I wasn't really sure where to post this, but since it's related to repairs...

Here's the rundown- I'm looking at purchasing a 2001 A4 with <75K miles. Regardless, most stealerships don't offer a warranty on a vehicle seven years old. Knowing the high cost of Audi parts & maintenance, I don't want to drop $10K on a car and then have to spend another $3K out of pocket if something on my "new" car breaks. I'm a pretty good mechanic- I can do CV joints, radiators, stuff like that- the only problem is stuff like electrical or drivetrain problems, which I don't have the training or equipment to fix.

Which warranty company & coverage do you think gives you the most value & coverage for your money? Who has been a good value and who has been a blatant rip-off? I talked to one of the guys from AA Auto Warranty earlier today, but they quoted me $3700 on a 4 year bumper-to-bumper full coverage- and I have to pay that within a year!

Side note: I don't drive much. 8.5 months out of the year, typically speaking, I ride a motorcycle- my car will see maybe 6K of use per year. Would it be cheaper to put the money towards buying parts myself and take them to an independent mechanic? However, I also live in Illinois- if the tranny or ECU takes a **** on me mid-December, I can't hardly use the Ninja to get to work :P

audi offers extended warranties... i'd check w/ them for prices first.

secondly the biggest outside company i've seen for audi customers is mercury.

the reason i say to check w/ Audi first is because these aftermarket companies usually have to send an adjuster out to verify defect before they can authorize repairs... after hours of faxing, pictures, and phone calls... you might get your car fixed.

Audi everything is done in house and approved almostimmediately... but might be more costly.

And this one doesn't- which puzzles me. I'd heard enough people lauding <A HREF = http://www.continentalaudi.com>Continental Audi</A> for their sales reputation, so why they wouldn't even offer a service contract of their own is beyond me. Even the VW & Hyundai dealers that sell Audis would do that.

One of the mechanics suggested Easy Care which he said they do at the time of financing, but the guy at the stealership I talked to earlier didn't seem to know anything about it. Thing is, I got an email quote from Easy Care and they don't have that dealer listed.

If I were you i'd do some warranty research.. start here: WarrantiesGoneWild.com (http://www.warrantiesgonewild.com)