches on the dash is so stupidly designed that as you end up pushing it on and off, over time the switch sinks into the dash - talk about a stupid design, there is no support behind the switch! I fix it for her but it takes literally hours and I made an aluminum backing plate to prevent this from occuring again.

As you are in Toronto, which has simply awful winters and expensive fuel costs....my choice if you want reliability, power and 4WD:
http://webspace.utexas.edu/rlb6954/r...y/100_2046.jpg


Yasin

Ruby's a babe!

OK, I'll bite. Here is one of the Wickd one.......



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1192893019.jpg

Yasin,
I agree, I have always heard " I have a friend who has had terrible trouble with his/her Audi" but I actually have never "met any of these people.":confused:

These are not Fiats, or Skodas or French built coaches.

How about the 2003 Mercedes E class. I think tons got recalled under the Lemon law - no greater issue than this, and no one says anything.:eek:

I have also heard that it is possible that, and only rumorred but not a reflection of the great company that it is (verbage used to avoid issues and please note this is my personal opinion of things I have heard and not a documented issue - is that safe enough to avoid the wrath of Motor Works)BMW has had issues with their 335i and the ONLY way they would fix things was to REQUIRE owners have to sign forms that that they won't talk or post anything.:eek: (ask around at car shows).
I would not be surprised if this is how a few of my friends got their "battery draining issues fixed on their new Bimmers over the last 5-10 years.....

If you want complete reliability, "yous gottas ta go japaneeeese."

Karma baby. I just posted about a trouble free run and this morning my wife comes home with the TT and I notice the 3 brake lights are on. Go through the whole arm/disarm alarm, lock, un-lock, start, drive around the block, stop, lock dance. No dice, the brake lights are glowing. No time this weekend to address the issue so I'll make the appointment and temporarily disconnect the ground battery cable. Doh!

Well folks, I spent my day in Ruby driving around and testing A6's. The ones that are in my price range (high teens, low 20s) are a bit rough around the edges. I drove an A6 Sport Edition and it was very nice to drive, but the interior was falling apart in some places.

Then, I found a Jag. Man, do those ever depreciate fast... I drove an X-Type 3.0L AWD and loved it. It's 5 grand less than the A6 with higher mileage. As much as I want a sporty German car, I'll definitely get way more bang for my buck...

I'll keep you posted!

from bad to worse

Step away from the edge there cowboy....

Do the words, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire" mean anything to you?

Jaguar makes Audi look like a Honda reliability wise. Turn and run!!

If you are willing to look for a car at a distance, there are tons of A6s in the SF Bay area. Go to craigslist and try the bay area.

I have a 2000 A6 4.2 Sport. It is both the best and the worst car that I have owned.

Best - This car is an incredible touring car. More comfortable than anything I have ever driven on long drives. Gobs of power and still quite economical. I averaged 75mph on my last trip to Fla and got 24 mpg. It is built like a tank - my wife has several times commented on how much more safe she feels than in other cars we have owned. Plus, the Quattro system makes the car incredibly sure footed, even in snow with wide performance tires.
Interior materials are unmatched.

Worst - I bought the car used with a CPO. Before I bought it, the transmission and radiator had been replaced. After I bought it, the automatic steering column adjusting system had to be replaced. It turned on a fault code for an "out of time" fault resulting in a three week stay at the dealer where the had the engine out and the heads off. Never did get a straight answer on that one. Most of my heartburn came from crummy dealer service.

Last week another fault came up and it appears that I have a burnt valve. this repair is being addressed by an independant since it is out of warranty (76,000 miles). I am hoping that we find a socket in the exhaust port from when the dealer worked on it! :rolleyes: While we are in there, we are addressing some coolant hoses, the cam belt and any other major service items, so I am likely looking at $3000.00. :(

That being said, if I can get another couple years out of it, I will be fine. In the back of my mind is the transmission because when that goes, it is basically game over. Also, the A6 has a silly number of joints in the front suspension which can get rather salty to replace.

The Audi is a great driving car. I tell my friends who ask about it that the smart man buys a Lexus, but a car guy buys the Audi and plans for the expenses! My friends at the independant repair shops in the area all tell me to buy a 5 series BMW next time. (the old body style). Not as roomy and teh interior is not as nice, but they are cheaper to buy parts for.

:rolleyes:

Tough one. The fact that the transmission was replaced was a major hint "prior to your purchase." :eek:
Before waiting for a clean 2.7t, I almost (and way to close to buying) a 2004 A6 3.0 with a CVT. It had 60K miles left on the extended factory warranty and was a great color combination. Then, all of a sudden I remembered hearing that CVTs might (and more likely than not) have issues, and it turned out I was right.
The girl said she was selling it for a smaller Audi, but admitted that the transmission was brand new. -FLAG. FLAG. FLAG....
So glad I did not get the car.;)

Its just like marriage. If you find out the history, you only have yourself to blame, even if she makes a fantastic omlette..:D:D

I know what you are saying, but lets look at it from the other perspective. The early cars had known transmission issues which supposedly were later addressed. The fact that this one had been replaced was a bonus in my eyes. If it hadnt been replaced, then I would REALLY be worried.

Same with a large # of Honda's and Acuras a few years back. They ALL had transmission woes. The dealers wouldnt even question it - just fix it.

That being said, its is irrelevent to topic if I made a bad decision. The poster is asking for our experiences and that is mine. Let me be clear that I still love the car. I am in no hurry to sell it, but I would be remiss if I recommended it without sharing the downsides. Most people dont appreciate the driving enjoyment to the same extent that I do and would not consider the Audi a good value.

But they're all Fords now!! I grew up with my dad restoring E-Types and XJ6s and XJ 12s. Now those were pieces of 5hit!

Do late model Jags still have reliability issues ??

I have found the owners surveys at www.edmunds.com to be educational and occasionally eye opening. The site is difficult to navigate, but worthwhile info there.

Since the 911 in my garage gives me the driving fix at the track and on weekends, I really just want a nice, comfortable, reliable and PRACTICAL AWD car. Sporty isn't the foremost concern. Cost, reliability and comfort is...