Hi, I'm new to the audi world, been looking for a new car (fed up with my Ford Explorer Transmission and gas mileage). I have run across a few that I'm interested in, and well, they're Audi A4's. I'm wondering if there is any advice on what to look out for when checking over one of these. I have my eye on an 01 A4 1.8T Quattro and a 97 A4 2.8 Quattro. The 1.8T has 81k miles and the 2.8 has 123k miles. I'm looking for something reliable to finish out my college career(1 more year), with some good gas mileage, anything better than 16mpg in the city would be great. Ideally looking for something that will push 20-25mpg in the city, have a little power for some fun, not looking to race, not looking to tune a lot until after college, and just reliable. Have any of you run into any cronic issues with either of these two models? Any advice on what to look out for, as in, any problem areas to look at. I don't know a whole lot about audi models like I do about ford models, being that this is my first purchase outside of ford, but being that there aren't any cars that really interest me, I have to branch out. Also, what kind of maintenance issues are run into. I like to do all routine maintenance myself being that I'm in a college town and everyone likes to try and take advantage of us thinking we don't know heads from tails on cars. Thanks guys, I hope to be a long time visitor of this forum, just need some information.

 

https://www.audiforums.com/m_700266/tm.htm


sounds like you should get the 1.8T and chip it, then when you get outta college and want to do more you can. with a 2.8 you can only supercharge it for 5 g's.

 

Yeah, sorry about not catching the newbie guide, caught it after I made my post, lol, but I figured it woulda been like advice for navigating the forum, at least, thats how it was on my previous forum board. Didn't realize it had a lot of information for buyers. Thanks though. Another bit of information regarding the two cars, the 01 1.8T is $9,995 and the 97 2.8 is $6,995. I kbb'ed them and those are about right, haven't carfax'ed them yet, waiting to finish the semester, right before I purchase a new car to start carfaxing, just kinda seeing whats out there right this moment, and tossing a few ideas around. Both are manual's, both the same used car dealer (got burned on my last deal with one, but this one is reputable, unlike my last one).

 

How many miles on the '01?? Is it a Tip or a manual??

 

 

Advice... Buy Mine

 

My bad. I'd go for the 1.8T because of the mileage, but you could probably go a little lower on it. I picked up my Tip with 64k on it for that price...

 

I've done a little more researching as far as insurance, car payments, etc. and the combination of them all. Insurance wants to kill me for the 1.8T because I'm 21 and will have to have full coverage, I like the mileage on the car, but the combination of insurance and payments aren't desireable. I did the 2.8, payments will be similar to what i'm making now on the exploder, insurance, only $100 more every 6 months more than what i'm paying now, and gas will save me more than i'd pick up in costs. So as of right now, the 2.8 is what I'm leaning towards. Now, thats not to say thats my decision, bc it'll probably be another month before I can do anything, gotta fix the exploder so I can get rid of it, got a few nagging issues that need to be righted. But as of right now, if i were to go today, i'd probably get the 2.8. I'm still gonna research, gonna listen for ya'lls opinions, and weigh my options before I choose, I just started looking a couple weeks ago, when gas reached and crossed the $3 mark. But I refuse to make the same mistake I made last time and jump into a purchase.

 

LOL @ the Exploder!! The 2.8 will be best if you don't plan to mod whatever you get, but it sort of surprises me that there's thatmuch of a difference in the insurance. Try being 16 and havingfull coverageon a car like that. [:@]

 

Yeah, I hate the cost of full coverage, but it'll pay off if something happens. Yeah, the cheapest I could find was 700-800 with the bare minimum full coverage that my bank will allow for the 1.8T, and I have no violations on my record, so yeah, part time job won't pay for that, lol.